Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Of all the jobs available in the United States, tree care operations continually rank among the most hazardous. Landscape service workers comprise less than 1 percent of the total workforce but account for 3.5 percent of all workplace fatalities, according to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries; of those fatalities, 75 percent are […]
“Is the waste my facility produces hazardous?” This is a question common to generators of wastes in all industries. The answer to this question is essential, as it’s at the heart of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations for handlers of hazardous waste. Generators as well as facility managers and/or owners of treatment, […]
Safety is imperative at facility loading docks, and every precaution should be taken to ensure that employees are safe. However, is it necessary to use both dock locks and wheel chocks? See what experts at Safety.BLR.com® had to say on the matter.
Chemical exposure is a big safety and environmental hazard. But for a lot of facilities, the only chemicals they regularly use are cleaning supplies. However, only some employees (such as janitorial or facilities management staff) may be using stronger solvents, while other materials are being used by all employees throughout the entire workforce. So, who […]
Every day, facility managers have their hands full juggling their day-to-day duties, not to mention putting out proverbial fires, so they need to trust that their team members or other workers at their organizations will notify them of unsafe conditions in their buildings. Far too often, however, people witness actions or conditions in the facility […]
The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requires pictograms on labels to alert users of the chemical hazards to which they may be exposed. Each pictogram consists of a symbol on a white background framed within a red border and represents a distinct hazard(s). The pictogram on the label is determined by the chemical hazard classification.
Facility managers, or someone on their facilities team, are often designated by their organizations as first aid providers in case of an emergency. As such, you’ll likely find yourself (and your team) required to undergo first aid and CPR training. While that first aid training is indispensable, it turns out that designated first aid/CPR providers […]
Mold is everywhere—mold spores are part of the air we breathe, and they’re just looking for a nice, moist, overlooked spot where they can take root and grow. Although mold growth and the health problems it causes are most concerning in the wake of large-scale disaster like Hurricane/Tropical Storm Florence’s historic floods, it’s important to […]
According to a recent OSHA citation, a Louisville, Colorado, psychiatric treatment hospital failed to protect employees from bloodborne pathogen exposure and workplace violence. The agency charged UHS of Centennial Peaks, LLC, with two serious, two repeat, and two other-than-serious violations. OSHA inspected Centennial Peaks Hospital, an acute psychiatric treatment facility, after receiving a complaint of […]
In the facilities management and commercial real estate sectors, the disconnect between building owners and tenants can slow the switch to energy efficiency. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star® program, a significant portion of a building’s energy use is under the direct or indirect control of the occupants.