Fire Protection for Your Commercial Building

Is your business prepared for a fire?

We’ve all heard how devastating a fire can be to people, homes, and businesses. In 2021, the U.S. Fire Administration estimated 116,500 fires in non-residential buildings nationwide. These fires were estimated to cause 115 deaths, 1,025 injuries, and over $3,697,200,000 in damages.

To prevent significant loss, every business should have fire protection that follows federal, state, and local guidelines.

We’ll discuss what commercial fire guidelines should be followed and how facility management can work to keep your company and employees safe.

What Fire Protection Guidelines Should I Follow?

Along with localized fire codes, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, better known as OSHA, provides several standards for protecting employees and businesses.

Some vital protection guidelines for commercial fire prevention include exit strategies, working safety equipment, and hazardous material management.

Exit strategies include evacuation planning and determining set routes for employees to follow in case of emergency.

Each company should have an emergency exit plan that should be accessible to all employees. Training on what to do during a fire should take place, too. Knowing where to go, who needs help, and what policies to follow keeps staff members safe.

Depending on the size of your building and the type of industry you’re involved in, multiple emergency exits should also be a part of your company’s exit strategy.

Maintaining fire prevention and detection tools is another essential step in protecting your business.

This includes keeping emergency lighting, sprinkler systems, ventilation systems, smoke detectors, and alarms in working order.

OSHA also outlines particular guidelines for specific, and often more high-risk, industries like welding, logging, and electric power generation.

Regular inspections should occur in these industries with hazardous materials to ensure safety criteria are met.

How Can Facility Management Keep My Company Protected?

When it comes to inspection and management of commercial fire prevention, a facility management expert can be a massive asset to your company.

Asking an internal employee or doing fire safety inspections yourself leaves room for critical errors. Meeting fire standards should not be taken lightly, as the consequences could result in fines from a fire marshall or worse – injury to yourself or staff.

Preventative management from Omnia360 includes interior and exterior inspections of protective equipment like battery power exit signs and sprinklers, and can more easily keep your business compliant.

Our team of facility experts can ensure you meet all fire safety guidelines.

When Do I Need Facility Management Services?

If you’re overwhelmed with keeping your business up to code or don’t have an expert on fire codes and regulations, it might be time to consider facility management services.

Save yourself and your staff from being overwhelmed by partnering with Omnia360. We offer comprehensive, integrated facility management services. For more information or a free price quote, contact us today at (833) 360-6642.

Commercial Landscape Maintenance Guide

Facility management companies focus heavily on a building’s operability and energy efficiency. Commercial landscape maintenance is often overlooked. But it’s still an important part of having a well-maintained facility.

In today’s post, Omnia360 Facility Solutions in Cincinnati, Ohio will cover everything you need to know about commercial landscape maintenance and why it’s a critical component of full-service FM.

Benefits of Commercial Landscaping

Although the benefits might not be as obvious, you can think of commercial landscaping services as an investment for your property, employees, and customers.

Here’s why:

Increased property value: It’s not just aesthetically pleasing, the market value of the property enhances. Should you decide to resell and relocate, you’ll get more money.
Enhanced safety and security: A clean, well manicured outdoor space makes it safer for potential customers and visitors.
Enhanced Employee productivity: Studies show that a clean, good-looking environment impacts worker productivity.
Demonstrate a “green” image: With increasing concerns surrounding climate change and ESG, more people are looking to companies to display a green initiative.

Regular Commercial Landscaping Services

Mulching or soil conservation methods
Lawn maintenance for a lush, green, dandelion-free lawn.
General clean up of plant beds and regular removal of plant debris.
Mowing or weeding of plant beds and monitoring of overall plant health.
Attention to pruning and shearing of plants for optimum form and sustainability.
Monitoring and treatment of plant diseases and pests.
Testing of soil for essential nutrients and minerals.
Fertilization and any necessary corrective treatments for ongoing plant and soil health.
Irrigation monitoring and water management.
Tree pruning to correct cosmetic defects and ensure safety.
Driveway and parking lot maintenance to keep parking lots free of potholes, clean, and presentable to clients.

Fall Cleanup & Winterization Landscape Maintenance Services

Cutting back of perennial plants to ensure healthy regrowth in the spring.
Removal of fall and winter debris.
Application of anti-desiccants to evergreens and shrubs.
Deactivation of irrigation systems prior to the onset of winter.
Snow and ice removal.

Why You Need Year-Round Landscape Maintenance

As the seasons change, so do your property’s needs. Ensuring you have safe, walkable pathways in the winter and beautifully placed flowering plants in the summer is why you need year-round landscaping services.

Planting and changing out seasonal plants is a cost-efficient way to spruce up your property:

Spring: Peony, Foxglove, Bleeding heart, or Spring-blooming bulbs
Summer: Lavender, Lobelia, False Sunflower, or Summer-Blooming Bulbs
Fall: New York Aster, Sedum, or Fall-Blooming Bulbs.

Lastly — Contracting with a single provider to cover all of your building’s needs also takes a load of stress off of your back.

Creative Landscaping Ideas for Commercial Buildings

Experienced landscaping contractors can identify ways in which to accentuate your building’s natural architecture and design.

Hardscaping features: adding plants, trees, shrubs, paved walkways, fountains, gazebos, or patios.
Position planters: positioning oversized planters around the entrance to frame adds to your business’s aesthetic and customer experience.
Outdoor seating area: creating a comfortable outdoor space for customers or employees to relax can be visually appealing and help to reduce cooling costs thanks to the shady plants, tall trees, or large shrubs.
Strategic placement: the location where plants, flowers, or shrubbery are placed is critical to creating a beautiful and functional space.

Hiring an FM Company for Landscaping vs a Landscaping Company

While local Cincinnati landscaping companies are good at what they do, they fall short in one regard.

Facility management companies have a broad overview of your building’s capabilities and how one part of your facility impacts another.

With this larger contextual information on hand, FM managers are far more capable of delivering a cohesive, strategic approach to your landscaping tasks.

Cincinnati Commercial Landscaping FAQs

How can commercial landscaping improve safety and security on your property?

A clean, well-organized, and well-maintained property will result in fewer accidents and better security for your property. A messy, debris-filled property increases the chances of someone tripping over, falling, and suing.

Can commercial landscaping help your business attract customers?

A good-looking property will help to attract people. In fact,

How much does commercial landscaping cost in Cincinnati?

The average cost is around $5,200.

Hire Omnia360 for Landscaping Maintenance Services in Cincinnati

Looking for around-the-clock service and a cost-effective building maintenance plan that incorporates the unique needs of your office? Partner with us today. Call for a free consultation.

How Do Facility Management Companies Ensure Building Safety?

Building safety and employee health is a top priority for facility management professionals.

Promoting office safety and security often overlap with other goals, like lower operational costs and improved working conditions for staff.

How do facility management companies ensure building safety and employee health?

Facility managers maintain safe, secure buildings by taking action on various measures to prevent and mitigate hazards.

Building safety is accomplished by inspecting a property for potential health and safety risks, developing an action plan to address these risks, and improving resilience.

The Most Common Building Safety Issues for Commercial Buildings

Fire Safety: fire suppression systems are installed correctly, including sprinklers and alarms.
Electrical Safety: all electrical systems are code-compliant, properly maintained, and inspected on a regular basis.
Slip and Fall Hazards: identify and solve uneven surfaces, wet floors, loose carpeting, or obstructed walking areas.
Indoor Air Quality: properly maintained HVAC systems, clean ductwork, and unclogged air filters.
Security: maintain and inspect security systems, from surveillance or security cameras, locks, alarms, and other security measures.
Emergency Preparedness: well-defined plans for rapid response to natural disasters, medical emergencies, or other unusual occurrences in a commercial building.
Hazardous Materials: eliminating and controlling for toxic chemicals, asbestos, lead, mercury, chlorofluorocarbons, etc.

Risk Assessment

Assessing risks means finding ways to promote employee health and comfort — all of which impact productivity and engagement.

A comprehensive risk assessment starts with the following:

Identifying primary risks
Assess them and organize them by priority
Develop mitigation strategies
Monitor controls to ensure effective maintenance procedures
Consistently review and improve

Emergency Planning

Always have a plan. This is a core motto in the FM industry. In fact…

Most facility management companies draft contingency plans to address any and all potential incidents, including events like fires, floods, and various natural disasters.

These plans often include detailed procedures for evacuating the building, calling emergency hotlines, or administering medical aid to people in need.

Regulatory Compliance

Facility management companies make regulatory compliance a priority. These code regulations are in place to promote safety and security for commercial properties, as well as general health for occupants (employees and customers alike).

FM managers carefully consider the security of your building by thoroughly reviewing the regulatory requirements for your facility, thereby preventing legal liabilities, protecting the environment, and improving operations as a whole.

Common Regulatory Requirements:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Local Building Codes for Structural Safety, Electrical Systems, Plumbing & More

Energy Efficiency Standards (Vary by State)

Regular On-Site Inspection & Equipment Maintenance

The most important part of building safety is understanding the assets within a building and ensuring that they work effectively. This is where regular maintenance and inspection come in.

All building systems are reviewed. Everything from HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and fire safety systems are essential to ensure they are functioning correctly and pose no risk to building occupants.

Facility management companies should also carry out routine maintenance and repair work to keep the systems in good working order.

Cleaning & Disinfection

High-touch surfaces (door knobs, handrails, or elevator buttons) and areas with high foot traffic should be consistently cleaned and disinfected to prevent the spread of germs, bacteria, and viruses in the office building.

Clean, well-kept areas in your office are a critical component of maintaining a safe and healthy atmosphere for employees and customers. This is why many facility management teams offer “soft services” like janitorial work or waste management.

Employee Training & Awareness

At Omnia360, we always discuss safety protocols and procedures with our staff. We clearly and briefly explain what employees should do to promote a safe, secure working environment.

The same standard applies to most, if not all, businesses.

Building occupants should be aware of potential risks and be taught to respond effectively to emergencies. Education and know-how can go a long way in promoting a safer property.

Get 360 Degrees of Coverage for Your Building

Omnia360 Facility Solutions offers 24/7 maintenance for your commercial office building in the larger Cincinnati area. Call us today for a free consultation: 833.360.6642.

CMMS Best Practices for a Lean Organization

A maintenance management system is a lifesaver for any facility management company, automating and streaming work processes that save time and money.

In today’s post, Omnia360 Facility Solutions in Cincinnati, Ohio, will cover the best practices for using a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).

Ensuring your CMMS is being used properly requires a few fundamental things:

Proper Planning
Organization
Time Investment
Streamlined Implementation

Here are just a few best practices to ensure you are getting the maximum results from your CMMS.

Testing, Testing & Testing

It’s exciting to get that new piece of software up and running. But it’s worth exercising patience here.

You might get lost in the excitement and forget to do something fundamental before you launch…Test.

Your CMMS must go through a testing stage in order to debug any code errors and ensure it’s operating at high capacity.

Conduct user testing to check for:

Security
Permissions for project groups
PM triggers, notifications
Maintenance request submissions
Inventory details

This is the stage where you realize your CMMS either has or lacks the proper capabilities for optimal productivity. Thankfully, all of this occurs before launch.

Configure the Software to Fit Your Needs

Are there particular goals you need to meet? Configure the software to ensure the right metrics are prioritized so that you can meet your targets.

You can label assets and equipment with QR codes for easy management
Tag your assets for quicker inventory management
Standardize data entry requirements (so things look the same and can be exported into spreadsheets easily without formatting issues)

Customize your CMMS to make it easy for employees, clients, or partners to read and interpret information.

Scrub, Organize and Migrate Your Data

Migrating any old data into your new system can get tricky. It’s to be expected. This is the nitty-gritty part of working with your CMMS.

If you have pre-existing data, you’ll need to make sure it’s scrubbed (cleaned) and organized to ensure no errors come up when it’s installed in the new system.

You’ll need to accurately transfer over relevant information like:

Equipment types
Workflows
PM trigger frequencies
SOPs
Spare parts information
Supplier details

After that, maintain and organize your existing data within a single database (reducing downtime and decreasing stress).

Doing this will ensure that you are measuring the right metrics to ensure progress is being made.

Get Buy-In & Put Everybody on the Same Page

You can’t just tell your team to start using it and expect the change to come on its own. You need to establish buy-in and support from the ground up.

Get your team involved by assigning appropriate responsibilities and giving them adequate training.

Management can show support by attending training sessions or asking questions about the user interface.

Find a Champion to Spearhead the CMMS Adoption

Find someone on your team who is willing to take the helm and be a spokesperson for your new software.

He or she will serve as a fountainhead of knowledge (a go-to person) while ensuring that everything stays on track and that employees are using it as needed.

Build an Ongoing Relationship with Your Vendor

When you buy maintenance management software, it should come with client support to ensure you can successfully use the new technology.

You need a vendor who is willing and able to help support your goals. So, right from the start, choosing a good vendor is critical. After that, proactive communication comes into play.

Ask questions about how to use the software and all of the features it comes with.

Not only will you get to know your system’s capabilities on a deeper level, but you’ll also be able to stay on top of any software updates, new features, or best-use tricks that save time and make implementation a breeze.

Before you even choose a CMMS vendor, get answers to these questions:

What support services come available with the purchase?
How long will the support team be involved? Is there a cut-off date after purchasing the CMMS software?
Are there built-in ways to keep the team up to speed on maintenance?

Establish Training Procedures for the Whole Team

To avoid confusion and maximize productivity, employees need to know how to best use the CMMS. That means having some SOPs (standard operating procedures) to fall back on.

Documented systems and processes go a long way in reducing your stress levels if you’re onboarding a new CMMS.

Outline user responsibilities and roles and make the expectations clear. This will increase efficiency and accountability while allowing you to address problems quickly.

When creating training procedures and “how-to” documentation, it should include thorough, applicable content. Allow for real-time implementation (learning through doing), move along slowly, and ensure all questions are answered.

Always provide your staff with the chance to learn and develop their skillfulness in using the CMMS.

Instruct Users on How to Send Maintenance Requests

This is the bread-and-butter functionality of your CMMS — actually using it.

Users have to know exactly how to submit maintenance requests, export files, and perform other mundane clerical tasks in the software.

Make Sure Users are Getting a Hang of it

Unclear goals, responsibilities, and roles lead to missed targets, incomplete tasks, and all-around poor user adoption.

Employees may not be using it because there is not enough training available. It could boil down to a lack of support from management.

These problems are mitigated through strong SOPs, an implementation checklist, and a company culture of buy-in.

If problems still persist, think critically about potential solutions. There are growing pains when adopting a CMMS.

It’s expected.

However, if the CMMS isn’t pushing the organization forward, it may be time to adopt an entirely new action plan.

Keep a Watchful Eye on New Data Coming In

Watch the data you collect closely – especially in the initial stages of using the CMMS. Make sure there are no hard-to-locate errors popping up.

If you’ve properly cleaned and organized data beforehand, this shouldn’t be as much of an issue.

Continuously collect and analyze data for your equipment, organizational assets, work orders, and preventative maintenance to-do’s.

As you keep a close eye on maintenance data, make sure to keep up with your key performance indicators (KPIs), such as user adoption and maintenance metrics.

Iterate and Improve Your Processes

It’s launched. It’s live. That part of the job is done. But there are still improvements to be made.

Keep tabs on how your team is interacting with the software and see if there are processes you can sure up to make things a bit more streamlined and efficient.
Provide continuous training (employees can’t be expected to learn it all at once, drinking from a firehose).

Gather some feedback from users to get intimate knowledge of what frustrations may be there. Make changes as needed.

Is Your Building Ready for an Upgrade? Hire Omnia360 Facility Solutions in Cincinnati

We provide HVAC, electrical, plumbing, landscaping, and janitorial services for your building. Contact us today for a free consultation!

What are ‘Hard’ and ‘Soft’ Facility Management Services?

Every business has unique needs and requirements to perform optimally. The job of a facility management company is to ensure that all facets of a building are taken care of, from front to back, whether it’s HVAC and plumbing repairs or landscaping and window cleaning.

All FM services can be split up into two broad categories: hard and soft FM services.

What is the Difference Between Hard & Soft Services?

Hard Facility Management Services

“Hard services” are any maintenance or repair services that are integrated into the building, part of the infrastructure.

Plumbing
Electrical
HVAC maintenance
Fire safety systems
Mechanical repairs

Soft Facility Management Services

“Soft services” aren’t essential. They are for the purpose of making the office more comfortable and functional for employees.

Janitorial cleaning
Trash pickup
Landscaping
Office layout organization
Building security
Catering

How Do I Know Which Services Are Necessary?

Answer these questions and you’ll know how to choose your services:

Is it critical to my facility’s operability?
Are there legal or regulatory requirements to complete this service?
How much could I stand to lose (potential liability) if I don’t pay for this service?
Is the service in my general jurisdiction?

Hard services directly benefit your building and your organization as a whole, ensuring you have a highly functional and agile infrastructure. A well-functioning plumbing, HVAC, or electrical system, for example, is critical to your bottom line.

Soft services, on the other hand, won’t directly impact the bottom line.

However, they will benefit your company culture, and your business’s atmosphere. You’ll have a more livable building, as well as happier, and more productive employees. It’s more of an indirect benefit to your organization.

How FM Companies Help You Decide

An experienced facility management company will give you a high-level overview of your building’s energy performance capabilities and help you to identify the most cost-effective choices for your facility by creating a comprehensive strategic maintenance plan that incorporates the strengths and weaknesses of your existing infrastructure.

Hire Facility Management Services in Cincinnati, OH.

If you’re looking for integrated facility management services in Greater Cincinnati, consider partnering with Omnia360, an experienced FM firm that provides hard and soft services for your building: (833) 360-6642.

How Facility Management Services Lower Your Energy Bill

The fundamental goals of most facility management services are to lower your business’s monthly energy expenses and promote a more profitable facility.

What’s the number one expense for any commercial building? Energy. According to energy.gov, over 30% of U.S. energy consumption is from commercial buildings. Understandably, office buildings require a lot of electricity to run.

Just about everything from heating and cooling to lighting and electronics require large amounts of energy.

Utility companies know this.

That’s why they’re known to level a “demand charge” on buildings to ensure that there are enough energy reserves to be used for future high-use times. It’s measured in how high your kilowatts (kW) peaked during the month.

Facility management companies can help you to lower your kWh and give you month-by-month insight into your energy consumption.

Omnia360, a facility management company in Cincinnati, Ohio, gives you six ways that integrated facility management can lower your energy bill.

1. Create Standardized Energy Use Rules (Internally)

Experienced FM professionals can serve as consultants, providing high-level insights into what energy-consuming assets in your facility can be addressed.

After garnering more contextual information, you and your employees should come to an agreement on how much energy should be used and for what duration. You may decide to reduce the frequency of use or completely eliminate the use of heating and cooling appliances like refrigerators.

2. Strategize a Preventative Maintenance Plan

Developing a preventative maintenance plan gets you ahead of any potentially disastrous damages or costly repairs. These eat up your energy use. With a comprehensive plan, you’re better equipped to identify energy leaks.

When creating a PM strategy for your building’s energy performance, our processes are similar to the energy management procedures outlined by EnergyStar.gov.

3. Get Insightful Data from a CMMS

A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) is a critical piece of technology that garners data-driven insights into the performance of your assets and areas of energy use that can be cut back or eliminated for optimal energy use.

4. Request Submetering From Your Utility Provider

Take a look at your utility bill. Your energy usage is reported in gross – showing the energy for the entire building. Request submetering for the individual floors of your building.

The more submetering you can do, the more granular and detailed you can get when tracking your energy performance. This is just one more way to garner in-depth analysis of your energy consumption.

You might find out that the insulation or energy assets on a particular floor are outdated, old, worn out, or have poor performance due to a malfunctioning component.

5. Reduce Electricity Use After Working Hours

If you’re not in peak working hours, there’s no need to use the same level of electricity, be it for floor lights or AC. You can also automate the process by integrating an automation system to the building.

6. Use IoT to Remote Monitor Your Energy Use

Integrated IoT (internet of things), another word for a bunch of processes, technologies, and softwares, is something you can use to streamline your energy audits and identify the most cost-effective maintenance strategies for your building.

Lower Your Building’s Energy Bill Today with FM Services

Our team of cross-trained specialists are able to provide you with a comprehensive maintenance plan that is aimed at lowering your energy consumption. Contact us today for more information: (833) 360-6642.