Survey: Health and Safety Is Top Concern for Facility Managers

“Health and safety” is the top-rated concern among facility managers (FMs) and in-house service providers, according to the new 2022 CMM In-House/Facility Management Benchmarking Survey.

Even before the pandemic, “health and safety” ranked highest when FMs were asked to rate the most important issues affecting their operations. This year, 80% of respondents said health and safety was important “to a large extent.” Improving facility image, improving productivity/efficiencies, training and education of staff, and security rounded out the top five most important concerns.

Over the past two years amid the COVID-19 pandemic, FMs implemented many new health and safety measures in their buildings to protect the public. In addition to increased disinfection and sanitation processes, new measures included physical changes to the facilities as well.

According to the CMM survey, 97% of 291 respondents set up hand sanitizer stations; 91% increased disinfection and sanitation processes; 81% posted new signage or visual cues to promote hand hygiene or social distancing; 71% provided disposable wipe dispensers/stations; 67% installed partitions or barrier shields; 58% implemented new indoor air quality measures; and 48% instituted temperature screening/scanners in their facilities.

It’s hard not to spot a hand sanitizer dispenser at most facility entrances as these and other measures noted above have become familiar sights across the facility landscape. A May 2021 GP PRO survey found that FMs more than doubled the number of hand sanitizer units in their buildings. The survey also reported that 85% of those responsible for buying or maintaining hand sanitizer units plan to keep most or all of them once the pandemic is over.

What health and safety measures have you implemented in your facility over the past 24 months that you think have the most staying power and why? Email your thoughts to [email protected].