LATEST FACILITIES AND BUILDINGS news HEADLINES

Auditing contingency plans
What you do with the contingency plan is as important as the plan itself. By Ken Koch.
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•Date: 15th Nov 2007• Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities
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New radiological remediation guidance for UK agencies
A new document has been published which captures the radiological remediation lessons learned from the Alexander Litvinenko clean-up. The guidance provides a framework for various agencies to follow when dealing with the decontamination of commercial buildings. Download the document (PDF)
•Date: 15th Nov 2007• Region: UK •Type: Briefing •Topic: Terrorism
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ASTM introduces perimeter barriers testing standard
For the testing of perimeter barriers that are used to prevent terrorist attacks on facilities by moving vehicles.
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•Date: 8th Nov 2007• Region:US/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities
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Elevators DO have a role in tall building evacuations
NIST exploring the advantages / disadvantages of elevator use in evacuations.
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•Date: 30th October 2007• Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities
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Update on World Trade Center 7 NIST investigation
Draft report expected to be released for public comment by the end of the year.
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•Date: 3rd July 2007• Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities and buildings
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Survey of facilities managers highlights their key role within business continuity management
92 percent of BCPs have FM input.
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•Date: 26th June 2007 • Region: UK •Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities and buildings
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Fire suppression system backup
Helps a company get back online quickly after a fire suppression system discharge occurs.
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•Date: 26th June 2007 • Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities
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NIST WTC recommendations spur new model building codes
Safer buildings that are more resistant to fire and more easily evacuated in emergencies are the goal of the first comprehensive set of building code changes recently approved by the International Code Council.
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•Date: 22nd June 2007 • Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC and Facilities
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Retrofitting buildings to reduce chemical and biological hazard risks
New guide can be used to determine how to harden existing buildings against accidental chemical releases or possible terrorist threats.
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•Date: 12th June 2007 • Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Facilities and buildings
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'Improving the flood performance of new buildings: Flood resilient construction'
A guide advising industry how to reduce damage to new buildings in flood risk areas has been published by Communities and Local Government, Defra and the Environment Agency.
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•Date: 17th May 2007 • Region: UK •Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities and buildings
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Evacuation and shelter planning
A system approach to evacuation and shelter planning is needed to ensure that staff safety and corporate reputation are protected in the face of today’s threats. By Paul Moor.
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•Date: 4th May 2007• Region: UK/World •Type: Article •Topic: Facilities BC
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Evacuate or shelter-in-place?
When to go, when to stay… John Glenn provides some pointers.
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•Date: 4th May 2007• Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: Facilities BC
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NFPA issues Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities
Five general categories of disabilities covered in the guide are mobility impairments, visual impairments, hearing impairments, speech impairments, and cognitive impairments.
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•Date: 30th March 2007 • Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities & buildings
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NIST guide helps with facilities risk assessment
Web-enabled toolkit linked to NIST ‘Guide to Printed and Electronic Resources for Developing a Cost-Effective Risk Mitigation Plan for New and Existing Constructed Facilities’.
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•Date: 13th March 2007 • Region: N.America •Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities
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As business continuity complexity increases, don’t forget the basics…
“Are we in danger of over complicating what is quite a simple industry and in doing so missing the point of what we are trying to achieve?” asks Tim Armit.
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•Date: 6th October 2006 • Region: World • Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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People aspects of business continuity: consider the built environment
Changes to the environment in your facilities can have a big impact on staff availability.
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•Date: 23rd June 2006 • Region: UK/World • Type: Article •Topic: BC buildings and fac.
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NIST releases report on Katrina-Rita impacts on structures
Stricter adherence to standards/codes and more focus on storm surge impacts are the keys to minimizing hurricane damage.
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•Date: 14th June 2006• Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities and buildings
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‘Preparing for a pandemic: strategies for business continuity when a crisis hits home’
Jones Lang LaSalle has issued a paper with the above title that provides strategies to help businesses and property owners prepare for a possible pandemic outbreak.
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•Date: 12th May 2006• Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: Pandemic planning
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'Smart' buildings to guide future first responders
Intelligent’ building systems may someday allow firefighters and other first responders to better respond to emergencies by providing information such as building floor plans and real-time data from motion, heat, biochemical and other sensors and video cameras.
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•Date: 25th Nov 2005 • Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: BC for facilities
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NIST urges implementation of recommendations from World Trade Center investigation
Final report released at Congressional hearing.
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•Date: 31st Oct 2005 • Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities and buildings
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NIST World Trade Center investigation highlights improvements needed for tall buildings safety
Draft report and recommendations on safety, emergency response released for comment.
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•Date: 28th June 2005 • Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: Buildings / facilities BC
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New risk assessment software addresses building threats
The ‘Cost Effectiveness Tool for Capital Asset Protection’ (CET), Version 1.0, employs a three-step process for developing a risk mitigation plan.
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•Date: 9th June 2005 • Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities and buildings
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NIST to release more recommendations from World Trade Center investigation
On June 23rd NIST will conduct a briefing on the draft recommendations from its investigation into the collapses of the World Trade Center towers.
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•Date: 24th May 2005 • Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: Building and facilities BC
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Legal settlement on emergency evacuation needs of people with disabilities
The US retailer Marshalls has agreed to redevelop its evacuation procedures as a result of a lawsuit. The agreement may serve as a model for other retailers.
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•Date: 5th May 2005 • Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Building and facilities BC
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NIST publishes World Trade Center collapse study
Future practices and technologies identified that potentially could have enhanced building performance and life safety capabilities on 9-11.
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•Date: 14th April 2005 • Region: N.America •Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities
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Primary site selection strategies…
One of the keys to successful business continuity is choosing the right business location. Ed Reagan explains what main factors should be considered.
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•Date: 3rd March 2005 •Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities/buildings
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Post-tsunami studies provide lessons for coastal construction resilience
Engineering experts see how buildings and materials fared against walls of water.
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•Date: 1st March 2005 • Region: Various •Type: Article •Topic: Buildings and facilities
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Fighting terrorism in public spaces: sensing strategies may be an ineffective route
‘Immune buildings’ that actively protect their occupants are a better solution.
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•Date: 25th February 2005 • Region: N.America •Type: Article •Topic: Terrorism
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Maryland court decision sets precedent on emergency evacuations for people with disabilities
US business continuity managers need to be aware of the need to assess and make provision for the needs of people with disabilities during evacuations.
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•Date: 11th February 2005 • Region: N.America •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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The hidden vulnerability of cities to natural disasters: underground spaces
The risks associated with underground urban expansion are often poorly studied says the United Nations University.
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•Date: 14th January 2005 • Region: World •Type: Article •Topic: BC facilities
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