The First Facility Management Blog

Standalone version of APCO's HealthView

HealthView from APCO Signs is a modular system for dispensing standard infection control products such as gels, wipes, tissues, and masks, and for displaying health related information. The HealthView dispenser encourages the use of protective products by providing a convenient, central location with one-hand, quick-pull dispensing.

The Healthview dispenser is suitable for hospitals and medical clinics, patient rooms, office buildings, convention centers, hotel lobbies, retail environments, airports and train stations, food stores, and anywhere else infection control products and information are useful.

Available in a range of configurations for both wall and standalone mounting, HealthView is tamper resistant, yet easy to refill for facility staff. Facility managers can choose custom configurations so that products of their choice can be dispensed.

HealthView helps facilities comply with OSHA guidelines in schools, medical facilities, offices, restaurants, and virtually any public place where reducing the risk of cross contamination is of principal concern.

Wall mounted HealthView unit

Other Features & Benefits

• Dispenser contents and configurations are customizable to suit client’s specific needs. (HealthView dispenser modules are constructed of pre-engineered, modular components and designed to house certain brands and sizes of popular hygiene control products. Module contents are thus customizable within certain parameters.)
• Faceplate (Series HPS) and Top Plate (Series HPC) are tamper resistant, ensuring security of dispenser contents.
• Contents are easy to change and refill.
• Standard HealthView Series HPS is aesthetically compatible with APCO’s MyDay Display System.
• Curved HealthView Series HPC is aesthetically compatible with APCO’s Arcadia Sign System.
• Range of mounting and decorative options provide solutions for virtually any budget.

For the protection of frontline healthcare and emergency medical workers at high risk of infection, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a compliance directive to ensure uniform procedures when conducting inspections to identify and minimize or eliminate high to very high risk occupational exposures to the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus.

The directive closely follows the Centers for Disease Control’s guidance.

“OSHA has a responsibility to ensure that the more than nine million frontline healthcare workers in the United States are protected to the extent possible against exposure to the virus,” said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab. “OSHA will ensure healthcare employers use proper controls to protect all workers, particularly those who are at high or very high risk of exposure.”

In response to complaints, OSHA inspectors will ensure that healthcare employers implement a hierarchy of controls and encourage vaccination and other work practices recommended by the CDC. Where respirators are required to be used, the OSHA Respiratory Protection standard must be followed, including worker training and fit testing. The directive also applies to institutional settings where some workers may have similar exposures, such as schools and correctional facilities.

The CDC recommends the use of respiratory protection that is at least as protective as a fit tested disposable N95 respirator for healthcare personnel who are in close contact (within 6′) with patients who have suspected or confirmed 2009 H1N1 influenza. Where respirators are not commercially available, an employer will be considered to be in compliance if the employer can show a good faith effort has been made to acquire respirators.

Where OSHA inspectors determine that a facility has not violated any OSHA requirements but that additional measures could enhance the protection of employees, OSHA may provide the employer with a hazard alert letter outlining suggested measures to further protect workers.

The 2009 H1N1 influenza is transmitted via direct or indirect person-to-person spreading of infectious droplets passed when an influenza patient coughs, sneezes, talks, or breathes. Transmission occurs when expelled infectious droplets or particles make direct or indirect contact with the mucus membranes of the mouth, nose or eyes of an uninfected person. The OSHA directive and other guidelines show steps to eliminate the hazard.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, OSHA’s role is to promote safe and healthful working conditions for America’s men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, outreach and education.

The Bilco Company has introduced an enhanced performance roof hatch that meets LEED standards for recycled content and is nearly 50% more energy efficient than standard roof hatches. The new thermally enhanced hatch is designed with a fully insulated cover and curb, and features a 2″ ozone-friendly polyisocyanurate thermal insulation board with an R-value of 12. The EPDM finger-type gasket ensures a positive seal between the cover and curb to reduce air permeability and ensure energy performance. The hatch also has a high solar reflective index.

Bilco’s thermally enhanced hatch is fabricated from corrosion-resistant aluminum milled primarily from recycled content. It is equipped with a heavy duty slam latch that securely locks the cover in the closed position, and features interior and exterior hasps for additional security.

Fully enclosed compression springs counterbalance the cover for controlled operation regardless of its size or weight, and minimize the effort required to open and close the hatch. For added security, a rugged hold-open arm automatically locks the cover in the open position, and the grip handle allows for users to release and close the hatch with one hand.

As with all Bilco’s roof hatches, the insulated curb is equipped with cap flashing and the Bil-Clip® flashing system for ease of installation on single-ply roofs.

Stablebase USA offers a line of ladder stabilizer products designed to be compact, easy to use, and adaptable to various site conditions. These patented products include an Extension Ladder Stabilizer, a Step Ladder Stabilizer (shown here), and a Staging Stabilizer.

The Extension Ladder Stabilizer increases a ladder’s base from 17” to 60”, which significantly reduces the ladder’s tendency to slip or tip. It weighs 11 pounds.

Meanwhile the Step Ladder Stabilizer is adaptable to all step ladders over 6′ in height. A mounting kit is required and available for wooden ladders upon request. When ladder is used close to a wall or platform, the pivoting head of the legs can be adjusted in a variety of angles and lengths to maximize stability, regardless of ground types, and levels. It weighs 15 pounds.

Older adults are more vulnerable to a number of risks including fire, either at home or in assisted living facilities such as nursing homes. In a recent nationwide survey conducted by the Society for Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), Americans correctly identified adults age 65 and older as the most at-risk group.

Thirty-nine percent of Americans named older adults as the most at risk of fire danger, while 26% of respondents indicated that infants and toddlers were most at risk. At the same time, 63% of Americans stated they think about fire less than once a year.

“I’m not surprised that Americans recognize the increased risk of fire to older adults. People with limited physical and cognitive abilities, especially older adults, are at a higher risk of death from fire than other groups,” says Chris Jelenewicz, engineering program manager at SFPE, and a scheduled speaker at The TFM Forum this coming April. “At the same time, it’s dismaying that most people don’t think about fire even once a year when over 3,000 people die each year as a result of fire. Without a doubt, the public does not fully understand the enormity and seriousness of the fire problem.”

While fire is a noteworthy risk for people of all ages, federal government statistics cite older adults to be almost twice as likely to die in a fire as compared to the rest of the population. Older adults are more likely to suffer from reduced sensory abilities and mental capacities as well as physical disabilities. Moreover, medical devices, cooking equipment, and electrical products can pose serious fire risks to older adults.

There are numerous ways that fire protection engineers play an essential role in designing safe facilities that house aging populations. For example, they analyze how buildings are used, how fires start, how fires grow, and how fire and smoke affects people, buildings, and property.  Additionally, they use technology to:

• Design systems that control fires, alert people to danger and provide means for escape
• Evaluate buildings to pinpoint the risks of fires and the means to prevent them
• Conduct fire safety research on consumer products and construction materials
• Investigate fires to discover how fire spreads, why protective measures failed, and how those measures could have been designed more effectively

The Society seeks to increase the public’s awareness of how science and technology is used to protect people from fire.  “Whether they live in a small house or a large assisted living facility, it’s critically important to take the time to evaluate your loved ones fire risks and ensure the best technology is available to protect them from fire, “ said Jelenewicz. “Their life may depend on it.”

The survey, commissioned by the SFPE and conducted in January 2010 by Synovate, polled more than 1,000 American adults. The findings have a margin of error of +/- 3%.

Tips On Fire And Elderly Populations

As part of National Engineers Week, February 14-20, SFPE published a list of ways that fire protection engineers enhance the safety of public and private buildings and what American should look for in their loved ones living facilities.

Fire protection engineers use science and technology to protect our aging population from fire. Fire protection engineers enhance the safety of facilities that house the elder by designing:

• Active Fire Protection Systems: Fire protection engineers design active fire protection systems such as fire detection systems, sprinkler systems, notification systems, and means of egress systems. These systems detect fires, control fires, alert people to danger, and provide means for escape.
• Passive Fire Protection Systems: Fire protection engineers design passive fire protection such as fire barriers, smoke barriers, and fire doors that block the spread of smoke and fire in a building. In an assisted living facility, passive systems also provide an area of refuge for people who are not mobile.
• Testing and Maintenance Programs for Fire Protection Equipment: Once fire protection systems are designed and installed in a building, the facility must should an inspection, maintenance, and testing program for these systems. Records for all testing, maintenance, and inspection activities should be available at all times.
• Emergency Planning: Every assisted living facility should have a documented emergency plan that addresses the many types of emergencies that can occur including fire. This plan should include an evacuation plan and a plan for exit drills. Exit drills are necessary so that occupants will know how to make an efficient and orderly escape. Moreover, the plan should be coordinated with the local fire department. All staff should receive periodic training and understand their responsibilities in implementing the emergency plan.

With a focus on enhancing safety, energy efficiency and convenience, Larco, a division of ATEK Products, LLC and a supplier of commercial safety products, expanded its door access control product line with the addition of the Blue Diamond Backlit Wall Switch. Suitable for automatic indoor and outdoor entryway applications, the switch provides subtle blue backlighting, allowing for easy visibility in poorly lit entryways and nighttime environments.

Incorporating energy efficient Monolithic Constant-Current Regulator, light guiding, and LED technology, the backlit switch is easy to install and durable. It is also designed and manufactured to US and CE certification standards and is compatible with electronics in all automatic doors.

Available in a 4.5″ square version, Larco will introduce two round versions (4.5″ and 6″), as well as a 6″ square version in the coming months. Customizable to meet décor or branding requirements, the new wall switch is available in a stainless steel or brass finish as well as a variety of logos and face decals.

With the Mid-Atlantic region dealing with snowstorms, the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is offering guidance on how businesses can protect their property from winter weather-related perils, such as roof collapse due to heavy snow loads.

“Roof collapse–particularly in areas where severe winter storms are not common events–can pose major threats to people and property,” said Julie Rochman, president & CEO of IBHS.  “Taking steps to prevent partial or total roof collapse can help property owners avoid costly losses.”

The snow load risk of a roof depends in large part on the age of the structure. Older roofs can suffer from corrosion of members and connections which can reduce the ability to resist high snow loads. In addition, buildings with lightweight roofs, such as metal buildings, typically have less capacity to handle a high snow load. For flat roofs, the step-down area between roof sections presents a problem due to the tendency for ice and snow collection.

The best source for determining how much snow load a building can handle is the original design plan. According to IBHS, most roof designs can support at least 20 pounds per square foot. However, design loads can range from 10 pounds to 20 pounds per square foot in Mid-Atlantic states, and between 40 pounds and 70 pounds per square foot in New England.

Guidelines to Estimate Snow Weight

• 10″ to 12″ of fresh/new snow equals about five pounds per square foot of roof space
• 3″ to 5″ of old/packed snow equals about five pounds per square foot of roof space
• Ice is much heavier, with 1″ equaling about one foot of fresh snow

Snow and Ice Removal from Roofs
IBHS recommends that property owners not attempt to climb on their roof to remove snow. A safer alternative is to use a snow rake while standing at ground level. Check your local hardware store or online stores to find snow rakes and other products that can help protect your property from the effect of snow loading.

More information from IBHS on protecting a facility against roof collapse and other winter weather-related perils can be found here.

When Credit Valley Hospital (CVH) in Mississauga, Ontario was originally commissioned in 1985, drinking fountains were not viewed as a threatening source of communicable diseases. However, several years ago, faced with growing concerns after a deadly infectious outbreak of C. difficile in an Ontario hospital, the 365-bed CVH needed to pursue new infection control measures.

Farrow Partnership Architects (FPA), a firm located in Toronto, saw that CVH’s drinking fountains, which had been decommissioned but still had an existing built-in source of water, could be converted into a hand washing units as a positive force for infection control.

One of 15 drinking fountains converted to infection control units in Credit Valley Hospital in Ontario.

According to Health Canada, hospital-acquired infections kill some 8,000 to 12,000 patients across that country every year, and cost the health system millions of dollars. The Canadian Health Network points out that hands spread an estimated 80% of common infectious diseases, yet studies show less than half of hospital nurses and physicians clean their hands between patients.

In 2008, working with CVH’s infection control and maintenance managers, FPA developed and implemented 15 hand washing units in the corridor of an inpatient care area over a one-month period. Aimed primarily at reducing the spread of infection, it was also recognized that improvements in hand washing facilities would reduce the risk of legal action resulting from infection disease outbreaks.

These hand washing units were designed in the absence of any government performance guidelines, specifications, or industry standards. At the start of this initiative, FPA and CVH created the following criteria for success that was realized through the ultimate design:

• Convenience and ease of use: reduced the significant time loss incurred by busy doctors and nurses walking to a distant location many times a day
• Minimal spread of contaminated water: deep basin reduces splashing of soiled water
• Minimal amount of physical contact: faucet with hands-free operation
• Rapid prototyping: off theshelf components were used where possible to reduce implementation time (e.g., regular paper towel dispenser and disposal)
• Ease of installation: developed a self contained unit for ease of installation into new or existing plumbing
• Warm and inviting materials: selected solid surface material over the more clinical standard stainless steel products
• Supportive of maintenance programs: solid surface material conducive to low maintenance and ease of cleaning

Diverse participants contributed to the success of the hand washing units including the hospital’s infection control committee, various doctors and nurses, and the maintenance staff. FPA worked with a subcontractor and Wilsonart to develop the prototypes and final product. Nurses and infection control committee members commented on the first prototype and minor adjustments were made, which included a curved front to facilitate cleaning and to create a more elegant looking shape. A second prototype, complete with plumbing and antiseptic gel, was developed and put into use over a two-week period.

Ultimately 15 final versions of the hand washing units were installed in 2008, and more will be added as funding becomes available.

(Photo: Tom Arban)

VFA, Inc., a provider of end-to-end solutions for facilities capital planning and spend management, has announced a new Seismic Assessment solution to provide organizations with a cost-effective, flexible approach to mitigate seismic risks.

VFA’s Seismic Assessment Service helps organizations identify seismic-related components within their facilities using an industry-accepted methodology based on guidelines published by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA), the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), and the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). With this critical data captured in VFA.facility®—VFA’s capital planning and management software—organizations are then empowered to make the best strategic decisions to improve the overall seismic performance of their buildings.

VFA’s Seismic Assessment solution collects and analyzes seismic risk-related data on both the structural and non-structural components of a building. When facility professionals capture seismic-related risk data, there is a tendency to focus on the structural aspects of a building—those that resist gravity, earthquake, wind, and other types of loads. While this is important, non-structural components (such as light fixtures and vending machines) are often associated with the greatest level of damage and need to be incorporated with the same level of priority. Risks of seismic damage include life safety, property loss, and the possibility that a facility may not continue operations.

VFA’s Seismic Assessment Service has been deployed at customers such as a large state agency and healthcare system.

You see them everywhere—intersections, parking lots, and storefronts—but in Houston, TX, the public will no longer be subjected to inflatable marketing devices. This comes after an incident on a shopping center rooftop just yesterday (1/28/10), when an out-of-control inflatable gorilla deflated and caused a fire.

From the AP:

District Chief Fred Hooker says some type of a “blowup doll” was on the roof, the item deflated and landed on some lights, leading to the fire. Fire authorities say two stores suffered minor water damage. Part of the rooftop also was seen to have suffered fire damage. No injuries were reported in the fire early Thursday.

(However, the gorilla is not doing so well…)