Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) renewed the agency’s Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards National Emphasis Program (NEP) on April 10. OSHA updated its 2022 NEP to protect workers from outdoor and indoor heat-related hazards, directing agency resources to where they can have the greatest impact by focusing inspections and outreach on industries and workplaces where […]
Nearly every modern facility relies on electrical systems, whether it’s a data center, manufacturing plant, school, hospital, or public infrastructure. In all cases, reliability, safety, and uptime are critical. That’s why NFPA 70B, which moved from a recommended practice to a mandatory standard in 2023, has become a focal point for facilities managers across industries. […]
Industrial facilities management isn’t just about keeping the lights on; it’s about ensuring the heavy machinery overhead doesn’t become a hindrance to safety or compliance. In high-traffic warehouses and logistics hubs, commercial doors serve as the primary gateways for revenue, yet they remain one of the most overlooked mechanical assets on the balance sheet. When these massive steel barriers fail, the impact goes beyond repair costs. Breakdowns can lead to […]
Amid rising costs and increased competition from e-commerce, many big-box retailers have chosen to close stores across the country, leaving behind large, vacant spaces. As pickleball’s growth accelerates nationwide, former big-box stores have emerged as some of the most attractive—and challenging—real estate opportunities for indoor pickleball facilities. While these buildings offer scale, parking, and accessibility, […]
Unplanned downtime is one of the most expensive problems a facility can face. According to ABB’s Value of Reliability report, two-thirds of companies deal with unplanned downtime at least once a month, at a median cost of $125,000 per hour. Electrical system failures are a leading contributor to that figure, yet the vast majority are […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced on March 16 the launch of its “Safety Champions” Program, a new cooperative initiative designed to assist employers in developing and implementing effective safety and health programs. The Safety Champions Program encourages employers to take proactive steps, guided by a philosophy of continuous improvement, to prevent workplace […]
Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. Have you ever walked into a building and felt immediately safe and organized? From clean hallways to working elevators, much of that confidence comes from compliance frameworks quietly working behind the scenes. A fire alarm that sounds […]
The lunch menu on the cafeteria screen probably isn’t saving lives. But what if that same screen could? Conversations with facilities managers across manufacturing, healthcare, and corporate environments reveal the same frustration: When something goes wrong, whether it’s a chemical spill, a weather emergency, or a security incident, there’s no reliable way to instantly communicate […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited a fresh-cut vegetable processing company for willfully and repeatedly violating safety requirements after a worker was fatally injured while cleaning and sanitizing a machine, the agency announced Nov. 24. The agency initiated an inspection into Taylor Farms New Jersey Inc. after being notified of a fatality […]
Local fire departments responded to an estimated 1.5 million fires in the United States in 2022 that cost approximately $18 billion in property damage, according to the most recent Fire Loss report from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). In addition to the human impact of fire damage, property damage and the required reconstruction are […]