The end of the year tends to be a time of reflection for most people, and here at FacilitiesNet is no different. The industry has made a wave of changes in 2022, and we have been here every step of the way. The year has not been especially king to facilities managers, who have worked to protect the integrity of the buildings they look after, while also complying to constantly changing regulations and standards. Still, managers charged forward and took on each challenge with ease, reaping the rewards afterwards.
"This year has been a challenging one,” says Dan Weltin, editor-in-chief of the facilities market. “The COVID-19 pandemic showed how critical facility management is to building occupant safety, but unfortunately the choked supply chain and lack of candidates to fill open positions have made it difficult for managers to succeed. We are proud that FacilitesNet and our NFMT trade show were educational resources that could provide facility managers with the answers they needed."
The most read FacilitiesNet articles of 2022 discuss a range of topics impacting facility management. Whether the topic is government news, recalls or safety tips, these articles offered insights and information to help managers succeed now and know what to expect in 2023:
10.) How to Address the HVAC Skilled Labor Shortage
2022 will forever be known as the year of the “Great Resignation.” Every industry struggled to recruit and retain talent this year, but some were hurt more than others. As it became more difficult and expensive to find experienced HVAC technicians, Andy Gutman, president of Farbman Group, gave tips on how to be proactive in developing talent in-house.
9.) Air Changes in Facilities Key in Fighting COVID-19: Study
COVID-19 continued to be a battle that facilities managers were fighting against. When the pandemic first began, efforts were made to keep surfaces clean and to socially distance, however, more research was done and was found that proper ventilation and air filtration were critical components in controlling the spread of the virus. In this article, senior editor Dan Hounsell discusses what changes managers can make to help prevent future infections.
8.) Top 10 Attributes of Strong Facility Managers
When the Great Resignation first started this year, a lot of it was contributed to poor leadership and lackluster company culture. However, employees that did leave their positions were able to find new jobs quickly because of the skillsets that they have maintained. In this article, Larry Kokkelenberg suggests certain characteristics that can help you succeed on the job.
7.) Portable Generators Recalled Due to Finger Amputation, Crushing Hazard
Unfortunately, recalls were common in 2022. The Consumer Product Safety Commission acted on dozens of reports of finger amputations and crushing injuries, recalling Generac and DR 6500 Watt and 8000 Watt portable generators.
6.) Vermont First State to Ban Fluorescent Lamps
Vermont will become the first state to ban linear fluorescent lamps, banning the long, tube-shaped lamps as of January 1, 2024. The sale of compact fluorescents in the state is scheduled to end in February 2023.
5.) Los Angeles Bans Gas Hookups in New Construction
New commercial construction in Los Angeles must include electric water heaters, furnaces and appliances after the city council voted to ban gas appliances in new construction. It now joins 50 cities and counties in California to adopt similar rules banning gas hookups.
4.) Miter Saws Recalled Due to Injury and Laceration Hazards
DeWALT is recalling nearly 1.4 million 12-inch compound sliding miter saws due to a specific issue that can cause severe laceration and other injuries. There were 571 reports of injuries due to the detached rear safety guard. That includes nine reports of laceration injuries.
3.) Woman Dies at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium
A woman fell to her death at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. This was the third fall-related death that has occurred at Empower Field at Mile High over the past seven years. Previous deadly falls occurred in 2015 and 2016.
2.) What You Need to Know About Fire Door Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance
Among the many changes that were made this year, NFPA 80 clarified actions managers must take to protects occupants, assets, and facilities. In this article, James Piper details on what managers can do to adhere to these new adjustments.
1.) Construction Materials Prices Increase More Than 20 Percent
Inflation has been on everyone’s minds lately. In April, it was reported that the price of construction materials had increased by more than 20 percent. In this article, senior contributing editor Greg Zimmerman explains what led to this steep increase.
Mackenna Moralez is the associate editor for the facilities market.
