Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Are water features wasteful? It’s a common misconception that indoor and outdoor water features are not sustainable amenities. Many managers and owners of commercial facilities are surprised to learn that not only can attractive and captivating water features be operated with minimal waste or harm to the environment—they can actually help improve a building’s energy […]
As environmental concerns grow, more facilities managers and building owners are considering sustainability when planning snow removal operations. Snow removal is essential for keeping properties safe and accessible during winter, but it can come at a significant environmental cost. However, there are several ways to make snow removal more eco-friendly, which can also lead to […]
Facilities Management Advisor’s “Under Construction” series highlights some of the latest, most interesting facility project announcements every month. Biden-Backed Data Center Companies like Amazon and Google recently announced major data center projects. Perhaps most notably, though, President Joe Biden touted a $3.3 billion data center investment in Racine County, Wis., from Microsoft. The project will […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Region 2 office has launched a regional emphasis program (REP) to reduce worker fatalities and injuries in the tree and landscape services industries in New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the agency announced January 11. The new REP includes two elements: “We want to make […]
When people think of facilities management, they often picture a person working inside a building, fixing some piece of equipment with a wrench. However, facilities management is so much more than that. In fact, FM doesn’t even have to be inside at all. Landscaping, snow removal, and other forms of grounds management play a pivotal […]
Landscaping plays a major role in ensuring facilities look inviting and well maintained from the outside. However, landscapers are exposed to all kinds of different hazards on a daily basis, ranging from heat and weather hazards, chemical exposures, accidents with machinery or tools, construction dangers, and the physical stress of lifting and other awkward postures. […]
Recycled tire crumb rubber has a variety of potential uses in facility design, from flooring to mulching to playgrounds or playing fields. The EPA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have released the first report in their investigation into recycled tire crumbs, […]
To a facility manager, a picture can be worth a thousand words, and the trees on their facility grounds are an important part of that image. Their value also extends well beyond the ornamental; healthy trees help curb cooling costs, manage stormwater, clean the air by intercepting pollutants, and provide some shade where your or […]
Would you consider bees to be an occupational hazard? In 2007, three workers were stung by bees while harvesting almonds in Texas; one of them was stung more than 60 times and had to be taken to the hospital. In 2008, a worker in California was stung while driving a tractor and died of an […]
How do you get rid of crabgrass on your facility grounds? Or insects? Or clover, thistle, dandelion, or any of the other weeds that mar your attractive landscaping? Hand weeding may be a good option for a well-mulched flowerbed, but pesticides may be the most effective solution for large grounds and lawns. If your workers […]