Tag Archives: installation

RUNNING A VENDING BUSINESS: SAFETY TIPS FOR VENDING MACHINES (GUEST POST)

     Many of today’s new businessmen prefer to start a vending business. When it comes to ROI (return on investment) you can expect higher returns with a vending machine, than other business ventures. Basically, you have two options – starting your own business or going for franchise. Either way, you have to ensure safety at all times. 

An owner of a vending machine should set priorities and on top must be safety and security. Perhaps you’ve heard about theft and damages, such things can happen unexpectedly and it pays to be prepared at all times. Follow the top ten tips below and you don’t have to worry about your machine. 

1.      When it comes to the proper installation of the vending machines, follow the steps carefully and make it a point to read the manual firsthand.

2.      Check on the machine regularly to see if there are issues or problems. You can make a rotating schedule so that criminals will have second thoughts in committing crimes.

3.      If you can afford a CCTV camera, then you need to have it installed around the machine. This is a good idea, but it can also be costly.

4.      Make use of anti-theft alarms and devices. Before buying a vending machine, you can check for pre-built alarms or devices; modern machines are equipped with the latest safety technologies that will ensure security even nobody’s around.

5.      The part where the cash is kept must be fully secured, and it is better if you collect the earnings every day, or you can use an unpredictable schedule to get the money.

6.      Check the machine for possible damage, cracks, and other problems that can compromise its safety. Fix any potential problem and don’t wait until it becomes worse.

7.      Install the vending machine in a secured location. Even if a certain place has many potential customers, you should look for another location if the area is not secured especially at night.

8.      Don’t buy used and beat up machines. Older models of machines don’t offer much in terms of security.

9.      Check the location to see if the machine is well-lit. This is needed to help people find what they need.

10.  Online reporting system for effective management of the vending business. This is for those who plan to get a franchise vending machine. 

As long as you follow these tips, you can never go wrong with your choice. 

Vending machines can also cause injuries. You have to make sure that the machine doesn’t tip over easily. The surface where the machine is installed must be flat and leveled. Many customers tend to shake or kick the machine when something goes wrong. Accidents like this will hold the owner liable, so be extra cautious when choosing a machine. 

It is always a good idea to buy the latest or newer vending machines. New models usually consider safety of users and the owner. Don’t forget to put warning stickers. By doing so, the consumer is warned in advance and will also exercise care while handling the machine. 

Author Bio:

Victor McNamara works at Vending World. Vending World is a leading distributor of vending machines. They have been selling vending machines since 1968 and can fill almost all of your general vending machine needs.

A tip to all of us who use vending machines: keep hand sanitizer in your car or purse, because germs are waiting for us on machines, and any other place used by the public. pb

Five Common Car Seat Misuses (Guest Post)

 Submitted by Sophie Leake, of aupaircare.net

In September 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released the findings of its National Child Restraint Use Special Study, a national sur­vey of child restraint system use in children from birth to age 8.  The study revealed five significant and common car seat mistakes.

These included:

1. Using the wrong harness slot. When it comes to car seat harnesses, best practice dictates that in rear-facing seats the slots at or below the child’s shoulders should be used. For forward-facing seats, the slots at or above the child’s shoulders should be used. According to the study, when the wrong slots are used it can increase the risk of excessive excursion.

2. Improper chest clip positioning. The proper place for the chest clip to be positioned is at armpit level. When the chest clip is positioned over the abdomen, down by the crotch, or not used at all it can also increase the risk of departure from the seat.

3. Loose installation. Car seats should not move more than one inch front to back or side-to-side across the belt path. Loose installation may allow for excessive movement of the seat which could increase the risk of injury.

4. Loose harness straps. The harness straps of a child’s car seat should be snug and there should be no slack when pinched at the child’s shoulder. Loose straps not only can result in a greater risk of excessive excursion, but can increase the risk of ejection and injury.

5. Improper belt positioning in booster seats. When riding in a booster seat, the lap belt should lie snugly across the child’s thighs, not across the stomach, and the shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder, and not the child’s neck, chest, or face. Improper positioning of seatbelts can increase the risk of excessive excursion and abdominal injury.

The study also cited that one in five parents do not read any instructions when installing their child’s car seat. Reading the car seat installation manual carefully can help prevent critical misuses that can increase the risk of injury in the event of a motor vehicle crash.

SafeKids and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator encourage everyone to conduct an at-home car seat safety check.  In addition to reading the car seat installation manual, parents and caregivers should be sure that:

1. The child is in the right seat for his age, weight, and height.

2. The car seat is placed in the back seat and that all children under the age of 13 ride in the back seat.

3. Children use rear-facing car seats for as long as possible, until he outgrows the seat.

4. The installed seat can’t be moved more than one inch front to back or side-to-side along the belt path.

5. The child’s harness is in the correct slots and that, when in use, they’re adjusted snugly with the chest clip at armpit level. Parents and caregivers should not be able to pinch the straps at the child’s shoulder once he’s properly fastened in.

When it comes to car seat safety, parents and caregivers must be on the same page. An agreement to follow best practices should be made and parents and caregivers should commit to ensuring that all passengers are properly secured in an appropriate car seat restraint system at all times.

Reading manuals is one thing that we all usually say, ” If all else fails, read the manual.”  In this case, as instructed, the first thing you should do is read the manual and follow instructions.  As a grandmother, I never was good at hooking up those carseats, but the parents knew how and did it correctly.  And the grandkids wouldn’t let me start the car until they were buckled up!  Their parents did a good job in teaching them the importance of seat belts. pb