Our Insights | Blog | Higher Education
Will Wade | June 3, 2022
The hallmark of a successful construction project is marked by proper planning and budgeting. Even so, setbacks such as schedule delays are to be expected. But the sequence of events associated with the unanticipated discovery of asbestos contaminated soil on a construction site is anything but predictable. It can undoubtedly be a major roadblock against...
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Matt Fragala | July 21, 2021
An environmental health and safety (EH&S) program at a college or university is tasked with running like a well-oiled machine – the optimal performance of the overall program requires the smooth operation of each program component. This is much easier said than done. Colleges and universities face a range of occupational health and safety risks...
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David Shore | March 25, 2021
The arrival of vaccines to help control the COVID-19 pandemic is encouraging, but the truth is that a proven effective medical intervention will still take time to distribute and administer and for immunity to develop. And while physicians and researchers are making progress in treatment and medicines for COVID-19, it remains a reactive approach. Fortunately,...
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Melissa Scully | February 24, 2021
While laboratories present a significant opportunity for energy savings, executing a successful energy saving program is challenging. This is largely due to the complexity of the environments and the sensitive operations being performed combined with the need to prioritize and ensure safety. Correctly qualifying laboratory spaces for energy conservation measures (ECM) such as occupied ventilation...
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Jack McCarthy | August 3, 2020
With the 2019-2020 school year cut dramatically short by the COVID-19 pandemic, public and private school systems and higher education institutions across the nation are exploring strategies today to prepare their buildings for a safe return to school this fall. EH&E Supports Rep. Auchincloss in Getting Kids Back to School Appropriately operating and maintained...
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Steven Lee | March 2, 2020
It’s been over 10 years since the tragic death of a staff research assistant in the chemistry department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Devastating and high-profile laboratory accidents such as this have elevated safety concerns for academic and biotech research facilities in recent years, driving many to seek ways make safety an...
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Matt Fragala | January 24, 2020
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...
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Will Wade | May 21, 2019
Products such as thermometers, thermostats, fluorescent light bulbs, and some electrical switches have long been known as potential sources of mercury. In recent years another mercury-containing product – polyurethane flooring – has garnered public attention and concern. Some polyurethane or rubber-like floorings manufactured from 1960 to 1980 contained mercuric acetate. These floors are most often...
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Matt Fragala | 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...
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Matt Fragala | 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,...
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