Bryan Connors | 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
Michael Della Barba | 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
Bryan Connors | 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
Margo Jay | 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
Ted Myatt | 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