The Risk Mitigation Checklist by Sector for Facility Managers

Photo by: the CDC

The International Organization for Standardization defines Facility Management as the “organizational function which integrates people, place, process, and technology within the built environment with the purpose of improving the quality of life and the productivity of the core business.”

The duties required of a Facility Manager (FM) vary depending on the organization they work with; but as a whole the role requires FMs to maintain their organization’s assets and mitigate risk— IT Security risk, Financial risk, Emergency Preparedness, etc.

For each sector we cover in this checklist, you will find questions to help you take a closer look at the Facility Management strategy you use to mitigate risk, protect assets, and improve operational efficiency in your organization.

We have included questions related broadly to Facility Management throughout the entire checklist, and encourage you to read through each sector.


Gym Facilities, Sports Arenas, Yoga, Cycling, and Fitness Studios

• Have you employed a routine, janitorial service to clean and disinfect facilities using EPA-approved products, such as these?

• How many actions have you taken to prevent slip-and-falls? Is there standing water in your facility? Is there adequate drainage in shower areas? Are the walkways connecting facilities slippery?

• Ask these questions again for the pool deck. Pay close attention to standing water and look for other slip hazards like algae. Are there hoses, mats, pool toys, or other tripping hazards near walkways or in under-supervised areas?

• Do you encourage gym patrons to lift with a spotter? Do you label proper lifting techniques on or near pertinent machinery and free weights?

• Are your staff trained on how to decommission all equipment and facilities when they are not in working order? Is equipment properly distanced to prevent patrons from colliding?

• Who is taking care of the routine maintenance of your facilities? Are they in compliance? If your facilities are open 24/7; when are you conducting upgrades and maintenance? What systems do you have in place to monitor the wear-and-tear of equipment and facilities?

Corporate Telecommunication Offices

• Are all spaces within your facilities properly lit to avoid injuries? How prepared are your building’s heating and cooling systems for changing weather? Do employees complain of cold, drafty workplaces?

• Do you have a contingency plan set in place in the case of scorching summer weather that leaves you with power outages? What are your back-up energy and lighting plans? 

• Have you closely examined your spaces for leaks or standing water that creates mold and/or slip-and-fall hazards?

• How well-maintained are your grounds? Are the hedges overgrown? Are dead, overhanging tree branches at risk of collapsing and injuring a passerby? Have you checked for cracks in the sidewalk or other risks generated by the specific environmental conditions?

• How often are you replacing the ergonomic chairs in your office? Are you investing in good-quality office chairs that can last up to five years? Or, have you settled for poor-quality chairs that should be replaced twice yearly?

• Have you secured parking for employees, visitors, and contractors? Does your organization go out of its way to support and benefit those who work there? Do all employees have an accessible way to report any hazards they come across?

Government Buildings

• Are all facilities on the grounds wheelchair accessible?

• How stringent are your controls for public and personnel access to your facility? Are staff routinely making sure doors are locked, gated entryways are monitored by cameras, visitors are logged without fail, and identification badges cannot be replicated and are worn by all visitors and personnel?

• Are all cabling, heating, electrical, and ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in adherence to established standards?

• With security as a primary point of concern, ask yourself; is the Federal tenant’s mission at the facility controversial in nature, and are there credible threats against them? Is the facility located in a high crime area? Have you secured the highest achievable level of protection?

• Are facilities within your care consistently making a great impression on tenants and visitors? Do you routinely outsource upholstery cleaners, window cleaners, and pest control to guarantee facilities always represent the Federal tenant positively?

• Have you identified your critical assets, either physical or intelligence, and any vulnerabilities that could lead to their breach? Do you prioritize your cybersecurity policy? Does that policy protect confidential information from being leaked to cyber criminals?
  

Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical, and Life Science Laboratories

• Have you identified all environmental or conditional risks that could lead to a spoilage event? In the case of machinery breakdown; are back-up systems in place to generate energy and protect irreplaceable biotech assets in refrigerators and temperature-controlled facilities?

• Is your organization covered by liability insurance so that you may conduct clinical trials safely and ethically? Do your liability policies address medical emergencies for clinical trial participants?

• How diverse are your suppliers? Do you depend on a particular supplier to manufacture your product? Does your organization’s contingency plan address the possibility of a broken supply chain?

• Depending on the worldwide suppliers your organization works with; are all of your contracts for suppliers, vendors, trial participants, and others translated properly and reviewed from an insurance standpoint? 

• Is there an abundance of PPE available to lab technicians throughout the facilities? Are systems in place to hold lab technicians accountable for wearing fresh PPE, logging which areas they access, and periodically calibrating high-risk instruments?

• Are your smart building management services backed up with human intelligence? Does your data reflect full compliance? And is that data standardized so that it’s accessible to regulatory agencies when they need it?

As part of S Grace Facilities’ Commercial Cleaning services, we offer Facility Management, specialty window cleaning, upholstery and fabric partitioning cleaning, pre/post event cleanup, disinfection services, and more.

We encourage you to call one of our S Grace Specialists for a focused risk assessment of your facilities.


For more helpful resources:

• Head to the S Grace Facilities website to learn more about our Facility Management and Commercial Cleaning services.

• Familiarize and prepare yourself for other challenges Facility Managers regularly face on the job through this link to our blog.

• Keep up-to-date with Building and Operational Management resources provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).