I Never Get to Ring the Bell But...

...Let the train jump the tracks and see who catches hell.

That's what facility/ building engineers feel of their job.  It's not even their job to drive the train.

A good chief takes possession of what ever property he runs.

you rely on him or her to keep everything running like the first day

it was put into play and to give your guest a great experience every time.

We recently conducted a discussion in LinkedIn addressed to chief engineers and facility engineers all over the country (and the world) to find out what makes them tick.  The responses are unbelievably heart-warming.  We meet building engineers in our line of work everyday and I never really got the chance to know this part of them because chances are they are busy taking care of the next issue.

At Alliance, we have always viewed our job as service providers to property managers and engineers as - an alliance.  We want to be a part of their solution.  So we make it an important part for us to know them.

Facility engineers are most likely the first one in the building and if you ask me are the unsung heroes of property management - the Scottie Pippen while a Michael Jordan is basking in the limelight. What you guys really care about is to get the job done.

So here's to knowing our facility/ building engineers out there - the first line of defense in any building issue.  I asked the question and they answered.  View the original post here.

What motivates you to get the job done without expecting an applause?

• We love puzzles and problem solving.
• We are constantly looking for things out of order with a well trained eye. Trying to solve problems before they happen.
• We have this want to keep things running like a fine tuned clock and to make sure that our boss sleeps at night.
• We have a natural sense of urgency beyond what is required because people depend on us.

 What do you expect from other people so that you can get the job done??

• If i can do it you have to do it.
• We just want all to know we don't have time to explain details because we have work to do.

They really should have a national facility engineer day so they get recognized.

The OSHA Consultation Program

There is a long list of employer's responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health law but at the top of the list is to "provide a workplace free from serious recognized hazards and comply with standards.  Is there a consultation program available?

The real estate industry we particularly serve comes with high risks next to law enforcement hazards.  Due to a number of incidents, as well as the lack of adequate inspection records involving permanently installed window washing platforms and exterior building maintenance systems, Cal-OSHA has distributed a letter detailing the annual maintenance requirements for permanently installed scaffolding systems.  The letter is nothing new, it was sent to scaffold inspection and testing agencies back in 2009.

So what's the bottom line to building owners and managers?  Site inspections are no longer adequate.  Annual maintenance will include removing hoists from the building to be shop tested—to the manufacture's specifications—and to have routine maintenance performed.  Be aware of the possible increased maintenance costs and detailed account of this maintenance will need to be documented in the building's records.

It's a reminder of the building owner's responsibilities as outlined in  California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 3282:

1. Building owners shall provide the employer written assurance, before use, that all their building's safety devices and equipment meet the provisions of General Industry Safety Orders (GISO).
2. All safety devices and equipment considered in the written assurance shall be inspected at least every 12 months.
3. Owners of buildings 36 feet or more in height shall have an Operating Procedures Outline Sheet (OPOS) where one or more specified conditions apply to such buildings.

Not in California

Boatswain's chairs and CDAs, while popular in other states, are not always acceptable in California.  Cal-OSHA has height limits for these as outlined in Title 8, Section 3286.

Some providers fail to comply with some of these regulations and they get slapped with a citation that comes with a hefty fine and drags the property management along with them.  You can check to see if your vendors are clean of citations on this OSHA page.

There is hope.  It doesn't need to look all gloomy from here.  OSHA's On-site Consultation Program offers free and confidential advice to small and medium-sized businesses, with priority given to high-hazard worksites.  Check out the fact sheet before you spend an arm and a leg for a vendor's paid opinion about compliance.

Both parties (building owners and vendors) should embrace a pro-active approach to this challenge.  The OSHA consultation program should be our first go-to resource.