Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
A state appeals court recently affirmed that California employers are not required to pay for slip-resistant shoes their employees must wear for work. It’s not just in California, though—similar exemptions exist at the federal level. If you require such footwear for your facilities staff, read up on the details of the issue here.
California regulators recently adopted an emergency standard requiring employers to protect workers from wildfire smoke. There are exemptions to the standard, however, and building air filtration is a big one. It’s an opportunity for facilities managers to help their organizations both save money and keep workers healthy.
Every so often, your facilities management team members will find themselves on scaffolds, platforms, or scissor lifts. Whether you’re performing new construction or routine maintenance, fall protection must be addressed whenever an employee is working at heights. Is adequate railing protection enough? Can you require use of a fall arrest system even when one isn’t […]
Wasted energy literally means money out the door of your business—and ultimately lower profitability. In addition, there is a strong correlation between the comfort of your space and an efficient HVAC system, which is another reason to focus on this often-overlooked topic.
You may have heard that New York City (NYC), the most populous city in the United States, has passed a groundbreaking law limiting building GHG emissions in an effort to meet its ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target—80 percent by 2050. The new regulation is having a major impact on building owners and facilities managers […]
In the facilities management and commercial real estate sectors, the disconnect between building owners and tenants can slow the switch to energy efficiency. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star® program, a significant portion of a building’s energy use is under the direct or indirect control of the occupants.
There is a host of reasons for a facility to invest in a new security system, from upgrading older (or dead) equipment to meeting the changing demands of a growing organization. Sure, it’s important to choose the proper high-definition cameras, system devices, and management software to meet your security needs. However, it’s often easy to […]
If you’re a facilities manager in California, you should be staying up to date on the developments! California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) recently revised its draft indoor heat illness prevention standard to address stakeholders’ concerns. Employers would have to maintain the indoor temperature and heat index below 87 degrees Fahrenheit when workers […]
What if an inexpensive, simple fix could improve productivity, control ergonomic hazards, enhance security, and reduce accidental injuries in your workplace? You would look into that immediately, right? Here’s some good news: Proper workplace illumination can accomplish all of those things, and chances are, much of what you need is probably already present in your […]
Our experts at Safety.BLR.com were recently asked, “What industries does the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) consider as Special Industries?” Here is what they had to say.