Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Even though it’s been over three years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, expectations for safer and cleaner facilities persist, especially in restrooms. So much so that one TikTok user has garnered tens of millions of views on her videos testing the spread of bacteria from various air hand dryers in facility restrooms. With hygiene […]
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 […]
In the spirit of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, business leaders must be mindful to secure their workplaces, whether that workplace is remote, in an office, or in a hybrid model. Return-to-office (RTO) mandates have been gaining momentum post-Labor Day, with some surveys showing a whopping 90% of companies are planning to implement RTO policies by the […]
The use of facial recognition technology has long been controversial, but the debate is heating up again among lawmakers and the security industry. Several U.S. senators have called on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to immediately halt its deployment of the high-tech biometric solution at domestic airports. Meanwhile, the Security Industry Association (SIA) has deemed […]
We’ve had our first measurable snowfall here in the northeast, and there’s been wet weather across much of the country. While wet floors are only one component, it’s always good to revisit the problem, as slips, trips, and falls can be a perpetual thorn in the side of facilities management professionals. The hazard is so […]
November 19, 2018, is a key date for facility managers with existing outdoor fixed ladders that extend more than 24 feet (ft) above a lower level. Ladders that were in place prior to that date must be equipped with at least one type of fall protection device that will prevent workers from falling. Ladders erected […]
For a long time, facility management was a predominantly reactive practice. Major decisions, processes, and activities occurred after the fact. For instance, maintenance would happen reactively, or FMs would take action to remedy situations or improve processes only after they observed a problem in the facility. Doing things this way left too much room for inefficiencies. […]
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), slips, trips, and falls constitute the majority of general industry accidents—and the vast majority are actually falls on the same level, not 30-foot falls from a roof or some other height. Falls cause 15% of all accidental deaths, and are second only to motor vehicles as […]
Welcome to the inaugural installment of “Faces of Facilities,” a new Q&A series profiling facilities management experts. Stan Robinson, director of facilities at Roanoke City Public Schools (RCPS), joins us as our first interview guest. In his role at the K-12 school district in Roanoke, Va., Stan manages 36 facilities and dozens of team members. […]
Editor’s note: FM Perspectives are industry op-eds. The views expressed are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of Facilities Management Advisor. The senseless killing of two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in rural Georgia on Sept. 4 once again begs the question, “How do we stop these school shootings?” It seems we […]