Yearly Archives: 2018

First Aid Safety, Health Issues, Protective Clothing, Weather Protection

Hot Weather Safety Tips for Aerial Lift Workers

Hot Weather Safety Tips for Aerial Lift Workers

With the warmer weather of spring and summer quickly approaching, it’s time to start thinking about working outdoors in the heat. Heat stress and heat stroke are some of the most common types of illness-related accidents for construction, forestry and utility workers during the summer. Like most workplace accidents, heat stroke and heat stress can be prevented with the proper training and equipment. Here are some tips to make working during the heat of summer, just a little cooler.

Utility crew in a boom bucket working on highlines.

 

Modify Your Work Schedule

For supervisors, this may seem challenging, but on those extremely hot days, it’s safer for you and all of your workers, especially those spending time in aerial lifts, to consider a lighter work schedule. What does this mean?

  • Plan heavy work during the coolest part of the day.
  • Limit the time workers spend exposed to direct sunlight, especially utility workers that are maintaining lines from aerial lifts.
  • If possible, work at night when it’s cooler and when the exposure to the sun is limited.
  • For forestry workers, do tree trimming work in the morning, to protect both you and the trees you’re working on from the heat.

 Take Frequent Breaks

This is really important for protecting workers from heat illness. During the heat of summer, make sure that employees are taking plenty of time to rest and find shade or a place to cool down. For aerial lift workers who don’t have access to shade, it’s important that you frequently come down from your lift and take shelter under a canopy or in the air conditioned cab of your vehicle. Keeping your body cool and near a normal temperature is the first step to avoiding heat illness.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking water and keeping the internal temperature of your body regulated is very important to working safely during the summer. If your aerial lift basket has space, bring your water with you. Otherwise, come down from your lift frequently for water breaks. Don’t guzzle your water, take small drinks frequently, or about 1 cup of water every 20 minutes. You may want to supplement your water with diluted energy drinks like PowerAde or Gatorade to replenish electrolytes. Whatever you do, definitely avoid alcohol, soda and caffeinated beverages, since these can dehydrate you very quickly.

Wear the Right PPE

Construction and utility workers need to have the correct clothing and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for summer work. This includes:

  • Long-sleeve shirts
  • Long pants
  • Brimmed hats
  • Sunglasses
  • Light-colored clothing
  • Sunscreen

Work in Teams

It’s very important that when you’re outdoors working in the summer that you don’t work alone. For aerial lift workers, this is a great way to limit the time exposed to heat. You and your partner can take turns working in the lift and cooling down. It can also be difficult to tell on your own if you are suffering from heat illness, and it’s often easier for a coworker to tell if you are starting to be impacted by the heat.

Get Trained

Construction, forestry and utility workers, especially those that spend time in aerial lifts should be well trained in how to work safely in the summer. This training should include the tips provided here, as well as training in recognizing the signs of heat illness (dizziness, nausea, accelerated heartbeat, confusion) and basic first aid for treating heat illness.

For those working in industries mentioned above, working outside in the summer is a necessary part of the job. However, with the right training, work schedule and plenty of smarts, working outside can be cool and comfortable for everyone.

About the Author

CertifyMeOnline.net is the number one online resource for OSHA-compliant training for employees that operate aerial lifts and scissor lifts. The safety and equipment experts behind CertifyMeOnline.net know how important good, OSHA-compliant training is for business owners, and how challenging it is to schedule onsite training. CertifyMeOnline.net is the easy way to certify and train all of your employees without any downtime.

Sources:

https://www.unitedrentals.com/project-uptime/productivity/warmer-weather

https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_Hurricane_Facts/working_outdoors.pdf

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatstress/prevention.html

 

General Safety Issues

10 Must-Follow Safety Tips when Doing Electrical Work at Home

10 Must-Follow Safety Tips when Doing Electrical Work at Home

From early childhood, we are taught not to play with electricity, for obvious reasons. Being a homeowner grants freedom, and freedom understands responsibility. Every homeowner knows that maintaining a home isn’t easy, and can sometimes be dangerous, especially if you have to meddle with electricity. In this article, you will find safety tips that will help you minimize the risks and dangers of electrical work on your home.

 

  1. Mind the Age

Go through the paperwork and see just how old your home is. Most homes have outdated electric installations. Now that doesn’t necessarily mean they are broken or useless, but they weren’t built to maintain all devices we use today (most of our appliances today require electricity). We suggest you do a house inspection once a year, just to make sure that your electric installations are in order.

 

  1. Know Your Limits

Electricity is not a joke. Most people think they can handle things on their own, and it is great if they can, but if you can fix minor electrical problems in your home, that doesn’t mean you are an expert on this subject. Try to be objective, understand your limits and ask for professional help if you can’t handle the problem: it might hurt your pride, but it may save your life.

 

  1. Understand Your Electric Panel

Distorted electric panels aren’t a rarity. Even the newer homes succumb to this problem. Also, check the brand. Brands like Federal Pacific or ITE Pushmatic stopped with the manufacturing of electric panels, and are no longer updated, regulated, etc. Also, check if your panel is overheating, which is a clear sign of some malfunction. Find the name of the brand and do the research, making sure that you have a quality electric panel.

 

  1. The Importance of Breakers

Breakers trip if there is voltage overload in your home. However, if they switch as soon as you reset them, then there is permanent damage done to your electrical system. Sometimes the breaker itself is the problem. Nevertheless, if the breaker switches as soon as you reset it, do not reset it again, for this may cause a fire in your home.

 

  1. Mind the Cords

Use the cords correctly and do not modify them if you don’t know how. When it comes to extension cords, use them only for a short amount of time and light work. Visually inspect the cords you plan on using, and inspect the existing cables. If there is any damage done to the wire, dispose of it or fix if it’s a minor issue.

 

  1. Outlets

Unplug unused outlets and do not overload the outlets you are currently using. Furthermore, make sure that devices you plan on plugging in the outlet match the outlet’s specifications. Also, make sure they are situated in a safe and dry spot, and that they are distant to any flammable object.

 

  1. Tending and Changing Light Bulbs

First and foremost, use the light bulbs of appropriate voltage. Try and use CFL bulbs, for they emit the same amount of light, less heat and require less energy. If you are changing the light bulbs, turn off the fixture, just in case, and make sure that you screw the bulb firmly.

 

  1. Obtain a fire extinguisher

Having a fire extinguisher in your home may save your home and your life. A lot of the fires are caused by electrical outages and breaks, and these breaks can occur if the installations aren’t proper. Remember that you can never use water to extinguish the flame, and that the water and electricity are a deadly combination.

 

  1. Appliances

When it comes to appliances, always turn them off if you plan on inspecting or fixing it. Also, make sure that the heat-emitting devices have enough space to give off that heat, thus preventing outages and fires. Naturally, use appliances with dry hands, keep them away from the water and wear rubber gloves when inspecting them.

 

  1. Check the Switches

If the switches are loose or broken, firstly cut the power. If they are loose, use the screwdriver to fix the problem. If they are broken, replace them because the spark switches emit can cause a fire. Replacing them is straightforward, but if you aren’t confident, call the technician to replace them.

 

Conclusions

You can never be too careful when it comes to electricity, and following these steps will surely minimize the risk. Inspect when you can and fix where you can, but do not put your life in danger if the problem supersedes your knowledge and abilities.

 

General Safety Issues

The Dangers of Distracted Walking

The Dangers of Distracted Walking

Distracted driving is very much frowned upon but distracted walking receives far less attention. This infographic from Hussey Fraser looks at the rise in distracted walking since the advent of mobile phones and particularly smartphones. It is so common to see people walking down the street not looking where they’re going and it is responsible for 10% of pedestrian injuries.

In places of work such as building sites it is also becoming a big problem. Often people use their phone to check the internet on site and end up falling or tripping as a result. A building site is a notoriously dangerous place to begin with so it’s important to be extra careful when working there. Using phones on places like roofs can also be deadly so anyone working in the construction industry will need to be particularly vigilant.

In an ideal world you should wait to check your phone until you’re on your lunch break and if you absolutely insist on checking hold the phone up higher and look up every couple of seconds to get your bearings. See the full infographic now and stay safe.

 

 

General Safety Issues

5 Essential Steps for Creating a Comprehensive Workplace Safety Strategy

5 Essential Steps for Creating a Comprehensive Workplace Safety Strategy

Safety in the workplace has never been more important. It doesn’t matter what size business you are, how many employees you’ve got or what industry and nature of work you’re involved in, the safety of everyone involved at every level is paramount, and failure to acknowledge this can lead you to some very serious trouble.

As horrible as it sounds, as a manager or team leader, having an avoidable death in your workplace due to negligence is not something that will sit with you lightly.

However, to avoid this happening, it means coming up with a workplace strategy plan or strategy. To get you started, here are the five steps you need to take.

#1 – State Your Commitments

The first step you need to take is to make it common knowledge that your business is committing itself to having an optimal level of workplace safety. Start by making this a company-wide value and make even adapt your business’s mission statement to reflect that safety is always a key concern.

You need to make sure that every employee you have is clear that verbal encouragement will be implemented in how to be safe, as will investigations and tests to ensure everything meets the required standard.

#2 – Accessing Your Foundations

If you haven’t already implemented some kind of workplace safety assessment, apart from the ones you have to do by law, now is the time to do so. “Start by evaluating your business to see where it currently stands and the risks that your business and employees are currently at risk to” – explains Kimberly Poisson, a Safety Manager at Resumention and Huffingtonpost contributor.

Depending on the nature of your business, there may be some things you need to look into, and others you don’t. Some areas to think about include;

  • Environmental concerns (chemical, air, health risks)
  • Activity-based hazards (machine operation, vehicles, computers, electronics)
  • Standard workplace hazards (design flaws, the layout of the building, vehicle routes)

#3 – Create a Written Manual

Okay, you’re not going to have to write an actual book, unless you have that much to say, but you need to make sure that you’ve written a hardcopy of all the rules and safety regulations that you want your business to implement into place.

This helps your business to create accountability in the event that a safety incident does take place since you’ll be able to easily refer to the manual to see what the code of conduct was for that specific situation and identify where the problem happened.

This also helps to massively minimise the risk of miscommunication and misunderstanding, since every employee can read through the document, so everybody is on the same page.  Don’t forget to check your grammar to ensure your manual makes sense using tools like Grammarix.

You’ll also probably want to think about updating this safety manual about once a year, or if new tools, machinery or workplace factors are introduced to your workplace. When writing your safety documents, you can use online tools like State of Writing and PhD Writers to make sure your content is accurate and professional.

#4 – Education is Key

Once you’ve spent the time making sure that your written content is exactly how you want it, it’s now time to start educating everyone in your business to ensure they are all knowledgeable about everything to do with safety.

Initially, you’ll want to break everyone down into groups, so you can talk about things that are changing and the procedures that are in place. You’ll then want to revisit these groups, perhaps every six months or so, depending on your business, to make sure everybody remembers what the strategy is.

You’ll also want to make sure that every new employee that comes to your business is immediately brought up to scratch with the safety requirements of your workplace.

#5 – Implement and Analysis

Even though you’ve spent so much time bringing your strategy together, that doesn’t mean that you’re going to get things right the first time. “As situations unfold or employees come back to you with feedback, you’ll need to consider the impact of your strategy and whether things need to be improved or further evaluated” – says Jay Delima, a Recruiting consultant at Ukwritings.

This is a continuous process, especially when new people and processes are being implemented all the time.

Conclusion

As you can see, creating a workplace safety strategy from scratch doesn’t have to be a daunting or overwhelming task. Make sure you guide yourself through the process slowly and methodically to ensure that you don’t miss anything out and remember to listen to your employees since they spend most of their time in the danger zones.

Most importantly, remember that lives could be on the line, so take every step you can to ensure that doesn’t happen.

Gloria Kopp is a recruiting manager at Paper Fellows. She is writing Studydemic educational blog for students and elearners. Gloria is a blog contributor at The Tab and Australian Help.

 

General Safety Issues, High Visibility Safety, Home Safety Products

7 Most Overlooked Factors That Can Invite Burglars To Your House

7 Most Overlooked Factors That Can Invite Burglars To Your House

Is your house burglar-proof? Do you think installing high-tech security gadgets will keep your loved ones safe?

Security options keep on increasing, and so do ways to beat them in their own game. If you are not able to invest a fortune in security gadgets, then is your home really safe?

Many security features make you overconfident about the safety of your house, which results in some foolish outcomes, like the following:

  1. Shrubs and plants

Plants or shrubs near the doors or windows simply means that you are inviting the burglar to lay down and hide until he gets a chance to enter the house. If you think your security cameras will alert you if any stranger turns up, then think again because even burglars know how to trick them, and enter the house unnoticed. If you still want to have plants and shrubs or your premises, then planting them near the fence is a much better option than near doors and windows. Go green wisely!

  1. Dog door

Do you love pets? Having a dog is bliss, ain’t it?

You must be having a dog door in your house, which must look very cute, right? But do you know it is a doorway to evil too? Just because it opens a door for burglars to enter your house as it has no locks or security mechanisms, naturally. Make sure you take care of the size of the dog door or its need because it is better to avoid such options, if they can be!

  1. High-rise railings

You may not like high-rise railings, but you should install them around your house to ensure the safety of your loved ones. High-rise fences allow you to stay safe not only from burglars, but also from stray animals; else they might not have to worry about the entry door anymore. You can choose railings with spikes or any other security feature to make sure it is burglar-proof. There are variety of materials as well, like metal wires, glass or wooden railings or concrete fences. Choose a material that complements the interiors of your house and meets your safety requirements!

  1. New neighbours

Having friendly neighbours is good, right? But being too familiar should not be preferred because if you don’t know your new neighbours accurately, spilling the beans in front of them might have serious consequences. They might be burglars or kleptomaniac, you never know! Know the new neighbours first, and then you can be as friendly with them as you desire.

  1. Open garage

Having a well designed open garage adds to the curb appeal, but it also increases the risks of robberies because it offers free passage to unwanted strangers. You may say that you have a security camera installed at the door and everything, but is it enough? What if the stranger enters the place with a weapon? Will seeing them on the security footage make you safe?

  1. Old locks

When was the last time you got the house locks changed? Still happy with your old locks? Get them replaced right away! As the technology is advancing, the methods to crack locks is also getting more and more efficient every day. Having old locks is like offering a treat to the burglars because then they don’t have to try hard to get inside your house.

“Always stay ahead of burglars by installing advanced security options; the time for old is gold is long gone”- Resmi, RS Engineering Installations Ltd.

  1. A tell-all

If you have a loud mouth, then don’t open it in front of everyone, especially strangers because you never know who might hear about your security installations, and plan a way to enter your house unannounced. No one likes unwanted guests, and especially when you are not there yourself. Don’t guide the burglar inside the home unknowingly, shut up! Boasting about everything else may be fine, but it’s never okay if the topic is your security system and its loopholes!

Fall Safety, General Safety Issues, Protective Clothing

5 ways to reduce injuries in the workplace

5 ways to reduce injuries in the workplace

With more than 80,000 workers suffering from work-related ill health each year in the construction sector alone, more needs to be done to avoid workplace accidents. In addition to the financial costs, such as loss of production, absence from work, and healthcare costs, the total costs of workplace injuries includes both the financial costs and valuation of human costs. Understanding and preventing risks is the first step to avoiding accidents and protecting workers. Below are 5 top tips to minimize workplace injuries.

  1. Wear PPE

PPE is one of the most important piece of equipment to protect the user against risks. These include items such as safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing and safety footwear etc. Although PPE contributes to a safer workplace, a staggering 98% of employees have said they have seen others in their workplace not wearing the correct PPE equipment due to poor fit, lack of accessibility and discomfort.

As an employer, it is your legal duty to provide a safe work environment. Under the Personal Protective Equipment at work regulations 1992, employers must take reasonable steps to ensure that the PPE provided is used properly and responsibly.

PPE should be:

  • Properly assessed before use to make sure it’s fit for purpose
  • Maintained and stored properly
  • Provided with instructions on how to use it safely
  • Used correctly by employees.

Although often overlooked, workers should also receive adequate training on the correct use, fit, care and storage of their PPE.

  1. Creating a safe workplace

Common work practices may lead to work injuries and it is always best to deal with any hazards promptly. According to the HSE, slips and falls account for 24% of workplace accidents.

This is mainly caused by preventable dangers such as slippery floor surfaces, trailing cables and poor lighting. Preventative measures is usually straightforward, so act quickly and mop up any spillages, repair broken steps and encourage staff to report maintenance faults straightaway so this can be fixed.

  1. Creating a culture of safety

Employers have a duty to protect and tell you about health and safety issues that affect you. It is important to communicate health and safety policies to all staff. This might be by including information in training, induction packs, staff handbooks or posting it on the notice board. By creating a culture of safety, employees are educated and understand the important of health and safety at work.

Proper training of employees can also mitigate the threat of injuries. Informed, educated employees are less likely to be involved in accidents because they are aware of and informed about potential hazards.

Policies should also be reviewed at least once a year or more often to keep up to date with legislation.

  1. Carry out a risk assessment

Prevention is the best cure. All businesses are obliged to carry out a health and safety risk assessment to identify the potential hazards in the workplace. By undertaking a risk assessment, this provides guidance to help businesses understand what they need to do to assess and control risks in the workplace and comply with health and safety law.

Risk assessments reduce accidents by formally looking at an area at work, identifying the hazards that are there, then looking at the possible accidents or injury that could take place. For example, are employees required to carry heavy items or work from height? It is important to keep a written record of your risk assessment and any steps you take to reduce the chance of accidents.

 Clear signage

Clearly marked signage in all potentially dangerous areas are required by law to inform employees of potential risks. Even if it is not required for your small business, these signs can be an invaluable tool in protecting employees and warn them of the hazards.

It is important that employers ensure that their employees are aware of and understand the meaning of safety signs and signals either seen or heard during their work, including providing training where necessary.

Article provided by Nexon Hygiene.

Fall Safety, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

Here Is What It Takes for You to Become A Demolition Expert

Here Is What It Takes for You to Become A Demolition Expert

 Did you ever wonder what does a demolition expert do?

Are you interested in pursuing this career, but have no idea what are the formalities involved with this job?

Firstly, you need to know who a demolition expert is, and only then can you know what they do.

Demolition experts or explosive workers are managers of any construction work and are experts in every sort of demolition work.

Now, what do they specialize in?                                            

They just don’t break things, if that is what you are thinking, a lot is involved here. Some of the important activities, an explosive worker undertakes are:

  • Decision Making and Problem Solving

They analyze and assess a problem and evaluates the results, based on which the most suitable solution is chosen to solve the problem.

  • Acquiring Information

They are required to make observations about their project and organize information based on that.

  • Documentation of Information

They are responsible for storing and recording the acquired information in the magnetic or electronic form.

  • Handling and Transporting Objects

A demolition expert is required to physically install, reposition, and move objects and also manipulate them.

  • Operation of Vehicles and Equipment

They are required to drive and navigate vehicles or mechanized automobiles like forklifts, aircraft, and cranes.

These are just to name a few. Seems like a lot of responsibilities, doesn’t it?

Now the next question is what the educational qualifications you would require for this job?

A traditional college degree is not necessary to become a demolition expert. You can, of course, have additional merit if you graduate with a bachelor’s degree in engineering or construction.

This might not seem much, but a person requires a lot of skills to become a demolition expert. Do you think you have what it takes?

Find it out yourself!

 

The necessary skills required to pursue this career are as follows:

  • Keen Observation and Monitoring Skills

You need to monitor and assess your performance and other performances, in order to make necessary improvements or corrections.

  • Ability to Critical Think and Analyze

You need to have sharp thinking skills and make use of your logic to analyze the weaknesses and strengths of various solutions, inferences and approaches to any problem in order to choose the best possible option for them.

  • Good Judgment and Decision-Making Skills

You need to be able to analyze the relative costs and benefits of any project and choose the most suitable one.

  • Complex Problem-Solving Skills

You should be able to identify complex problems and verify any related information in order to evaluate options and implement them.

  • Good Knowledge in Mathematics

You should have keen know-how regarding arithmetic, geometry, calculus and statistics and their applications.

  • Good Mechanical Knowledge

You should know how to operate machines and equipment and also must have knowledge about their designs and the ways to repair them.

You have seen what skills are required to work as a demolition expert, but do you think this job is suitable for you?

Take A Look at The Pros and Cons of Working In This Field:

 Pros

  • It is suitable for those who like practical hands-on work.
  • It is suitable for those who like to work outdoors.
  • It requires a person to work in teams and hence is suitable for those who like to work in supportive groups.

Cons

It is not suitable for those who are not willing to work for long hours as this job takes up to 40 hours per week.

Hopefully, this guide can help you as it almost covers everything that you need to know about pursuing a career as a demolition expert.

 

Ergonomics, Fall Safety, Head Protection, Hearing Protection

5 Important Construction Site Safety Procedures

5 Important Construction Site Safety Procedures

Construction site safety procedures don’t just stop after employee orientation. Maintaining safety on the job site requires frequent follow ups, inspections and training to ensure that workers are aware of crucial safety protocol and remain compliant each and every day. Here are 5 important construction site safety procedures that you need to know.

  1. Fall Protection

Employers have the duty to provide adequate fall protection for their employees. This extends to the site itself, where employers can point out any fall hazards that might exist in the facility. Safety lanyards should be put into use, preventing employees from suffering significant falls in the workplace.

In the case of fall protection, it’s important that you monitor your employees and check for any problem areas in their safety procedures. If you can see improper technique early, you can easily prevent mistakes from happening.

  1. Scaffold Safety

Scaffolds prevent unique hazards, such as the possibility of electrocution, falls, or injury due to falling debris. As a result, all employees must wear hard hats while working on, under, or around scaffolds. This simple piece of equipment can protect against potential impacts from all manner of falling debris.

It’s just as important to check for structural imperfections in the scaffold itself. It’s much better for your employees to take their time building the scaffold and prevent accidents than for them to rush the job and get hurt.

  1. Proper Ladder Use

Improper use of ladders while on a job is a leading cause of workplace injury. This can be due to a multitude of factors, such as wrong choice of ladder, improper ladder placement, attempting to carry tools while climbing a ladder, and others. Simple training on the proper use of ladders and ladder selection will quickly fix this problem.

Another aspect of ladder use that deserves attention is proper use of the steps. If a ladder advises against going above a certain step, those guidelines should be followed by your employees.

  1. Protective Equipment

Depending on the hazards of your construction site, employers may be required to provide their workers with several options when it comes to hearing protection, eye protection, and respiratory masks that can protect employees from mold and other harmful elements. Clear procedures and guidelines must be put in place and disseminated to all of your employees.

Especially in the case of mold, dust, or toxic vapors, where contaminants can cause long term illness that may take years to fully develop, it’s imperative that employees use the proper protective equipment.

  1. Hard Hat Use

When it comes to construction site safety procedures, one of the most basic has to do with the proper use of hard hats. Impact from falling debris can cause serious injury, even death.

There are plenty of technological advances when it comes to workplace safety, but something as simple as putting on a hard hat can be the difference between a fatal accident and a minor annoyance. Not only should training materials mention the importance of hard hat safety, but this should be strictly enforced as well.

Safety is Paramount 

In all aspects of the construction process, employee safety is the number one priority. It might be tempting to ignore safety and speed through a job, but this only tends to backfire in the form of workplace injury. It’s much better to do the job right the first time.

There is a variety of simple actions that you can put into place to ensure complete safety for your employees. Whether it’s in hard hat safety, proper use of ladders, or any other type of workplace safety, it’s up to you to provide clear information and instructions and strictly enforce those procedures on a daily basis. This way, you’ll have a safe workplace that’s free of the possibility of any injuries.

Author Bio:

Carolyn Clarke is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles, CA. Her writing has appeared across dozens of digital platforms, with an emphasis on workplace safety. In her free time, she takes her dog running along the Malibu coastline.

Images:

https://www.pexels.com/photo/construction-worker-safety-danger-8159/

https://pixabay.com/en/scaffold-scaffolding-construction-14253/

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AVONDALE_SHIPYARD_WORKER_WEARS_SPECIAL_EAR_MUFFS_FOR_PROTECTION_FROM_THE_HEAVY_LEVEL_OF_INDUSTRIAL_NOISE_POLLUTION_-_NARA_-_546041.jpg

General Safety Issues

4 Most Innovative Security Inventions That Have Changed The Face Of Home Security

4 Most Innovative Security Inventions That Have Changed The Face Of Home Security 

Safety will always be at the top of your priority list! Period.

The world of home security is evolving at an expected rate because of the high levels of crime. Everyone is looking for a better mousetrap to ensure the safety of their loved ones. It is difficult to feel completely secure even when you are at your home because of the many criminals cases that you read about every day. If you are not able to focus on your work or rest your mind due to such concerns, then your productivity and happiness are both altered.

It’s better to invest in top-notch security solutions than to stay worried all day long.

Don’t focus on the price, look at the benefits!

Safety Solutions

The following are some top-notch security inventions that can help you breathe in peace and serenity:

  1. Video Surveillance In A Lightbulb

A light bulb connected to the Wifi with an inbuilt camera in itself sounds fascinating. All thieves know the importance of disabling the security cameras before entering the house, but what if they don’t know about the hidden cameras? Sounds like the perfect trap, right?

Many features can be added to this concept like an alarm system or a mobile app for live tracking to make it more exciting and secure.

  1. Facial Recognition Bot

A facial recognition bot that recognizes a friendly face and alerts you when they scan a stranger has changed the level of home security solutions. It can be integrated with a mobile app, and every time it recognizes a stranger, it notifies you on the app, allowing you to not only track its feed live, but also to alarm the authorities when needed.

One major feature that can be added to the bot is a fire alarm system, to make your home safer.

  1. Smart Bike Pedal

Tired of hearing about bike thefts? What if your bike can notify you its location and also the fitness information that you so crave to know? Smart bike pedal is an invention which takes an aluminum pedal integrated with GPS technology and Wifi, feeding the information to a mobile app installed on your phone. The bike thieves will regret their decision if they look your way. Stay safe, stay notified!

Another feature that can be added is a safety lock on the app which can lock the tires for as long as you desire, to prevent the thieves from enjoying their win.

  1. Hi-tech Home Security System

Automated home security is nothing new, but have you heard about the hi-tech home security system which covers it all; from voice commands and facial recognition to infrared systems, motion sensors and security cameras, all integrated with a Wifi and operated from a mobile app. A little too much to handle, but what if the interface is straightforward and fun to use? You can turn off the lights, raise the alarms or shut down your whole house with such a security system.

Secure Your Home! Secure Your Life

The security sphere will keep on revolving and evolving because as the security solutions are enhancing, the criminals are improving too. A perfect mouse trap is still a dream, but it has been achieved to some extent with inventions like these.

Even though, these inventions are revolutionizing the world of security, but it has still not completely replaced the need for security guards because there are many venues or settings where a security guard can prove to be a better help than these security solutions.

Security will always remain a concern because everyone fears for their safety, and a calm mind is a luxury that can only be experienced with a perfect security solution.

General Safety Issues

Protecting Your Business Against Sexual Harassment at the Workplace

Protecting Your Business Against Sexual Harassment at the Workplace

 

“Casting couch” doesn’t seem to be such an archaic term anymore, does it? If anything, the last few months have shown us that sexual harassment is not just a Hollywood phenomenon. But, it took a worldwide #MeToo campaign and celebrity support for this effort at the 2018 Grammy Awards and Oscars to get people talking about it. From Harvey Weinstein to Larry Nassar and now Steve Wynn, women are speaking up even about people we would have considered untouchable a few months ago.

 

We Live in Interesting Times

In the wake of all these revelations, a November 2017 article in the Independent stated that powerful men have been trying to silence abused women since the Medieval Times. In fact, the article goes so far as to quote the Bible to show how men have tried to police women since time immemorial. And, they were largely successful till now.

 

It is social media that has finally given voice to women, says a similar November 2017 article by Praxis Legal Solutions. The article goes on to say, “Social media platforms have made public a critical mass of testimony to bad behavior that simply cannot be ignored.”

 

With the ancient Chinese curse coming true and bringing us really interesting times to live in, business owners need to, now more than ever before, ensure that they have a safe workplace, with the right sexual harassment policies in place. You not only need to protect vulnerable employees, you also need to protect your business, after all.

 

Protection Against Sexual Harassment

According to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), sexual harassment refers to any “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.” It can also include offensive remarks about a person’s gender, the EEOC says. And, if the conduct is such that it creates a hostile work environment or leads to “tangible employment action,” including promotion, firing, hiring or even demotion of an employee, the individual can file a sexual harassment claim.

 

It is the employer’s legal obligation to ensure that the workplace is a safe environment, not just physically but also in terms of sexual harassment. This means that you, as a business owner, need to ensure that you have a well-defined anti-harassment policy that is well publicized within the company and effectively enforced. This policy should also include a process for complaints being lodged and all such complaints being appropriately investigated.

 

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits not just gender discrimination but sexual harassment and discrimination due to race, nationality, religion and more. Apart from this federal law, each state has its own laws against sexual harassment. The legal obligation to put in place effective anti-sexual harassment policies applies to any business that employs 15 or more people, including state and local government bodies. The federal law also applies to all employment agencies, labor organizations and federal government bodies.

 

It is also important to train all employees, including supervisors and managers, with training sessions being held at least on an annual basis. These sessions should inform employees about what is considered sexual harassment, their right to a harassment-free workplace, the complaint procedure and the company policies related to sexual harassment. Managers and supervisors, apart from being familiarized with all of this, also need to know how complaints are to be dealt with and what their responsibilities are in this regard, says an article by Nolo.

 

Creating a harassment-free work environment is only good for business. If you fail to create a safe workplace, employee morale and productivity will be low, while claims and lawsuits will be high. So, don’t become another statistic among all the sexual harassment claims being filed these days. Do your homework!