All posts by pat brownlee

General Safety Issues

SECURING YOUR PROPERTY – THE TWO PERIMETERS (GUEST POST)

Vandalism; first defined by the Romans, this ever-present threat continues to give property owners something else to think about when maintaining their asset. In the absence of a single solution to eradicate this problem, those with something to protect must a construct a physical force field, covering both the outer and inner perimeters of their owned area.

The idea behind implementing a watertight security strategy is that almost immediately, the power is handed back to its rightful owner. Vandals like to think that they can stroll into a property, inflict hundreds, sometimes thousands of pounds worth of damage and exit without trace. This sense of control can be denied by introducing two lines of defence, policing key outer and inner zones of a property.    

These are two of the most important areas to protect and, along with natural access control, almost define physical security. With both inner and outer lines covered, here’s what a typical security plan will involve.  

The outer perimeter

Covering – The best way of halting a stream of attacks is to cut off the source – its entry point if you will. Vandals cannot inflict damage on your property without physically getting into it, so you must provide a strong line of security at the cut-off point. This is the outer perimeter, a line that can be crossed on foot or by car that defines where your property starts. This area, technically, is where you have made your initial investment and any damage inflicted from within will have to be repaired by yourself.  

Solutions – Possible solutions for policing an outer perimeter can be anything from a large hedge to more extreme measures, like a barbed wire fence. Some will decide to point their security cameras to this area, or hire a guard to stand by it. These solutions aim to draw a clearly visible line around the property, alerting criminals of where they’re not welcome. In deciding which type of what type of outer solution would suit your own business, you need to weigh up the risk of vandals and assess exactly what might be targeted.   

The inner perimeter

Covering – In the event of your outer perimeter being breached, you must have a second line of security to shield off attacks on your building. The inner perimeter is less of a line and is more or less attached to the asset, so think security measures for halting access via doors, windows and any other entry points.     

Solutions – Although a sturdy lock and key remains at the forefront of this strategy, technology plays an integral role in covering other areas of the inner perimeter. Protecting this line can usually be accomplished through the use of alarm systems and security cameras, which can stop vandals in their tracks without even being activated. A CCTV camera almost acts as a warning sign, informing vandals that if any break-in is attempted, their actions will be captured and relayed back to the police. The same goes for an alarm system, the use of which will be well sign posted to tempt vandals out of committing their act.       

Regardless of how big the requirement is, taking care of these two lines really will give you the protection you need. All you’re required to do is assess the risk at hand and contact a professional security company to discuss possible solutions. Never underestimate the threat and opt for the best you can afford. After all, your investment could save you a significant amount on damages.  

Author Byline:

Finley Talbot is a keen blogger with a deep interest in security systems and the upcoming technology in homeland defence. He is also a season ticket holder for Arsenal Football Club, as well as being an armchair critic of everything happening in football.

General Safety Issues, Respiratory Safety

HOW TO BOOST SAFETY IN UNDERGROUND MINES (GUEST POST)

Underground mines can be highly dangerous as a result of the high risk nature of the environment. As miners are subject to gas, dust explosions and suffocation, accidents can occur when minimal safety precautions are put in place.

Safety regulations that have come into play over the past decade have dramatically reduced such mining incidents. However, certain mine dangers never go away. Methane, carbon monoxide, nitrogen and other potentially hazardous gases are still potential threats and mean that modern mines can also be hazardous places to work.

Many in the mining industry choose to have sophisticated safety technology in place to protect their mine from dangerous gas levels and environmental conditions. If you are looking to improve the safety measures in your mine, think about the following:

Gas Detection 

Any changes to gas levels can compromise your workforce. Miners work in a restrictive area cut off from natural daylight and open air, where further oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and methane are present. This leaves them exposed to potentially hazardous situations as any dangerous gas levels can affect breathing and cause fires or explosions.

While an electric safety lamp can be used to detect methane and firedamp, many modern mines choose to use a state-of-the-art fixed Trolex – gas detector.   The live data the sensor provides allows you to monitor several gases, assess any slight changes and make the correct safety decisions before it becomes disastrous.Effective ventilation systems

An underground ventilation system can help miners to remain safe and comfortable. It provides a constant air flow that dilutes and removes high risk gases, minimising a worker’s exposure to any dangerous levels. So that a ventilation system continues to normalise gases effectively, many mines invest in a flow sensor that detects any alterations in performance of the ventilation system, immediately alerting you to any potential hazards.

Mining machinery

Miners are often working with heavy duty machinery. Therefore, you should have safety programs in place to protect employees from possible danger, including suitable safety training, permits and personal protective equipment. It is also important to regularly check machinery to make sure that it is safe to use and kept to a suitable maintenance schedule. A machine monitoring system with temperature, pressure, vibration and oil level sensors allows you to survey machinery and check for a change in conditions that could compromise the safety of your workers.

Safety and efficiency

Boosting your overall mine safety with a monitoring system also gives you an opportunity to devise a valuable safety management program. Through being able to regularly analyse environmental and machine conditions, you can notice and remedy any potential pitfalls so that danger is kept at bay.

A strong safety management program also allows you to improve mine production efficiency. As the monitoring system gives you a general overview of your environment and machinery, you can check for any changes in performance, setting up any necessary maintenance to prevent unplanned and costly downtime.

Lauren writes content for Safety monitoring and gas detector specialists Trolex, and has written many digital articles about the mining and industrial markets for both the Trolex website and external sites.

For other forms of respiratory safety, check out www.tasco-safety.com for quality safety products.  If you mention the blog, you’ll get a 5% discount.

General Safety Issues

FIVE THINGS YOUR HOME INSURANCE WON’T COVER (GUEST POST)

5 Things Your Home Insurance Won’t Cover

Most homeowners get lulled into a false sense of security after they purchase an insurance policy on their property investment. Unfortunately, your homeowner’s policy does not cover everything that could happen to your home. In fact, most people would be shocked to discover all of the potential issues that are specifically excluded from the average policy. Your best recourse is to make sure that you fully understand what your insurance will cover, and you should also find out if you are able to add optional coverage to protect you from specific high risk issues.

Fortunately, everything that is listed below will usually be covered if you buy an additional home emergency assistance policy. 

Five Things Your Home Insurance Will Not Cover 

1. Plumbing Issues – The standard homeowner’s policy will not provide any coverage for plumbing issues, so if you are looking to purchase your policy through a comparison site such as Monkey.co.uk, you need to check the policy wording first to understand just what you are covered for. If you are not covered and you have a massive backup or leak from any aspect of your home’s plumbing, you could be left with all of the expenses unless you have an emergency assistance policy. 

2. Pest Infestation – When most people think of pests in their home, they only consider the possibility of being temporarily inconvenienced while a pest management company performs the eradication process. However, there are some pests that pose a much greater risk to your home. For example, woodworm can cause extensive damage to your home’s woodwork, and even bees can end up costing you thousands if they set up residence inside your walls. 

3. Internal Water – If a flood causes your home to become filled with water, most insurance companies are not going to assist you. Unfortunately, whether the flooding is caused by an outside source or a massive plumbing issue, the internal water clause that is in most policies will allow your provider to deny your claim. Again, this is a good reason to consider buying a home emergency assistance policy in addition to your standard homeowner’s policy.

4. Damage Caused by a Radiator – Many policies will not offer coverage for damage that is caused by a radiator or other heating source. In other words, if one of these items starts a fire or causes any other type of damage to your property, you are unlikely to receive any financial assistance without a special policy.

5. Electrical Damage – The electrical system in any home could become fried due to a faulty appliance, bad wiring or even a thunderstorm. This issue is especially prevalent for homeowners who live in a building that was built more than a couple of decades ago. Sadly, without the proper additional coverage, most people could lose everything if an electrical issue causes the entire house to burn down. 

The best way to make sure that you receive the coverage that you need is to carefully read through the entire homeowner’s policy before you sign it. If there is something specific missing, you need to discuss whether or not it can be added before you move forward. Being proactive by adding on additional coverage options or a home emergency assistance policy is the best way to protect your investment. 

Georgina Clatworthy is a freelance writer and homeowner who understands the importance of ensuring comprehensive coverage when it comes to home insurance.  Insurance comparison websites such as Monkey.co.uk, provide a good way to search a wide number of providers and review the additional coverage options available.  

Georgina, thank you for this excellent information.  Understand your coverage.  Better to be safe than sorry! pb

 

General Safety Issues

WHAT TO DO AFTER A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT (GUEST POST)

Sent by Danny Duric

First of all let’s state the obvious. A car is much more powerful than a pedestrian. Of course pedestrians have to watch out and follow “the rules of the road” meaning that they should follow what they have been taught since the early age. These are advice and lessons people give to their children like: “Carefully cross the street, and always look both left and right before crossing it!”, “Cross the street only where you see the zebra crossing!”, “Wait for the green light!”, and all that jazz. Now, this is good advice, naturally, but when the time comes for these children to start driving cars, somehow, they do not seem to obey the rules of the road that much. 

Alarmingly, 10.8 million car accidents occurred in 2009 in America only, as some statistics show. At this point, it really doesn’t matter if these statistics are as accurate as they ought to be, the point is that they occur a lot. We all know that car accidents happen, and, unfortunately, as cars become more and more available to the general public, it is safe to say that, with this traffic system, the number of car accidents, or any other motor vehicle accidents for that matter, will increase. Some scientists are currently working on a safer, automated commuting system, but since it will take time for that system to even be accepted, not to mention installed and put to work, we will have to watch out, because getting hit by a motor vehicle can easily be lethal.

To get to the point, if by any chance someone gets hit by a car, one should know that he or she is entitled to make a free personal injury claim and get a compensation, the amount of which is proportional to the seriousness of the injury at hand. This is possible not only if you are a pedestrian, a motorbike driver or a car (or other vehicle) driver that has followed the rules, but also if the accident is partly your fault. Of course if you are driving down a one-way street in the opposite direction and you hit someone, then you are the only “culprit” and you will not get any compensation, and will have to pay. If the accident is partly your fault, you might be entitled to make a personal injury claim and receive a compensation for the suffered injury.

After suffering an injury related to a motor vehicle it is needless to say that one should go to the nearest hospital, because sometimes, people do not feel the pain immediately, but they start having experiencing health problems and pains a while after the accident. Always go to the hospital to check if everything is in order. After that you should contact the Police Department. You have to do this within a certain period of time after the accident. The law states that if you wait, for example a month or so, than you can no longer report the motor vehicle accident to the police, so be sure to do this at your earliest convenience. The next thing you should do is to find out what kind of compensations are you entitled to. This information is given to you by your insurance company, but they have proven to be not that well informed on the matter. Instead you should talk to a personal injury lawyer as they will give you all the information you need.

These injuries caused by a motor vehicle accident may lead to a compensation and:

  • ·You can receive payment of all medical expenses provided for you.
  • ·If you have lost a workday and therefore lost the money that you could have earned, this can be compensated
  • ·You can receive payment for any and all pocket expenses that might have occurred
  • ·You are entitled to receive payment for all travel expenses
  • ·You can receive some fairly reasonable funeral expenses if the injury proves to be a fatal one
  • ·You can get a lump sum compensation for the injury at hand

To find out exactly what you are entitled to, seek legal advice from any kind of motor vehicle accident compensation lawyer. He or she is bound to tell you your best option.

If the injury in a motor vehicle accident proves to be a fatal one, note that the family of the deceased is entitled to an injury compensation claim via the Compulsory Third Party’s insurance. If the accident occurs while a person is going to work or heading home from work, you can get to compensate your motor vehicle injury.

All in all, after reading this one can concur that there are a lot of ways to get something out of a car accident. But, it is this writer’s advice to always pay a lot attention when you are in traffic.  Finally, if anyone should try to somehow fake the whole situation, like, for example, jumping on a moving car and then crying for compensation afterwards, know that that is called “Insurance Fraud” and it is highly punishable by law.

Thanks, Danny, for this advice, but let’s hope our pedestrians stay safe in their designated areas. Most of the time, it seems that calling the police would be the first thing to do so they can make out a report while everything is fresh on the affected driver/pedestrian’s minds. pb

General Safety Issues

TEN TOOLS EVERY HOMEOWNER NEEDS (GUEST POST)

Sent by Ryan Edun:

Assembling a proper toolkit for basic home maintenance can seem overwhelming. There are so many tools out there to purchase, and you may not be sure which ones you really need. The fact is that you will naturally assemble a collection of tools as you tackle projects and make improvements around the home. However, there are ten tools you should purchase as soon as you move into a home, so you will be ready for most little emergencies and repairs.

The Basic Hammer and a Pry Bar
Hammers and pry bars do go hand in hand, and it’s wise to have at least one of each. The hammers will come in handy when you are hanging pictures and mounting new window treatments. If you have new carpet put in your home, then you will need the hammer and the pry bar for removing the old trim.

Mixed Set of Screwdrivers
Whether you choose a simple set of 10 or the deluxe set of 50, you need a quality set of screwdrivers. Choose a portable one that you can carry into the house for those occasions when you aren’t sure what size you really need. These are ideal for assembling new furniture, taking toys out of packages and odd household repairs like installing new hardware on the kitchen cabinets.

Vise Grips
Vise grips are also referred to as locking pliers. They have a screw drive in the handle that allows you to adjust the jaws and change the size. These are vital for handling most plumbing repair emergencies or tightening up a leaky faucet. Have a few on hand in different sizes.

Drill
Most items on this list are hand tools, but you really need a drill. You never know when you will need to drill a hole or drive a screw into a stud. Without the drill, you will get a workout with these chores, so invest in a decent quality drill that will last.

Tape Measure
When it’s time to buy furniture, you will need a tape measure to know what size you can buy. The tape measure will also come in handy when you are buying window treatments and when you start getting into home improvements like a new deck.

Utility Knife
From cutting open packages that arrive in the mail to cleaning up a crack in the wall before you repair it, there are countless uses for a good utility knife.

Level
You don’t have to buy a fancy laser level for most home project. A simple 9-inch torpedo level will work for most homeowners who are just dipping their feet into DIY projects. You will want the level for everything from hanging pictures and shelves to building a railing for the patio.

Needle-Nose Pliers
Every time you need to grab something small, you are going to wish for a pair of needle-nose pliers. This tool features a long, tapered head that starts out wide and narrows out at a tiny point. Make this tool even more useful by choosing one with a wire-cutting blade positioned near the handle.

Saw
Whether you choose a handsaw, a circular saw or a cool miter saw, you need to have a saw in the house. The right one for you depends on the types of projects you are planning on doing. If you aren’t going to get into any major renovation projects, then you can probably choose a handsaw or a small, battery-powered circular saw.

Wire Cutter and Stripper
Most homeowners can handle replacing a light fixture, and it’s a relatively safe DIY project. However, you will have to strip the wires a little on the new fixture for it to work. This tool makes stripping the wires safe, effective and easy.

When you are moving into a new home, there are certain tools you need to have on hand. This basic collection of tools is an excellent start for most homeowners. It will allow you to handle most small projects around the house yourself. Invest in quality tools that will last a lifetime, and you won’t have to worry about them breaking when you need them the most.

Thanks, Ryan for these great tips. 

 

 

General Safety Issues

LEVERAGING CLOUD TECHNOLOGY TO SAFEGUARD AGAINST NATURAL DISASTERS (GUEST POST)

There is a close relation between disaster preparedness and cloud technology. Many small and medium sized enterprises are adopting cloud technology with the aim of improving their preparation for disaster. This move is paying off for businesses that invest in cloud technology.

Today’s small and medium enterprises are in a unique position to adopt the cloud, which does not just provide a competitive advantage but it also improves the ability of businesses to recover from disasters while protecting company information.

Many small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) cannot afford lengthy downtimes. Such companies should have the ability to recover quickly from a disaster. Cloud technology offers sound solutions and comprehensive data security measures that enable businesses to be better prepared for disasters. The technology also enables companies to recover quickly from natural disasters such as floods and fires as well as man-made problems like theft and destruction to property.

Businesses that adopt the technology early, especially in the area of server virtualization, enjoy even greater disaster preparedness. It is very important for companies to embrace innovation so that they respond better to challenges. In order for business owners to take advantage of the opportunity to improve disaster preparedness, they should take the following actions:

Start planning now

Business owners should device a disaster preparedness plan now. The plan should have an evaluation of how strategic technology such as cloud computing can help in such efforts.

Implement strategic technologies

For better disaster preparedness, small and medium sized businesses should adopt integrated cloud backup which offers offsite storage and disaster recovery. Cloud computing also offers automated physical to virtual backup conversion which allows businesses to easily recover data from applications like accounting programs and customer relations software.

Protect company information

Business owners can exploit cloud technology’s comprehensive security and backup solutions to protect their physical and mobile systems. Many business owners opt to backup in the cloud.

Review

Conduct a quarterly review of the company’s disaster preparedness.

The cloud environment is quite stable. Clients are allowed to perform technical due diligence to estimate the level of risk in a cloud solution. When choosing a cloud service provider, find out how the cloud is structured. Many cloud service providers have their data centers in stable countries that are not prone to political instabilities or any other natural disaster such as earthquakes or volcanic activities. This minimizes data loss due to natural or artificial factors.

Many cloud service providers allow business owners to undertake site visits and audits to find out the providers’ recovery time and point and to calculate the impact on the business in case of a failure.

About the author

Zoe Maldonado is a freelance writer and blogger for TechBreach who enjoys writing about all things mobile and electronic and spending time with her very active twin boys.

 

General Safety Issues

FIVE WAYS CITIES LOSE MONEY ON TICKETS (GUEST POST)

 Many people know that parking tickets and speeding/ traffic tickets constitute an important part of a city’s funding. However, they may not know that some cities lose almost all the money either on certain types of tickets or even all tickets. This is because the money from a traffic ticket does not just go directly into the city’s coffers. Instead, it is parceled out to various different agencies and funds, and a certain part is returned to or kept by the city. 

Let’s discuss in the subsequent paragraphs, some of the ways in which various cities and municipalities lose money on tickets. 

1. Ticket funding goes immediately to higher-level government.

In some cities and counties, all of the revenue from the tickets written in that area goes to the county or state. The higher-level government then parcels it out as they see fit. This can result in some cities getting more funding than they “earned” through tickets and others losing out. However, this method does help in ensuring that all cities or counties have adequate funds necessary to provide services, even if they cannot write as many tickets. As such, in these types of cities, ticket revenue has little or no bearing on the area’s funding. 

2. Traffic camera programs cost more than what they bring in.

In some cities and counties, traffic camera programs cost more than they earn. This can be surprising to some people, since they catch a lot of traffic offenders and bring in plenty of revenue. The programs are just so expensive that what they bring in is not always enough to make up for what they cost. 

Cities typically contract with outside companies to provide the traffic camera equipment and sometimes even the personnel to run it. These companies make money but the cities don’t always get a part of that money. It tends to depend on the type of contract that the city has with the camera operating company. In some cases, the city pays a flat fee and loses money or only breaks even based on the number of tickets they write. In other cases, each ticket is divided between the company and the city according to an agreed-upon percentage. 

Still, these programs remain popular both because they are seen as a safety measure and because they make the state money. For instance; in Arizona, the state takes 84 percent of every ticket, including the ones issued because of traffic cameras. So, even though the cities bear the burden of paying for the traffic camera systems, the state benefits from every additional ticket written because of them. 

Some cities turn around and put all of their traffic camera ticket revenue into installing more traffic cameras. Although the cities that do this are technically making money, they are not profiting from them. Because of the cost of traffic camera programs, it can be difficult for big cities to adequately cover their roadways. Instead, they expand their programs slowly in this manner. 

3. Most of the revenue earned in some cities goes to fund the court system.

Courts also have to be paid because not all criminals are in a position to bear the cost of their own trials. One of the ways that courts are funded in some states is through the money made from issuing traffic tickets. Courts and court-related expenses that these tickets fund include: 

  • State court systems
  • County court systems
  • City court systems
  • Judicial information systems
  • Judges’ salaries

4. Operating costs are higher than ticket revenue.

Because so much of the money from each ticket goes to other government agencies and outside companies, it is easy for the operating costs of the police department that writes the tickets to be higher than what they receive. The cost of maintenance and repairs on the police vehicles, the salaries of the officers, the information management related to issuing tickets, paying to send officers to court and providing training can easily be more than the total funds received through fines in a given period of time. It is easy to see how this is the case when a city writes only 200-500 tickets per month, yet has 5 officers performing this task. 

5. A large percentage of the ticket goes to a state fund.

In some areas, certain tickets go into state funds that are used to launch safety campaigns and compliance crackdowns. For example, as much as 50 percent of the money made from tickets for seat belt offenses or texting while driving goes to a state public safety fund in some states. These funds are used to create ads informing people about the dangers of not using seat belts as well as fund the additional manpower used to crack down on offenders. 

To conclude, we must understand that the traffic department does not issue tickets just to earn revenues and make easy money. It entails a lot of underlying issues which include promoting safety on roads and making citizens aware and responsible.  

Author Bio: Traffic attorney Scott Desind helps LA drivers fight tickets such as speeding, red light, stop sign traffic tickets. He shares his experiences on his blog and at various events.

General Safety Issues

APRIL IS NATIONAL 9-1-1 PUBLIC AWARENESS and EDUCATION MONTH

 For the past several days, we have learned to respect and appreciate our first responders, more than ever.  In Boston, we viewed the aftermath of two explosions, deliberately set to kill and hurt runners and bystanders at the Boston Marathon.  Within seconds, there were runners helping those who had been injured- police, firemen, SWAT teams, paramedics, EMT students, and physicians swarmed the scenes to treat and rush the victims to hospitals. 

Miles away, in the small town of West, Texas, again, the heroics were played out when a fire started near a fertilizer plant, and volunteer firefighters, paramedics and EMT students rushed to try to put out the blaze and assist with  injured.  Suddenly, the heat came too near ammonium nitrate being stored in the facility, and a huge explosion happened.  The explosion devastated a four-block radius of the plant, and many families have lost everything they had.  The death toll is now estimated to be 14, with the vast majority of those being first responders.  Approximately 200 persons were injured. 

It’s events such as these that we realize how truly important our first responders are.  This past week was spotlighted as National Public Safety Telecommunications Education Week, in order to promote awareness of proper practices when calling the emergency assistance number.  Behind the scenes, there are highly trained professionals who are the first persons to answer this life-saving number when a call is made.  Dispatchers take the calls and coordinate the response of emergency medical services, fire department, or local law enforcement.  

When 9-1-1 services are needed, we should understand how to place the call, as well as educate our children, too.  It is important that we describe the situation as carefully as possible, and give out any landmarks in order to assist the responders in finding your location.  Don’t text 9-1-1, as it won’t be received.  Don’t become frustrated with the dispatcher’s questions, as he/she probably already have a unit on the way, but it is helpful to the responding team to have as much advance information as possible. 

If you should call 9-1-1 by mistake, don’t hang up, because there will probably be a unit sent to your address.  Just stay on the line and explain what happened.  Teach your children never to play a prank call on anyone, especially that important number. 

Dispatchers are screened thoroughly and receive classroom and on-the-job training.  They are entrusted with medical information as well as the law enforcement side of the occasion. Stop and think how fortunate we are to have seen the display of courage that law enforcement, firefighters and medical teams play on an every-day basis.  It is times like these that we need to stop and be thankful that they stand at the ready.  And give a pat on the back to those dispatchers and others in the 9-1-1 call center that can save lives with a speedy response or just knowing how to talk to persons who are in highly emotional states at that time.

As has been mentioned several times: when there is an emergency, our fire departments, healthcare providers and law enforcement are headed toward the situation when everyone else is running away.

Ergonomics, Fall Safety, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection

TAMING THE WORKPLACE HAZARDS OF AN OFFICE (GUEST POST)

Sent by Jay Akers, from Safety Services, whose team works diligently writing and preparting safety programs, training, posters, and other safety information.

The average office setting may not seem like a place where accidents ever happen, but the truth is there are few places in which you’ll find as wide a range of ways to sustain an injury. Don’t let a safety hazard catch you off guard by assuming that it won’t happen to you. We’ve put together some ways you can stay safe at work.

Begin by arriving to work safely. It’s not unusual for office hours to begin at very early hours, and the roadways can be dangerous and dense with traffic. Among the thousands of sleepy drivers who just got out of bed, you’ll want to be as alert as possible. Maintain a healthy diet and get plenty of sleep. If you have the option to take public transportation, you can save yourself the trouble altogether.

Some of the most common workplace injuries are the result of slips, trips, and falls. Evaluate the entire work area for possible trips like computer cords, slips like work surfaces that can be slick when wet and falls, especially in the more dimly lit places.

Copy and fax machines, computers, overhead projectors – there are a lot of sources for loose electrical cords in your office. Keep them organized and out of the way. In a situation where there are many cords bundled in the same location, tie them together with a band or twist tie. Try not to position electrical equipment across a walkway from the outlet. If it’s unavoidable, run the cords under a rug. Check your hands to ensure they’re thoroughly dry before handling electrical cords and equipment.

Always use an approved ladder if you need to reach an upper shelving unit. Don’t climb on the shelving or create makeshift ladders (such as stacked boxes or an office chair). Stock the shelves with larger, heavier items on the bottom to address the risk of items falling on you. If you can anchor the shelving to the wall behind it, do so.

Watch out for puddles. Large or small, they’re just a slip and a fall waiting to happen. Keep an eye on the break room and the communal water cooler where spilled coffee or water is more likely. Immediately clean up spills, and make sure to put out a sign to let your coworkers know that the floor is wet, if the spill requires a mop.

Keep your office supplies contained and organized. Don’t leave papers lying around on the floor, and maintain smaller items such as pins, paper clips, and rubber bands in a container on your desk. Move items away from the desk’s edge so that you don’t accidentally knock them off.

Office furniture poses threats of its own. Make sure garbage cans are out of the walkways. Filing cabinet drawers left open are a good way to get a nasty gash. Before you sit down, check that your chair (especially if it has rollers) is in position so you don’t take a nasty spill on your rear. When you’re carrying a load down a walkway, ensure that the way ahead is clear and that you can see over the load.

Make sure everyone knows company procedures in the event of a fire, from attacking the fire to evacuation. Locate fire extinguishers in your building and take the time to learn how to use them. Keep in mind that not all fire extinguishers are designed to eliminate the same kind of fire – read labels, get training, and make it a habit to regularly check that the fire extinguishers inspections are up to date. If there isn’t one already, consider assembling a fire safety team in your office that can monitor the environment for potential fire hazards as well as take point in the organization of emergency evacuations.

Your surrounding environment isn’t the only source of safety hazards in an office. Because an office job often involves long periods of sitting, standing, lifting, and repetitive movements, your body is just a hazard waiting to turn against you.

Know your personal physical capacity before you lift or move a load. Get a buddy if it’s beyond that rather than putting your back at risk. Make sure you’re using proper lifting techniques.

Implement appropriate equipment and controls that address individual work requirements. Use anti-fatigue mats for shifts involving a lot of standing, ergonomically designed chairs and computer equipment for working at your desk, and safety gearsuch as gloves or back braces if your day involves a lot of lifting. Remember to mix it up throughout the day – get up, sit down, stretch, and shake your hands out. Try to rotate through different sorts of asks throughout the day so that musculoskeletal injuries don’t have the chance to build.

Stay safe at work by knowing what to watch for and how to disarm hazards before they surface. Your body and your wallet, free from overwhelming medical bills, will thank you.

 

General Safety Issues

EASIEST WAYS TO DRIVE SAFELY (GUEST POST)

Don Elfrink is our resident auto expert and the owner and operator of AutoMatStore.com, a company selling auto mats throughout the nation. Before AutoMatStore, Elfrink was the operator of an automotive production site. AutoMatStore focuses on logo, carpeted, molded and all weather floor mats. 

Easiest Ways to Drive Safely

Safety on the road is an enormously important topic for drivers of all ages. While many people think that young drivers are the most dangerous (and studies show they are the most likely to have accidents), there are plenty of older drivers who need to take a second look at what they’re doing behind the wheel. Some of the most innocuous seeming habits can be hugely detrimental when it comes to safety. Here are some of the most important things to stop doing right now.

Texting While Driving

It’s difficult to think of a topic that’s more in the news lately than texting while driving. It’s become a global cause of concern, and rightly so. Texting while driving is incredibly dangerous – it takes your focus completely off the road. It’s been linked to tens of thousands of accidents and fatalities, and numerous studies have pointed out that texting while you’re behind the wheel is actually more dangerous than drinking and driving. Thankfully, law enforcement is stepping up their efforts to curb this dangerous, negligent behavior (another good reason to put down the phone and concentrate on driving).

Talking on the Phone

While most people think that texting on the phone is dangerous, but talking on the phone is fine, that’s actually untrue. When you’re having a conversation on the phone, you’re splitting your concentration between two tasks. Even if you’re not one of those people who have to talk with their hands, you’ll find that having conversations while driving is very dangerous. Put the phone down and concentrate on what you’re doing – invest in a hands-free system if you have to use the phone while driving. Many newer vehicles are now coming with built-in Bluetooth systems that connect your phone directly to your vehicle’s audio system for easier communication with less danger.

Eating While Driving

Are you one of those people who routinely cram down a fast food burger while traveling 70 miles per hour down the interstate? If so, it’s time to put down the burger and put both hands on the wheel. Many people think that eating while driving is less dangerous than talking on the phone or texting, but that’s really not the case. It can be all too easy to become distracted while eating – spilling condiments, slipping buns and spilled drinks can all add up to disaster. While eating on the go is often a necessity these days, do yourself and everyone else you’ll meet while on the road a favor and pull over to eat.

Slow Down and Remain Vigilant

Too often, drivers become desensitized to the danger they’re in every time they get on the road. Familiarity breeds contempt, after all. However, you have to remember that you are operating a dangerous vehicle, and that there are other people around you. Slow down and pay attention to what you’re doing and where you’re going. Don’t let the banality of the daily commute inure you to the danger posed by operating an automobile – more people die every year in car wrecks than any other way combined.

Cultivate a Sense of Caution

Perhaps the most important tip for driving safely is to cultivate a sense of caution when you’re on the road. Think about it – you’re driving a vehicle that weighs a ton or more at high speeds in close proximity to other vehicles. The potential for danger, accidents and even death is bigh enough even without adding in dangerous habits like texting or eating while driving.

Driving with safety and care while avoiding bad habits like texting behind the wheel can help save your life as well as the lives of other drivers.