Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Property owners want to maintain a pleasant landscape for a host of reasons, such as attracting quality tenants or to portray themselves as a positive force for their community, among other reasons. Whether the landscape is beautifully ornamented or a simple, lightly planted green space, facility managers charged with maintenance and operations have come to […]
As green buildings become more widespread, it’s important to not overlook how we can turn outdoor spaces into more sustainable designs. Xeriscaping is one landscaping method that creates a low-water natural space that is not only easy to maintain, it’s beneficial to the environment.
In case you haven’t noticed the large clouds forming outside building entrances, the use of e-cigarettes—also called vaping—is on the rise. As a result, many facility managers and their organization’s HR teams are playing catch-up to answer questions from employees, colleagues, and executives.
To a facility manager, a picture can be worth a thousand words, and the trees on their facility grounds are an important part of that image. Their value also extends well beyond the ornamental; healthy trees help curb cooling costs, manage stormwater, clean the air by intercepting pollutants, and provide some shade where your or […]
Yesterday we examined the steps OSHA’s taking to protect tree care workers alongside some of the agency’s general procedural recommendations to keep employees safe on the job. Today, we’ll expand the discussion to include some of the more specific hazards surrounding tree care work, from chippers to aerial lifts, and best practices for controlling them.
Of all the jobs available in the United States, tree care operations continually rank among the most hazardous. Landscape service workers comprise less than 1 percent of the total workforce but account for 3.5 percent of all workplace fatalities, according to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries; of those fatalities, 75 percent are […]
A large part of attracting new talent or tenants to your facility or property is providing the amenities they want. Talk of the top amenities conjures visions of open floor plans, human-centric lighting, or even a break room stocked with board games, table tennis, and dart boards. But amenities don’t always have to fit inside […]
It’s spring again, and facility landscapes are starting to buzz with the sounds of landscaping crews cutting grass, laying down fresh mulch, and of course, trying to get ahead of the weeds. The herbicide Glyphosate, the active ingredient in over 750 products, including Roundup®, the world’s most popular herbicide, has been a central component in […]
Would you consider bees to be an occupational hazard? In 2007, three workers were stung by bees while harvesting almonds in Texas; one of them was stung more than 60 times and had to be taken to the hospital. In 2008, a worker in California was stung while driving a tractor and died of an […]
How do you get rid of crabgrass on your facility grounds? Or insects? Or clover, thistle, dandelion, or any of the other weeds that mar your attractive landscaping? Hand weeding may be a good option for a well-mulched flowerbed, but pesticides may be the most effective solution for large grounds and lawns. If your workers […]