Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Athletic apparel and shoemaker Adidas America Inc. faces $396,377 in new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fines for failing to correct fall hazards at its Chester, New York, warehouse, which was originally cited in March 2022, the agency announced August 9. The company previously paid $17,403 in penalties. OSHA also issued the employer a Failure to Abate […]
As students and teachers return to classrooms across the country, school safety is top of mind. In Pennsylvania, schools and other eligible entities are now able to apply for $120 million in grant funding to make physical security upgrades and strengthen behavioral health support. The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s (PCCD) School Safety and Security Committee […]
Do your facility’s restrooms comply with current—and growing—legal requirements for free access to menstrual care products? Recent legislation on menstruation by state and federal legislatures has brought attention to the rising issue of menstrual equity and period poverty in the United States. Period poverty, which is characterized by inadequate access to menstrual products and insufficient […]
Smart building technologies have revolutionized how facilities managers approach efficiency, safety, and productivity. The increasing popularity of smart buildings has illustrated a pressing need to adapt to the changing needs of individuals and businesses in an ever-evolving industry. Among the many innovations that have gained traction in recent years, people counting systems have emerged as […]
The Maryland Higher Education Commission has awarded $18.75 million in campus safety grants to colleges and universities throughout the state. “These grants will enable our institutions of higher education to invest further in infrastructure that will help make our campuses safer for students, faculty, and staff,” said Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. Administered through the Maryland […]
As a nation, our buildings will play a pivotal role in achieving our clean energy future. Buildings are where we live, work, and play—so it makes sense that we spend 90% of our time in buildings and that our buildings use a substantial amount of energy. Residential and commercial buildings are among the largest sources […]
Is your facility a bird-friendly building? If not, what steps can you take to help protect the winged wildlife? A research study published in PLOS ONE has uncovered alarming new evidence that building collisions are killing significantly more birds than previously estimated—well over 1 billion annually in the United States alone. The research, conducted by scientists at American Bird […]
Meridian, Idaho, building contractor Big D Builders Inc. faces $198,586 in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fines after an airport hangar collapsed near the Boise Airport, killing three workers and injuring at least eight others, the agency announced July 29. OSHA investigators responded to the scene and discovered that Big D Builders had begun erecting the hangar […]
As climate change reshapes our world, the demand for environmentally responsible building practices has never been more urgent, especially given that the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry contributes more than 37% of global carbon emissions. A new focus on sustainable construction is emerging, with a particular emphasis on the critical role of embodied carbon. […]
With more than 500,000 buildings and structures at more than 500 domestic and international naval sites, the U.S. Navy has an opportunity to achieve significant energy and cost savings by increasing efficiency. To get there, high-quality and consistent data is essential. Research recently completed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) could provide the complex […]