Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
In a March post, we examined the four categories of employers that OSHA will hold responsible for safety on a multiemployer facility. Today, we will take a more detailed view of the responsibilities of “controlling employers,” who carry a higher compliance burden than other employers at the worksite.
Fatigue often goes underrecognized as a risk factor in many work environments. Workers are at a higher risk of suffering fatigue-related incidents in environments containing key factors such as long working hours, on-call work, seasonal highs, shiftwork, physically and mentally demanding work, boring and monotonous work, safety-sensitive work, and driving operations.
Back pain, whether chronic or acute, is one of the most common (and complained about) ergonomic injuries. While they may not be the source of the issue, there’s a good deal of blame to be placed at the feet of changes in chair design over the years. As a facility manager, you’re quite likely to […]
If you have forklifts at your facility and have an opinion on the rules that govern their safe operation, now is your chance to weigh in with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA is seeking comment and information about possible deregulatory action involving general industry, construction, and maritime standards for forklifts and other […]
How many employers have a presence in your facility? Do you have two or three contractors renovating a tenant’s office space, another contractor running your on-site cafeteria, some consultants evaluating your production unit, a medical group doing on-site wellness screening, and a crew of temporary employees in the warehouse? All of those workers represent different […]
At most facilities, janitorial crews are often neither seen nor heard, starting their work shifts after most employees have gone home. This level of freedom has the potential to cause security problems related to more than just incidents of theft. Workers in these jobs may be poorly screened or not background-checked by the firms who […]
On average, the United States Postal Service processes and delivers over 493 million pieces of mail (letters and packages) per day. That does not include the additional millions of packages per day handled by other shipping companies such as United Parcel Service or Fed-Ex. On an average day, all of this goes off without a […]
If your facility has been cited by OSHA, EPA, the EEOC, or another regulatory agency, it’s important to take steps immediately to address violations and bring your workplace into compliance. While some corrections may fall solely upon your environment, health, and safety (EHS) department, others may require the involvement of facilities management (FM) pros in […]
Although delayed by the government shutdown, the EPA has finalized regulations adjusting its civil penalties to account for inflation. If you’re responsible for a facility that manages hazardous waste or is subject to clean air and water regulations (among others), be sure to take note of these developments.
Every industry has its own unique set of acronyms and abbreviations, and facilities management is no exception. Having a handy list of industry jargon around is helpful for those trying to break into the industry, or for facility managers getting ready to head off for a conference. This infographic from AssetWorks has you covered with […]