2018 was a tumultuous year in many ways, from acts of violence in the news to startling legal developments stemming from last year’s mass shooting at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. Yet these same developments also allowed us to explore opportunities for BUILDINGS readers to protect their own occupants with safer facilities.
Everyone wants to be safe at home, at work, at school and at play, but the ways to accomplish that aren’t always immediately obvious.
Help BUILDINGS Shape 2019!
Hostile Event - NFPA 3000
In May, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released NFPA 3000, its landmark provisional standard for planning for, responding to and recovering from hostile events, including shootings.
My personal most memorable security coverage came in November, when I participated in active shooter training. It’s one thing to write about what to do during incidents – it’s another thing entirely to practice escaping from your own workplace.
Mandalay Bay: One Year Later
Jeff Heilman, a longtime contributor to BUILDINGS’ sister publication Meetings Today, also examined how security practices in Las Vegas have changed in the year since the Harvest Festival shooting.
Access Control Evolves
Security has always been a core value for facilities managers, but the ways facilities professionals keep their tenants safe evolves alongside technology, staff writer Sarah Kloepple wrote in September. She was referring to smartphone credentials for access control, a solution that eliminates the expense of re-keying and managing physical credentials.
Innovative solutions like these are a win-win for building occupants and facilities managers alike. Users love that the readers detect their credentials inside their purse or pocket as they approach.
Facilities teams are able to create and revoke access permissions instantly without the time, expense and hassle of printing badges or cutting keys.
It’s hard to guess what new safety and security developments 2019 will bring, but we’re committed to staying on top of it. Our resolution for the new year is to help you keep your occupants and your facility safe no matter what the future holds.
We also looked at six ways to strengthen access control systems, from figuring out levels of access to specifying the right features.
It’s easy to become complacent if what you have seems to be working, but if there’s one thing the events of 2018 have shown us, it’s that staying vigilant is crucial. Periodically revisiting your access control system and other security measures is a key part of keeping people safe.
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Fire Hazards
Codes and standards for fire safety systems and materials that deter fire spread have existed for years, but that doesn’t mean they’re always followed. This year delivered a pair of surprising fire safety standard violations.
Fire Code Violations at University Dorms
We examined how the University of North Carolina Asheville had to pay $2,500 per day to post firefighters in its newest dorms after an inspection revealed that the buildings fall short of fire safety standards. Not long after that, fire code violations were in the news again, this time at an assisted living center in Virginia with a malfunctioning dry sprinkler system, an extinguisher in need of maintenance and an emergency escape light that didn’t work.
Ways Your Fire Safety System Could Be Failing
It’s hard to guess what new safety and security developments 2019 will bring, but we’re committed to staying on top of it. Our resolution for the new year is to help you keep your occupants and your facility safe no matter what the future holds.
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(We even have digital vintage editions of BUILDINGS magazine from as far back as 1913.)
More year-in-review articles:
