Monthly Archives: December 2013

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

ADVICE FOR ARMCHAIR COACHES DURING THE HOLIDAYS

Since so many are “enjoying”this hectic time of the year, it’s a good opportunity for me to offer good advice for those hard-working guys who will have some time off to enjoy their favorite (non-Christmas) activity.  Football! 

My husband is a seasoned armchair coach, having 54-plus years of experience.  (At least that’s how long I have witnessed it.)  He has given advice to all the professional coaches, as well as college coaches.   I am so thankful they can’t hear some of that advice.  There are probably a lot of wives out there who know what I am talking about. 

Not everyone enjoys football; some had rather be outdoors playing golf,  hunting, riding motorcycles, and there are those who enjoy readding a book.  And what family doesn’t enjoy gathering around the table to play games?  But for those seasoned veterans of viewing the gridiron, here are some useful tips: 

  • Get your guide for all the games and place it on your table by your comfy recliner, so you’ll know every channel you need to switch to.  (Thanks to PIP, it’s possible to keep up with more than one game.)
  • Take some snacks along so your wife can do all the other Christmas baking, preparations, etc. (Please don’t ask her to wait on you, she’s not your trainer.)
  • About those snacks: make them healthy, like carrot sticks and celery!
  • Use the time-outs for break time.  That way you won’t miss a single down!
  • Don’t get too upset if your team goofs up (watch your blood pressure.)
  • Be thoughtful;  watch a few parades with the family, while you dream about the next game coming up.
  • Try getting a little exercise in-between bowl games.  Walk around the house – stay mobile so you won’t stiffen up before you have to go back to work! 

If you are really into supporting your team, check out the NCAA and NFL team hardhats at Texas America Safety Company.  You can show your co-workers just how you feel.  We also have all types of hardhats that support NHL, NASCAR, NBA, and NCAA basketball, as well as patriotic ones and pink ones for the ladies. (Don’t forget to mention the 5% discount that you read about it on Blog4Safety.)

While you have the time off to relax from work, enjoy your holidays and don’t drink and drive, don’t text and drive.  Be thankful for your family and friends, and make every day count.  There’s still more football ahead!

Back Safety, Ergonomics, General Safety Issues

AT WORK: DO YOU REALLY CONSIDER HOW YOU SIT? (GUEST POST)

Modern society is plagued by a new culture that is ruining lives and is forcing people into healthcare. It is not something we can easily get away from. As early as attending school, we are to sit for prolonged periods of the day, and more so for a majority of people when we leave education and move into full-time employment. 

Our sitting culture is growing rapidly. We used to walk to school or work, but long commutes hinder this form of travel and we resort to sitting in a car or on public transport to take us to our destination, for us to then sit down some more until we have to go home. 

70% of people in the UK surfer from back pain at some point or another in our lives which equates to £12.3 billion a year, a figure that is increasingly on the rise. 

A recent survey conducted by Pfizer (World’s largest research-based pharmaceutical company) revealed that 50% of people between the ages of 18-34 complained of back pain and of that 50%, 25% said that it affected their ability to work.

“This is hugely in excess of what you would expect in this age bracket” says Sean McDougall, from Backcare, the charity for healthier backs. 

Another survey produced by CBI entitled “Absence and workplace health survey 2013” found that minor illnesses are the most common cause of short-term absence, with back problems a major feature in this category. 

“with over a third of employers (37%) reporting acute back pain as a leading cause of absence among manual workers and more than a quarter (28%) among non-manual employees” (CBI, 2013). 

But with all this in mind, trying to avoid sitting down can be a challenge to many of us. However, not everything is all doom and gloom. There are many techniques that can be used to help us relieve the stress on the base of our spine which anyone can incorporate into their everyday lives. 

Follow our five tips and see if you too can feel the difference 

1.       Invest in an Ergonomic Chair 

Having an ergonomic chair that helps promote good posture can be extremely beneficial, especially to office workers whose majority of the day is spent sitting down. An ergonomic office chair can provide superior lumbar support to its user compared with any other chair that hasn’t been built with ergonomics in mind. There is no style of chair that has been named ‘best’ as everyone is different. This is why a good ergonomic chair comes with an array of features to help support individuals in a way that they feel best. This includes adjustable seat height, lumbar support, seat width, chair tilt and armrests. 

2.       Use The 30/30 Rule 

There are many variations on this rule which in turn change the name of the rule, but we like to go with the 30/30 rule. This means you should get up for 30 seconds every 30 minutes to help give your body a chance to recover. Our body isn’t designed to sit still for long periods of time, even when sitting in a correct position. Taking regular breaks for even as little as 30 seconds can help relieve the pressure on your spine, and ultimately work towards preventing a back-pain free life. 

3.       Correctly Setup Your Workstation 

Before sitting down in your lovely new ergonomic chair, setting up your workstation properly is vitally important. Your workstation is where many of you will be during the office hours, and it is yours to adjust depending on your needs.

Be sure to sit closely to your keyboard, making sure that the keys are centred with your body. You do not want to be so far away from your keyboard that you have to stretch to hit the keys. If you do like to use your chair to slightly recline, take full advantage of any adjustments that can be made to your keyboard so you can put a slight tilt on it.

Your monitor or reference documents positions are also important items for you to consider also.  Position the top of your monitor directly in front of you with the top of the monitor 2-3” above your seated eye level. 

4.       Plant Your Feet 

Planting your feet firmly on the ground so that you allow your hips and knees to be at a 90-degree angle is very important while your sit. By not doing this you expose yourself to a tingling sensation, numbness and even pain in either your thigh, or lower leg due to the excessive pressure on the back of the thigh which compresses the sciatic nerve.

If you are having trouble planting your feet on the floor in a comfortable position, consider using a footrest to help you achieve that 90-degree angle. 

5.       Stretch 

Stretching is not only important to help release some of that muscle tension, but it also feels great! You can stretch while seated, or incorporate it into your 30/30 breaks. Remember to stretch your shoulders, neck, arms, legs and wrists. By doing this regularly throughout the day you will feel a lot better and a lot less tired. 

Conclusion 

Many of us may not have even considered how we sit as we feel ok at the time. But health complications from sitting in a poor position can creep up on us when we least expect it. By adopting the 5 tips above into your working life, you too can feel the benefits of consciously sitting correctly.

 

Author bio: This guest post is brought to you by ChairOffice.co.uk, the UK’s leading office chair supplier.  Our thanks to Matt Pierce. pb

Eye Protection, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Respiratory Safety

HOW TO IMPROVE SAFETY AT WORK (GUEST POST)

People often talk about safety for motorcyclists, as there are plenty of roadside accidents that result in deaths of riders all over the world. There is no doubt that this is a serious issue and needs to be addressed in the most appropriate manner. However, there are some other fields where there is plenty of risk involved and they need to be taken care of as well.

One area where safety standards need an improvement is the workplace that involves dangerous equipment and heavy machinery. The employees working in such industries are always at a risk of losing their lives, so they need to be protected. No matter how tough you are, things can go terribly wrong for you if an object hits your head near a construction site or you get trapped inside a mine.

Just like some motorcycle products provided by stores such as Riderwear, there are some top quality companies developing safety equipment like helmets, gloves and goggles etc for employees at a dangerous workplace. It is the responsibility of the employers to provide such products to the workers, so that things continue working smoothly and there is minimum danger involved.

As an employer, there are quite a few steps that can be taken to ensure safety at workplace. Some of the most useful tips are as follows.

Be proactive

First of all, you need to be proactive and think of some innovative steps in order to make your workers feel safer. It is not ideal to wait for any bad incident to happen and then react. Therefore, you should assess the dangers involved in your industry; look at some mishaps that occurred in similar industries and find out what solutions are being used by other organizations in order to make the workplace safer. 

Warning Signs

Some of the employees might be new to the office and there is every chance that they end up in trouble. Therefore, it is always best to post warning signs alongside every machine or at every possible area where there is some danger involved. This way, the employee will himself take preventive action or will get assistance from a senior member. 

Protective Equipment

Next thing is to have the protective equipment provided to all of the staff. Not only do you have to make it available, ensure that each employee is fully geared up during the working hours. This should be mandatory for the workers otherwise they should be fined or given warnings. 

Skilled Personnel

Although inducting fresh workers is always a good idea, you should work according to the nature of your business. In case there are complex machines and hazardous products at the workplace, you should get skilled personnel if possible, rather than fresh ones, who are vulnerable to getting injured because of their lack of knowledge. 

Get Help

In case you are confused over something, try getting help from your seniors rather than going for experimentation. Things like these can put your safety under threat and even if you come out of the situation unhurt, you could lose your job. 

Written and contributed by Nicolle Suzan.

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues, Respiratory Safety

WINTER YARD MAINTENANCE TIPS (GUEST POST)

 


Something that isn’t in use is bound to go unnoticed and off the care that one usually does for it on a regular basis. The most apt example for this is going to be your lawn in the winter season. Since its too cold and mostly snow covered, there isn’t much that you do about it. Rather, you feel it is about OK to let it stay that way.  But hygiene isn’t always about what meets the eye. Not caring for your lawn and keep up with its upkeep may infest disease prone areas in there and also ruin your lawn. Read on to understand how you can manage the winter lawn for best possible results. 

1. The Regular Clean Up 

Cleaning your yard or lawn is of supreme importance. If you leave random things like toys or do not pick up the leaves and debris off it, it becomes prone to creating a breeding ground for diseases and infections. There is a lot that can pose as infection carrier, if not cleaned up on time. The toys may bring along dirt which attract insects and thus infections. Also, in the case when the regular cleaning does not take place, rodents and mice are bound to roam around. If they do get around your lawn, it won’t take them much time before they find ways to enter the home too. Enough to scare you already? 

2. Mowing your grass right 

Before packing up for the season, mow your grass a little more than you usually mow it. Keep it shorter than the usual by lowering the height of your mowing machine by an inch or a half. If your grass remains to be long, it is going to smother itself and infest diseases. Also, it may pose danger for its growth once the winter season is gone because of the consequential damage that it has met with because of the chill and thawing. 

3. Judge the climatic conditions



Turf is known for its ability to stand extreme winter conditions. Yet still one must not completely rely on it. In case there is a snow storm predicted, you might want to chip off a little ice. This is just a preventive measure for the grass to stay fine. It does have a lot of resistance but its better to keep things safe than to regret later. 

4. Analyze and keep yourself updated on the traffic 

The amounts that your grass is going to grow is also dependent on the season and whether conditions. Analyze how much grass grows in a specific season and sow and mow accordingly. Winters make their growth dormant and thus the traffic is rather low. 

Also, make sure you do all the clean up and management before the snow sets on the turf. It isn’t advisable to do anything to the wet and frosty grass. It may worsen the situation. Scarification, aeration and moss control are some of the techniques or treatments for treating turf that has gone bad because of the detrimental effects of winters and snow.

Written By: 

Katie Gomez is a geek by the day and a party woman by the night. She teaches how to make a website in a design institute and blogs about ways to keep up with changing SEO trends on her personal website. On the side, she mentions that she loves the tequilla.

When one is working in the yard, especially mowing, winter or summer, it’s a good idea to wear a dust mask and some goggles in order to prevent all types of dust, grass, and other debris to cause injury. pb

 

General Safety Issues, Hand Protection

FIVE BASIC ELECTRICAL DO’S AND DON’T’S (GUEST POST)

Electrons are whirling about us everywhere these days, and these sensitive little particles can easily cause mayhem when they are allowed to escape their circuits. Knowing a few basic rules for handling electrical devices and performing any work on or around them is essential for keeping both individuals and the equipment in working order.

1.      Check your gear.

Whether it’s your first time or your thousandth time working on electrical gear, everything comes down to your gear. The word of the day here is “insulation”. All of your tools should be checked to make sure all their resistant materials are free from cuts and tears that might expose the conductive metals usually hidden underneath. This is especially important for items you are more likely to use when dealing with more dangerous circuits, such as heavy rubber gloves, mats, and boots.

2.      Plan twice, act once.

A fair amount of electrical work needs to be done on live circuits. After all, you can’t measure how electricity is flowing through the circuit if there are no electrons running through it. This creates a potential for both personal harm and destruction of equipment if you short the circuit. Whenever you are taking measurements or working on a live electrical device, you should check your schematics, check the device, and repeat before performing any work. The same goes for any actions you take while working that do not directly relate to the circuit; one common mistake is resting a hand on the circuit while reaching for another tool or item and creating a short to ground through your body.

3.      Bring a friend.

Whether working on a small device or a high voltage beast, an extra pair of hands and eyes will come in handy. Most importantly, when working with dangerous voltages, it may be up to the support to shut off the power. They can also serve as “navigators” by looking over schematics and cutting down on the time it takes to perform the tasks without sacrificing safety. Also, be willing to perform the same service for any of your coworkers or friends, as the Golden Rule would have you do.

4.      Don’t forget about capacitors and oscillating circuits.

Capacitors and oscillating circuits can hold more than enough charge to cause damage, and not every capacitor is designed with paths through which they can bleed out their energy. Take the time to make sure that there are no capacitors hidden inside without a discharge path, and review the proper steps for dying out capacitors if there are some in the way.

 5.      Never lose respect for electricity.

After a while of working on electrical devices, it can be easy to experience a fading of concern towards the danger they represent. A small shock can be fatal under the right conditions, and it is always possible to destroy what you are trying to save by not taking proper electrical safety precautions. If it has been a while since you last read them or worked on an electrical device, review a more detailed list of these procedures to make sure they are at the forefront of your mind. 

Stay Safe!  Every detail matters where safety is concerned. Never disregard any safety tips out of hand, and make sure to read as much as you can to make sure you get to go back to your family at the end of the day. 

This guest post is contributed by Rebecca Gray, who writes for Backgroundchecks.org. She welcomes your comments at her email id: GrayRebecca14@gmail.com.

General Safety Issues

KEEPING DATA FROM LOSS BY MONITORING YOUR EMPLOYEES’ ONLINE ACTIVITY (GUEST POST)

A business environment can provide a stressful environment for both the management and its employees. The majority of employers are concerned about keeping their employees motivated towards attaining productivity and the major concern on keeping company data and information secured is among the manager’s responsibility as well. Employees at most times are free to use the company resources especially using the internet in doing other activities that can compromise the company’s business data. The data, privy only for the company’s use, can be disseminated online without the consent of the management to the prejudice of the company. Therefore, it is very important that the company has its efficient way of monitoring employees’ online activity.

The Importance of monitoring employee’s online activity

While the complete protection of data is considered the most important reason why the management should monitor the online activities of their employees, there are also other reasons why they need to do it. Loss of worker productivity can also impact the company’s business which makes employee monitoring important too. It is also possible that company data may likewise be sent to a third party without the authority from the management which contributes to the data loss and a worker loss of productivity during official time at work whenever employees are free to use company resources for personal use without close monitoring on their activities at work.

Moreover, every company has a trade secret that accounts to the success of the company. These secrets vary from different strategies, sources of supplies, methods of production, quality of materials and most importantly finances of the company. When these information or data leak, this leaves the company vulnerable for losses. The transfer of these data can be either deliberate or unintentional.  Either way, the person doing it will be held legally liable to the company as this information is basically proprietary in nature which is something that only the company must share or provide other entities when it sees proper.

Deliberate sharing of data takes place when an employee, with full knowledge of the harm, transfers or shares data to anyone. While unintentional data transfer takes place when a data is, without the employee’s knowledge and consent, transferred or shared through the internet that can be brought about by malware and other snooping software.

Best Practices to reduce or eliminate prohibited data sharing

1.       Use monitoring software

There is a lot of monitoring software available on the internet these days. While the most effective monitoring software costs a lot, it is considered to be a good company investment in order to protect valuable company assets and trade secrets. Spy software on company issued devices may be installed to monitor the exchange of communication made between the employees and other persons. The installation of CCTV technology will also help the employer to monitor all activities of the employees across the workplace including their communication activities and data access and it can also serve as a protection to employees against false accusations on data leakage or sharing. With a monitoring software (check Netspysoftware) you can also block certain online activities that employees can do at the workplace which limits their ability of compromising company secrets and data.

2.       Make known to employees the restriction against data sharing

Making known to your employees the company’s stringent rule against sharing of company data and information from the beginning of their employment is a good management practice. This can be done during the orientation or having a memorandum circulated across the workplace or have it printed on the employee handbook. Employees will hesitate to share company data to third parties when they know that such is a prohibited act with a corresponding penalty from the company and will likely refrain from doing things that can cause trouble in their employment.

3.       Establish a good communication process

The moment you first heard about company data leakage it is important to verify the report and learn the extent of the data loss and compromised information if there is any. Sometimes, data leakage may occur unintentionally as when an employee casually mentions something to friends or family members without knowing that the information communicated is a vital source of information. Allowing the employees to explain the root of the problem will help prevent the company from taking drastic moves against the employee.

 Guest Post by Stacy Carter, a technology article for http://www.netspysoftware.com netspysoftware.  She covers articles about PC security, mobile news, apps, Android, iPhone and tracking technology.
General Safety Issues

DIY GAS SAFETY TIPS FOR HOMEOWNERS (GUEST POST)

Homeowners often forget the hazards gas leakages can cause. Even though it’s common sense that smoking near inflammable things is hazardous, candles left overnight can cause fire hazards, but rarely does anyone pay attention to the safety of his or her home when it comes to gas hazards.

If you’re one of the many people who have unintentionally overlooked the importance of gas safety, here are some DIY tips for you. Make sure to use these tips to avoid gas hazards and ensure a safe and secure home for you and your family.

1.       Buy a Carbon monoxide Detector

The thing about gas is that you can’t see it. Since carbon monoxide is gas, you can’t see it but it can kill you if it spreads in your home due to a gas leak in a pipe, stove or fireplace. Buy a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide detector that can detect gas and alert you instantly so you can take necessary action.

2.       Keep Your Home Well Ventilated

Keeping your home well ventilated can prevent many hazards as cross ventilation allows an outlet for gas to move out of your home. Tight and congested places can contain gas, and the hazardous affect can come to surface sooner than you can call for help.

3.       Check Stoves, Fireplaces , Chimneys

Even though many people do follow this tip, it is extremely important to mention because gas leaks can cause severe hazards, fires and explosions. Always make sure to turn off stoves properly before stepping out of your home. Also, check for gas leaks around fireplaces and heaters. In addition, make sure the air passage from the chimney is clear; a blocked chimney can contain gas indoors and cause fire hazards.

4.       Keep a Look Out for Hazard Signs

Keep a check on all your gas appliances. If you see any condensation in the room, or dark patches around a gas appliance, may be its time to have it checked. If you see dull yellow flames when you turn on your stove, and see low gas pressure; it’s a sign of possible gas leakage. Be cautious of these signs and get in touch with a gas safety professional instantly.

Be Safe Rather than Sorry

Even though the above DIY tips come in handy, and are essential to know to ensure your home is safe, sometimes you can’t prevent hazards on your own. It’s better not to DIY gas related problems, such as fixing a gas leak, etc; leave it to the pros because they know best.

Many plumbing solutions providers offer expert plumbers who can fix your plumbing problems be it a gas leak or a hot water pipe burst. Get in touch with a professional gas plumber in Melbourne who knows his or her job well and is able to identify the problem and solve it in time for you. Many plumbing solution companies in Melbourne provide best quality gas plumbing services round the clock; because a gas leak doesn’t occur in day time, afternoon, or office hours – it can happen at any time of the day and it’s not a good idea to delay getting it fixed.  Qualified gas plumbers in Melbourne (or your home town) can help prevent gas hazards and make your home a safe haven.

Author Bio:

Alan Alaxandar is a writer having an experience in writing for small businesses currently he is writing for Doherty Plumbing Solutions who are professional plumbers in Melbourne, VIC. Find Alan on Twitter, Facebook, and on Google+

 

General Safety Issues

UK Road Traffic Accidents (Guest Post)

Blog4Safety is fortunate to have many guest authors from the United Kingdom.  Matthew Blake shared this infographic with us, highlighting statistics of road accidents in the U.K.  Keep in mind the number of accidents that happen in the U.S. every day; use this information to help you remember that most accidents could be prevented.  At the end of the infographic, there are five safety instructions that apply to drivers in all countries. Drive safely! pb

Road_Traffic_Accidents