CMM Weekly News Recap-December 20, 2019

Worker safety was in the spotlight this week, with the horrific electrocution of two teens while cleaning a McDonald’s restaurant in Peru. Investigators are still determining how the young workers were killed,  and whether a faulty soft drink machine and wet floors caused the electrocution. ISSA authorities stress the importance of electrical safety while cleaning floors, including the use of proper personal protection equipment for the workers, as well as thorough inspection of the equipment cords prior to their use.

Digital technology can help facility managers manage their building electrical systems, assuring workplace safety. However, a new report found almost half of facility managers are not adopting new technology. Barriers to implementing this technology include a lack of knowledge and internal expertise (31% of respondents), a lack of time and resources to implement it (8%), as well as an inclination to only use mature or proven technology (32%).

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics did report good news regarding workplace safety in its  annual Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Report, released this week. The report reveals the rate of fatal work injuries remained relatively unchanged in 2018 from the previous year. Notably, work-related fatal falls from heights declined 14% in 2018 to the lowest total since 2013. Enforcement efforts helped abate more than 7,000 fall-related deaths at work sites.

Unfortunately, unintentional overdoses at work increased by 12%, the sixth consecutive annual increase and a reflection of the nation’s opioid crisis. The number of suicides at work also rose, with an 11% increase between 2017 and 2018.

Stay safe this weekend and we’ll have more news for you on Monday, then we take a break for the holidays.