Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has renewed its alliance with CPWR—The Center for Construction Research and Training—to provide guidance and training resources for construction safety. PWR and the agency agreed to a new 5-year alliance to address hazards that are of concern to facilities managers, including falls, elevator construction safety, emergency response and […]
When you’re interviewing to find the next member of your facilities management team, it’s important to be prepared with the right questions—and know to skip the wrong ones. In this article, we’re taking a look at some behavioral questions you can ask to ensure you make the right hire, plus we’ll review a few questions […]
One year ago, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a “working paper” that comprised the Agency’s first assessment of the “societal benefits” of its On-Site Consultation (OSC) program. The benefits come in multiple forms—workplace hazards identified, injuries avoided, and monetary benefits, including worker income not lost and costs avoided for employers and workers’ […]
Coworkers don’t always see eye to eye—and that holds true in facilities management. What steps do you take to resolve conflicts among your team members? Do you find the process effective? Here is a simple 8-step conflict resolution process that you and your employees can use to resolve any type of workplace conflict.
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employers must maintain records of hours worked by each nonexempt employee. That means companies bear the ultimate burden of showing that records of hours worked are in fact accurate. If an employer is sued by an employee, a group of employees, or the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) […]
No one looks forward to the day when the regulatory authority arrives at your facility for an inspection. Will he or she find issues of noncompliance? Will an enforcement action or penalty be forthcoming? But remember, the ultimate goal of the inspector is not to write up a notice of violation but to ensure your […]
When you make purchasing, design, and maintenance decisions, do you consider them from an ergonomic angle? Here are some expert views on the subject along with practical tips you can start implementing today to help those at your facility find the right balance for comfort and productivity.
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 […]
Safety policies can be a tricky for facilities managers to write up, especially given the breadth of information included in the state and federal guidelines. This is even trickier if your facility falls into a gray area.