Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Technology has opened the doors to many trends, but none might be more ubiquitous than walking down a street or through a facility and seeing everyone with earbuds in or headphones on. There is evidence showing that, for some, listening to music while they work increases overall productivity. However, many workplaces have an explicit (or […]
Winter is here, and many parts of the country are seeing snow. With the seasonal changes come the hazards of outdoor work in cold conditions, snow and ice removal, and other dangers. At its Winter Weather resource site, OSHA lists 10 common winter weather hazards that employers should train employees to recognize.
On average, the United States Postal Service processes and delivers over 493 million pieces of mail (letters and packages) per day. That does not include the additional millions of packages per day handled by other shipping companies such as United Parcel Service or Fed-Ex. On an average day, all of this goes off without a […]
At last year’s annual conference of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), ASSP’s outgoing President Jim Smith presented a session titled “The A1264.1 Standard: Wall and Roof Openings; Stairs and Guardrails/Handrails.” The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standards 1264.1 and 1264.2 could be helpful for facilities management professionals looking to design their workplaces with […]
Though many recent incidents of workplace violence have occurred in the public eye, there are still far too many that we do not hear about, and your facility should be prepared. This infographic, created by the Safety Management Program at Eastern Kentucky University provides a solid overview of recent statistics, potential warning signs, and outlines […]
The Midwest is currently in the grips of a polar vortex, dropping temperatures anywhere from 10 to 50 degrees below normal for this time of year. As you crank up the heat in your facility to deal with this extreme cold, be sure to double check your monitoring systems, as the risks from carbon monoxide […]
OSHA’s final rule to increase its civil penalties by approximately 2.5% for 2019 has been published in the Federal Register and took effect immediately on January 23, 2019. The rule brings a new maximum single-violation penalty of $132,598 for willful and repeat violations. The increases adjust for inflation as required by the Federal Civil Penalties […]
Mass notification systems utilize a number of integrated communication devices and software to alert building occupants about a potentially dangerous situation and facilitate the proper action and response. They represent a very beneficial added layer of life safety protection.
Healthcare facilities are hectic workplaces that are fraught with hazards, not the least of which are potent, potentially toxic drugs. As such, an American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) panel began work on developing standards for the safe handling of hazardous drugs in healthcare facilities. The expert panel endorsed three sets of existing guidelines and […]
It’s that time of year again, when norovirus starts to rapidly spread through facilities across the country. According to recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, somewhere in the ballpark of 1 in 15 Americans will experience a norovirus infection this year, meaning there’s a good chance your facility could be affected. […]