Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
The Massachusetts High Technology Council, a regional industry group, recently examined issues involved in reopening businesses and asking employees to return to work in the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A new report in the New England Journal of Medicine summarized their conclusions.
The weather can be one fickle beast, and its unpredictability can really do a number on your energy bill. At the center of the issue is your facility’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. HVAC, like many aspects of facilities management, is rarely noticed by tenants and occupants when it’s functioning properly; but once […]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have updated their recommendations for reopening offices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their guidance includes wearing cloth masks throughout the workday; maintaining social distances of six feet, including in elevators; positioning workstations six feet apart or installing plastic partitions; and removing communal coffeepots.
We are now in hurricane season, which officially occurs from June 1 until November 30. It’s important for businesses that could be in the path of a storm to review their emergency preparations to ensure worker safety and business continuity. If you haven’t already done so, take these 10 essential steps to make sure your […]
Building owners and facility managers reopening vacant buildings as stay-at-home orders expire may need to flush plumbing fixtures weekly to prevent harmful organisms, such as the Legionella bacteria—which can cause Legionnaire’s Disease, a bacterial pneumonia—from growing in plumbing, according to a pre-press research study.
What did you see when you walked into your facility this morning? Were there cords snaking across the floor, remnants of a spill from a couple of days ago, or overflowing trash cans? Or did you observe a strong sense of order, with clear walkways, properly stored tools, well-lit and clearly marked stairways, and hazardous […]
As states are weighing their options about extending stay at home orders or letting those orders expire, facility managers should begin taking steps to protect employees at higher risk of severe illness now, prior to reopening, according to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
With the number of COVID-19 cases beginning to level off in some areas, employers that have ceased operations or shifted to remote work may be considering when, and how, they might be able to bring people back to their facilities. While businesses are understandably eager to resume operations, the potential for missteps is high. Returning […]
This article was last updated and reposted on July 20 in accordance with more up-to-date guidance and links to additional resources. The world has changed in an unprecedented way since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and employers have a lot of questions for our experts at Safety.BLR.com®. Read on to see how experts answered a […]
Multitenant facilities, especially those with multiple floors, offer continuous security challenges related to access control and emergency evacuations. Security directors and managers must be ready to work with their colleagues, from facilities to maintenance to the landlord to the local fire marshal, to keep plans up to date and evolving to face emerging threats, including […]