Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
June marks the beginning of hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Facility operators are reminded to review requirements for minimizing, preventing, and reporting chemical releases in preparation for such hazardous weather. “Facility operators are obligated to maintain safety, minimize releases that do occur, and report chemical releases or oil spills in a timely manner, […]
On March 21, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a national emphasis program (NEP) to focus its enforcement efforts on preventing employees from contracting COVID-19 and protecting those who report unsafe working conditions. In general, an NEP is a method by which OSHA temporarily focuses its resources on a specific danger or […]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) announcement that people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can shed their masks in many settings, including indoors, no doubt came as welcome news to mask-weary workers, but employers are warned not to relax rules too quickly.
On May 14, the National Safety Council (NSC) expressed cautious support for updated COVID-19 recommendations for fully vaccinated people from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC stated on May 13 that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or maintain physical distance from others in any indoor or […]
Safely getting employees, clients, and customers back into buildings remains top of mind for facilities professionals of all stripes, and many are looking to technology to help with the process. UV light has tremendous potential to help mitigate airborne pathogens, but unfamiliarity with this decades-old germicide has prevented some building and facility engineers from incorporating […]
Electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining in popularity at a staggering rate. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s EV Outlook, “Over 2 million electric vehicles were sold in 2018, up from just a few thousand in 2010, and there is no sign of slowing down. We expect annual passenger EV sales to rise to 10 million […]
The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) is offering safety professionals online fall protection safety resources in conjunction with the eighth annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, May 3–7.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) called for workers and employers to observe two safety “stand downs,” calling attention to two sometimes fatal construction industry hazards. The second annual day-long National Stand-Down to Prevent Struck-by Incidents is April 26, and the eighth annual week-long National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction is […]
The hazard communication standard (29 CFR 1910.1200)—sometimes referred to as the HazCom standard or “worker right-to-know”—remains one of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) most frequently cited standards.
On March 31, Governor Andrew Cuomo took a breather from his “troubles” and signed the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act of 2021. New York now joins its neighbors Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Jersey in allowing recreational cannabis for use by adults 21 years old and older. Citing “social justice” as a driving force, the governor’s […]