Environmental Health and Safety is one of the 19 functional FM knowledge areas that are categorized into four key knowledge domains.

Definition: Environmental health and safety (EHS) is the process of creating safe and healthful workplaces and preventing or mitigating risks to occupants from workplace hazards and accidents. It involves ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and protection from environmental risks associated with emissions and waste.

Organizations that aspire to be better environmental stewards invest in strong environmental, health, and safety management. EHS management is consistent with facility management’s mission to create and support a productive workplace and protect the tangible and intangible assets of the organization. This involves creating a systematic approach to complying with environmental regulations, managing waste, and reducing the company’s carbon footprint. Successful EHS programs also include measures to address ergonomics, air quality, and other aspects of workplace safety that could affect the health and well-being of facility occupants.

Facility management gathers an understanding of what risks exist, what potential harm they can cause and to whom, and under what conditions the threat is most likely to occur. FM then examines the adequacy of current controls and identifies the need for further management.

Key Concepts:

• Managing EHS risks.
• Facility EHS plan.
• Indoor environmental quality (IEQ).
• Effects of poor indoor air quality (IAQ) (e.g., discomfort, acute, chronic).
• Sick building syndrome (SBS).
• Building-related illness (BRI).
• Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS).
• Sources of poor IAQ.
• IAQ profiling process.
• Key strategies to ensure good IAQ through design and construction.
• O&M impact on IAQ.
• Activities to improve IAQ (e.g., housekeeping, pest control, occupant relations).
• Facility lighting and occupant productivity and health.
• Noise and vibration.
• Occupational health hazards (e.g., ergonomics, stress).
• HAZMAT planning and mitigation tactics.
• Hazardous waste disposal.
• Hazardous building contaminants (e.g., asbestos, contaminated water, legionellosis, mold).
• Work activity accident protocols.
• Fire risk management strategies.
• Emergency management systems and plans.
• Fire detection systems.
• Fire suppression systems.

Environmental Health & Safety Proficiency Indicators (Task Statements)

• Promotes and protects the occupants’ quality of life.
• Identifies and has awareness of occupant health hazards (e.g., ergonomics, temperature, biological, radiation, asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs).
• Demonstrates knowledge of proper handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous, toxic, and biologic materials.
• Demonstrates knowledge of fire prevention systems in hazardous locations/operations, food preparation areas, and electrical transformers as well as unique design or antiquated fire alarm and suppression systems.
• Demonstrates knowledge of safety protection of occupants for internal and public access.
• Demonstrates knowledge of compliant personal protective equipment for workforce (employees and contractors).
• Designs and implements a workplace first-aid program that aims to minimize the outcome of accidents or exposures, including sufficient quantities of appropriate and readily accessible first-aid supplies and equipment.
• Develops plan and documents safety procedures for severe weather threats.
• Develops policies and requirements for safe motorized vehicle use.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and ability to manage adequate ventilation of workspaces.
• Creates, manages, and conducts fire and life safety and HAZMAT plans.
• Establishes procedures for environmental protection and occupational safety in the workplace.
• Administers and supports FM practices and policies that identify and/or mitigate EHS risk.
• Develops, standardizes, and maintains safety programs and procedures.
• Performs facility inspections, safety assessments, and on-site audits of work areas to ensure that safe work conditions exist and that safe work practices are being followed.
• Monitors procedures for compliance with EHS policies and procedures.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and ability to manage the documentation of occupant safety and health complaints and their resolution.

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