The NFPA 660 introduces a risk-based, performance-oriented approach, allowing tailored safety measures based on specific risks. The standard refines Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) requirements within a unified framework, enhancing clarity and removing redundancies. Additionally, it includes industry-specific chapters to address unique risks.

Eric Potorski, industrial vacuum specialist at Goodway Technologies, stated:

Making sure that our customers are purchasing the right equipment to safely address their environment and application has always been a top priority for us. Our robust and detailed consultation helps gather the necessary information to understand the material they are collecting, the environment and the disposal process. This thorough analysis is an effective, safe and necessary standard to be compliant with your DHA.

Goodway Technologies, a leader in industrial cleaning and maintenance solutions, is providing next steps to help businesses comply with NFPA 660:

• Review the standard: Familiarize yourself with NFPA 660 and understand how it applies to your facility.
• Conduct a Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA): If you haven’t already, perform a DHA to identify and mitigate potential hazards.
• Update safety procedures: Adjust your safety protocols and training programs to align with the new standard.
• Invest in proper equipment: Ensure you have the right dust collection, ventilation and housekeeping systems in place.
• Work with experts: Consulting with combustible dust safety professionals can help streamline compliance and enhance workplace safety.

Potorski continued:

This unified standard helps facilities proactively identify a more consistent approach to hazard management. Our team can provide consultation to help incorporate routine maintenance and find the right solutions for the right applications.

To help reduce potential hazards associated with combustible dust explosions, facilities can also implement the following best practices.

1. Ensure access to all hidden areas of the facility. Evaluate dust buildup on every horizontal surface, including ductwork, beam and joist surfaces, and areas above suspended ceilings.
2. Frequently inspect for dust. OSHA inspectors look for accumulations of 1/32 of an inch, which is about the thickness of a standard paper clip. Immediate cleaning is necessary when a layer of that amount covers a surface area equal to 5% of the floor area.
3. Implement regular cleaning intervals. Develop a plan for timely cleaning, ensuring that work cycle dust is removed concurrently with operations and not allowed to accumulate. Be cautious of dust dispersion during housekeeping.
4. Relocate dust collectors outside. Dust collectors with a volume greater than 8 cubic feet should be situated on the exterior of buildings to limit risks.
5. Ensure electrical wiring and equipment are approved for dust hazard conditions. OSHA recommends using proper electrical equipment in hazardous locations to eliminate a common ignition source.
6. Use certified industrial vacuums for picking up explosive material. In hazardous dust environments, “explosion-proof vacuums” approved for Class II conditions should be used to prevent sparks.
7. Control ignition sources. Post “No Smoking” signs, control static electricity through bonding and grounding equipment, and provide necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent ignition from static electricity.
8. Perform regular preventive maintenance on equipment. Faulty equipment is a common cause of ignition.
9. Train employees to recognize and prevent hazards. Proactively train new employees before they start work and periodically refresh their knowledge. Employees should understand safe work practices, as well as plant programs for dust control and ignition source control. Encourage employees to report unsafe practices and foster a company culture of safety. If fine dust, powders or other flammable materials are used in the facility, consider implementing these tips to enhance preparedness.

While this information can serve as a reference, it is important for plant and facility managers to discuss best practices with their safety officer or maintenance personnel before selecting equipment or implementing safety and preventative maintenance measures.

For more information on Goodway Technologies’ diverse line of industrial vacuums, visit Goodway.

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The Intersociety Forum (ISF) of two dozen organizations calls for employers to go beyond legal compliance and adopt risk-based safety and health strategies. The coalition released a report that highlights several ways a business model of safety and health can create a strategic advantage that powers positive business outcomes.

ASSP Chief Executive Officer Jennifer McNelly, CAE, stated:

We urge today’s business leaders and policymakers to prioritize environmental, health and safety practices as a foundation of economic growth. When workers are protected from injuries and illnesses, they perform at their best, which fosters productivity, innovation and global competitiveness. Safety strengthens resilience and enables businesses to thrive.

Despite advancements in technology, workplace injury and fatality rates have remained relatively flat for the past decade. In 2023, a worker died on the job every 99 minutes, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

In its report, ISF identified three core principles that help ensure workers return home safe and healthy every day. These principles are:

1. Standards and worker well-being;
2. Embracing risk and safety management systems; and
3. Revolutionizing recordkeeping for predictive insights.

McNelly continued:

This guidance that goes beyond compliance can bring life to workplaces across the nation, empowering workers to perform at their peak. There are benefits to reducing operational disruptions and maximizing efficiency through a sustainable workforce. Simply put, safety is good for business. It’s vital that the coalition has achieved meaningful cross-organization collaboration to speak as one voice from the safety industry.

ISF’s full report, Core Principles of Modern Occupational EHS Practice, contains a QR code for organizations to show their support of the core principles. The coalition’s CEOs plan to meet with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) once the new Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health is announced later this year.

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Peter Templeton, president and CEO, USGBC and GBCI, explained:

PERFORM helps organizations advance sustainability across their real estate portfolios, ensuring every building — regardless of type or starting point — contributes to achieving organizational performance goals. USGBC and the green building community are committed to wholesale market transformation, which means accelerating and scaling measurable performance improvement across the built environment. PERFORM will enable organizations to meet sustainability and regulatory goals while addressing the urgent needs to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen resilience, protect human and ecosystem health, and advance equity across all communities.

PERFORM is designed to track and improve sustainability performance of diverse building portfolios, enabling incremental improvements across all owned, occupied or managed assets. Through PERFORM, organizations set their own goals, implement plans and strategies, measure improvement, and communicate improvements to stakeholders. It includes a suite of complementary tools, including:

• Standardized portfolio-wide guidance and assessment to help organizations develop actionable plans, goals and strategies
• Measurement and verification of portfolio-wide performance improvement relative to organizational commitments, including emissions, energy, waste, water and more
• Technical support for existing building portfolios at various levels of performance aligned with their unique organizational goals, strategies and circumstances

PERFORM empowers organizations to bridge the gap between their sustainability targets and actionable, measurable outcomes, particularly in a global context where many companies are looking for tangible ways to demonstrate real progress toward their emissions reductions and sustainability goals.

Recent research by the Financial Times with Smurfit Kappa found that while many organizations set ambitious sustainability targets, they lack robust and actionable plans to achieve those goals.

Additionally, a report by New Climate Institute found that many organizations with corporate net-zero commitments have not meaningfully improved the quality or credibility of their net zero strategies. PERFORM aims to bridge that gap.

PERFORM complements USGBC’s globally recognized LEED green building system, which certifies buildings and projects to a defined, consensus-based, leadership standard. PERFORM works with entire real estate portfolios to help set customized goals, implement plans, measure improvement over time, and verify achievements. In addition to verifying the achievement of energy- and climate-related sustainability goals, the PERFORM program can be used to verify progress and achievements across a holistic set of environmental, social, and resilience metrics.

Sarah Zaleski, chief products officer, USGBC and GBCI, stated:

Organizations that have set portfolio-level sustainability goals to satisfy stakeholders, meet public commitments, and comply with evolving regulatory standards are now looking for pathways to make meaningful and verifiable progress. PERFORM builds on USGBC’s decades of expertise as a market accelerator to partner with organizations around the world to achieve their portfolio goals.

In 2023, USGBC and GBCI launched a Portfolio Accelerator program to test and refine the program to meet evolving market needs. With the input of global portfolio owners, USGBC has established a comprehensive assessment process, including an evaluation of progress against performance commitments, and verification of portfolio-level progress and performance. Program participants include Grubb Properties, Proximity Parks and others.

Zaleski added:

As part of PERFORM, we are expanding our partnerships with Schneider Electric, ClimateFirst, Carbonsight, and Kode Labs to collaborate on data exchange, streamline portfolio-level data and introduce new portfolio-level tools that drive improvement.

In addition, USGBC and GBCI will strengthen partnerships with Measurabl to enhance data sharing for verification of portfolio-level sustainability metrics and with GRESB, Nareit, and ISSP to support organizations in the early stages of their sustainability journey, focusing on guidance and education.

PERFORM, officially known as Arc PERFORM, can be accessed on Arc, a new digital platform and workspace that brings together all of USGBC and GBCI’s products under one seamless, easy-to-use, and intuitive user experience. From the Arc dashboard, organizations can select PERFORM, which provides access to a custom target-setting tool where users can indicate the metrics to be tracked, set targets from their sustainability action plans and existing tracking systems, and submit to GBCI for verification of performance claims, for an additional cost.

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Only 30% of workers say their employer has solicited their input on what remote and hybrid work flexibility they would prefer, while 67% say remote work improves corporate culture. Workers say their top concerns about more in-person work include work-life balance (48%), commute time (41%), increased costs (36%), stress (33%), and their happiness (26%).

This research comes as many employers continue to increase in-person work, while other organizations are leveraging flexible work arrangements to recruit and retain workers in a continued tight labor market.

Melissa Jezior, president and chief executive officer of Eagle Hill Consulting, advised:

Employers are wise to tread carefully when making changes to their remote and hybrid work policies. While in-person work has benefits, reducing the flexibility that many workers crave could backfire in terms of employee retention, morale, and company culture. It’s important for employers to understand that workers do see the value of in-person work, but they view some tasks as better performed remotely and they don’t want mandates.

One troubling finding is that the vast majority of workers say they haven’t been asked about their preferences regarding remote work. Gauging worker sentiment is a necessary step employers should take to make informed policy decisions. While employee preferences don’t drive all business decisions, not understanding worker views is never a good approach.

The nationwide survey of U.S. workers also finds that employees see the value of in-person work. A large share of workers (56%) say those who work more in the office than remotely are more likely to be successful in their jobs. A full 85% of workers say team building is managed better in person, as is integrating new team members (84%), training and managing teams (78%), onboarding (74%), kicking off a new project (76%), getting a project back on track (74%), performance discussions (68%), meetings (65%), giving and receiving feedback (63%), brainstorming (62%), and IT support (54%).

The research also finds:

• Employees say the benefits of returning to the workplace would include increased socialization (46%), the ability to leave work at work (35%), improved collaboration (33%), and more productivity (32%).
• Workers are split on employers tracking their attendance to ensure compliance with company remote work policies. Just over half (51%) want their attendance tracked, while 49% don’t.
• Around a third (34%) of workers are willing to sacrifice a dedicated workspace in exchange for more remote work. Only 17% would sacrifice pay for increased remote work.
• Fully 71% of employees say someone they work with directly makes their remote work flexibility decisions.

The findings are based upon the 2024 Eagle Hill Consulting Workplace Flexibility Survey, conducted by Ipsos most recently June 4-7, 2024. The survey included 1,453 respondents from a random sample of employees across the U.S. Respondents were polled about their views about working remotely.

Read the research infographic, “Employees Weigh In On Workplace Flexibility: 2024,” which details the research findings.

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W. Lee Shoemaker, Ph.D., P.E., MBMA’s Director of Research and Engineering, remarked:

Compliance with energy codes is an important and necessary part of modern construction. This guide is a valuable resource for building owners, architects, specifiers, contractors, builders, and metal building manufacturers. It is based on the IECC 2018/2021/2024 (draft edition) and ASHRAE Standard 90.1 – 2016/2019/2022, so it references the most widely used codes and information.

Energy Guide for Metal Building Systems: Code Compliance is a synthesis of all the pertinent information on creating energy efficient, code-compliant metal buildings. The design guide consists of the following six chapters:

1. Design Responsibilities — Building and Energy Codes
2. Energy Code Fundamentals
3. IECC Building Envelope Compliance
4. ASHRAE 90.1 Building Envelope Compliance Methods
5. Insulating Metal Building Systems
6. Commercial Compliance Using COMcheck

Additionally, the guidebook has dozens of useful diagrams, figures and charts to help guide the user.

Tony Bouquot, MBMA general manager, stated:

Given all the recent energy code updates, the 2^nd edition of this design guide is both timely and helpful. Many thanks to the MBMA staff and committee members who put this together.

In addition to Energy Guide for Metal Building Systems: Code Compliance, 2nd Edition, MBMA’s website has an array of free resources available for download, and also additional manuals and publications for purchase.

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Through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, EPA is also making unprecedented funding available to help ensure that all people have clean and safe water. In addition to today’s final rule, EPA is announcing nearly $1 billion in newly available funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help states and territories implement PFAS testing and treatment at public water systems and to help owners of private wells address PFAS contamination. This is part of a $9 billion investment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help communities with drinking water impacted by PFAS and other emerging contaminants — the largest-ever investment in tackling PFAS pollution. An additional $12 billion is available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for general drinking water improvements, including addressing emerging contaminants like PFAS.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan joined White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory to announce the final standard at an event in Fayetteville, North Carolina. In 2017, area residents learned that the Cape Fear River, the drinking water source for 1 million people in the region, had been heavily contaminated with PFAS pollution from a nearby manufacturing facility. The April 10 announcements will help protect communities like Fayetteville from further devastating impacts of PFAS.

EPA is taking a signature step to protect public health by establishing legally enforceable levels for several PFAS known to occur individually and as mixtures in drinking water. This rule sets limits for five individual PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA (also known as “GenX Chemicals”). The rule also sets a limit for mixtures of any two or more of four PFAS: PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and “GenX chemicals.” By reducing exposure to PFAS, this final rule will prevent thousands of premature deaths, tens of thousands of serious illnesses, including certain cancers and liver and heart impacts in adults, and immune and developmental impacts to infants and children.

This final rule advances President Biden’s commitment to ending cancer as we know it as part of the Biden Cancer Moonshot, to ensuring that all Americans have access to clean, safe, drinking water, and to furthering the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to environmental justice by protecting communities that are most exposed to toxic chemicals.

EPA estimates that between about 6% and 10% of the 66,000 public drinking water systems subject to this rule may have to take action to reduce PFAS to meet these new standards. All public water systems have three years to complete their initial monitoring for these chemicals. They must inform the public of the level of PFAS measured in their drinking water. Where PFAS is found at levels that exceed these standards, systems must implement solutions to reduce PFAS in their drinking water within five years.

According to EPA, the new limits in this rule are achievable using a range of available technologies and approaches including granular activated carbon, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange systems. For example, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, serving Wilmington, NC — one of the communities most heavily impacted by PFAS contamination — has effectively deployed a granular activated carbon system to remove PFAS regulated by this rule. Drinking water systems will have flexibility to determine the best solution for their community.

EPA will be working closely with state co-regulators in supporting water systems and local officials to implement this rule. In the coming weeks, EPA will host a series of webinars to provide information to the public, communities, and water utilities about the final PFAS drinking water regulation. To learn more about the webinars, visit EPA’s PFAS drinking water regulation webpage. EPA has also published a toolkit of communications resources to help drinking water systems and community leaders educate the public about PFAS, where they come from, their health risks, how to reduce exposure, and about this rule.

More details about funding to address PFAS in Drinking Water

Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is making an unprecedented $21 billion available to strengthen our nation’s drinking water systems, including by addressing PFAS contamination. Of that, $9 billion is specifically for tackling PFAS and emerging contaminants. The financing programs delivering this funding are part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that have been historically marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

Additionally, EPA has a nationwide Water Technical Assistance program to help small, rural, and disadvantaged communities access federal resources by working directly with water systems to identify challenges like PFAS; develop plans; build technical, managerial, and financial capacity; and apply for water infrastructure funding. Learn more about EPA’s Water Technical Assistance programs.

More details about the final PFAS drinking water standards:

• For PFOA and PFOS, EPA is setting a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal, a non-enforceable health-based goal, at zero. This reflects the latest science showing that there is no level of exposure to these contaminants without risk of health impacts, including certain cancers.
• EPA is setting enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels at 4.0 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, individually. This standard will reduce exposure from these PFAS in our drinking water to the lowest levels that are feasible for effective implementation.
• For PFNA, PFHxS, and “GenX Chemicals,” EPA is setting the MCLGs and MCLs at 10 parts per trillion.
• Because PFAS can often be found together in mixtures, and research shows these mixtures may have combined health impacts, EPA is also setting a limit for any mixture of two or more of the following PFAS: PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and “GenX Chemicals.”

EPA is issuing this rule after reviewing extensive research and science on how PFAS affects public health, while engaging with the water sector and with state regulators to ensure effective implementation. EPA also considered 120,000 comments on the proposed rule from a wide variety of stakeholders.

Background

PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” are prevalent in the environment. PFAS are a category of chemicals used since the 1940s to repel oil and water and resist heat, which makes them useful in everyday products such as nonstick cookware, stain resistant clothing, and firefighting foam. The science is clear that exposure to certain PFAS over a long period of time can cause cancer and other illnesses.  In addition, PFAS exposure during critical life stages such as pregnancy or early childhood can also result in adverse health impacts.

Across the country, PFAS contamination is impacting millions of people’s health and well-being. People can be exposed to PFAS through drinking water or food contaminated with PFAS, by coming into contact with products that contain PFAS, or through workplace exposures in certain industries.

Since EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan announced the PFAS Strategic Roadmap in October 2021, EPA has taken action by advancing science and following the law to safeguard public health, protect the environment, and hold polluters accountable. In December 2023, the EPA released its second annual report on PFAS progress. The report highlights significant accomplishments achieved under the EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap.

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ASSP President Jim Thornton, CSP, CIH, FASSP, FAIHA, stated:

This new industry consensus standard is an important development because there is no federal regulation focused on heat stress. Employers need expert guidance on how to manage heat-related risks. They must have the tools and resources to identify and help prevent work hazards before an incident occurs.

ANSI/ASSP A10.50-2024, Heat Stress Management in Construction and Demolition Operations, offers guidance on protecting workers; explains how to acclimate workers to high heat conditions; and provides requirements for training employees and supervisors. The standard contains checklists and flowcharts designed to help companies develop clear and effective heat stress management programs that bridge the regulatory gap.

John Johnson, CSP, chair of the ANSI/ASSP A10 standards committee, pointed out:

There are tens of thousands of heat-related illnesses each year linked to construction and demolition sites, and workers have died from exposures to excessive heat. This new standard outlines industry best practices and proven solutions to protect workers who commonly do strenuous jobs in challenging conditions.

The A10.50 standard identifies engineering and administrative controls a company can implement to ensure that workers get proper rest, water breaks and shade while still meeting business needs. Recommendations such as medical monitoring and using a buddy system can reduce risks and help prevent heat-related illnesses in many work environments.

While the scope of the standard focuses on construction and demolitions, the guidance can be adapted to protect workers performing other outdoor jobs such as tree trimming, farming, road maintenance and pipeline painting.

The impacts of heat stress can range from mild symptoms such as heat rash and heat cramps to severe conditions including heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which can be fatal. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 400 work-related deaths have been caused by environmental heat exposure since 2011. The standard includes a detailed emergency response plan if a worker has a severe reaction to excessive heat.

The A10.50 subcommittee that wrote the standard consisted of 30 safety and health experts from businesses, trade unions, consulting firms, universities and government agencies. The inclusive process took three years.

Voluntary consensus standards provide the latest expert guidance and fill gaps where federal standards don’t exist. Companies rely on them to drive improvement, injury prevention and sustainability. With government regulations being slow to change and often out of date, federal compliance is not sufficient to protect workers, says ASSP, which leads the development of voluntary consensus standards for the workplace.

ANSI/ASSP A10.50-2024, Heat Stress Management in Construction and Demolition Operations, is available from the ASSP Store.

Companies are encouraged to join ASSP in spreading awareness of heat-related hazards on National Heat Awareness Day on May 31 and during Extreme Heat Awareness Month in July.

See also on FMLink:

• OSHA launches first-ever national program to protect workers from indoor and outdoor heat hazards
• OSHA offers compliance assistance tools to help you identify workplace hazards before they cause injury, and guidance on keeping workers safe in summer heat
• CDC/OSHA report reveals need for heat acclimatization to prevent worker deaths

And these resources from OSHA:

• Heat: Overview: Working in Outdoor and Indoor Heat Environments
• Heat Awareness for Workers

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Over 20,000 comments were filed during the public comment period with many of them focused on the difficulty in obtaining Scope 3 emissions data. Separate and apart from the SEC rule, more than 60 local and state environmental reporting requirements have either already been approved or are under consideration that do include Scope 3 reporting requirements.

To help you navigate the new reporting mandate, the OSCRE website has a new resource page devoted to the topic of energy data and the SEC. The page includes a list of the five use cases in the Energy Data Standards, a chart to help you make the business case for implementation, and a link to the SEC-published Fact Sheet on this subject that includes phased-in compliance dates for reporting.

Need help building skills to meet the expanding reporting requirements? OSCRE has also developed an on-demand Effective Energy Data Management Practices Certificate Program that consists of ten, one-hour modules to help you build skills to collect, analyze and report environmental data. Developing these skills Is a critical component of your organization’s data strategy for reporting across a variety of jurisdictions.

To help you get started, OSCRE is offering a $100 discount when registering for this course — you can access it online when you schedule permits. Use discount code SEC100 at the time of registration to receive your discount. If you have more than 10 team members you’d like to register at one time, email OSCRE to get a group discount price. Don’t delay — this discount expires April 15, 2024.

Bill Harter, principal solutions advisor at Visual Lease (an OSCRE member firm) provided this perspective on the SEC Final Rule:

In the wake of the SEC Final Rule, it is essential to acknowledge that despite the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) stepping back from mandatory Scope 3 emissions reporting, businesses should not veer away from this responsibility. Numerous other jurisdictions, influencing companies operating within their purview, enforce the disclosure of Scope 3 emissions.

Given that a substantial portion of a company’s environmental footprint often stems from its real estate, equipment, and vehicles, focusing first on their lease portfolios will provide affected businesses with a strategic advantage. Leases are often considered a Scope 3 emission for companies, just as tenant activity can often be a Scope 3 emission for landlords.

The SEC actions do not eliminate the requirement to report these emissions under New York’s Local Law 97 or similar laws in states and municipalities across the country. By gathering, centralizing and analyzing these records, these companies will be able to accurately report on their environmental impact, and also, be empowered to successfully set and execute associated goals.

The OSCRE Energy Data Standards make significant progress towards enabling landlords and tenants to accurately report this information. This proactive approach not only aligns with global environmental expectations, but also fosters a culture of environmental stewardship within the business community.

Keep an eye on OSCRE’s Energy Data Standards & New SEC Reporting Requirements page for continued updates on this important topic.

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Posted by Johann Nacario — March 15, 2024 —Global building technology society ASHRAE received a determination issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) stating that ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2022, Energy Standard for Sites and Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, will increase energy efficiency in commercial buildings subject to the code.

The standard achieved this determination through the DOE’s technical analysis estimating that buildings meeting 90.1-2022 (as compared to the previous 2019 edition) would result in a national average site energy estimate savings increase from 9.8% to 14% (reference as “net” savings).

2023-23 ASHRAE President Ginger Scoggins, P.E., Fellow ASHRAE, stated:

With the intensified demand for decreased energy consumption and carbon reductions in existing buildings, Standard 90.1 continues to offer essential guidance in shaping building regulations and amplified energy legislation. The DOE’s latest determination further solidifies Standard 90.1 as the cornerstone for achieving energy efficiency goals and ultimately moves us closer towards widescale, global building decarbonization of the built environment.

The following are DOE’s estimates of national savings in commercial buildings:

• 9.8% site energy savings
• 9.4% source energy savings
• 9.3% carbon emissions savings

Standard 90.1-2022 marks the first time onsite generation of renewable energy systems is incorporated as a prescriptive requirement of the standard, recognizing the role of renewables in new construction, echoing similar requirements in several state and local building codes and better positioning new commercial buildings to achieve net zero energy in the future. Other key changes include customizable energy credits, a new mechanical system efficiency performance option, requirements to address thermal bridging, expanded criteria for whole-building air-leakage testing, updated lighting power allowances, and additional guidance for using emissions in addition to traditional site, source and cost-based metrics.

States are required to certify within two years of DOE’s affirmative determination that the provisions of its commercial building code regarding energy efficiency have been reviewed and, as necessary, updated codes to meet or exceed the updated edition of Standard 90.1.

Learn more about DOE’s model energy code determination, including specific requirements and deadlines, at: Energy codes.

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This informative poster alerts users to the most common causes of damage to batteries and then walks them through visual checks, and olfactory tests to identify potential problems.  In-device checks, and identifying issues while charging are also detailed. If damaged batteries are identified, the poster provides an action plan to deal with the problematic batteries quickly and safely.  Posters also include space for users to insert emergency contact information — name, department and telephone number.

DENIOS-US manufactures a full line of products for the safe storage, charging, and testing of lithium-ion batteries. With 90 minutes of fire protection from both sides, they protect both employees and the plant from fire hazards associated with damaged lithium-ion batteries.  Products shown on the poster include the Ion-Charge-90 a fire-safe cabinet for charging and storing batteries, and the Li-Ion Station for the safe storage of damaged or defective batteries.

Posters and educational contents such as checklists, whitepapers, and more are available free by request at DENIOS. For additional information on DENIOS products for the storage and charging of lithium-ion batteries, visit DENIOS.

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