Berkeley, CA — Cannabis industry workers may be at increased risk of respiratory problems as a result of on-the-job exposure to various hazards, results of a recent study led by a University of Washington professor indicate.

Manchester, England — Shift workers, particularly those working permanent night shifts, may be at elevated risk for moderate to severe asthma, according to a study led by British researchers.

London — Workers who use cleaning and disinfecting products may be more likely to develop asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – 50% and 43%, respectively – than those who don’t, results of a recent study led by British and Italian researchers show.

Washington — Workers involved in cleanup after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster were significantly more likely to have been diagnosed with asthma or experienced asthma symptoms within three years of the incident, according to a new study from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Redondo Beach, CA — Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization President Linda Reinstein is asking lawmakers to make a federal ban of asbestos – a known carcinogen – “a priority” during Congress’ current lame-duck session.

Washington – OSHA has extended to March 31 the comment period for a request for information on potential changes to the agency’s Process Safety Management Standard.

2017 was a good year for the economy — and manufacturers, dealers and integrators definitely felt the positive impact of these trends.

In an economy that is staying strong, with a projected commercial construction growth rate of 4 percent annually through 2019, there is much to be happy about.

If responses from more than 30 manufacturers, integrators and other industry practitioners are any indication, share-of-revenue from access control may be picking up.

The video surveillance market is strong and will continue to grow. It is less a lumbering giant, though, and more an agile athlete, able to pivot and adapt — it just happens to be the largest one on the security court.

Doomsday didn’t happen. For all the concern many security dealers have shown in recent years — particularly about the rapidly changing residential market — all indicators seem to finally point to what was always the hope in the midst of the fear: that all the new entrants, technologies and business models would start to grow the pie for all.

The U.S. fire market was steady and strong in 2018, with an equal or better outlook for 2019.

For decades the dominant story in access control has been that it was a victim of its own success: that is, customers were reluctant to change out what was still working — even 15 or 20 years on — and didn’t see the benefit in spending the money to upgrade, even for significantly new or different features.

Is the smart home market maturing and stabilizing, showing a clear path forward for security dealers wanting to capitalize on the new desires of homeowners to interact with many areas of their home life, including security? Not exactly. But there are definitely signs that it has moved to another level of adoption and interest, making the time ripe for action on the part of those who want to adjust their business model to capture opportunities and revenue in this fast-growing space.

The video surveillance market is ripe with opportunity, according to sources. Many security integrators and manufacturers realized strong revenues for 2019 and are even more optimistic for 2020.

A continuing strong economy, end user desires to do more with their access control systems and increasing interest in new technologies, integrations and models all led to a positive outlook in 2019 and a general feeling of optimism for 2020, with a few notes of caution.

The typically steady fire and life safety industry saw growth in 2019, with overall global revenues surpassing $7.5 billion, according to David Gonzalez, research analyst, physical security and critical communications, Omdia, London.

While 2020 affected the confidence of some in the video market, professionals remain optimistic going into 2021, with the increased adoption of new, more advanced technologies, and a potential end to the coronavirus pandemic in sight.

It’s amazing how much can change in a year. Last year’s state of the market report on access control was released at the beginning of April, just as the coronavirus started to spread throughout the U.S., and much of the research that went into the report was done before COVID-19 was a real concern.

Security professionals reveal their thoughts on the security, monitoring and smart home markets.

2020 was a tough year in the fire market for many. Improvements in technologies and the impending cellular sunset came up against supply chain issues and a talent shortage that made it a difficult-to-meet demand.

Supply chain issues, hiring challenges and ongoing COVID-19 concerns may have shaped 2021, but none of these were able to put a damper on the steady growth of demand for video surveillance products and services.

Customer demand for smart home security systems grew during the pandemic, and with more integrated conveniences available than ever before, shows no sign of slowing down.

Despite continuing battles with the supply chain, spiking inflation and other obstacles, the video sector remains on a robust, upward trajectory. 

According to SDM’s 2023 Industry Forecast, more than 1 in 2 (56 percent) security professionals expect revenue from access control systems (on-premise and cloud-based) to increase in 2023, marking a healthy 10-point jump from the previous year.

After finishing 2022 with a respectable recovery from pandemic upheaval, the fire alarm industry is expected to carry strong momentum through this year and beyond.

Explore key drivers behind the North American fire protection systems market growth, regulatory requirements, technological advancements and new communication solutions.

World Wide Security & GC Alarm Inc., ranked No. 73, concurs there was “greater demand for security services and an increase in budgets to accomplish security goals.” The company, which logged a 3.2 percent increase in RMR, notes the best growth areas were video and managed services.

This year’s SDM 100 report and rankings show excellent growth for the SDM 100 companies in 2019. The onset of the coronavirus pandemic was just starting to hit as the security industry’s top companies were filling out the 2020 SDM 100 applications; to many of this year’s companies, it is like being on a mountaintop without a clear view of the landscape. Read on to look at this year’s top security companies ranked by recurring monthly revenue, along with their thoughts and projections for what lies ahead.

OSHA’s rulemaking process has several steps, but not everyone agrees all the steps are needed. With some agency rules taking decades to promulgate, a few OSHA-watchers have suggested ways to speed up the process.

Washington – The Office of Management and Budget has concluded a review of a draft rule that would update OSHA's Process Safety Management Standard, and the safety agency has formally requested input from the public.

Washington – Automobile dealerships should remain exempt from OSHA’s injury and illness recordkeeping requirements, the National Automobile Dealers Association stated during a March 26 meeting officials from OSHA and the Office of Management and Budget.

Minneapolis – Longer work tenure and higher exposure to certain particles put Minnesota iron miners at an increased risk of a rare form of lung cancer, according to a new study from the University of Minnesota.

Baltimore – Chronic violators have declined and industry compliance has improved in the mining industry in the past five years, but a recent increase in fatalities at metal/non-metal mines is a concern, Mine Safety and Health Administration chief Joseph A. Main told audience members March 16 at the annual convention of the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association.

Washington — Amid a push from labor unions seeking stricter regulation of respirable silica dust, the Mine Safety and Health Administration is asking for input on ways to monitor and regulate miner exposure to quartz – the most common form of respirable crystalline silica.

Washington — The Mine Safety and Health Administration has scheduled a public meeting on a Request for Information on ways to monitor and regulate miner exposure to quartz – the most common form of respirable crystalline silica.

Athens, OH — Blows to the head are common among performing arts theater personnel but often go unreported by workers who may not understand how serious head injuries are, according to a recent Ohio University study.

New York — In response to growing safety concerns among female and gender-nonconforming journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists has published a collection of resources to help combat work-related physical threats, online harassment and other dangers.

The Marketing Madmen explain the importance of email marketing.

Sales management software can streamline the acquisition transition by unifying the newly merged workforces via a common platform and process.

The session is scheduled on May 1, 2023, at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center in Aurora, Colo.

Discover the keys to unlocking sustained success in the security industry through strong B2B partnerships and gain insights from industry experts and academic studies.

AMAG Technology Financial Services offers customized, flexible leasing solutions via a partnership with Vantage Financial.

How does human error affect safety in the electrical utilities industry?

Will you please describe a typical arc flash accident that you would be called on to investigate? If possible, please include the root cause of the accident, the type of equipment involved, the tools used by the employee and the resultant injury.

Planning and communication took L.A.’s “Carmageddon” from a potentially disastrous main event to a successful non-event. The security industry does the same thing every day.

There is value in reliability. There is value in new technologies. There is value in services that make life easier. There is value in quality customer service. There is a whole list of ways that Security Networks, West Palm Beach, Fla., continues to provide value for its affiliate dealers and the end users the affiliates serve.

Talk to a Protection 1 employee and there is a palpable energy that radiates outward about their job, the company and the customer. Chicago-based Protection 1, has always contained a deep-rooted love for the customer. But while employees embraced the concept, the execution was missing, as Protection 1 experienced declining growth for seven consecutive years.

Transformation is rarely instantaneous. It generally starts with one small initial change — repeated over and over. For Protection 1, small changes in every area of the company have produced remarkable transformation, resulting in a year deserving of the SDM 2012 Dealer of the Year award.

Steady and rapid growth in the dealer program market, like the kind Security Networks, SDM’s 2012 Dealer of the Year Honoree, has had in recent years requires more than a good marketing program or exciting services. Security Networks, West Palm Beach, Fla., prides itself on an average of 40 percent growth year-over-year for the past eight years, its president, Richard Perry, tells SDM.