1. Occupational Safety And Health In Buildings A Presentation To The Real Estate Institute of Zimbabwe 70 th Annual General Meeting And Winter School 2 nd -5 th July 2015 At Chengeta Safari Lodge

2. Understanding Occupational Safety And Health Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) also commonly referred to as Workplace Health and Safety is concerned with;  Safety  Health and  welfare of people engaged in work or employment The goals of OSH programs include:  To foster a safe and health environment  To protect co-workers  To protect employers  To protect customers and many others affected by workplace environment Duty of Care In common law jurisdictions, employers have a common law duty to take reasonable care for the safety of their employees. Good OSH practices reduce employee injury and illness related costs, including medical care, sick leave and disability benefit costs. As defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) “Occupational health deals with all aspects of health and safety in the workplace and has strong focus on primary prevention of hazards.

3. Definitions Health has been defined as: “A state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Occupational health is a multidisciplinary field of health care concerned with enabling an individual to undertake their occupation, in the way that causes least harm to their health. The ILO Convention on Occupational Health Services (No.161) and the ILO Recommendations on Occupational Health Services (No.171) were adopted in 1985. In the Convention the following definition was given:-“The term ‘occupational health services’ means services entrusted with essentially preventive function and responsible for advising the employer, the workers and their representatives in the undertaking, on:-  The requirements for establishing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment which will facilitate optimal physical and mental health in relation to work.  The adaption of work to the capabilities of workers in the light of their state of physical and mental health.  Identification and assessment of the risks from health hazards in the workplace. This involves surveillance of the factors in the working environment and working practices which may affect workers health. It also requires a systematic approach to the analysis of occupational ‘accidents’, and occupational diseases.  Advising on planning and organization of work and working practices, including the design of workplaces, and on the evaluation, choice and maintenance of equipment and on substances used at work. In so doing, the adaptation of work to the worker is promoted.

4.  Providing advice, information, training and education, on occupational health and safety and hygiene and on ergonomics and protective equipment.  Surveillance of workers health in relation to work  Contributing to occupational rehabilitation and maintaining in employment people of working age, or assisting in the return to employment of those who are unemployed for reasons of ill health or disability.  Organising first aid and emergency treatment. In the past some buildings were designed without taking into consideration the maintenance aspects. Architects enjoy designing fancy buildings but forget some key features which are necessary for occupational safety and health. Issues Under Consideration The subject matter is specifically dealing with OSH in the buildings and not Industry and Mining which are always discussed. OSH is not only for Industry and Mining. Realtors/Property Managers or facilities managers are key players in properties/buildings management. A realtor represents the property owner when a contract for managing a property is signed or when a new building is planned. This means that Realtors are responsible for occupational safety and health in buildings. Not only are Realtors involved in existing buildings, but also in the design and construction of new buildings.

5. The State Of Buildings: Design and Maintenance Today there exists buildings designed as follows:  No access for window cleaning and other building features  No access to the roof  Slippery floor tiles  No adequate lighting – when power goes out rooms are dark such that employees stop working.  When power goes out the HVAC System stops working and employees have to leave the building because the building is completely sealed with double glazing with no sections that can be opened. The question is “In a tropical country such as Zimbabwe, is it necessary to design a building which does not have opening windows? Our climate is not that harsh to warrant completely closed buildings with central air conditioning system and electrical lighting throughout the whole day. Such a type of a building has got high operating costs making it difficult to rent, hence tenants will run away.  Building designed with an atrium or opening which is dangerous and can be used to commit suicide.  Building designed facing the wrong direction resulting in extreme temperatures and therefore very expensive to cool down, hence increase operating costs due to high energy use.  Poorly designed plumbing causing blockages resulting in odours etc.  Building designed with confined space having limited opening for entry and exit and unfavourable natural ventilation.

6.  Building located at a noisy area.  Building with electrical problems, poor workmanship etc.  Building with confined space.  Inadequate fire fighting equipment, fire escape or no fire escape at all and instructions in Chinese.  Building with non working lifts/elevators therefore clients/employees walking from ground floor to 13 th floor etc.  Building without water most of the time.  Building without access to cleaning of windows externally or internally.  High rise building requiring external painting periodically.  Moisture penetration through walls etc.  Buildings with spikes erected around posing danger to disabled especially the blind.  No signage inside building  Building without ramps for disabled access  Building without toilets for access to wheel chairs etc.  Entry of rain water inside building/leaking roof.  Basement flooding

7. The issues mentioned above cause hazards classified either as physical, mechanical, biological or chemical hazards. Types of Workplace Hazards Physical Hazards and Mechanical Hazards -Physical hazards are a common source of injuries in many buildings. They are perhaps unavoidable but overtime people have developed safety methods and procedures to manage the risks of physical danger in the work place. Falls are a common cause of occupational injuries and fatalities especially in cleaning and maintenance. -Confined spaces also represent a work hazard. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health defines “confined space” as having limited openings for entry and exit and unfavourable natural ventilation, which is not intended for continuous employee occupancy. Confined spaces pose a hazard to occupants. Noise also represents a fairly common workplace hazard. Occupational hearing loss is the most common work related injury. -Temperature extremes can also pose a danger to occupants. Heat stress can cause heat stroke, exhaustion, cramps and rashes. Heat can also fog up safety glasses or cause sweaty palms or dizziness all of which increase the risk of other injuries. Dehydration may also result from over exposure to heat. Cold stress also poses a danger to many occupants. Over exposure to cold conditions or extreme cold can lead to hyperthermia, frostbite, trench foot, or chilblains.

8. Asphyxiation is another potential hazard in certain situations. Musculoskeletal disorders are avoided by the employment of good ergonomic design and reduction of repeated strennous movements or lifts. Biological hazards  Bacteria  Virus  Fungi  Mold  Blood –borne pathogens  Tuberculosis Chemical hazards  Petroleum  Fire, conflagration and explosion hazards  Detonation  Heavy metals

9. Psychosocial hazards As part of risk management framework physcological or physchosocial hazards (risk factors) need to be identified and controlled for the work place. Psychosocial hazards are related to the way work is designed, organized and managed, as well as the economic and social contexts of work and are associated with psychiatric, psychological and or physical injury or illness. Linked to psychosocial risks are issues of occupational stress and workplace violence which are recognized internationally as major challenges to occupational health and safety. According to a survey by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, the most important emerging psychosocial risks are:  Precarious work contracts  Increased worker vulnerability due to globalization  New forms of employment contracts  Feeling of job insecurity  Aging workforce  Long working hours  Work intensification  Lean production and outsourcing  High emotional demands  Poor work life balance

10. The Way Forward In Resolving Occupational Safety and Health In Building Project Planning, Delivery and Controls Inorder to create safe and secure high performance buildings, there is need to address the following topics: Project planning, Delivery and Controls Occupant Safety and Health Facilities Operations and Maintenance (O & M) A safe and secure building must be monitored from the building planning stage up to commissioning. Excellence in Project Management is achieved through a structured process that includes multiple phases. Initiating Planning Executing Monitoring and controlling Closing The process balances the key project constraints and provides a tool for making decisions throughout the project based in stakeholder values, performance metrics, established procedures and project goals.

11. ScopeQualityScheduleBudgetResourcesRisk

12. Effective project management includes strategies, tactics and tools for managing the design and construction delivery processes and for controlling key factors to ensure the client receives a facility that matches their expectations and functions as it is intended to function. Improvements in building quality, directly contribute to reduced operational costs and increased satisfaction for all of the stakeholders. Successful project delivery requires the implementation of management systems that will control changes in the key factors of scope, schedule, budget, resources and risk to optimize quality and, therefore, the investment. It is critical to establish the qualities of the project that are necessary to satisfy client and end user needs and expectations, once it is delivered and in use. Value for the money in construction requires completing a project on time, on budget and to a level of functionality that meets the determined needs, a well programmed project will continue to provide value and meet user needs throughout its lifetime and will contribute positively to the environment in which it is located with wide range of social and economic benefits. Contemporary institutions and organisations are increasingly realizing that traditional forms of management – based on the same approach to every project cannot meet the needs of today’s economic, social and business environment. Additionally, the processes can be streamlined based on technologies and efficiencies not previously available. The responsibility for delivering a project as planned rests with the entire team. When evaluating options, the whole life value service life, and resource consumptions should be intergrated into the decision matrix.

13.  Project Delivery Teams –How to assemble and effectively manage the project team  Risk management -provides details on how risk analysis is used as an organized method of identifying and measuring risk  Building Commissioning-provides an overview of commissioning drivers, benefits, goals and principles for improving building quality 1.Project Requirements Project inception and preliminary planning require thoughtful definition of goals and needs (Project Scope): master planning to accommodate anticipated future needs: evaluation of project alternatives; identification of site requirements; funding requirements; budget authorization cycles and/or financial impacts; and project phasing. There are tools available that help define the goals and objectives for the project that let all stakeholders have a voice in making the project successful. The risks associated with making mistakes in this part of the process are great, since their impact will be felt across the project development process and in the final project results. 1.Scope management Project scope is the work that must be performed to meet a client’s program goals for space, function, features, impact and level of quality. Scope management sets the boundaries for the project and is the foundation on which the other projects elements are built. From the beginning it helps identify the work tasks and their requirements for completion. Effective scope management requires accurate definition of a clients requirements in the Planning and Development stage and a systematic process for monitoring and managing all the factors that may impact or change the program requirements throughout the project design and construction phases through delivery of the finished project. Note that in most cases the Realtor represents the client/building owner.

14. Cost Management Project costs are measured and analysed in many ways throughout a project, from planning, programming and design to bidding, construction, turnover, and post occupancy. Schedule Management A schedule management defines the processed and established timeline for delivering the project. Schedule management interfaces directly with scope, cost and quality optimization and team member roles and activities must be defined, coordinated and continually monitored. It is the goal of every project manager to look for efficiencies in all of these areas as a project manager. Delivery Methods There are many approached to achieve successful project design and construction. The delivery methods are driven by the project’s scope, budget and schedule. Project Management Plans A project management plan (PMP) documents key management and oversight tasks and is updated throughout the project as changes occur. The plan involves definition of an owner’s program goals, technical requirements, schedules, resources, budgets and management programs. It also provides a vehicle for including efficiencies in the design and construction phases of all buildings. It will also serve as the basis for completed construction documents and outline the commissioning plan for finished execution.

15. Design Stage Management Once a design team has been agreed upon and assembled, the owner needs to coordinate and manage the project’s design phases. Design management requires the oversight of schedules and budgets; review of key submissions and deliverables for compliance with program goals and design objectives; verification of stakeholder input for inclusion; verification of construction phase functional testing requirements; and appropriate application of the owner’s design standards and criteria. This stage should also define the criteria for assessing quality measurement to ensure the project’s success. Determining appropriate goals and objectives at the beginning of the process, during a visioning session, and measuring their implementation over the life cycle of building and construction has been proven to increase overall building quality and reduce project costs and timing to delivery. Delivering and Measuring Building Quality Good design is derived from a complex and creative process encompassing a wide range of activities, elements and attributes. A standard for measuring building quality has been created by the Construction Industry Council (CIC) and it measures the key attributes that constitute good design and produces high performance buildings. The CIC has developed the Design Quality Indicator (DQI) a standard method of assessing the quality of buildings in three main areas. Functionality, Build Quality and Impact. Functionality is concerned with the arrangement, quality and inter relationships of space and the way in which the building is used. Build Quality relates to the engineering performance of a building which includes structural stability and the intergration and robustness of systems, finishes and fitting. Impact refers to the buildings ability to create a sense of place and have a positive effect in the local community and environment.

16. It is the interplay between all these factors that creates a truly high performance building. The overlapping nature is demonstrated below through the following:  Construction Management  Project Management Software  Using Building Information Modelling  Quality Optimization  Building Commissioning Building Commissioning - Building Commissioning is a quality assurance process for achieving, verifying and documenting that the performance of facility systems and assemblies meet the defined objectives and criteria for the project. It is a systematic process of ensuring that building systems perform interactively and effectively according to the design intent and the owner’s operational needs. - The Commissioner should coordinate, manage and record the minutes of the workshop and should also confirm the mandatory wide participation of persons in the workshop, including the O&M staff. The Commissioner should also have primary responsibility for writing the OPR documents and checking the engineer’s Basis of Design (BOD) document.

17. - This is achieved by documenting the owner’s requirements and assuring those requirements are met throughout the entire delivery process. This involves actual verification of systems performance; comprehensive operation and maintenance (O&M) documentation training of the operating personnel and implementation of long term trending and data logging to optimize operation. Building Commissioning Services may include Commissioning Plans, Total Building Commissioning, Systems Commissioning, Pre- Installation Performance Testing/Commissioning, Re-Commissioning, Retro-Commissioning. Occupant Safety and Health Overview- Occupant Safety and Health Modern buildings are generally considered safe and healthy working environment. However, the potential for indoor air quality problems, occupational illnesses and injuries, exposure to hazardous materials, and accidental falls beckons architects, engineers, and facility managers to design and maintain buildings and processes that ensure occupant safety and health. Notably, building designs must focus on eliminating or preventing hazards to personnel, rather than relying on personal protective equipment or process procedures to prevent mishaps. Protecting the health, safety and welfare (HSW) of building occupants has expanded beyond disease prevention and nuisance control to include mental as well as physical health and protecting the ecological health of a place through the creation of spaces that enable delight and the realization of human potential.

18. Therefore, the design team should apply an integrated approach, including work process analysis and hazard recognition to develop solutions that provide healthy built environments having no undue physical stressors, as well as meeting other project requirement. In addition, consideration of HSW issues should be an integral part of all phases of a building’s life cycle: planning, design, construction, operations and maintenance, renovation and final disposal.  Provide designs that eliminate or reduce hazards in the work place to prevent mishaps and reduce reliance on personal protective equipment  Prevent occupational injuries and illnesses  Prevent falls from heights  Prevent slips, trips and falls.  Ensure electrical safety from turn-over through Operations and Maintenance. Modifications must be in conformance with life safety codes and standards and be documented.  Eliminate exposure to hazardous materials (e.g. volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde and lead and asbestos in older buildings).  Provide good indoor air quality and adequate ventilation  Analyse work requirements and provide ergonomic work places to prevent work-related muscoskeletal disorders  Perform proper building operations and maintenance

19. Recommendations For Occupant Safety And Health Provide Designs that Eliminate or Reduce Hazards in the Work Place to Prevent Mishaps  Provide designs in accordance with good practice as well as applicable building, safety and health codes and regulation  Conduct preliminary hazard analyses and design reviews to eliminate or mitigate in the work place.  Use registered design professionals and accredited safety professionals to ensure compliance with safety standards and codes.  Provide engineering controls in place rather than rely on personal protective equipment or administrative work procedures to prevent mishaps  Integrate safety mechanisms, such as built in anchors or tie-off points, into the building design, especially for large mechanical systems.  Design a means for safely cleaning and maintaining interior spaces and building exteriors.  Provide for receiving, storing and handling of materials, such as combustibles, cleaning products, office supplies and perishables.

20. Prevent Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Consider work practices, employee physical requirements and eliminating confined spaces when designing building and processes. Design safe replacement and modifications of equipment to reduce the risk of injury to operations and maintenance staff. Comply with applicable regulatory requirements such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Provide proper ventilation under all circumstances and allow for natural lighting Mitigate noise hazards from equipment and processes. Designate safe locations for installation for RF equipment such as antennas on rooftop penthouses. Prevent falls from Heights Provide guardians and barriers that will prevent falls from heights in both interior and exterior spaces. Provide fall protection for all maintenance personnel especially for roof mounted equipment such as HVAC equipment and cooling towers. Provide certified tie off points for fall arrest systems.

21. Prevent Slips, Trips and Falls Provide interior and exterior floor surfaces that do not pose slip or trip hazards. Select exterior walking surface materials that are not susceptible in elevation as a result of freeze/thaw cycles. Provide adequate illumination, both natural and artificial for all interior and exterior areas. Comply with all regulatory and statutory requirements. Ensure Electrical Safety  Ensure compliance with the Electricity Codes  Provide adequate space for maintenance, repair and expansion in electrical rooms and closets.  Provides adequate drainage and/or containment from areas with energized electrical equipment.  Evaluate all areas where ground fault circuit interruption (GFI) and arc fault interruption (AFI) devices may be needed.  Consider response of emergency personnel in cases of fires and natural disasters.  Label all electrical control panels and circuits.  Install non-conductive flooring at service locations for high voltage equipment.  Specify high visibility colors for high voltage ducts and conduits.

22. Eliminate Exposure to Hazardous Materials Identify, isolate, remove, or manage in place hazardous materials such as lead, asbestos, etc. Consider use of sampling techniques for hazardous substances in all phases of the project to include planning, design, construction, and maintenance. Consider occupant operations and materials in designing ventilation and drainage systems. Incorporate integrated pest management (IPM) concepts and requirements into facility design and construction (e.g., use of proper door sweeps, lighting, trash compactors, etc.) and require the use of IPM be performed by qualified personnel during all phases of construction and after the facility is completed. This should include not only interior pest management, but landscape and turf pest management as well. Provide adequate space for hazardous materials storage compartments and segregate hazardous materials to avoid incompatibility. Substitute high hazardous products with those of lower toxicity/physical properties. Provide Good Indoor Air Quality and Adequate Ventilation Consider ventilation systems that will exceed minimum ASHRAE standards. Recognize and provide specially designed industrial ventilation for all industrial processes to remove potential contaminants from the breathing zone. Design separate ventilation systems for industrial and hazardous areas within a building. Consider the use of carbon monoxide (CO) monitoring equipment if there are CO sources, such as fuel-burning equipment or garages, in the building.

23. Consider the use of carbon monoxide (CO) monitoring equipment if there are CO sources, such as fuel- burning equipment or garages, in the building. Specify materials and furnishings that are low emitters of indoor air contaminants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Consider the indoor relative humidity in the design of the ventilation system. Avoid interior insulation of ductwork. Locate outside air intakes to minimize entrainment of exhaust fumes and other odors. (e.g., vehicle exhaust, grass cutting and ground maintenance activities, industrial pollutant sources, cooling tower blow-offs, and sewage ejector pits). Ensure the integrity of the building envelope, including caulks and seals, to preclude water intrusion that may contribute to mold growth. Prevent return air plenums/systems from entraining air from unintended spaces. Provide air barriers at interior walls between thermally different spaces to prevent mold and mildew. Provide Ergonomic Workplaces and Furniture to Prevent Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD) Design work places that make the job fit the person. Select furnishings, chairs, and equipment that are ergonomically designed and approved for that use. Design equipment and furnishings reflective of work practices in an effort to eliminate repetitive motions and vibrations as well as prevent strains and sprains.

24. Consider using worker comfort surveys in the design phase to help eliminate work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Accept the principle that one size does not fit all employees. Consider providing break areas to allow the employees to temporarily leave the work place. Minimize lighting glare on computer monitor screens. Provide task lighting at workstations to minimize eye fatigue. The scope of O&M includes the activities required to keep the entire built environment as contained in the organization's Real Property Inventory of facilities and their supporting infrastructure, including utility systems, parking lots, roads, drainage structures and grounds in a condition to be used to meet their intended function during their life cycle. These activities include preventive and predictive (planned) maintenance and corrective (repair) maintenance. Preventive Maintenance (PM) consists of a series of time-based maintenance requirements that provide a basis for planning, scheduling, and executing scheduled (planned versus corrective) maintenance. PM includes adjusting, lubricating, cleaning, and replacing components. Time intensive PM, such as bearing/seal replacement, would typically be scheduled for regular (plant or "line") shutdown periods. Corrective maintenance is a repair necessary to return the equipment to properly functioning condition or service and may be both planned or un-planned. Some equipment, at the end of its service life, may warrant overhaul. The definition of overhaul is the restoration of an item to a completely serviceable condition as prescribed by maintenance serviceability standards.O&MReal Property Inventory

25. Requirements will vary from a single facility, to a campus, to groups of campuses. As the number variety and complexity of facilities increase, the organization performing the O&M should adapt in size and complexity to ensure that mission performance is sustained. In all cases O&M requires a knowledgeable, skilled, and well trained management and technical staff and a well planned maintenance program. The philosophy behind the development of a maintenance program is often predicated on the O&M organization's capabilities. The goals of a comprehensive maintenance program include the following: Reduce capital repairs Reduce unscheduled shutdowns and repairs Extend equipment life, thereby extending facility life. Realize life-cycle cost savings, and Provide safe, functional systems and facilities that meet the design intent. Sustainability is an important aspect of the O&M process. A well run O&M program should conserve energy and water and be resource efficient, while meeting the comfort and safety requirements of the building occupants.comfort A critical component of an overall facilities O&M program is its proper management. The management function should bind the distinct parts of the program into a cohesive entity. The overall program should contain five distinct functions: Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Technology, and Administration (OMETA). Beyond establishing and facilitating the OMETA links, O&M managers have the responsibility of interfacing with other department managers and making their case for ever shrinking budgets.

27. MAJOR RESOURCES OF O & M A.Planning and Design Phase O&M activities start with the planning and design of a facility and continue through its life cycle. During the planning and design phases, O&M personnel should be involved and should identify maintenance requirements for inclusion in the design, such as equipment access, built-in condition monitoring, sensor connections, and other O&M requirements that will aid them when the built facility is turned over to the owner/user organization. The O&M team should be represented on the project development team so they know ahead of time the types of controls, equipment and systems they will have to maintain once the facility is turned over to them. Consideration should be given for professionally developed system- level O&M Manual(s), rather than the typical vendor-supplied equipment manuals. This is where the full system commissioning process starts.O&M requirements B. Construction Phase Near the end of the construction phase and prior to turnover of the facility, vendor/manufacturer O&M manuals are organized and provided to the owner/operator. Typically, personnel are trained in specified areas to support operations. Assurance that the manuals and training are provided is a part of the Building Commissioning process. In addition, typically part of the construction contract, warranties/activation dates and spare parts information should be organized and tracked.

28. O&M Approach The O&M organization is typically responsible for operating and for maintaining the built environment. To accomplish this, the O&M organization must operate the systems and equipment responsibly and maintain them properly. The utility systems may be simple supply lines/systems or may be complete production and supply systems. The maintenance work may include preventive/predictive/ (planned) and maintenance, corrective (repair) maintenance, trouble calls, (e.g., a room is too cold), replacement of obsolete items, predictive testing & inspection, overhaul, and grounds care. The O&M organization is also normally responsible for maintaining records on deferred maintenance (DM), i.e. maintenance work that has not been accomplished because of some reason—typically lack of funds.operate the systems and equipment responsibly and maintain them properlypredictive testing & inspectiondeferred maintenance D. Life Cycle O&M O&M of the elements included in buildings, structures and supporting facilities is complex and requires a knowledgeable, well-organized management team and a skilled, well-trained work force whether the functions are performed in-house or contracted. The objective of the O&M organization should be to operate, maintain, and improve the facilities to provide reliable, safe, healthful, energy efficient, and effective performance of the facilities to meet their designated purpose throughout their life cycle. To accomplish these objectives, O&M management must manage, direct, and evaluate day-to-day O&M activities and budget funds to support the organization's requirements.safehealthfulenergy efficient

29. E. Computerized Maintenance Management Systems O&M organizations may utilize Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) to manage their day-to-day operations and to track the status of maintenance work and monitor the associated costs of that work. These systems are vital tools to not only manage the day-to-day activities, but also to provide valuable information for preparing facilities key performance indicators (KPIs)metrics to use in evaluating the effectiveness of the current operations and to support organizational and personnel decisions. These systems are starting to be integrated more and more with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Building Information Modeling (BIM) technologies and COBie to increase/improve a facility's operational functionality.Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS)key performance indicators (KPIs)Geographic Information Systems (GIS)Building Information Modeling (BIM) O&M organizations may utilize Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) to manage their day-to-day operations and to track the status of maintenance work and monitor the associated costs of that work. These systems are vital tools to not only manage the day-to-day activities, but also to provide valuable information for preparing facilities key performance indicators (KPIs)metrics to use in evaluating the effectiveness of the current operations and to support organizational and personnel decisions. These systems are starting to be integrated more and more with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Building Information Modeling (BIM) technologies and COBie to increase/improve a facility's operational functionality.Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS)key performance indicators (KPIs)Geographic Information Systems (GIS)Building Information Modeling (BIM)

30. F. Coordinating Staff Capabilities and Training with Equipment and System Sophistication Levels Operation and Maintenance (O&M) organizations must address the skill level of their staff in light of the O&M systems and components within their facilities. This extends beyond the in-house staff to any contracted services as well. If the skills required to support installed systems and equipment are scarce, either training must be provided or less sophisticated equipment systems utilized to provide an economical working arrangement. With the natural industry progression of incorporating technology advances into renovations, major capital repairs and new building construction, high-tech building systems are being placed into service that current O&M staff are not familiar enough with to properly correct problems when they arise, or to keep operating efficiently. An example of this is building automation systems (BAS). Often untrained personnel will override programmed settings with manual settings that address specific hot/cold call issues, but over time these cumulative over-rides result in un-balanced system-wide operations. Regardless of their equipment sophistication levels, every organization should develop training programs and track staff qualifications to ensure they are adequate for existing and planned building systems. This will allow organizations to make improvements to training as needed on an ongoing basis. A recurring training program should consider both the type of skills required and the available labour pool skills in the geographic area. Topic areas to consider are:

31. Safety/OSH regulations and guidelines Equipment operational start-up and shutdown procedures Normal operating parameters Emergency procedures Equipment preventative maintenance (PM) plans The use of proper tools and materials, to include personal protective equipment (PPE Training programs should be reviewed at least annually and whenever changes are planned for equipment or new facilities. In addition to regular assessments of the O&M staff's technical abilities concerning existing equipment, the staff should always be included throughout new project development efforts by design teams. The O&M staff can provide valuable inputs to match the workforce's abilities and training plans with any new equipment. The O&M staff is usually one of the best sources for input on how an existing facility is performing, and they can provide insight into how new equipment will be incorporated into facility maintenance programs. The staff may not always understand the underlying cause of a building problem symptom, but they can identify areas that receive repeated attention in efforts to correct a long-standing condition. O&M staff inputs can guide designers to address these areas in renovation and equipment upgrade projects. A simpler equipment solution should be pursued if the needs of specific equipment cannot be addressed long-term with available labour resources due to technological levels.

32. Qualified personnel are needed to operate and maintain facilities at peak efficiencies, and to protect significant investments in equipment and systems. Besides posing a potential physical hazard to themselves and others, untrained employees can unknowingly damage equipment and cause unnecessary downtime. Inefficient and improper O&M can also void warranties and reduce expected useful life (EUL) of equipment. Certifications and proper training of O&M service providers protects the organization, employees and visitors. Training sources include manufacturers, professional organizations, trade associations, universities and technical schools, commercial education/training courses, and in-house training and on the job training (OJT) options. Training programs should provide a mix of these sources to the workforce to ensure materials addressed are up to date and applicable to the organization's facilities. Secure/Safe Building Final Remarks The design and construction of secure and safe buildings (minimal danger or risk of harm) continues to be the primary goal for owners, architects, engineers, project managers, and other stakeholders. In addition to those listed, other stakeholders include: construction managers, developers, facilities managers, fire marshals, building inspectors, Local Authority and Government officials, emergency managers, law enforcement agencies, lenders, insurers, and product manufacturers. Realizing this goal is often a challenge due to funding limitations, resistance from the occupants due to impacts on operations, productivity and accessibility, and the impacts on the surrounding environment and building architecture due to perimeter security, hardening, and standoff requirements. Understanding the impact site security has on the overall security of the building is important as well. A balance between the security and safety goals and the other design objectives and needs of the facility can be attained. The establishment of an integrated design process where all of the design team members understand each other's goals can aid in overcoming these challenges and will lead to the development of a solution which addresses all of the requirements.architectsengineersintegrated design process

33. Understanding the interrelationship with the other design objectives (i.e.Sustainable, Aesthetics, Cost- Effective, Historic Preservation, Accessible, Functional / Operational and Productive), early in the design process, is an essential step in overcoming the obstacles commonly encountered in the achievement of a secure and safe building.SustainableAestheticsCost- EffectiveHistoric PreservationAccessibleFunctional / OperationalProductive Designing buildings for security and safety requires a proactive approach that anticipates—and then protects—the building occupants, resources, structure, and continuity of operations from multiple hazards. The first step in this process is to understand the various risks they pose. There are a number of defined assessment types to consider that will lead the project team in making security and safety design decisions. This effort identifies the resources or "assets" to be protected, highlights the possible perils or "threats," and establishes a likely consequence of occurrence or "risk." This assessment is weighed against the vulnerabilities specific to the site or facility. Based on these assessments and analysis, building owners and other invested parties select the appropriate safety and security measures to implement. Their selection will depend on the security requirements, acceptable levels of risk, the cost-effectiveness of the measures proposed for total design efficiency, evaluation of life cycle cost, and the impact these measures have on the design, construction, and use of the building.building occupantsrisksassessment types Hazard Mitigation refers to measures that can reduce or eliminate the vulnerability of the built environment to hazards, whether natural or man-made. The fundamental goal of hazard mitigation is to minimize loss of life, property, and function due to disasters. Designing to resist any hazard(s) should always begin with a comprehensive risk assessment. This process includes identification of the hazards present in the location and an assessment of their potential impacts and effects on the built environment based on existing or anticipated vulnerabilities and potential losses. When hazard mitigation is implemented in a risk-informed manner, every dollar spent on mitigation actions results in an average of four dollars' worth of disaster losses being avoided.vulnerabilities

34. It is common for different organizations to use varying nomenclature to refer to the components of risk assessment. For example, actual or potential adversary actions such as sabotage and terrorist attacks are referred to as "threats" by the law enforcement and intelligence communities, while natural phenomena such as cyclones and floods are generally referred to as "hazards" by emergency managers; however, both are simply forces that have the potential to cause damage, casualties, and loss of function in the built environment. Regardless of who is conducting the risk assessment, the fundamental process of identifying what can happen at a given location, how it can affect the built environment, and what the potential losses could be, remains essentially the same from application to application. Integrating Safe and Secure DesignSafe There are times when design requirements addressing all the various threats will pose conflicts in arriving at acceptable design and construction solutions. Examples include Blast Resistant Glazing, which may impede emergency egress in case of fire; access control measures that prevent intrusion, but may also restrict emergency egress; and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) light pollution reduction and security lighting objectives. Conversely, site design and security can complement each other such as the design of a storm water management requirement that doubles as a vehicle barrier. Good communication between the design team, fire protection and security design team specialists through the entire design process is necessary to achieve the common goal of safe and secure buildings and facilities.

35.  Most security and safety measures involve a balance of operational, technical, and physical safety methods. For example, to protect a given facility from unwanted intruders, a primarily operational approach might stress the deployment of guards around the clock; a primarily technical approach might stress camera surveillance and warning sirens; while a primarily physical approach might stress locked doorways and vehicle barriers. In practice, a combination of approaches is usually employed to some degree and a deficiency in one area may be compensated by a greater emphasis in the other two.  In addition to the operational/technical/physical taxonomy, it is useful to characterize risk reduction strategies as either structural or non-structural. Structural mitigation measures focus on those building components that carry gravity, wind, seismic and other loads, such as columns, beams, foundations, and braces. Examples of structural mitigation measures include building material and technique selection (e.g., use of ductile framing and shear walls), building code compliance, and site selection (e.g., soil considerations). In contrast, non-structural strategies focus on risks arising from damage to non-load-bearing building components, including architectural elements such as partitions, decorative ornamentation, and cladding; mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) components such as HVAC, life safety, and utility systems; and/or furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) such as desks, shelves, and other material contents. Non-structural mitigation actions include efforts to secure these elements to the structure or otherwise keep them in position and to minimize damage and functional disruption. These measures may be prescriptive, engineered, or non-engineered in nature.

36.  It should be noted that in any given building, non-structural components, including general building contents, typically account for over three-quarters of the cost of a building; this figure can be even higher for specialized occupancies such as medical facilities. Additionally, structural and non- structural components can potentially interact during an incident, requiring a deliberative approach to implementing a comprehensive agenda of structural and non-structural mitigation actions. Consistent with areas of professional responsibility, it is useful to identify four fundamental principles of all-hazard building design: Plan for Fire Protection Plan for Fire Protection Planning for fire protection for a building involves a systems approach that enables the designer to analyze all of the building's components as a total building fire safety system package. Protect Occupant Safety and Health Some injuries and illnesses are related to unsafe or unhealthy building design and operation. These can usually be prevented by measures that take into account issues such as indoor air quality, electrical safety, fall protection, ergonomics, and accident prevention.Protect Occupant Safety and Health Natural Hazards Mitigation Natural Hazards Mitigation Each year U.S. taxpayers pay over $35 billion for recovery efforts, including repairing damaged buildings and infrastructure, from the impacts of hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornados, blizzards, and other natural disasters. A significant percentage of this amount could be saved if our buildings properly anticipated the risk associated with major natural hazards.

37. Provide Security for Building Occupants and Assets Provide Security for Building Occupants and Assets Effective secure building design involves implementing countermeasures to deter, detect, delay, and respond to attacks from human aggressors. It also provides for mitigating measures to limit hazards to prevent catastrophic damage and provide resiliency should an attack occur. Other Issues To Consider  Occupant Emergency Plan Occupant emergency plans are an integral part of an emergency management program. Properly developed plans can reduce the risk to personnel, property, and other assets while minimizing work disruption during and immediately following an emergency.  Development and Training on Occupant Emergency Plans Occupant Emergency Plans should be developed for building Operations staff and occupants to be able to respond to all forms of attacks and threats. Clearly defined lines of communication, responsibilities, and operational procedures are all important parts of Emergency Plans. Emergency Plans are an essential element of protecting life and property from attacks and threats by preparing for and carrying out activities to prevent or minimize personal injury and physical damage. This will be accomplished by pre- emergency planning; establishing specific functions for Operational staff and occupants; training Organization personnel in appropriate functions; instructing occupants of appropriate responses to emergency situations and evacuation procedures; and conducting actual drills.

38.  Risk Assessment Risk assessment is the activity that estimates potential building and infrastructure losses from earthquakes and floods, winds, and other hazards. Resilience is a primary metric of risk assessment. In addition to mitigating damage and protecting the lives of building occupants, buildings that are designed for resilience can absorb and rapidly recover from a disruptive event. Continuity of operations is a major focus. Estimates should reflect state-of-the-art scientific and engineering knowledge and can be used to inform decision-making at all levels by providing a reasonable basis for developing mitigation, emergency preparedness, and response and recovery plans and policies.  Building Information Modeling Building Information Modeling (BIM)Building Information Modeling (BIM) can be a useful tool for building security. For example, intelligent objects in 3D provide better understanding of vulnerabilities and better correlation with other design aspects like building and site access, location and types of doors and windows, and structural design characteristics for seismic versus blast design. BIM will further the integration between project team members, design disciplines, and the various stages of a project to achieve the goal of a high performance building. Properly maintained, BIM can provide complete, up-to-date information on the building and its' systems throughout the building service life.BIM

39.  Resilience ResilienceResilience relates to the design, construction, and operation of buildings and infrastructures that are resilient to natural and man-made disasters. Buildings designed for resilience can absorb and rapidly recover from a disruptive event. Continuity of operations is a major focus of resilience. The National Response Framework presents guiding principles that enable all response partners to prepare for and provide a unified national response to disasters and emergencies.National Response Framework Resilience of critical infrastructure must also be considered and the analysis must be done from a regional perspective, since the infrastructure of each region of the country can vary significantly. Those infrastructures include water and wastewater, energy, transportation, telecommunications, and public health and safety, among others. Vulnerability, risk and resilience assessments must be done and mitigation options evaluated in concert with resource restraints.