Monthly Archives: September 2019

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Driving Health and Safety: How to Avoid Driver Fatigue

Driving safely means more than keeping your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. It also means keeping your focus on your environment so that you give yourself the best possible chance of anticipating hazards and reacting to events you cannot anticipate.

This means staying awake at all times, literally and figuratively. The team at Nottingham Driving School share some tips on how to do so.

Only drive when you have had enough sleep

This tip is both self-evident and for some people (especially parents of young babies) an obvious case of “easier said than done” but it is still arguably the single, most important precaution against driver fatigue.

If you are tired before you start the car then you will be fighting against fatigue throughout the whole of your journey and you may lose. Even if you do not actually fall asleep, your concentration is bound to be impaired and this can have disastrous consequences, especially if you need to react quickly.

Be careful about driving when on medication

If you’re on medication, check the packaging carefully to see if it is likely to make you feel sleepy.

Avoid driving when you are under the weather

Fighting off an illness, even a minor one like a cold, can really be tough on your body. That’s why the best prescription is often rest. When you’re under the weather, it can be dangerously easy for fatigue to creep up on you without you noticing – until it’s too late.

Try to avoid driving after meals, at least heavy meals

If you eat heavy food, your body has to work to digest it and your natural inclination will be to take a rest while it does so. The heavier the food, the more rest you will need and the more you will want to sleep.

Alcohol can also be dangerous to your concentration, even if you’re technically under the legal limit. If you’re in a situation where alcohol is flowing but you know you’re going to need to drive, then just say so or, at the very least, stick to drinks with relatively low alcohol and a lot of liquid (like beer or spritzers).

Keep the window down as much as possible

Given the Great British weather, you may need to keep the window up most of the time for your comfort and safety, but if you can roll it down, even a bit, then the fresh air can do a lot to keep you awake.

Use refreshing scents like citrus and menthol

Citrus and menthol scents really do stimulate the mind, at least for short periods, after a while either the scent fades or the body tunes it out (or a combination of both), but spraying either or both of them from time to time can be enough to get your brain (back) in gear.

Plan your trip to allow for regular breaks and use them wisely

There are two ways you can use a break in a long trip. The first is to get active. Physically get out of your car (assuming it is safe to do so), at least roll down the window to get some fresh air (if you possibly can) and in either case do some stretches. The second is to have a short sleep.

First Aid Safety, Health Issues

Workplace Hazards for Hospitality & Hotel Workers

Written by Zachary O’Dell

Most duties of housekeepers in the hospitality industry are intense and grueling.   Hotels today are competitive and offer more amenities to their guest and as a result, in an increase of workload and unseen hazards that can lead to an increase of serious workplace injury. Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2017 shows that hotel and motel workers had a nonfatal injury and illness incidence rate of 4.3 while total recordable cases of all industries including private, state, and local government are 3.1.   Safety agencies are reporting a significant increase in occupational injuries and diseases among hospitality employees, safety advocated are proposing proper training and safety procedures that can teach housekeeping staff how to prevent muscle drain to the body, and provide proper preventative measures and procedures to prevent violence in the workplace.

COMMON HAZARDS AND INJURIES FOR HOSPITALITY WORKERS  

Hotel housekeeping staff is a very physically demanding job that includes many, varied tasks including, vacuuming, dusting, changing linens, and making beds.  Housekeeping staff is subject to turning over mattresses that can sometimes weigh more than 100 pounds.  While daily cleaning and scrubbing of bathrooms can expose health risks with chemicals used in cleaning products.  As a result, housekeeping hotel employment could lead to any of the following injuries and hazards:

  • Slips and falls: Scrubbing floors of bathtubs, showers in bathroom floors create ideal conditions for slip-and-fall accidents.
  • Respiratory: Exposure to chemical cleaning agents that can cause respiratory long-term problems
  • Infectious diseases: Waste disposal can expose hotel housekeeping staff to pathogens, needs, broken glass, and other body waste.
  • Stress: excessive workload and exposure to other hazards can cause occupational stress
  • Muscle Injuries: Repetitive movements of vacuuming, scrubbing, dusting, etc. of hotel rooms requires housekeeping staff to move their body in ways that can strain and even tear muscles and tendons
  • Harassment and violence: An increasing amount of workplace harassments and violence has been reported in hotels across Canada and the United States.  Violence and harassment can be defined as any act in which a person is abused, threatened, intimidated or assaulted in his or her employment.

SUGGESTED PRECAUTIONS FOR HOSPITALITY WORKERS  

  • Safety authorities suggest hotel cleaners take the following precautions for their workers:
  • Muscle Injuries –to prevent unnecessary muscle tension, workers are encouraged to ask for help from co-workers if they need to lift heavy mattress to avoid and injuries while changing linens and making beds or moving heavy furniture.  Staff is encouraged to switch arms to avoid overexertion of muscles and tendons of one arm
  • Take Regular Breaks – Hotel shifts can be long and exhausting; employees are encouraged to stretch and take regular breaks.
  • Preventative technology:Hotel housekeeping workers are considered lone workers, and employers are responsible for the health and safety of workers, including procedures or a system in place to ensure workers are safe when working alone while cleaning rooms.

SAFETY CHECK-INS AND THE PANIC BUTTON MANDATE 

In some states the United States, safety bills have been proposed to help protect hotel housekeeping and room service workers against assaults and harassment.   The state of New Jersey was the first in the country that requires hotel employees to provide a panic button device to all hotel employees who are assigned to work in a guest room without co-workers present according to Senate, No. 2986.  When the panic button device is activated, a staff member, manager, or security officer must response immediately to the workers’ location.  This law is scheduled to go into effect in January 2020, and the law applies to all hotels in the state of New Jersey with more that has more than 100 guest rooms.

Recently in Victoria, BC, a hotel worker was assaulted, tied up, and robbed in the early hours of the morning.  This disturbing event is an example of the risks of working alone during the late and early hours of the morning.  In British Columbia, Canada employers are required to develop a working alone policy and procedure, including a working alone monitoring device to check the well-being of workers at predetermined intervals. An extra feature such a panic button device can trigger an alarm and expedite help when it is needed.

SafetyLine

General Safety Issues

5 Ways to Make Your Company Office More Secure

Workplace security is the process of protecting employees from injuries, illnesses related to work and intruders. Having a workplace security plan is important because it ensures that important information, equipment, data, networks and other company assets are protected. In the recent years, the rate of cybercrimes and theft has been on the rise.

Generally, a company office that is secure improves productivity and performance in the long run. This is because employees don’t have to work in fear of being intruded or losing their personal belongings. An organization that does not prioritize security will definitely perform poorly and end up with nothing in long run.

According to edubirdie review, a secure company office reduces the turnover rate. Employees will definitely leave a company office that is insecure. No one wants to risk his or her life for a job they can swap whenever they want.

Plus, high turnover rate is a huge expense for the organization because of the interviewing process and training. An organization that retains its employees will attract best candidates which will ultimately lead to improved productivity and performance.

Another important aspect is insurance. A research conducted by college paper review found that insurance is an important aspect of security in your company office. Enhancing security in your company office will reduce the amount of premiums you have to pay every year because the risk of employees being injured will be low.

Employees are the most valuable assets of an organization. An organization is not the office, furniture or equipment. An organization is the people behind it. Without your employees, there’s nothing much you can do to keep your company moving forward. So, isn’t it not wise to protect your employees?

For every company in the world, safety and security are big issues not only for the managers but for the employees and clients as well. All companies should have a security policy in place to avoid wastage of time and money in the long run. Security is a big issue because just like a car accident, you can never see disaster coming. It’s the person who has everything in check that will survive through a security breach.

How can you make your company office more secure? Here are five proven tips that will enhance security in your premises.

  • Organize and lock everything

Before leaving your office, it’s important to take a few minutes to arrange things on your desk. The same also applies to your employees. Ensure you’ve locked your computer to make it harder for intruders to access your files.

Also, lock confidential papers in a cabinet where children and intruders can’t have easy access. You should dispose documents that you don’t need on your table. A paper shredder can do this job for you perfectly. Once everything is organized and locked up, check the windows and doors and lock them if necessary.

  • Protect your data

As bestessayservicereviews reports, your confidential data is just as important as your physical property. It’s important for you to hold confidential information about your employees, clients and yourself on a secure server. You should also consider installing an antivirus, using a firewall and limiting access. There are tons of online software that can help protect your data quickly and easily.

You should keep all the important passwords private or hand them over to someone who you trust. You should avoid giving all your employees passwords because the risk of giving them out goes up higher. Once your security is compromised, it will take some time for you to reach the level you were.

  • Label office equipment

You should always label your office equipment with stickers or ID with your logo or inventory number. Keeping a comprehensive and updated list of all the items in your office will help you keep track of everything and maintain order at the workplace. Your employees will also have an easy time when looking for an equipment.

  • Identity badges

According to australian writing, all your employees should have their names boldly written on their badges. Identity badges are important especially if you have a big organization or hundreds of people coming into your organization every single day. You should also have identity badges for your clients. With these badges, you’ll know who is walking in or out of your premises.

  • Go for alarm systems

Adding alarm systems is one of the most effective ways to enhance security in your office. Installing alarm systems will prevent people with insidious motives to walk away.

People will be careful how they come in or go out of your organization because no one wants to sound an alarm and embarrass himself or herself. The best thing about alarm systems is they alert the authorities anytime criminal activity is traced. Thieves and trespassers will also avoid visiting your premises.

Additional Tip: Emergency plan

As the popular saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. You should always have an emergency plan in case things go haywire. If you notice any suspicious activity in your premises, you should not wait until the alarm goes on or the activity takes place.

Delaying can lead to serious consequences that could be difficult to reverse. You should contact the police or your office security immediately for the investigations to start.

Conclusion

Huge amounts of money are being lost every year due to security breaches. While you cannot be entirely secure or risk free, it’s important to do what you can to reduce the risks as much as possible. The more you protect your employees and other assets, the better your organization will be.

In case of any issue, you can always contact your security company or the police to avoid disaster. With the five tips discussed above, your company will be a safe place to work in. Go for these items today!

Author Bio

Michael Gorman is high skilled freelance writer and proofreader from UK who currently works at academic writing services uk and best assignment writing services. Being interested in everyday development, he writes various blog posts for dissertation writing services and paper writing service and discovers new aspects of human existing every day. He can be reached 24/7 via Facebook and Twitter.

General Safety Issues

9 Tips on How to Improve Your Workplace Safety Culture

Workplace safety is one of the most sensitive topics that employers must never neglect. When you run a company, you’re responsible for everything that’s going on, especially your employees’ wellbeing.

When an employee gets hurt, you may often get blamed for it because of your poor workplace safety culture. Many times, things can get nasty. Some employees will leave your company and sue you at the same time.

If there are more than a few accidents that are related to your company’s policies (or lack thereof), your brand’s reputation will also be damaged. In that case, finding new reliable and hardworking workers will be harder than you might think.

For these obvious reasons, you should treat the workplace safety aspect with a great deal of attention. In today’s post, you’ll learn 9 insightful tips on how to improve your workplace safety culture. Pay close attention and start applying everything you learn here!

Properly Document Your Safety Procedures

The documentation of your safety procedures isn’t difficult at all. The most important thing you have to do is keep your employees’ contact information updated in order for your managers to be able to immediately get in touch in case something bad happens. Nevertheless, other basic safety measure documentations include:

  • Ensuring that all the equipment is properly checked by performing regular routines
  • Making sure that vital information such as access codes are available to more than one person
  • Keeping all the sensitive information in secure places
  • Placing first aid kits in every department and making sure they are easy to reach
  • Changing the security passwords and codes on a regular basis

Moreover, you need to ensure that your company leverages reliable emergency disaster plans. If you’re not familiar with those or if you believe that they need to be improved, a wise move would be to hire professionals to do that for you. Some services I would recommend are:

Keep the Workplace Tidy and Safe

To reduce a lot of potential problems, try to keep your workplace as tidy, clean, and safe as possible. What you should aim to do is keep your landscape, buildings, and worksite neat and in good repair. A well-tended business is often avoided by thieves because it looks professional, and professional places are often well-guarded. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Keep boxes and furniture away from windows. In case of a fire, your employees will have big troubles escaping.
  • Keep all your windows and doors in perfect condition.
  • Implement safety signs and informational posters that will let the newest employees know what to expect.
  • Start relying on video cameras. Place them over all exits and entrances, but also in the rooms where you handle and store your money.
  • Make sure that you have exterior lights outside the building.
  • Regularly check your fences
  • Regularly repair your buildings

Help Fresh Recruits Understand the Safety Protocols

When a new employee joins the company, he should go through an educational safety procedure. That means that you or your manager should clearly instruct the new workers what they must and mustn’t do while establishing the expectations. Let your new employees know that you’re not encouraging or tolerating the principle of results over safety.

Involve Your Employees in the Process

Involving your employees in the process means giving them little responsibilities that can contribute to a safer workplace. For example, some of your workers should be responsible with the regular reassessment of the safety protocols, while others may be responsible for the behavior or work ethics of their colleagues.

Make Your Employees Reliable Whisperers

As an employer or manager, you won’t be able to see or hear everything that’s going on. For that reason, you should involve all your employees by asking them to report anything that they consider to be wrong:

  • Suspicious individuals that keep scouting the surroundings
  • Equipment that needs to be replaced
  • Slippery floors
  • Dark spots that need more light
  • Colleagues who are doing something wrong
  • Colleagues who are under a lot of stress

Adopt a Zero-Tolerance Policy Towards Bad Behavior

Toxic employees can do a lot of harm. They can induce stress and turn your other employees into sloppy workers. The cumulative effect of bullying and threats can lead to even more extreme behavior like violence. To avoid that, simply adopt a zero-tolerance policy in your company. Don’t be afraid to fire employees who don’t respect others!

Organize Safety Control Meetings

By organizing regular meetings where you and your employees or colleagues are assessing the safety-related events that happened during the past can give everyone the opportunity to learn how to act in future situations.

Moreover, by organizing these short meetings, you’re raising the expectations concerning the safety procedures that everyone must respect.

Establish Money Handling Protocols

If you run a business that is constantly handing cash, you might already be leveraging basic money–handling procedures. If you don’t, it is highly advisable that you start establishing strict rules for each of the employees that are handling cash.

Varying time and routes while depositing cash is one of the many safety procedures you’ll want to adopt. Establish exactly the amount of money that your employees can handle at any one time and make sure that they understand exactly how to record the documentation and reports.

Discourage and Punish the Employees Who Don’t Abide by the Rules 

When I used to manage an academic service that had specific rules, I had to fire my best essay writer. Why? Because he was constantly neglecting the company’s policies. Once I did that, the other employees have started to care more about the company’s rules.

Be firm and punish the employees who don’t really care about the safety procedures. Give them a warning first, let everyone know of their warning, and make sure to respect your word and cut them loose in case they commit the same mistakes!

Takeaways

A stable and well-organized company will always put its clients and employees first. By optimizing your safety procedures and plans, you’ll attract more reliable buyers in the close and far future. The health and continuity of your business are highly dependent on the way you handle the workplace safety procedures, so make sure you start leveraging today’s tips and tricks and get everything right!

Sharon is a business consultant and the best essay writer who works for https://bestessayservicesreview.com/bestessays-review/. She is also a regular blog post contributor and the manager of Dissertation Writing Services Review. She loves to sing, read, write, and travel.