The clocks have gone back, and darker evenings bring new risks for schools, care homes and commercial sites. Here are five practical facilities checks to make this week: lighting timers, PIR sensors, entrance signage, matting and emergency lighting.

It's World Rivers Day, and a timely reminder that autumn rain is on its way. After a summer of leaves, moss and general build-up, the drainage on most sites needs a proper look before the heavier rain arrives, not after. A slightly blocked gutter in September is a five-minute fix; left until November, it's water in your corridors, storage rooms and electrics. Here's our six-point drainage checklist for schools and premises, part of our early-term snagging series.

September is World Alzheimer's Month. We look at how thoughtful building design - lighting, signage, colour contrast and calm, low-stimulation spaces - can make everyday environments easier to navigate for people living with dementia, and for everyone else too.

A solar eclipse, 64 years and a reminder that we're only custodians for a while. Today, members of the Vital team had the opportunity to watch the partial solar eclipse from Carnewas on the north Cornwall coast. It was an incredible sight. But while watching the Moon slowly move across the Sun, something else struck us. The last total solar eclipse visible from mainland Britain was 27 years ago. The next will be in 2090 - 64 years from now. And that raises an interesting ques