Tag: facilities management

Workplace violence prevention

Engineering Facilities to Prevent Workplace Violence

As a facilities management (FM) professional, you are probably not writing workplace violence prevention plans. However, you probably are looking at facility design, and facilities managers can be key in helping their buildings and tenants with hazard identification and engineering controls used to prevent violence.

Mower, mowing

Facilities Groundskeeping Safety Week, Part 1: Mower Hazards

Summer is fast approaching in the northern hemisphere. Soon enough, facilities management professionals will be out in force, working hard to keep their grounds and buildings attractive for tenants and customers, with the familiar growl of mowers and lawn tractors, the howl of leaf blowers, and the whiz of string trimmers echo through the land. […]

Manager safety leadership

Control Facility Hazards with ‘Prevention Through Design’

Saving money and preventing workplace injuries right from the drawing board are the simple principles behind “Prevention Through Design” (PtD). One common example of PtD is lockout/tagout practices for machinery, but the practice has many applications in the facilities management space. Basically, PtD is the control of workplace hazards by addressing them during the design […]

Snow plow in a facility's cleared parking lot

Tips for Outdoor Winter Work at Your Facility

Winter is here, and many parts of the country are seeing snow. With the seasonal changes come the hazards of outdoor work in cold conditions, snow and ice removal, and other dangers. At its Winter Weather resource site, OSHA lists 10 common winter weather hazards that employers should train employees to recognize.

Lightbulbs

A Bright Idea or No? DOE Seeks to Void Expanded Definition of Lightbulb

Energy efficiency is one of the top concerns of facilities management professionals, and a recent proposal from the Department of Energy (DOE) may influence how lighting products are defined under certain regulations. The DOE is proposing to withdraw a rule issued in the final days of the Obama administration that expanded the definition of general […]

slips, trips, and falls

Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls Using ANSI Standards 1264.1 and 1264.2

At last year’s annual conference of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), ASSP’s outgoing President Jim Smith presented a session titled “The A1264.1 Standard: Wall and Roof Openings; Stairs and Guardrails/Handrails.” The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standards 1264.1 and 1264.2 could be helpful for facilities management professionals looking to design their workplaces with […]

Inspection of facilities

Has Your Facility Been Cited? Here’s What to Do

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 […]

Scales of Justice

FYI for Facilities Managers: EPA Penalties Have Increased

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.

Common Causes—and Remedies—for Indoor Mold Contamination

The best way to minimize mold in a building is to know the most common places it may occur, develop routine inspection schedules, and follow procedures for ongoing maintenance. Most guidance information recognizes there are differences between “heating climates” such as during very cold winter months and “cooling climates” during the summer, but there are […]