Construction Air Quality Monitoring for Higher Education

  |  June 28, 2018

Putting a real-time air quality monitoring plan in place prior to a complicated demolition or interior renovation project can give universities an additional layer of assurance that they’re protecting sensitive populations in the area. Too often plans to control dust emission on demolition or renovation projects get overlooked. Once demolition has begun—and complaints of dust... Read More

PCBs on Campus: What Colleges and Universities Need to Know About This Emerging Environmental Concern

  |  May 14, 2018

As an institution of higher education, you’re focused on protecting the health and safety of your students, faculty and staff — all while maintaining the quality of your campus environment. But now, on campuses across the US, there is growing anxiety about potential health concerns from an old contaminant found in building materials: polychlorinated biphenyls,... Read More

Tips for Avoiding Healthcare Construction Site Contamination

  |  April 20, 2018

Construction is an inevitability at healthcare facilities. Improvements and updates need to be made and construction can be a complex — and potentially dangerous — process within hospitals. Any size construction project can risk exposing patients to dust and mold spores, noise, vibrations, odors or chemicals. Luckily, by planning ahead and taking necessary precautions, you... Read More

Lab Energy Optimization: How to Do it Safely

  |  March 30, 2018

College campuses across the country are instituting green initiatives and signing aggressive carbon reduction goals to become better stewards of the environment. While this aim is admirable and necessary, many colleges and universities set these goals without fully developing a plan for how to achieve them. Once they discover their plan isn’t as easy to... Read More

How to Protect Your Hospital From Legionella Growth

  |  March 14, 2018

Between 2011 and 2014, 29 patients at the Veterans Administration hospital in Pittsburgh, PA were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, with confirmation of at least five of the cases acquired at the hospital. The Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General later tied the deadly outbreak to deficiencies in the water system. Records show that not only... Read More

Commissioning is Critical to Validating Containment in the Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) Environment

  |  March 7, 2018

Design standards, biosafety level criteria, and performance requirements are continually evolving to keep pace with the rapidly changing technologies used in Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) laboratories. For BSL-3 laboratory mechanical systems, ventilation and specific design features are vital to containment and protecting workers, the community, and critical research. Commissioning is an essential risk management strategy because... Read More

The Importance of Hospital Infection Control — and What Facility Managers Need to Do About It

  |  February 5, 2018

Hospital infection control isn’t solely a responsibility for doctors and nurses. With the rising concerns surrounding healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), reducing infections in the physical environment has become an increasingly more important — and regulated — priority. Due to high-publicity outbreaks and increased scrutiny from regulatory agencies, healthcare facility managers are now joining infection control practitioners... Read More

Why Tier II Compliance is Crucial for Community Safety — And How to Simplify the Filing Process

  |  January 29, 2018

As a facilities manager, you already know the importance of maintaining compliance with EPA regulations. However, with so many regulations to keep track of — and with reporting requirements changing constantly — maintaining compliance across the board can be a bigger challenge than many facilities are prepared to meet. Even worse, you might not even... Read More

A Business Continuity Plan To Ensure Your Laboratory is Prepared for the Next Crisis

  |  January 11, 2018

It is not a matter of if disasters will occur, but when will they occur. All institutions are at risk from disasters including natural and environmental disasters, power and energy disruptions, transportation failures, and sabotage (e.g., cyber attacks). The research environment presents unique risk management challenges. Laboratories have significant funds invested in research materials, laboratory animals,... Read More