Jack Wynn, Author at Facilities Management Forum | Forum Events Ltd - Page 2 of 11
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Jack Wynn

‘Modern’ safety and health challenges studied in new book…
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A new book based on research funded by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has investigated the changing context of health and safety policy and
‘modern’ concerns emerging in the OSH sector.

The chartered body commissioned studies over a five-year period by teams from: the
Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM), Cranfield University, Loughborough University, and the universities of Reading, Portsmouth and Nottingham to create Health and Safety in a Changing World (2017, Routledge).

Shelley Frost, executive director of Policy at IOSH and co-editor of the book alongside professor Robert Dingwall, said: “OSH is steeped in a colourful history, shaped by public perception and hugely dynamic.  This book explores those facets and provides a perspective on how the OSH professional can respond to the changing needs and expectations of the world of work.

“There are real opportunities explored on how those driving forward OSH agendas can position themselves to influence and shape the future.”

Considered to be one of the most ambitious research projects undertaken about the ways people are protected from injury and ill health in the workplace, were published in October 2016 and can be found here.

To find out more about the book, click here

Forum Insight: 10 ways to succeed at networking events…
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Walking into an event room full of people you don’t know can be a scary experience. However, there are proven ways to conquer this fear and make networking an enjoyable and a useful process to do business. Here, we share 10 of the best practices to eradicate those networking nerves.

  1. Plan ahead: Try to obtain the attendee list in advance and highlight the people you would like to meet. On arrival, contact the event organiser and say who you are trying to connect with. If they get the chance, an introduction between yourself and the other party will be made upon arrival. It might also be beneficial to go to the registration area to ask if one of your selected visitors has arrived.
  1. Get there early: If you are one of the first to arrive, it is much easier to strike up a conversation with a small group of people.
  1. Most people are in the same position: If you do not know anyone else attending, it’s good to prepare a few opening questions: ‘Any particular presentation you’re looking forward to hearing today?’; ‘What brought you to this event?’
  1. Join a group: Approaching a group of attendees already in full conversation is a daunting prospect. So be bold, confident, and simply ask: “May I join the conversation? I’ve just arrived and I’m keen to learn what’s going on.”
  1. Build interesting conversation: Ask topical and relevant questions to the specific event. Be a good listener and don’t dominate the conversation with your own stories and business ideas.
  1. Be helpful: Share your knowledge of the industry, your contacts and sources of information. If people perceive you as an experienced and knowledgeable professional, they will want to keep in contact and maintain a relationship.
  1. Use your business card as a tactical weapon: I have a friend who renovates old wooden floors, so his business card is made of a thin piece of wood and has proven to be a guaranteed conversation starter. Be imaginative with the design and the job title displayed. Anything that says ‘sales’ or ‘business development’ could cause people to fear a sales pitch is on the way. So try and think of a job title that encourages a productive conversation.
  1. Receiving business cards: Be sure to make notes on the back to remind you of the conversation and the person. This could become much use in future interactions.
  1. Following up: If you engaged in constructive conversation with an attendee and have agreed to follow up after the event, then set a preferred method of contact and make sure to do so promptly.
  1. What not to do: Sales pitches, even if you’re asked ‘what does your company do’, keep your answer to a very brief explanation. Don’t ‘work the room’ rushing from group to group as this is not the way to form business relationships. It’s better to have had four good conversations than a dozen meaningless chats.

Words by Paul Rowney, director at Forum Events Ltd.

EMA launches interactive digital management platform…
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The Energy Managers Association (EMA) has announced the launch of the Energy Management Hub, a digital platform for all industry professionals to share and communicate.

Powered by iON TCS, the EMA states the Hub’s purpose is to engage energy management professionals on one dedicated digital platform, with users able to read and comment on the latest energy news, articles and updates; query industry experts through a handful of interactive communities; and share case studies.

Jana Skodlova, training and skills development manager at the Energy Managers Association, told eConnect: “The [Energy Managers Association’s] main aim is to enhance best practice in energy management and build an educated and skilled community of energy management professionals.

“The Hub allows us to connect our membership, actively share best practice and expand their knowledge and expertise in one dedicated place.”

The Hub, which currently has 5,000 users, also acts as a platform to learn and undertake training, offering users a portfolio of courses from basic energy awareness to focused energy management topics. The user’s completion of every course will be concluded with a certificate and continuing professional development award.

Lord Redesdale, the association’s CEO, adds: “We are building and expanding the Energy Management Hub as an energy managers’ place to engage with like-minded professionals.

“It will also be a digital training portal providing courses from basic energy awareness to advanced programmes. We want the Hub to become the place to visit in search for energy management knowledge within the energy management community.”

Learn more about the Energy Management Hub here

Guest Blog, Cathy Hayward: FM in 2016 – what we’ve learnt and 2017 predictions…
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The end of a calendar year provides the perfect opportunity for lines to be drawn, and predictions forecast. And while 2016 will largely be remembered for the number of famous lives it took, the surprise Brexit decision and election of Donald Trump, there were also more positive developments in the FM and workplace sector.

This year saw the word wellbeing become part of the workplace lexicon and that’s only going to intensify in 2017. Workplace design will focus on creating less sedentary work practices, says Adrian Powell, director at office design and build firm Active, through encouraging movement around the office space. “Companies recognise this will lower absenteeism and help to attract talent. Employees are certainly more educated now about healthy living and have become much more health conscious. Companies also realise that workplace stress is a massive health issue, so designing and creating a healthier and more relaxed environment will create true benefit.”

Powell predicts a real emphasis on ‘teams’, continuing the theme of collaboration spaces which took centre stage in 2016. “Employers are beginning to recognise that companies structured into high performing teams are enabling themselves to compete and win! This will be pushed for by millennials and gen Z workers who have grown up playing team sports, who may have the same expectations of their office.”

With a growing millennial workplace population, technological innovations will continue to make a major impact on the FM world. There will be more connection, more automation, and more significant impact in business and investment than ever before. “Service companies will need to be more technology savvy in the delivery of services and production of management information, as technology is shaping the human life at a rapid pace and service delivery needs to keep a pace with that ‘instant’ culture,” says Glen Cardinal, managing director of Platinum Facilities and Maintenance Services.  But he acknowledges that there’s a balance to be had with old fashion face-to-face customer relationships.

The Internet of Things which started being talked about in 2016 will become more affordable and be used by leading organisations to support enhanced workplace experiences. That’s the prediction of Andrew Mawson, founder and MD of Advanced Workplace Associates. And it’s backed up by Andrew Sugars, director of corporate development at Servest Group. “Data analytics and IoT will be more entrenched in FM’s way of thinking, in terms of helping the decision making process of where to direct their focus. The move from service focused KPIs to enhancing customer experience metrics will be driven predominantly through apps, that are changing the way end users interact day to day with their work environment.”

2017 will yield even more integration of CAFM and other systems within a building, adds Gary Watkins, CEO of CAFM provider Service Works Group.  “Effective management of the facilities lifecycle is often cited as an enterprise’s second largest expense, and system integration will allow better access to information, with intelligent workflows automating processes for high efficiency.  We expect data across all applications to be standardised, driving the market forward in areas such as automated guided vehicles, increasing productivity and work place safety.” Watkins also forecasts increased mobility, the rise of ruggedised devices, more wearable technology, increased location-based services and bigger big data.

There will also be a fundamental shift in service delivery models. Traditional FM service delivery models are going to come under increased pressure following the uncertainty of the Brexit decision, the recent election of Donald Trump as US president, Government policies around the apprenticeship levy, the new minimum wage level and the pressure, in the public sector at least, to involve SMEs in the supply chain.

“We are going to see more innovation around FM models, particularly for organisations with large property portfolios,” says Colin Kenton, managing director, FM services at KBR. “The Integrator model, whereby one outsourced organisation offers the client a cohesive solution by integrating process, technology, reporting and performance measurement/management across all service providers in the supply chain, will gain ground,” he predicts. This matured and adapted version of the managing agent model provides the client with a stand-alone matrix of processes, resources, skills and knowledge to manage all of its services, which crucially, meet their specific needs. Its innate flexibility responds well in changing economic and political times.

There will be further consolidation in the FM supply base, as service providers become unprofitable after further cost cutting. That’s the prediction from AWA’s Andrew Mawson. “Meanwhile larger SMEs and more thoughtful occupiers will seek out boutique FM supply companies to provide more innovative partnership based ‘workplace management’ services.”

With all these changes, there will be a major push by companies to attract and retain the top talent in the industry, forecasts Dave Kentish from people development specialists Kentish and Co. “This means that they will have to invest in developing people within their business and making sure they get known for being the company to work for. It’s all about growing your own.”

That’s certainly something that Nikki Dallas, MD and founder of FM recruitment business Talent FM, agrees with. She forecasts a need for more project management and space management professionals once the timetable for Brexit is known and banks and other financial services firms decide if they’re leaving or staying in London.  There will also be a demand for UK qualified talent in the Middle East with Expo 2020 Dubai and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022. “These large events require an improvement in infrastructure which means more need for built environment and FM professionals,” she predicts.  

What’s clear is the ramifications of the big decisions of 2016 are going to be felt throughout next year and beyond, but the enthusiasm for the FM sector to innovate, grasp the nettle of new technology and new service delivery models will ensure it triumphs over any further adversity.

 

Cathy Hayward is a communications specialist with over 18 years’ experience in a range of journalistic and marketing roles. She founded Magenta in 2011 after 13 years as a business journalist where she launched FM World and edited Charity Finance as well as working on titles such as Financial Management, Supply Management, Unions Today, Marketing Week, Soccer Analyst and Director.

Guest Blog, Dave Bigham: Keeping the dust settled…
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In 2014, the ice bucket challenge took social media by storm. The craze was a bid to raise awareness of neurological disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). One illness, however, that is still fairly unknown amongst the general public but affects up to 7,300 US construction workers every year is Silicosis, a respiratory condition caused by the inhalation of silica dust.

Silicon dioxide or silica is a chemical compound found in materials that are used regularly in construction, including sandstone, granite, brick and concrete. In the workplace, these materials create dust when they are cut, sanded and carved and, when fine enough, this dust can be inhaled by construction workers, causing health problems such as Silicosis or Bronchitis.

The quantity of silica contained in most materials can be estimated within 20 per cent. Sandstone has silica content between 70 and 90 per cent and there is between 30 and 45 per cent silicon dioxide in tiles. However, in concrete, the silica content can be anywhere between 25 and 70 per cent; therefore it is difficult to estimate what protection measures are necessary for each job.1

Using the correct dust collecting equipment is the easiest way to mitigate the dangers of silica dust. From grinding concrete to surface polishing, construction workers need to be aware that they will be creating silica dust, even if the particles are too small for the naked eye to see. Investing in a dust collector that attaches onto surface preparation equipment is the best way to keep silica dust enclosed and stop it from becoming airborne.

Vacuums and dust collectors with a one-filter system aren’t thorough enough to gather the finer particles that can pass through the respiratory system and cause health problems. When there is a risk of silica dust inhalation, look for a dust collector with an individually tested High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter and a high minimum efficiency. National Flooring Equipment’s range of dust collectors boasts a 99.995 per cent minimum efficiency rating at 0.14 microns.

The vacuum’s bagging system is also an extremely important component. If the silica dust becomes airborne when the user changes the vacuum bag, the work that the filters have done previously is wasted. Most top of the range dust collectors will come equipped with a continuous bag, which can be cut from the machine and disposed of without being unsealed.

In the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has taken matters into its own hands by limiting construction workers’ exposure to silica. Over an eight-hour shift, workers cannot be exposed to more than 50 micrograms per cubic metre of air.2 This standard was passed on June 23, 2016 and construction companies in the US have one year to comply with the requirements

Despite the US pushing for stricter regulations, it’s a different story across the Atlantic. The United Kingdom’s regulatory body, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is said to be wary of implementing new controls because of their potential costs and the technical difficulties in monitoring a stricter standard. So far, there are no plans to set limits on the amount of silica that workers can be exposed to in Europe.

Contractors, original equipment manufacturers and trade bodies have to coordinate their efforts to mitigate the risks of silica dust by raising awareness about the dangers of breathing in small particles and by promoting best practice when working in environments with high silicone dioxide content.

Fun as it may be, an ice bucket challenge might not be the best way to spread awareness of the dangers of silica dust exposure. Instead, the industry needs to make workers aware of these dangers and use professional dust collectors correctly at all times.

References:

  1. Health & Safety Executive, (2013) ‘Control of exposure to silica dust: A guide for employees’. [Online version] Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg463.pdf [Accessed November 23, 2016].
  2. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, (2016) ‘Worker Exposure to Silica during Countertop Manufacturing, Finishing and Installation’. [Online] Available at: https://www.osha.gov/dts/hazardalerts/silica_hazard_alert.html [Accessed November 23, 2016].

Dave Bigham, director of National Accounts and Global Training has been in the surface preparation industry for more than 22 years. With experience working for several of the largest companies in the industry, he came to work for National Flooring Equipment in 2010, and his expertise and years of experience are invaluable to the company.

Industry Spotlight – ide Systems: Powering the future of business…
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A major topic of discussion this year has been around the topic of digital strategy. The development of IT infrastructure has culminated in businesses being expected to uphold a comprehensive digital strategy. However, this drives a pressing need for an electrical power supply that is continuous and reliable.

It isn’t unusual to be constantly barraged with IT buzzwords like big data and cloud computing, concepts that they are told offer a wealth of benefits if adopted. These trends, in addition to a shifting business landscape through globalisation and outsourcing, have made it necessary for facilities managers to invest in the right infrastructure to support digitisation.

However, beyond the software and hardware, facilities managers often overlook the power being supplied to IT systems. While it’s important that businesses choose the right IT system, so too is ensuring that these systems continue to operate in the event of a power failure or an emergency.

For example, there was an incident in 2015 where one of Google’s data centres experienced a power failure. This down time was a result of transient voltages caused by lightning striking the local power grid in Belgium. Unfortunately, several disks worth of data remained inaccessible after the incident.

This highlights the need for two things: first, facilities managers should ensure that power equipment is protected against lightning strikes and, secondly, that a building’s power supply is connected to an effective changeover system that can keep systems running in the case of an emergency. If a company the size of Google can fall foul of power failure on such a scale, so too can smaller businesses.

Changeover power

How can facilities managers keep IT systems operational? An important step is to invest in a changeover system that meets the needs of the application. These are designed to facilitate a power supply shift from mains electricity to a backup generator with minimal disruption to service, so they come with a multitude of configurations available.

For example, ide Systems was recently approached by a large London-based business to design a 400A manual changeover panel to ensure reliable power to the building’s IT systems. To maximise its effectiveness, our engineers designed the panel with a lightning protection unit and, interestingly, a multifunctional power meter that included text message functionality.

A powerful feature for remote monitoring, the text functionality offers an additional level of reliability to the system. The power meter’s text message facility works on the incoming mains supply so that, in the event of a mains failure, facilities managers receive a text instructing them to switch the supply over. This gives peace of mind that important IT systems will not lose power.

Innovations such as this can only be designed into electrical equipment if facilities managers give due consideration to emergency systems. While it is easy to think of IT systems as the sole responsibility of IT managers and technicians, facilities managers have a key role in ensuring the ongoing power required to sustain an effective digital business strategy.

 

Words by Matt Collins, business development manager at ide Systems

ide Systems is an integrated electrical engineering company and a recognised name in the design and manufacture of permanent and temporary power distribution equipment for events and onsite backup power. The company is committed to the quality electrical engineering of both core and bespoke products, distributed across the whole of the UK and Europe for sales and hire.

Forum Insight: Savvy SEO tips for start-ups that won’t break the bank…
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With 50 per cent of new businesses failing within five years, recent research has revealed that many small businesses are missing out on opportunities to market online due to a lack of digital knowledge.

The research from 123 Reg found that 73 per cent said they did not advertise online and 42 per cent reported having no digital presence. SEO and other terminology also stumped 48 per cent of business owners surveyed, and only 53 per cent said their websites were easily readable via a mobile device.

“Being digitally savvy is especially important for start-ups. It can be the difference between your business being seen in the right places by the right people, and even small changes can have a huge impact,” comments Alex Minchin, founder and director of SEO agency Zest Digital.

Here, Alex shares three instantly achievable tips for small businesses looking to get started with SEO:

  1. Sign up to Google Analytics and Google Search Console and add the necessary code to your website: These are two free tools that will enable you to measure performance, even if you don’t understand it all immediately. You cannot improve something that you’re not measuring, and these tools will measure things such as; the number of visitors landing on your website, the best performing content, keywords driving traffic, any broken links or pages, and the links from other websites that are pointing back to your website.
  2. Start local: Most searches in the micro and small business world include local modifiers such as your city or county, e.g. “Plumbers in Croydon”. An easy way to start to build some gravitas towards your website is to feature on business directories. This creates ‘citations’ (mentions) of your business name and confirms your address and other details, in addition to pointing a link back to your website. It’s crucial to make sure your information is kept consistent, so finalise your details and use the same information as a template for all directories. These things will help to increase the strength and trust of your website. Just be sure to focus on reputable directories such as Touch Local, 192, Freeindex, and Opendi for example.
  3. Focus on the real basics and design each META title and description for each of the key pages on your website as a minimum: The title tag and descriptor underneath the search result is considered as a ranking factor by Google, and can positively influence your rankings for a particular keyword. Your title should include your keyword and brand name as a minimum, but try to be as creative as possible with the character limit (55 is the defacto) that you have available.  In the META description, it’s more important to include your value proposition and key information, for example “free delivery on all orders”, or “free quotation”. Remember, you’re trying to stand out to win a greater share of the clicks against the other websites competing for the same keyword so details and USPs are key.

“It’s widely reported that somewhere around 90 per cent of all purchasing decisions begin with a search engine and a search query.  SEO can therefore play a huge part in the marketing strategy of a small business.

Alex continues. “Sharing your expertise through content and delivering value to your target market is the name of the game, and it’s a playground that, whilst dominated by some larger brands, isn’t policed by them. It’s entirely possible for a small business to compete and win on this channel, and doesn’t have to involve a huge cost in doing so.”

 

Higher Education estates turnover reaches record £30 billion…
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An annual report released by the Association of University Directors of Estates (AUDE) has revealed the university estates sector grew by £2 billion in the 2014-2015 academic year, with annual turnover for the whole of the UK now equating to £30 billion.

Despite what is considered a challenging funding environment, the ‘Higher Education Estates Statistics Report 2016’ details the evolving profile of the university estate. Capital expenditure grew by 5.6 per cent across the UK, which AUDE predicts is driven by investment as the sector continues to improve with the knowledge that staff members and students expect high quality and attractive facilities.

Expansion of university estates was also acknowledged. Individually, the universities of Cambridge, Manchester, Oxford, Edinburgh and Nottingham all have academic estates in excess of 500,000 square metres, excluding residential accommodation.

Trevor Humphreys, AUDE chair and director of Estates and Facilities at the University of Surrey, said: “Universities have been through a period of significant upheaval and the sector should be commended on its robust management and efficiency strategies, which continue to serve it well.

“However, the future remains uncertain as we try to plan for the impact of the HE White Paper currently going through Parliament. Brexit is also likely to affect our student demographic, our workforce, our costs, as well as research funding.”

Total property costs have also remained relatively level for the past six to seven years, moving from £95 to £98 per square metre, indicating that the sector is committed to driving efficiency.

Increasing university commerciality will create further student housing partnerships…
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A study by JLL’s Higher Education team has charted the rise of student housing partnerships between private sector operators and universities in the UK. 

Claiming to be the first to pull together comprehensive information on the student housing market, the study highlights the c. 27,000 new beds that these partnerships have created in the last 15 years, and the further c. 16,500 beds transferred from university portfolios. 

These partnerships have so far attracted £2.4 billion in capital investment and the number of partners has tripled in the last decade.

Robert Kingham, director in the management company’s Higher Education team, said: “As a market, the sector is maturing, evolving, and becoming more sophisticated. The scale of the challenge is huge. Universities own or lease a quarter of a million beds in the UK and we estimate that upwards of £5 billion is required to address their quality, in addition to creating more beds, to improve the student experience.”

JLL predicts a particular increase in the number of Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) schemes over the next five years, whereby a student housing partner takes a long lease of university-owned land, designs a scheme in conjunction with the university, raises finance, operates, builds, and takes the risk of finding occupants. In return, universities receive the expertise of a dedicated partner, a capital receipt and continued influence over creating a high-quality student experience. 

As a result, JLL expects universities who have not embarked upon this type of partnership before to look seriously at DBFO as an option. 

Martin Le Grice, head of Alternative Investment at JLL, added: “There is increased funder interest in the sector. This is partly driven by the opportunities in the DBFO and the emerging Strip Income markets, and the relative stability that Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) offers. When set against the difficulty in deploying equity, it demonstrates why funders are increasingly keen to enter what is currently a relatively closed market.”

The study concluded that affordability will be a major theme for all aspects of student accommodation over the next five years. This has become a priority concern for universities given the financial pressures on students, combined with high build costs and a lack of product which is driving up rents.

The full report can be downloaded here 

Guest Blog, Bob Foley: The Future is Green; the Future is Energy Saving…
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As with many changes in legislation, there are always a few people who are going to be resistant to change. It is in our nature to be cautious and wary of periods of transition and it takes many people a while to adapt to change, once it has been implemented. The Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) is no exception to this rule. Nearly a year since the initial deadline, there are still vast numbers of qualifying organisations who have not filed their notifications of compliance with the ESOS scheme. The Environment Agency (EA), which administers the ESOS scheme on the behalf of the government, is now cracking down on companies who have failed to comply. At Servest, we are urging companies that may qualify for ESOS to take action.

To qualify or not to qualify?

It seems that the reason why so many companies haven’t complied with the ESOS scheme is down to a misunderstanding about exactly who should be complying with the legislation.

The HM Treasury’s Impact Assessment estimated that circa 9,400 enterprises are affected by ESOS, covering 170,000 – 200,000 buildings that consume around a third of UK energy demand. Over the course of the summer, the scheme regulators have investigated 1,700 organisations they believe may be required to participate but had not made a submission. Although there does not seem to be a definitive list of the companies who fall within the criteria, we believe that several thousand companies out there that need to play catch-up.

The threshold tests which determine whether your organisation should qualify involve a number of factors such as number of employees and company turnover. Much of the confusion has stemmed from a misunderstanding of such factors. Servest’s Energy and Compliance division has recently heard from a number of companies who were not aware, or who did not think the legislation applied to them. For instance, we have heard from a number of companies who have told us they have been contacted by local trading standards or by the Environment Agency. However, in about half of these cases we were able to help them understand that they did not, in fact, meet the compliance threshold tests.

A cleaner energy economy equals a more prosperous economy

In amongst all this confusion over who or what qualifies for ESOS, it seems some companies have forgotten the bigger picture. The point of the scheme is to drive energy savings. Essentially, it should be understood as an opportunity for British businesses to save money. In the current climate, any potential ways to reduce costs should be readily accepted. The government has identified that the Net Present Value of the benefits will be in the region of £1.6 billion, so the gains reaped from becoming ESOS compliant far outweigh the initial cost of the assessment. Part of the report is to identify opportunities to save energy and hence reduce costs. While many companies will treat this as a tick box requirement, we would suggest that others embrace the opportunities to reduce energy usage and the associated costs.

Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves

The need to conserve energy has never been higher on the political, social and economic agendas of British businesses.  Small changes can make the world of difference to the amount of energy consumed. Simple things, such as: ensuring the lights are switched off when areas are not in use, setting appropriate temperature controls and maintaining equipment so it operates efficiently can help sustain our planet as well as saving money.

 

Co-authored with Rob Legge, CEO at Servest Group

 

Bob joined Servest’s new Energy and Compliance division in October 2015 to drive new growth through the development of products and services, which will help customers reduce their energy spend and provide a one-stop-shop solution to managing building risk compliance. Prior to joining Servest, Bob has worked for major energy suppliers, utility infrastructure providers and in the renewable and low carbon energy and energy efficiency sectors. 

Rob has been involved in the facilities sector for over 20 years and during this time has gained a wealth of experience in both the commercial and corporate arenas, Joining Servest in the mid 90s as managing director, he quickly progressed into the role of group CEO. Driving organisational growth through organic and acquisitive strategy, Rob has been instrumental in developing the group into a leading international FM brand.