Category: Safety

First Aid Kits: Update Yours to Meet New Industry Standard

A first aid kit can be easy to ignore. It’s quiet, unobtrusive, and often hiding in plain sight. But it’s more likely to be used than you might think. There were 2.7 million workplace nonfatal injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers in the U.S. in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor […]

Air Quality ‘Report Card’ Ranks Most Polluted and Cleanest Places in U.S.

Countless studies have found that good indoor air quality is critical for facility occupants’ health. But are your facilities, themselves, located in a region with a dangerous amount of outside air pollution to combat? The American Lung Association has released its 23rd annual “State of the Air” report card, which tracks and grades Americans’ exposure […]

New Terms to Ensure Effective Cleaning

Have you heard of the term “indiscriminate disinfecting?” What about the term “hygiene theater” or “Safety First”? These are all terms that have evolved since the beginning of the pandemic. Because the pandemic has likely changed professional cleaning forever, these are terms that facility managers (FMs) who work with and hire cleaning professionals need to […]

Why Healthcare Facilities Need More Public View Monitors

Public view monitors (PVMs) have an integrated camera and display the captured images of visitors. PVMs are typically hung from the ceiling or mounted on the walls at customer entrances and lobby areas. They have been used for years in the retail sector and proven to deter criminal activity. PVMs can help to set the […]

Public Health Experts Urge Action Before Next Pandemic Wave

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) should establish federal workplace standards regarding ventilation, appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), physical distancing, and other basic public health precautions in anticipation of future surges in COVID-19 infections, according to a group of public health experts.   In a report titled “Getting to and Sustaining the Next Normal: A Roadmap […]

Energy Department Announces $500M for School Upgrades

As part of the new Biden-Harris Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released a Request for Information (RFI) for a $500 million grant program from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for K-12 public school energy upgrades. According to the DOE, the program will help deliver cleaner and healthier classrooms, […]

Infographic: Sign and Tag Requirements

As part of Facilities Management Advisor‘s coverage during our Healthy Buildings Week 2022 event, this infographic outlines how facilities management professionals and employers must use proper signs and tags in the workplace to help keep occupants healthy and safe.

How Digital Contact Tracing Could Help Facility Managers Limit COVID Outbreaks

From implementing new cleaning and sanitization guidelines to dealing with labor shortages and supply chain issues, facility managers are handling more moving parts than ever before because of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the virus transforming communal areas into new opportunities for infections, facility managers have a newfound responsibility to protect the health and well-being of […]

Workplace Safety Concerns Hit All-Time High for U.S. Employees

Most U.S. employees are more concerned about workplace safety than ever before, with worries ranging from health hazards to cybersecurity, and they expect employers to ensure their well-being while on the job, according to a new study from AlertMedia. Based on responses from over 2,000 full-time U.S. workers, the State of Employee Safety Report found […]

OSHA Ups Inspections at Healthcare Facilities Treating COVID Patients

The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced an enforcement memorandum for a short-term increase in highly focused inspections directed at hospitals and skilled nursing care facilities that treat or handle COVID-19 patients. For two years, millions of the nation’s healthcare workers have been battling the coronavirus. Many have endangered […]