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The change in administrations in Washington, D.C., is likely to mean many changes in the way federal agencies and departments operate, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) probably is no exception. OSHA’s aggressiveness in enforcing workplace safety laws tends to vary by...

Admit it. Maintenance and engineering management generally hasn’t been considered a trendy profession. And the shortage of front-line technicians that has plagued maintenance and engineering departments for years is pretty strong evidence people generally don’t see jobs in facilities maintenance...

Presidential candidates make a lot of promises. It’s part of the game, so nobody believes they’ll keep most of them. Presidents-elect do the same thing, but maybe there’s a difference. Maybe — given they’ve already won election — there is reason to hope a president...

One day, facility designers will learn it pays to listen to maintenance early in process of designing a facility. Unfortunately, that day still seems far away for many organizations. Chris Matt, the associate editor of Maintenance Solutions , recounted a recent conversation he’d had with a maintenance...

In some form or fashion, all information seems to be on the Internet. For more than a decade now, managers have been able to tap into its power and find information on solving nearly any problem that arose in their facilities. One problem with this information explosion — finding exactly the information...

After years of promise and potential, solar technology finally might have arrived as a viable alternative for institutional and commercial facilities. Or has it? The industry recently has added several thousand jobs in the production of solar cells and the installation of solar panels, reports The New...

It’s easy to see why many organizations are drawn to the designs of famous architects. Their buildings can generate good publicity for a company and go a long way in defining its image. But a big name on the front end of a project can lead to huge problems on the back end. Cities are dotted with...

The conditions in a facility can have a major impact on its occupants, reports USA Today. Gosh, imagine that. It seems hotel owners, developers and architects are taking a greater interest in noise problems and acoustics affecting their facilities. From in-house renovations and nearby construction to...

Two years ago this week, Hurricane Katrina tore through the Gulf Coast, inflicting damage and devastation from which residents and businesses are still recovering. Among the many lessons coming from this and other disasters is the role that thoughtful facility design can play in helping buildings —...

A colleague of mine likes to remind anyone within earshot of the benefits of considering issues “from 35,000 feet.” The phrase usually gets lost in a tide of similar business jargon and loses its impact. Still, it’s a powerful idea in terms of the “big picture” challenge...

A bridge collapses in Minneapolis. An underground steam pipe explodes in New York City. Levees break in Louisiana. An army hospital in Washington, D.C., deteriorates to the point of threatening patient health. As tragic as they are, such events throw a spotlight on the need for organizations —...

Crises and breakdowns come and go in facilities, but energy use remains a constantly high priority. It’s nearly impossible to have a conversation with a manager these days that doesn’t touch on using and saving energy. In light of that, it’s hard for me not to be surprised by two results...

You can't pick up a trade magazine these days without reading about the problem of information overload — while at the same time being offered even more information on addressing the issue. Every profession has its unique challenges when it comes to staying on top of the streams of information...

I won't even try to read the tea leaves of Tuesday's mid-term elections. But I've been watching one ballot measure closely that might have a great deal to say about public financing for education facilities. Election returns weren't complete as of this writing, but California voters appear...