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Ten Ways To Use Armco Barriers For Protection

Armco Direct 

Armco barriers are an excellent way of offering maximum protection to pedestrians, buildings, equipment and expensive machinery.

Whether it’s intended or not, when a moving vehicle collides with something, it has the potential to wreak havoc, causing costly damage and injury in the process.

Constructed from the toughest steel, Armco barriers are galvanised to BS 1461 standards and are exactly what’s needed to stand in the way of a moving vehicle, taking the brunt of the impact and protecting whatever lies behind it.

When you install an Armco barrier in a warehouse, car park, shop front, pedestrianised area or side of a private road, you know that no moving vehicle is getting past it, no matter how hard it tries.

Reasons Armco Barriers are used

Here are ten popular industrial ways to use Armco Barriers for protection:

  • In front of shops and retail outlets to prevent ram raiding and theft.
  • To protect pedestrianised areas from out of control vehicles or acts of terrorism.
  • Used in agriculture to segregate and contain livestock, where fencing may not be as effective.
  • To protect warehouse equipment, workers, pallet racking, wall structures and shelving from collision with a forklift.
  • Used in warehouse loading bays to prevent injury to workers when loading and unloading HGVs.
  • Used in car parks for crash barrier protection and to ensure vehicles only go where they’re supposed to.
  • For tree protection on building sites where trees are present and the local authority has stipulated that they must be protected from damage.
  • Armco Barriers can act as a visual deterrent to trespassers to indicate an area which is unsafe, or should not be entered.
  • They can be used on the side of roads to prevent out of control vehicles from straying off the road or onto the opposing carriageway.
  • And they can be used on bridges to prevent out of control vehicles from leaving the bridge and falling into the water below.

Armco crash barrier and other protection products, such as bollards and beams, will faultlessly ensure whatever needs to be protected, will indeed be protected, offering peace of mind to all involved that their equipment, machinery, stock or personnel will remain safe, regardless of the situation.

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Why You Should Get Forklift Certified Online

The ​forklift certification​ process can vary based on who is providing the training. A formal instructional or educational training on forklift operation must be provided. This can include a lecture, online training courses and videos, written materials and study guides and other educational information on forklift operation and safety.   The research shows us that a high volume of the forklift accidents reported are attributed to human error. This could be due to numerous reasons from negligence of the operator to unfamiliarity with the operating equipment.

In this article we are going to be discussing why you should get forklift certified online! We are going to be taking a look at the numerous benefits that come with being forklift certified and how to get the ball rolling and finally get forklift certified.

Why Certification Matters

When it comes to operating forklifts there are all sorts of associated risks and dangers that can impact business. Forklift certification results in minimising risks and having a solid risk management strategy in place.

So, it makes sense that when it comes to being a forklift operator, certification is crucial for best business practices. The certificate serves the purpose of demonstrating that the operator is sufficiently trained and able bodied to operate the equipment.

The Benefits of Getting Forklift Certified

It is pretty obvious why certification is necessary for forklift operators. The appropriate training must be carried out to best minimise potential dangers and risks that come with the nature of the job.

Not only is it great for forklift operators themselves, but it’s good for business also! Research shows us that companies which adopt and successfully implement a strong forklift training program are more likely to succeed in numerous avenues.

Firstly, the cost to the business is lowered because staff are adequately trained and more competent when using the equipment. This results in the reduction of how many forklift accidents occur and, as such, lowers the potential costs associated with accidents and their downtime.

The implementation of inspections before every shift is another fantastic way to minimize associated dangers and work on developing the skills of the operator.

Not only is being forklift certified safer for the operator, better for business, and beneficial for the bottom line, but it is also an OSHA requirement.

How to Get Forklift Certified

Did you know that you can get forklift certified online? It’s true! At first it does seem like it would be necessary to have physical training, but this course isn’t about teaching you how to drive a forklift! Instead, it is about satisfying OSHA safety requirements.

So if you are already an experienced operator, then online forklift certification is perfect for you. Once the training is completed, your certification will be current for the next 3 years. Most courses are set up by your employer because it is their responsibility to ensure the safety of all operators as per the ​Occupational Safety and Health Administration​.

What You Need to Know to Get Started

So now that you have successfully established whether or not this particular forklift certification is right for you, we are going to explain a little further about exactly what is involved.

The course only takes about 1 to 2 hours. However, this is just the average time that students take and you are able to take absolutely as long as you need. You can even intermittently work on the course requirements and come back at another time convenient to you to finish it.

You must pass the test by achieving 70% or more correct answers. Also reliant on completion is ensuring your employer satisfies training requirements, evaluations, and reviews.

This online certification course successfully meets OSHA requirements and provides you with additional training that gives you an edge amongst your colleagues.

If you’ve never driven a forklift, know that you can learn at places like trade schools, trucking schools, and local community colleges.

However, if you have identified that forklift certification is precisely what you need at this time in your career, then get online to get your certification fast! As mentioned above, in just 1 to 2 hours you can become completely OSHA compliant. Start your online training today!

AUTHOR: Norm Lanier BIO: Norm Lanier is the owner of US Forklift, providing online OSHA-required forklift safety training and certification for as little as $28.

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Do you have Insomnia? What to do to get a good night’s sleep?

Written by Simon Morris

If you have Insomnia and don’t get enough or perfect sleep in the night, then you are absolutely standing the right place. It is because in the same article you are going to meet some good techniques and tips by which you easily get a perfect sleep at night. Insomnia is a disease in which a person isn’t able to sleep at night. After performing so much time and techniques also the person who is suffering from insomnia is don’t able to sleep properly.

Therefore, now the major question that arises here is what that person needs to do in order to tackle the problem of insomnia? Well, there are several simple methods present which people have to follow when they have insomnia. Among all the methods one of the best is counting sheep. In the same method, the person who is suffering from insomnia thinks that he is standing in a ground which is fully filled with sheep. After then, he has to start counting the sheep and count them all properly. By doing the same task, one becomes able to get a good sleep at night.

Take proper diet and use a good mattress

Well, the same thing which you listen to here is the most important among all to get a perfect sleep at night. One should know that taking the proper and fully enriched diet with nutrients and minerals help a person in getting off all types of sleep-related problems. People have to take that diet which is heavy or which help them out in getting more and a perfect sleep at night.

Another major thing on which they have to pay more attention is the sleeping process. They have to know that in order to get good sleep they have to choose the best and most appropriate type of mattress. It is because sleeping on it is scientifically good advice as it helps in getting proper sleep. Also, if a person wants to enjoy the proper sleep, then that person has to take a proper position to asleep in which that person feel more comfortable and relax.

Perform physical exercises regularly or take sleeping pills

These two are also the best methods to overcome the problem of sleeping related activities when you have insomnia. One should know that they have to do some physical exercises regularly on a daily basis as to become healthier and to get proper sleep. Yes, by doing the physical exercises a person’s calories burn, and then he required to take rest, and as a result, that person gets a good sleep at night.

On the other side, if a person isn’t able to sleep properly even after following all the methods or techniques which are mentioned above, then the last option is taking sleeping pills. It is the simplest and easiest method to make a deal with the same process. People who are suffering from insomnia only have to take pills, and then they simply get an appropriate sleep at night.

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Road Resurfacing Simplified

Critical data collected at highway speed

By Jeff Winke

Traditionally, highway resurfacing projects have been a challenge, not only for the contractor, but the inconvenienced community through which the road passes. To collect the project data needed to perform the resurface, typically required lane closures and a team of surveyors collecting data points from along the side of the road with diverted traffic whizzing past.  It was a slow, cumbersome, and dangerous process, that affected the daily commuter flow and affected the contractor’s project timeline.

But things are better.

Designed to work at the speed of highway traffic, the Topcon SmoothRide resurfacing system is intended to safely assist road resurfacing contractors without the need for road or lane closures. The system is fully automated with GNSS and sonic tracker control. It is designed to deliver accurate thickness boundaries while maintaining projected yield. It eliminates the need for survey strings, averaging skis, and lasers.

“In most situations, it’s inconvenient or impossible, to shut down a road and map its surface using traditional point-to-point surveying methods,” says Murray Lodge, senior vice president and general manager of the Topcon Positioning Group Construction Business Unit. “We’ve developed a way to scan roads at highway speeds with no need for lane closures, crash trucks, escorts or any other typical road survey collection obstacles. With the new RD-M1 scanning unit, the system maps the existing surface elevations — with many more points captured versus what can be expected with traditional tools — providing more accurate data needed to confidently estimate materials, as well as form the basis of the final design surface.”

The SmoothRide system uses a Topcon RD-M1 (Realistic Dimension – Mapping One) Road Resurfacing Scanner that is attached to a vehicle, typically a pick-up truck. The downward facing laser scanner connects to a standard tow hitch or the front of any vehicle with standard tow hooks. With using standard tow hitches and hooks, the scanner is designed to be easy to remove and adapt to any vehicle, thus eliminating the need to have a dedicated vehicle to operate the RD-M1. The unit is designed to collect millions of points at scan rates of up to 100 times per second.

Cruising at normal highways speeds, the 3-D surface scanning can cover miles of road in a short time. The collected data is automatically timestamped and stored for the next step of data management and point cloud generation. The mounted scanner captures millions of data points that are collected safely from the cab of the truck or car. Topcon points out that the driver can begin a road-surface surveying session by simply clicking the start button on their laptop computer and go.

The RD-M1 employs Collect 2.0 graphical collection software, which features an interface status bar that indicates the optimum speed for collecting road information based on the project requirements. Capturing road details at proper speed helps enable SmoothRide to deliver the best possible results.

“I like that we can collect accurate topos while driving 50 miles per hour,” stated Chris Smithson, project manager with Big Creek Construction, Lorena, TX. “We used it recently on a 3.5-mile section of Ranch Road 2838 in Mexai, TX where we were able to give the State more accurate cross sections and dirt quantities on the two-lane road and shoulders project we worked on. It saved us time and money.”

Knowing the surface details in advance allows the contractor to successfully plan for an accurate material calculation, which can help with knowing how much asphalt or milling will be required for the project. SmoothRide is considered to be especially appropriate for mainline paving or milling projects requiring long sections of road that needs resurfacing.

A feature called Memos is designed to allow operators to create balloons with messages on the map. The collected data can also be made visible in the processing software — enabling specific site conditions to be noted for future reference.

A Manage Runs feature is designed to enable operation without necessitating an internet connection. The software display’s large buttons which are intended to make using a tablet or laptop with touch screen easier. Operators can copy data collections to a USB drive, delete them from the hard drive, and add or remove them from the manager.

The RD-M1 Collect 2.0 software has a Plan Route feature that allows for the import of kml files of predetermined routes, designed to help ensure that nothing is missed during the data collection run.

“Using the map downloader, operators can be assured of having all map details visible while collecting data, without the need of an internet connection. Additionally, overlapping locations can be managed by creating areas where predefined overlaps are required for the project,” said Kriss Maas, manager of machine control, Topcon. “The detailed road surface scanning can be used to create and manage large point cloud information with our intuitive ‘Mobile Master Office’ software. The data can then be seamlessly transferred into MAGNET Office software’s ‘Resurfacing’ module to bring out the full array of software features needed to meet smoothness and cross slope requirements, while adhering to any minimum or maximum thickness specified for the job.”

The SmoothRide system can assist contractors with variable depth milling and achieve uniform thickness in paving. The system is said to eliminate the time and costs of survey work and to benefit bid and spec jobs in advance by providing more accurate surface data.

“For rehabilitation and maintenance projects, the system simplifies scanning the existing roadway surface, which we can then use for building the model for automatic machine control of our cold planers,” said Ryan Zenahlik, technology specialist for Pavement Recycling Systems, Inc., Jarupa Valley, CA.

The system is said to reduce the costs and need for survey work, and to benefit bid and spec jobs in advance by providing more accurate surface data.

“We use the 3D scanner part of SmoothRide as a survey tool to safely collect the data we need and eliminate hours of cross-section measurements,” stated John Dowalter, survey and machine control manager for Shelly and Sands, Zanesville, Ohio. “The system’s RD-M1 Scanner is great for capturing bridge approaches that sometimes have a big skew leading up to the bridge surface. That feature helped tremendously on a recent resurfacing section of I-71 between Columbus and Cleveland, which has a number of bridges that could have occupied hours of time for my crew.”

In summary, the Topcon SmoothRide system is designed to offer 3D scanning collected while driving the job-site road, which is said to replace hours of surveyor-obtained cross-section measurements. The system’s software is designed to deliver confidence throughout the paving and milling process by providing the key data needed to complete the job accurately to spec. As Topcon would phrase it, this resurfacing roadwork system fits squarely in the intersection of infrastructure and technology.

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Jeff Winke is a business and construction writer based in Milwaukee, Wis. He can be reached through jeff_winke@yahoo.com.

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How To Write A Health And Safety Policy For Your Business

If you are running a business, you have to take care of workplace health and safety. This is not only a legal requirement but also a real-life necessity that is designed with the purpose to protect your employees from all sorts of occupational hazards.

The International Labor Organization estimates that some 2.3 million people around the world succumb to work-related accidents or diseases every year. It’s a huge figure that can be reduced easily by following the latest security standards.

The first step in the employee-protection process is to create a solid health and safety policy. If you don’t know how to do it, keep reading to see our step-by-step guide.

Key Segments of the Health and Safety Policy

Health and safety policies don’t have to be the same everywhere, but the vast majority of companies stick to the same structure. The simplest model includes three basic components regulating workplace safety as a whole. The three elements are:

  • A statement of intent

Jake Gardner, a safety officer at EssaysOnTime AU, says that the statement of intent should be a general overview of the organization’s plan to protect employees in the workplace: “This is where you need to explain company’s security objectives and tell workers that you expect compliance with the official procedures.”

  • Organizational structure

The second section describes the individual responsibilities of each person in the chain of command. Your team members need to understand who is in charge of what and who to consult with in case of safety issues. At the same time, you must set up clear security instructions and protocols. The list of other duties mostly depends on the character of your own business, but you should definitely consider details such as the roles and accountabilities, title descriptions, management charts, and so on.

  • Arrangements

The third section determines specific arrangements that help you to implement the health and safety policy. This segment consists of concrete details such as employee training requirements, housekeeping, safety equipment list, machine maintenance, noise reduction, fire prevention, emergency situation protocols, accidents, and reporting.

If necessary, your health and safety policy can contain additional information concerning on-premise risk reduction signs, security guards, lighting improvements, and similar details.

How to Write and Implement a Health and Safety Policy

Now that you know the basic structure of the document, you should focus on creating it. Once again, the process can vary depending on the peculiarities of your business, but we can show you a five-step guide that works well in most cases. Let’s take a look:

  • Appoint a health and safety officer

Each company needs to hire a professional to perform the role of the health and safety officer. It is a person who has the skills, education, and practical experience to manage the process.

  • Write the policy

The next step in the process is to actually write a health and safety policy. The officer you appoint should be able to complete the job on his/her own and cover every segment we mentioned above (statement of intent, organizational structure, and arrangements). If you need external assistance to get the job done, you can always consult with professional writing services such as Australian writing to help you with policy writing.

  • Risk assessment

Writing a policy is one thing, but risk assessment is something different. Mark Hudson, a member of the writing services who specializes in work protection, says a safety manager must identify the risks employees are facing in the workplace and find a way to prevent possible accidents.

  • Employee education and training

Employee education and training are very important for the implementation of the policy. Make sure to organize a sufficient number of training sessions and repeat lessons on a regular basis, especially if you are about to add new elements to your policy.

  • Get liability insurance

Liability insurance is what keeps you protected against injury compensations. Once you’ve taken the necessary steps to ensure workplace safety, you can handle injury-induced compensation requests through employer’s liability insurance.

Now that you’ve completed the entire process, the only thing left is to monitor the implementation. There are all sorts of mechanisms to keep an eye on safety procedures, but we recommend you to pay close attention to the following:

  • See whether your employees really respect safety measures in everyday work.
  • Analyze monthly reports from your health and safety manager.
  • Take an occasional walk through the facility to check for possible safety threats.
  • Talk to your employees to hear their opinion about the current situation in the field or workplace protection. Ask them to give you suggestions on how to improve.

Practical Benefits of Having a Health and Safety Policy

Some entrepreneurs consider it to be a routine job without practical value, but workplace safety is actually very important for every organization. It brings you all sorts of benefits, with the fundamental features being these:

  • It proves professional responsibility and shows that your organization is taking care of health and safety issues.
  • The policy prevents occupational hazards and keeps your employees protected 24/7.
  • The system is designed with the purpose to ensure effortless functioning and allows employees to focus on their work only.
  • It gives instructions in case of emergency.
  • The strategy defines the rules of behavior in your company.
  • The policy saves you time and money because you won’t have to deal with frequent workplace incidents. That way, you won’t have to go through expensive and time-consuming follow-ups.
  • This is also how you diminish sick leave and improve employee retention.
  • Companies with strong health and safety policies are building a professional reputation.

Conclusion

A health and safety policy is extremely important if you want to run a successful business. The system is designed so as to protect workers from getting injured and to prevent possible lawsuits against employers.

In this post, we explained to you how to create a health and safety policy for your organization. Make sure to follow our tips and your employees will stay perfectly safe at all times.

Author Bio

Michael Gorman is a security analyst at the best dissertation writing service and a part-time content creator at https://www.paperwritingpro.com/ and Buy College Essays Online. Michael specializes in cybersecurity, but his portfolio is much broader as he also writes about topics such as self-improvement and personal development. If not working, Michael is probably out jogging or playing basketball with his friends. Feel free to contact him via Facebook or check his Twitter.

 

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Now Select Electricians According to their Specialization!

Written by Eada Hudes

Emergencies can come knocking at your door anytime. The main problem occurs when you are not at all prepared for it. Similarly, electrical emergency can occur any day and at any time. No matter in what scale electrical emergency shows up, it always causes a lot of inconvenience. It doesn’t matter whether it’s just one light flickering every now and then or some spark leading to complete blackout, the sooner steps are taken to put things back in order, the better it is for everyone.

Electricity can be very dangerous if it comes in direct contact with human beings. Handling electrical complications without having proper skill and tools can prove to be fatal. So it is always advisable to never touch electrical wires and always seek help from an emergency electrician. Ambient Electrical based in Sydney promises to provide you with emergency electrician without wasting any time. They provide 24/7 service and there is no third party involved. You will just be asked a few quick questions by the owner to have an understanding of your electrical emergency.

Various specialization of electricians:

Like any other jobs, even electricians have certain specialization. An electrician dealing with industrial machineries might not be well acquainted with household complications and with the problem of overloading. So, before seeking help from a licensed electrician in Sydney, make sure to mention the exact kind of electrical emergency you are facing. The company will make sure to send someone having complete knowledge on how to handle the specific problem. Else if they send someone who is not well acquainted with the issue, it can complicate things unnecessarily. Here are a few specialized electricians you might want to hire:

⦁ Commercial: These kinds of electricians have a specialization of working with the electrical systems found in commercial stores, offices and commercial buildings. The scope of commercial electricians is bigger than that of residential electricians, especially when it comes to various installations. Commercial electricians hardly work under the supervision of a private individual contractor; rather they work under electrical or private company. Their job includes installation, upgrading and troubleshooting electrical systems.

 

⦁ Residential: Residential electricians are the most common kind of electricians. Their work is mainly constricted to residential areas and it ranges from fixing or replacing a socket that has been broken to planning and designing wiring system for installing in homes. They might either work independently or under the supervision of a contractor. Residential electricians mainly works in apartments, condos, houses or any other residential building for installing lights, ceiling fans or fixing the electrical system.

 

⦁ Industrial: Industrial electricians are the ones who mainly take up big projects, unlike residential electricians. However, their work is mainly restricted to industrial facilities like big factories and processing plants. Their work mainly incorporates making sure that all the heavy machineries are working without any glitch and handling programmable logic centres that are nothing but specialized computer systems that has control over features like security systems, lighting and various other industry specific processes.

⦁ Maintenance: As the name suggests, maintenance electrician do not work on new buildings instead they are responsible for maintaining the existing or old buildings, electrical wise. Along with maintenance, they are responsible for repairing and upgrading the existing systems. However, their work is not restricted to just residential buildings but they also work in industries. Sometimes, some private companies hire long term electricians for maintenance purpose to ensure that all the systems and machineries are working smoothly, without any glitches.

These are the few specializations of electricians whom you might hire according to your specific need. There is a few more kind of electricians apart from these too. You need to make sure that you are specifying your needs explicitly to get the right kind of assistance.

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How to Make Your New Office Safe for Employees



For many employers, the safety of your labor force is only considered important if you are in the construction or in the manufacturing industry, where people have to manage giant equipment. Industries need to start understanding that employees want to be reassured that they will be safe in all senses of that word. This means both physically and otherwise.

An employee should be able to feel that their office is not just built well but harbors an environment where they are able to express their opinions safely. It does not matter what the size of your operations are or how many different types of departments work under you. The safety of your employees should be one of the top priorities of running a business.

Here are some of the top ways you can do that.

Evaluate Where the Problem Areas Lie

The first step in making your office more safe and secure is by analyzing where the problem areas in your office really are. Think about how the area is built, and where most likely will people hurt themselves. After this, it helps if you make a list of all the safety procedures that need reviewing. It is very important that your managers get the necessary and constructive input from your workers. This is more efficient and helps cover areas or things that you may have missed. Therefore, always work from the bottom instead of implementing procedures from top down.

Because your employees spend time in an area more than you. Even if it is their first day at a workplace, they know that they are going to be spending most of their time in this place and are likely to examine it keeping in mind everything they will use and space they will venture on a daily basis.

One very important place that most business owners overlook is their emergency protocols. If the place you bought or rented for an office space does not have an evacuation plan, make one. The truth is that many safety plans in office buildings have been outdated for a while. If you have never had to go through an emergency situation before, you are probably not even going to think about this. Therefore, the people who work for you have no idea how to act or where to go in an emergency evacuation. This is why it is so important that you consider holding a yearly review of all safety protocols and equipment in place with your staff.

Secure all Equipment

Currently, the most common ways employees get injured in the workplace is because of equipment. Offices need to list and update the most basic equipment that ensure safety. These include fire alarms, fire extinguishers, gloves, first aid kit, warning signs for wet floors, back braces for those who lift heavy items, ladders or step stools so that your employees can place and reach for things placed on higher shelves.

Furniture can also cause injuries. Sometimes, handles of cabinets may hurt you if they have a nail or some piece sticking out. It may injure you while opening it. Office movers of Florida can set up the furniture in your office safely.

The best way to go about ensuring office safety is to get rid of the cause of these hazards. After all, prevention is better than treating later. The office equipment should help in avoiding the escalation of minor issues.

Train Your Staff

No matter what program you are introducing, training is extremely vital in order to make sure that the people who work for you are on the same page as you. Without this, all the hard work that you have put into making the place safer may not work, if for example, your staff does not know how to work a fire extinguisher.
These tips will help employees stay safe even at home. It’s important to keep your house clean but it’s important to keep your office clean as well.

It works if you hold a brief meeting regarding this topic once a month. It is necessary that the program you have drafted for this training progresses by offering more thorough instructions as time passes on.

These training meetings should also have test runs done to see how your employees act in an emergency, or when another colleague needs assistance. The best part about this is that your employees will not spend precious minutes wondering what they need to do to get to safety, ensuring that things run smoothly and in a productive manner.

Always Review

There is always room for improvement. Here safety programs are no exception. Managers and business owners will always commit to a consistent pattern and review all safety and emergency plans. This should take place at least once a year, owing also to the fact that most safety equipment require to be updated in 12 months’ time.
You should not stop yourself from constantly addressing and at the same time redefining the needs of your company, as they may evolve or change. A good idea would be to get bulletin boards and suggestion boxes which assist the management is staying on top of environmental hazards and impending shortages in equipment.

 Author Bio:
James Crook is a passionate technology and lifestyle blogger. He loves to get engaged with the readers who are seeking for home, lifestyle, and tech-related information on the internet. Currently associated with NYC moving company All Around Moving which specializes in arranging and assembling services of professional and skilled local movers locally in New York City as well as areas in New Jersey, Connecticut and the Miami Dale area in South Florida for their blog operations. Follow @jamescrook911 for more updates.
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Important Safety Factors to Consider When Operating a Crane

Technology has made using cranes safer than ever, but there’s only so much the right tools can do. Most of the responsibility still lies in how they are operated. There are lots of things that can go wrong if you don’t know what you’re doing. Here are some of the most important things to watch out for.

1. The organization

 

Organization is the heart of the whole process. Good coordination is what it takes to avoid any accidents, which is why it’s important to have someone at the head of the operation. This person is called the lift director. Before getting anything off the ground you have to assign a lift director. They bear the brunt of the responsibility for the crane lift and they have to keep everything in check.

 

As the lift director, he or she has to be able to provide the necessary directions to anyone on the project, including the crane operator. They have to provide answers for any questions regarding the lift and reassure everyone that safety precautions have been taken. Most of the time, the lift director is responsible for any successful crane lifts, but their primary role is making sure every person working and every piece of equipment is safe.

 

 

2. A dedicated spotter

 

The actual process of lifting is the next thing you should focus on. When it comes to getting cranes to lift things, increasing spatial awareness should be one of your primary goals. For starters, get yourself a dedicated spotter. This person will be your eyes and ears during the project, but they will mostly be your eyes. It’s not just about the movement of the crane and load, it’s also about anything that can get in the way of them.

 

The crane operator has to know if they have a spotter underneath them. Without a spotter, you will risk harming more than just the heavy load being transported, there’s significant risk involved for other workers and structures. If there is no spotter and the crane operator’s vision is obscured in some areas, you must come up with another way to assist them.

 

3. Proper equipment

 

The lift director doesn’t just organize the lift in question, they also make key decisions when it comes to the equipment being used for the process. Every worker has to have personal protective equipment on them. Companies like OSHA in the United States have strict requirements on the quality of equipment used on all job sites. This equipment works to reduce worker exposure to hazards in the job site, and lifting with cranes exposes them to a lot of hazards.

 

The most important piece of equipment during a crane lift is the crane itself. If there’s anything you shouldn’t cut corners on, it’s the crane. Not every construction company has the highest quality cranes on disposal, which is why some opt to use the services of companies such as Advance cranes to hire a crane. Whatever your source, you should make sure it’s the best choice you can get.

 

4. Hazards exist

 

Every kind of risk on the job site has to be recognized and taken care of. Explain to your workers all the different things that can go wrong and guide them towards reducing the risks involved. The first thing that comes to mind is the crane failing and dropping its load. This isn’t the most common type of risk on the job site, but it’s still important to never have anyone below the load.

 

Other kinds of risks include problems with terrain and environment. Cranes weigh many tons and if the ground isn’t stable, it might sink or tip to one side and cause injury. The load might not directly harm anyone, but shrapnel is a real risk. It can destroy a structure or anything on the ground, causing pieces of those things to spread far and wide while moving at incredible speed. It’s a recipe for worker injury. This is part of why you need to equip your workers with proper safety gear. Exposure to fumes from equipment also needs to be taken care of.

 

Conclusion

Having an important project underway sometimes gets people in a hurry. Lifting things with a crane is one place you have to be patient. Things can go wrong fast and you don’t want to file workers’ compensation claims. With this in mind, follow these steps and you’ll be on your way to have a safer work environment.

 

About the author
Liam Smith is a young and aspiring Australian blogger with a passion for everything related to home, design and lifestyle. He has a B.Sc. in Interior design and is an avid reader.
https://twitter.com/LiamSmith2034
https://www.linkedin.com/in/liamsmith2034
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Health And Safety Considerations For Employees Working Abroad

Guest Blog by Jamie Costello

Before taking up a job opportunity abroad, employees need to be advised of the basic health and safety guidelines that may be applicable to their new role. There should still be procedures in place to ensure the employee’s wellbeing, no matter where in the world they are. With this in mind, here’s a look at some health and safety considerations for employees working abroad.

 

Travelling

The job role may require an employee to travel to one site or possibly several, depending on the requirements. Many jobs will involve air travel. There are a few health concerns often associated with long-haul flights that an employee should consider, such as: deep vein thrombosis, ear popping, dehydration and jet-lag. If any employee is unsure of health and safety risks associated with travelling for work, they can consult the guidelines published by the Department of Health.

Health Risks

Many countries also carry health risks specific to that area. For example, a great deal of African and southeast Asia counties will require the traveller to have a Cholera jab and sometimes Hepatitis A & B vaccination before entering. Travellers should consult their doctor who will be able to advise them on what vaccinations they may need before setting off. The list of health risks for certain countries is constantly changing as diseases come and go. For the up-to-date risks, employees should check back with the World Health Organisation website regularly.

Laws And Culture

It’s no surprise that every country will have different laws and cultures. For the employees safety and out of respect, they should familiarise themselves with the customs of each place. What may seem innocent in the UK may be considered a crime elsewhere – for example hand gestures or drinking alcohol. In some cases, some businesses may make it a priority to brief employees on what will be expected of them upon arrival. In addition to understanding customs and traditions, travellers should also be made aware of the problems that might arise from the language barrier.

Crime And Security

Much like with outbreaks of diseases, some countries have higher crime rates than others. Foreign visitors can often be targets for muggings, kidnappings and violence. Employees should be given advice on steps to avoid trouble, including: locking personal belongings away in a safe at their accommodation, keeping valuables in zipped pockets, and avoiding high crime areas whenever possible.

Consider The Climate

Staff may be asked to relocate to an area with unpredictable or sometimes dangerous weather. They could experience extremes of temperature, monsoons, hurricanes or storms. Before travelling, employees should be advised on the risks that are associated with sunburn, skin cancer and hypothermia.

Mental Wellbeing

Working abroad can take a toll on a person’s mental wellbeing. This could be feelings of isolation, sickness, frustration in language barriers and pressure with workloads. In these situations, an employee may be required to provide support. This is particularly appropriate for staff who are working abroad for long periods of time for example those moving to UK from US, separated from family and friends.

Emergency Situations

There are countless eventualities that could occur as a result of being abroad. Unpredictable instances like natural disasters, outbreaks of disease, political trouble, or a spike in crime. All of these incidents could end up putting an employees health and safety at risk. Businesses should provide employees with information regarding where to go in case of each emergency, including details about all the facilities available. The employer should also set up arrangements to ensure an instant response in the case of an emergency.

Uncategorized

10 Good Characteristics of Effective Safety Leader

A disaster-prone, disorganized worksite can indicate one of two things: bad safety leadership or poor safety culture. In most cases, it is both. Crisis management is more than just leadership. It is an intervention and a state of mind. If you are handling crisis and managing a safety program, you are the essential tool for making the worksite function. That being said, organized and effective work requires an effective safety leader.

There are different titles for safety professionals, such as safety experts or managers, or EHS specialists. However, when it comes to safety – they all have the same final goal – to be a leader who promotes safety and keeps people safe.

‘’Everyone can be a safety leader. It can be the shift supervisor, some frontline workers, or the production manager. Whichever you are, you need to possess the following 10 characteristics that come adjacent to the job title.’’ – says Mickey Torres, HR manager at an assignment service.

1.    A Steward of Job Safety

A safety leader is the very first person who brings all attention to job safety. Safety is their priority. Therefore, they consistently and properly wear the equipment and guide people to do the same. A safety leader joins committees and boards that make an example among the workplace, and ensures that every employee is properly informed and trained to use the equipment.

Safety is all about the people. That being said, in addition to ensuring that workers have the proper training to do their job safely, a safety leader cares about the employee’s health. A good leader will hire competent employees, train them and ensure that they are healthy and prepare to do their tasks.

This is where the rules and regulations of a company come in place. Such regulations are the backbone of the safety strategies of the leader, and governments add to this by providing a wide range of safety and health laws and benefits.

2.    Fast Responder

Every leader has to act fast. It is the trait of successful leaders, but the importance of fast reactions is emphasized in the safety business. Employees will raise concerns and at times, their actions will too. With that in mind, a safety leader must respond quickly to the safety concerns and issues raised to protect the employees and correct the deficiencies.

3.    Safety Regulations

You can’t be a true professional unless you build your professional learning curve. A great safety leader is always informed on the current safety regulations. They do this by networking with other professionals, reading materials on safety and regulations, attending conferences, and researching the internet.

There is always something new that comes up on the safety horizon. Whether it is a new strategy to implement safety measures or a new method of safety training, a great safety leader always keeps up.

4.    Meeting Deadlines

If a safety leader leaves open-ended issues, this can lead to disasters. Whether it is employee training or buying safety equipment, a good safety leader does things in a timely measure. They finish everything they start as effectively and efficiently as possible. Whenever possible, they break the big tasks into small chunks and set an allotted timeframe for their completion.

5.    Attention to Details

Issues happen no matter how organized you are or how hard you try to anticipate. As a good safety leader, you need to respond fast to issues and be prepared to handle them. Look for ways to improve the strategies and the process that lead to it. Anticipate issues aggressively before they become serious. Attention to details leads to prevention, which is always better than damage control.

6.    Accountability

You want to be a true leader? If you do, you need to learn to hold people accountable for their actions, including yourself. Great leaders motivate the employees, but part of the motivation process is led by accountability. The tolerance level can remain high, but without accountability, workers won’t be able to improve their work and safety will remain highly endangered.

7.    Solutions

Instead of giving managers a safety problem to solve, a great leader will provide them with a solution. Being a leader means being an expert in the safety field, which is why your manager will expect from you to find a solution for the safety problems. Whether it is something you anticipated or something unexpected, the only way to make an impression and succeed as a safety leader is to take on the problems and create a solution.

8.    Respect

People respect great leaders, but only the ones who respect them back. If you lack respect for the fellow workers, you won’t receive respect from them. It is that simple – people won’t hold you in high regard or consider you a true professional. Respect does not come with the title, no matter how high it is.

9.    Organization

Safety comes side by side with organization. An organized worksite equals safe worksite. One of the greatest traits of a leader is organization, but in this case, it is an essential tool for promoting safety in a workplace. Without it, the place will be a mess: plastics and construction materials without any order, over-stuffed boxes and bins, poor adhering to the safety procedures in the work site, etc. All of this results from poor organization.

10.  Communication

Safety leaders don’t just roll out a different program without discussing it with the workers. They don’t implement safety measures without explaining them to the people who need to work with them. Most importantly, they don’t expect the workers to know the how’s and when’s of safety procedures without no one communicating this with them. If you want the worksite to be a safe place for the people, you must be a good communicator and continuously share safety issues and guidelines with the workers.

Wanting to create a safety culture in a workplace is one thing. Acting on it is a whole other thing. As a safety leader, you must build on the aforementioned skills to make the workplace as safe as it can be.

About the writer

Jennifer Sanders is a writer and an editor from London. She loves sport,  to listen to music, and to communicate with different people. Find Jennifer on Twitter and Facebook.