Facility Management

Dealing with issues like physical security, safety and infrastructure protection can be overwhelming, especially for facility owners and managers - or even for tenants. We've selected this week's articles in the hope they will help you carry out your responsibilities more efficiently and effectively.

Unpredictable events happen, but there are ways to anticipate-and even minimize-these dangers. (Item #1)   What are the keys to maintaining effective emergency preparedness and continuity plans? (Item #2)   What actions should employers take to help ensure safe evacuations of high-rise buildings? (Item #3)  

This white paper examines in detail the considerations fundamental to selecting an appropriate mass notification system for any organization. (Item #4)   If disaster strikes, will you be action or reaction oriented? (Item #5)   A facility engineer's staff can usually communicate the most important equipment in the facility-but what about the next most important piece and the one after that? (Item #6)  

As always, we look forward to hearing your comments & insights regarding business continuity. If you have a topic you'd like us to cover, email me at [email protected].

Bob Mellinger, President
Attainium Corp

1. Defusing Workplace Threats

Administrators, facility managers (fms), business owners, and even protection professionals are tired of hearing the term "active shooter." It seems to be the buzz phrase of the year, and it has become the impetus for numerous workshops, seminars, planning sessions, video productions, and untold legions of paperwork. The problem is�there's still a problem.
http://www.todaysfacilitymanager.com/articles/fm-issue-defusing-workplace-threats.php

2. Manage the Challenge

Emergency preparedness for a facility is indeed a major challenge. However, it is a manageable one given the right strategy and process tools. While every facility has specific considerations, a recommended starting point for creating a new plan or revising an existing one is to obtain senior executive support. A preparedness program should have three major goals outlined by comprehensive program elements or tasks. Following such a template provides both a starting point and a compass for the preparedness effort.
http://www.todaysfacilitymanager.com/articles/fm-issue-manage-the-challenge.php

3. Evacuating High-Rise Buildings

When there is an emergency, getting workers out of high-rise buildings poses special challenges. Preparing in advance to safely evacuate the building is critical to the safety of employees who work there.
http://www.setonresourcecenter.com/safety/publications/evacuating-highrise-factsheet.pdf

4. Selecting a Mass Communication System

In the last few years, business and government continuity planners have begun using mass notification systems to expedite crisis responses. Mass notification systems use computer technology to deliver recorded messages to large numbers of people in a very short time. Often, they can send messages through multiple communications channels - not just telephone, but also email, pager, fax, PDA, and other channels. They are faster, more accurate, more effective, and less expensive than manual systems.
http://www.bridgewriter.com/Selecting_A_Mass_Notification_System.pdf

5. When disaster strikes, what really matters?

Knowing what needs to be done before, during and after a disaster strikes can prevent panic, mitigate existing damage to reduce business interruption, and, should the need arise, provide cost effective recovery solutions. You owe it to your organization, employees, shareholders and yourself to plan ahead to reduce business interruption in the event of a loss.
http://www.boma.org/SiteCollectionDocuments/Org/Docs/Resources/BMS.pdf

6. Risk-based Maintenance

Becoming aware of risk, how to measure it and how to use it to establish priorities are important keys to successful maintenance management. The basic premise of risk-based maintenance management is that risk can be quantified and then prioritized. The results of this risk-based focus can be used to establish capital and expense allocations to preventive, predictive and reactive maintenance management decisions.
http://www.ifma.org/tools/ep/fmj/riskmnt_barr.cfm