Tag: workplace safety

Summer’s Over, but Preparations for Climate-Related Heat Safety Can’t Stop

Summer 2024 was the hottest on record—and most of the United States grappled with dangerously high temperatures throughout July and August. The country has cooled down since then. But this summer’s extreme heat was a warning sign. Earth is only getting hotter, and we’re likely to see increasingly dangerous temperatures that could put your employees at […]

Exploring the Long-Tail Cost Savings from Switching to Green Cleaning Products

In recent years, facilities managers have been increasingly tasked with making their operations not only more efficient but also more environmentally friendly. One area that has garnered attention is the adoption of green cleaning products. Across multiple industries, there is a growing recognition of the benefits that come with this strategy—including a healthier workforce, cleaner […]

Back to Basics: Combatting Winter Respiratory Disease Season with Indoor Air Quality

Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important but possibly overlooked information facilities management professionals should know. Now that fall has arrived, are you ready for this year’s winter respiratory disease season? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicts that COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections will lead to a […]

Are Scents a True Indicator of Cleanliness?

Editor’s note: FM Perspectives are industry op-eds. The views expressed are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of Facilities Management Advisor. For many of us, the smell of lemon, pine, or even bleach is synonymous with cleanliness. We’ve been conditioned to believe that these scents are proof of a clean environment. However, the truth is […]

How to Improve Facility Operations with Visual Management Strategies

Visual management enables businesses to communicate important information about processes and procedures. Where preventative maintenance and facility operations are concerned, using visuals can be an effective way to convey expectations and processes quickly to keep everyone working to the same guidelines. Visual tools and resources span a wide range of options, from symbols and illustrations […]

How to Prevent Common Fire Safety Violations in Your Facility

Local fire departments responded to an estimated 1.5 million fires in the United States in 2022 that cost approximately $18 billion in property damage, according to the most recent Fire Loss report from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). In addition to the human impact of fire damage, property damage and the required reconstruction are […]

Safety School: Consistent Training Mitigates Risk of Workplace Incidents

A workplace accident can take just a few seconds. But those brief incidents have a major impact on the U.S. economy. Employers reported 2.3 million workplace injuries in 2022. The direct costs associated with those incidents—worker’s compensation claims and related medical and legal expenses—add up to $1 billion a week. That’s not counting the indirect […]

OSHA’s Workplace Heat Safety Rule Opens for Public Comment

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) finally published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register on August 30, initiating a 120-day public comment period for the agency’s proposed heat illness prevention standard (89 Fed. Reg. 70698). OSHA first released the text of its proposal on the agency website on July 2. Comments on the proposed standard are […]

California Indoor Heat Standard Goes Into Effect

California’s new Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment standard has become effective, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) announced July 24. The indoor heat standard applies to most indoor workplaces, such as manufacturing facilities, restaurants, and warehouses. In indoor workplaces where the temperature reaches 82 degrees Fahrenheit, employers must take steps to […]

Circle K Cashier Shooting Prompts OSHA Workplace Violence Fine

Convenience store chain Circle K faces a $16,131 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fine after a store cashier in Orlando, Florida, suffered a serious gunshot injury, the agency announced August 14. OSHA inspectors learned that two unidentified men entered the Circle K location on Silver Star Road shortly after 1 a.m. on January 19, 2024; pointed firearms; […]