Tag: workplace safety

Navigating the Permacrisis: How Facilities Managers Can Prepare for the Unexpected in 2024

By Dr. Mark Fischer, International SOS Jan 22, 2024 Emergency Preparedness

Updated: Jan 22, 2024

Risk management for facilities managers has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. What was once centered on physical concerns like injuries, security, and equipment failures now encompasses a broader range of challenges. The evolving landscape demands a more comprehensive and adaptive approach to risk management, encompassing digital, environmental, and public health considerations to mitigate […]

OSHA Launches Regional Tree and Landscaping Safety Enforcement Program

By Guy Burdick, Contributing Writer Jan 22, 2024 Grounds Management

Updated: Jan 22, 2024

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 […]

Radon and Health Impacts: New Initiatives to Stop a Silent Killer

By Insoo Park, Founder & CEO, Ecosense Jan 11, 2024 FM Perspectives

Updated: Jan 11, 2024

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. January is National Radon Action Month. Each year, about 21,000 people in the U.S. die as a result of exposure to high levels of radon gas. While these deaths include victims of all ages […]

BLS: Worker Fatalities Increased 5.7% in 2022

By Guy Burdick, Contributing Writer Jan 3, 2024 Human Resources

Updated: Jan 3, 2024

Fatal work-related injuries increased by 5.7% in 2022, according to the latest figures released December 19 by the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Fatal work injuries increased from 5,190 in 2021 to 5,486 in 2022. The national fatal work injury rate was 3.7 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers—up from 3.6 per […]

Majority of Retail Workers Are Concerned About Their Safety this Holiday Season

By Joe Bebon, Editor Dec 15, 2023 Access Control

Updated: Dec 15, 2023

As the year’s peak shopping season hits its stride, an inaugural Retail Worker Safety Report from Motorola Solutions found that many retail workers and managers perceive safety incidents at their stores are on the rise. The survey’s U.S. respondents reported that petty theft (54%), grab-and-run incidents (35%), and hostile customer interactions (31%) have increased in their stores over […]

CSB Finalizes Reports on Fatal Explosions at Two Facilities

By Guy Burdick, Contributing Writer Dec 14, 2023 Emergency Preparedness

Updated: Dec 14, 2023

On Dec. 6, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released its final report on the deadly explosions and fires at the Didion Milling Inc. dry corn milling facility in Cambria, Wis. The May 2017 explosion fatally injured five employees and seriously injured another 14. The incident destroyed the facility, resulting in over $15 million […]

10 Safety Measures for Winter Workers

By Addison Moore, Contractor Compliance Dec 6, 2023 Design and Construction

Updated: Dec 6, 2023

Winter brings to mind a picturesque landscape blanketed in snow, but for workers, it also poses unique challenges to safety. The cold temperatures, icy surfaces, and unpredictable weather conditions demand heightened vigilance to ensure the well-being of both workers and the projects they undertake. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the critical aspects of […]

OSHA Offers Workplace Safety Tips for the Holiday Season

By Joe Bebon, Editor Dec 1, 2023 Human Resources

Updated: Dec 1, 2023

To make sure this holiday season is truly joyful, the U.S. Department of Labor reminds employers and workers not to overlook workplace safety and health. For a sad reminder of how an on-the-job tragedy can leave families, friends, and co-workers grief-stricken, look no further than Akron, Ohio, where a 25-year-old worker—hanging holiday lights on a […]

California Revises Indoor Heat Standard Proposal

By Guy Burdick, Contributing Writer Nov 30, 2023 Heating and Cooling

Updated: Nov 30, 2023

The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB), which sets workplace safety and health standards for the state, released revised text of its draft standard for heat illness prevention in indoor spaces. The board updated its draft standard in response to comments made in an earlier draft. Changes to the proposed regulation include: Comments were due […]

Robots, AI, and Digital Transformation: The Future of Security in FM

By Russ Collett, ESFM Nov 8, 2023 Access Control

Updated: Nov 8, 2023

Editor’s note: The Global Security Exchange (GSX), presented by ASIS International, is an annual gathering of security professionals worldwide. ESFM Vice President of Security Solutions Russ Collett recently attended GSX 2023 in Dallas and wrote his takeaways on how key trends apply to facilities management. The world is getting smaller, technology is getting smarter, and […]