Tag Archives: communication

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

HEALTH & SAFETY REDUCES WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS – AND IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS! (GUEST POST)

Paying attention to health and safety can protect a business’ bottom-line. In the newspapers, there are regularly stories about “Health and Safety Gone Mad,” but in many cases it turns out is not health and safety to blame for the problem in the article, but is due to other factors, such as insurance policies, or overzealous ‘jobsworths’, or workers lying about safety regulations due to laziness or incompetence.

In reality, health and safety should be a benefit for businesses, and not just because it prevents accident at work compensation claims. Occupational cancer costs the UK’s economy £30 billion every year, and workplace accident claims or industrial disease claims are responsible for a huge number of missed working days.

 Prosecutions or enforcement notices can cost businesses a fortune, but investing in health and safety counts for more than just avoiding these expenses. The Health and Safety Executive estimates businesses have to pay out between eight and thirty-six times as much money as insurers following accident at work compensation claims.

Major workplace accident claims can easily spell the end of a business – fires, explosions or the death of workers can be impossible for firms to fully recover from. Employers who lose a member of staff in fatal workplace accidents caused by negligence will undoubtedly experience emotional difficulties, including guilt and anxiety, and this can be very hard to cope with.

 Businesses can spend years building up worker morale, only to have their efforts ruined because of a personal injury leading to an accident at work compensation claim. If workers feel like they are not safe in their employment, they will be unhappy, and if they regularly take time off because of avoidable injuries, or have to continue working while injured, they could become irritated by the negligence they are subjected to.

Strong leadership and positive business management prevents accidents at work

Providing strong leadership on health and safety issues, and integrating them into the rest of a management system, can inspire workers and help to maintain a positive safety culture. Personal injury claims can also be avoided by developing good communication, supporting employees when whistleblowing and enabling people to discuss workplace safety confidently.

Not all businesses are supportive of whisletleblowing – the large-scale construction industry in particular has been found to blacklist whisleblowers, although many medical negligence claims could be somewhat due to a ‘culture of silence’ within the NHS.

However, maintaining strong management and handling whistleblowers in a supportive manner can make all the difference to workplace health and safety and help to avoid accident at work compensation claims.

Health and safety should be a part of every aspect of a company, from human resources, to environment, to management, to personnel development. It is worth considering health and safety throughout a business’ operations – it is not just good for business, it is essential.

Most companies should be able to implement effective health and safety in-house; those that cannot could consider hiring consultancy services to help them.

Hellen Geek has worked alongside professional indemnity insurance firms when deciding the total value of clinical negligence claims and http://www.clearwatersolicitors.co.uk/personal-injury/accidents-at-work/accident at work compensation. She is passionate about raising standards in hospitals and other healthcare settings, and supporting doctors as well as patients. She lives in Somerset and loves the beautiful fields and farms around her small cottage.

General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Health Issues, Hearing Protection, Respiratory Safety

WORKING IN CONFINED SPACES ISN’T FOR EVERYONE!

1 Comment

The thought of working in a small, enclosed space makes me gasp for air!  Certain people feel smothered in situations when their work involves being placed in a closed or partially closed space.  Confined spaces should be made safe for the worker by taking the proper precautions to ensure that it is secure.  Those with claustrophobia can’t help this feeling, and should seek other jobs. 

There are many regulations that deal with confined space entry.  A Confined Space Hazard Assessment and Control Program must be conducted prior to the beginning of work.  Confined spaces can be more hazardous than other workspaces for several reasons.  Workers are killed and injured each year while working in confined spaces, and an estimated sixty per cent of the fatalities have been among rescue workers.  

Let’s review some of the places that people must work that are considered confined spaces:

  • Open ditches; (possibility of collapse);
  • Silos
  • Manholes
  • Wells
  • Tunnels
  • Cold storage units
  • Tanks
  • Culverts
  • Vaults
  • Rail tank cars
  • Caves
  • Underground mining
  • Sewers
  • Pipes
  • Boilers

Reasons for these  being considered confined spaces are that they have a restricted entrance or exit by way of location, size or means.  Also, they are not originally designed for human occupancy.  Places such as this can indicate a risk for the health and safety of anyone who enters, due to the materials and substances in it (bad air), and the way it is designed.  Other hazards include fire hazards, noise, temperature extremes, uncontrolled energy, barrier failure and visibility.  All potentially hazardous energy sources: electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, chemical must be de-energized and locked out prior to entry to the confined space, preventing accidentally turning on power sources. Ventilation is of the utmost importance while working in these conditions.  Natural ventilation is not reliable and insufficient to maintain the air quality.  It is usually necessary to maintain air quality through mechanical ventilation (fans, blowers).  While workers are inside confined spaces, there should be someone standing close by that is prepared to get them out, in case of an emergency.  This plan of action should be in place prior to entering the space, and communication between the inside and outside should be constant.  

Confined space hazards are mainly controlled through traditional methods, such as engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment.  Special precautions not usually required in a regular worksite may need to be taken.  Mechanical ventilation is the engineering control regularly used.  Entry Permit system is a type of administrative control, and personal protective equipment (respirators, ear plugs, hardhats, and gloves) is commonly used in confined spaces as well. 

It is the responsibility of the employer to ensure their workers are safe while working under these conditions.  If the worker feels proper precautions were not taken, they should not enter until it is made safe by additional means.

 

Source: CCOHS (Canada)

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

HOW SAFE ARE “LONE WORKERS?”

How many of you know of someone who works alone?  How many jobs can you name that apply?  We may be unaware that there are several types of occupations that fall into this range, and each one has certain hazards or risks.  Some persons enjoy working alone, and for that reason, choose solitary jobs.  If you are working alone, be ready to work as safely as possible when fulfilling your duties.

Those who work alone are grouped into five broad categories:

  1. Workers who handle cash, such as convenience store clerks, retail food outlet workers, taxi drivers, liquor store employees, jewelry store clerks, and some law enforcement officers.
  2. Workers who are at risk of violent attack because their workplace is isolated from public view. This includes security guards and custodians.
  3. Workers who travel away from base office to meet clients:  sales workers, home care workers, social services workers and law enforcement officers.
  4. Workers who do hazardous work but have no routine interaction with customers or the public. This includes workers in the logging and oil and gas industries.
  5. Workers who travel alone but have no routine interaction with customers or the public. This includes truck drivers and business people in transit: deliverymen and mail carriers.

Each of these situations has different hazards and means of controlling them:

OSHA requires that employers must account for every employee having been checked on at regular intervals.  They should be notified at the end of the job assignment or end of work shift.  This should be done by sight or verbal communication.

Here are some ways to stay safe when working alone:

  • Employers must assess the hazards of the workplace.
  • Talk to workers about their work. Get their input about the work they do and possible solutions. Talk to your boss about how to minimize the hazards of the job.
  • Investigate incidents at the workplace, and those from similar workplaces.
  • Eligible employees could be given a personal locator beacon with GPS.
  • Avoid having a lone worker whenever possible, especially for jobs with a known risk.
  • Take corrective action to prevent or minimize the potential risks of working alone.
  • Provide appropriate training and education.
  • Report all situations, incidents or “near misses” where working alone increased the severity of the situation. Analyze this information and make changes to company policy where necessary. Ask for the “buddy system”, where you can take a coworker into high risk situations.  Ensure that this system is available to employees.
  • Establish a check-in procedure. Make sure regular contact is kept with all workers.
  • Establish ways to account for people (visually or verbally) while they are working.
  • For most lone workers, the telephone will be the main source of contact. If work is at a desk or station, have a telephone close by. If work is away from a main office or work station, keep your cell phone charged.  If a cellular phone is unreliable in the area, be sure to have alternative methods of communication available (such as use of public telephones, site visits or satellite technology.
  • Schedule high risk tasks during normal business hours, or when another worker is capable of helping if an emergency situation arises.
  • Position workers, where possible, in locations of highest visibility; don’t allow store windows to be covered up with signs, in order to keep employees visible to the public.
  •  Use a security system such as video surveillance cameras, mirrors, observation windows, etc., however, ensure that informed consent is obtained from employees prior to use. 

Other points for employers to consider:

Length of time the worker will be working alone:

What time of the day will the worker be alone?

  • Is it legal for the worker to be alone while doing certain activities? (For example:   In many jurisdictions, working alone in confined space or during lock-out/tag-out operations is restricted.).
  • What is a reasonable length of time for the worker to be alone?

Communication: Is voice communication adequate, or is it necessary to “see” the work?

  • What forms of communication are available?
  • If the communication systems are located in a vehicle, do you need alternate arrangements to cover the worker when away from the vehicle?

 Location of the work: Is the work in a remote or isolated location? (Remember, a remote location does not have to be far away. Storage rooms that are rarely used can be considered remote or isolated.) Transportation necessary to get there; if so, what type of transportation?

  • What are the consequences if the vehicle breaks down?
  • Is the vehicle equipped with emergency supplies such as – food, drinking water and a first aid kit?
  • Will the worker have to leave the vehicle for long periods of time?

Type or nature of work:

  • Is there adequate training and education provided for the worker to be able to work alone safely?
  • Does the work include working with money or other valuables?
  • If personal protective equipment is required, is it available, is it in good working order, and has the worker been trained in its use, care and storage?
  • What machinery, tools or equipment will be used?
  • Is there a high risk activity involved?
  • Are there extremes of temperature?
  • Is fatigue likely to be a factor?
  • If the worker is working inside a locked building, how will emergency services be able to get in? (For example: a night cleaner in a secure office building.)
  • Does the work involve seizing property or goods (such as repossession, recovering stolen property)?
  • Is there risk of an animal attack, or poisoning/allergic reaction from insect/animal bites?

Characteristics of the individual who is working alone:

  • Does the worker have experience and training? (For example: relevant administrative procedures, first aid, communication systems repair, vehicle breakdowns, and/or outdoor survival.)
  • Are there pre-existing medical conditions that might increase the risk? 

Most of us don’t think of being alone in an office a kind of danger.  However, if this is the type of work that you do, check to see how many exits there are in your room?  There should be at least two ways of escape if you feel threatened.  Also, have a communication system with your home base or an employee working somewhere else in the building.  We hear of “workplace violence”, and many times it happens in an office setting.

Sources:

OSHA; Safety.BLR (Free Toolbox Safety Talks; Alberta Department of Human Resources

 

 

Back Safety, Ergonomics, Fall Safety, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Hearing Protection

SAFE LIFTING OPERATIONS (GUEST POST)

Sent by Jason of Riskatmedia.com

All work activities carry the potential to cause harm to our own and others’ health and well-being, but we sometimes forget how real and close to us these hazards are.  Every year, a large number of people are killed at work, and an even greater number of people suffer work related injuries because they are unable to follow safe working practices. There are particular hazards associated with lifting operations, some of these hazards accompany almost all types of work activity, such as manual handling and slips and trips.  Others, such as contact with moving or falling objects and contact with moving machinery, are of particular concern to personnel involved in lifting operations as they result in a significant number of fatal and serious injuries each year.  In fact, contact with moving or falling objects is the third greatest cause of workplace fatality and the second greatest cause of major accidents at work. 

Manual Handling

Manual handling related activities are a major cause of occupational injury.  Low back pain, joint injuries and repetitive strain injuries of various sorts, affect over a million people each year, and many of these injuries are the result of manual handling. Prior to carrying out any unavoidable manual handling activity you should help to protect yourself from injury by following good manual handling practices.  Consider the task to be carried out and the nature of the load, and be aware of your own capabilities and the environment in which you are working. In particular, lifting accessories, lifted equipment and loads can be extremely heavy and you should give consideration to safe manual handling practices before undertaking any job that involves lifting these items. 

Slips, Trips and Falls

Slips and trips represent a significant cause of work related injury.  Slips and trips can result from contamination, obstacles, inappropriate footwear, reduced visibility, the environment and people’s attitudes.  Good workmanship and good housekeeping are practices that can help to prevent accidents and fires.  By removing waste materials to waste skips you can contribute significantly to good housekeeping.  You can also reduce the risk of slips and trips by properly routing any cables or hoses that you use, by ensuring that a safe place of work is, by ensuring that you always wear appropriate footwear, by considering whether the environment in which you will be working increases the risk of slips and trips and by taking responsibility for your own and your colleagues safety and appropriately containing any spills that you might discover.  Spills involving oil or hydraulic fluids represent a significant hazard, as they present a dangerous slip hazard and also involve substances that are both hazardous and flammable.  It is extremely important that your work area is kept clear of slip and trip hazards during lifting operations, when your own and your colleagues attention will be quite rightly focused on the lifting task at hand. 

Contact Risk

Contact with moving or falling objects is a significant hazard to personnel involved in lifting operations, as well as to personnel working close by, and can result in death or serious injury.  It is therefore vitally important that safe working practices are followed at all times during lifting operations to ensure that loads do not move, swing or fall.  

Training and Approval

All personnel need appropriate training and experience to be able to use work equipment safely.  Never use lifting equipment unless you have received suitable training and are qualified and competent to do so.  You should ensure that you are suitably qualified, competent and, where appropriate, have the necessary certifications to use the particular type of equipment that you will be working on.  All lifting operations should be controlled by an appointed, competent person who should brief all team members before the lifting operation is undertaken. 

The Lift Plan

To reduce the risk of loads moving or falling, all lifts should be planned.  Frequent or routine lifts may be subject to a generic lift plan, supported by an onsite risk assessment and team briefing.  For complex lifts, an individual and detailed lift plan should be documented.  All lift plans should be reviewed and approved by the appointed, competent person.  In particular, lifts should be planned so that personnel will not be standing or working directly beneath a load and so that the load will not be moved directly over people.  The lift plan should also provide an escape route in the event of unexpected movement of equipment or of the load. 

Suitable and Safe Equipment

It is important to ensure that all equipment used during lifting operations is safe and suitable for the job at hand.  Lifting equipment should be subjected to a detailed and thorough examination by a competent person prior to its first use on site, upon installation, when it has been disassembled and reassembled at a new location, if it has been involved in an incident, if it has been overloaded, if it has been subject to modification or major repair to safety critical components, if there have been changes in the condition of its use such as periods out of service, and for equipment used to lift personnel.  If you have any reason to doubt that such an examination has been carried out, do not use the equipment and report to your manager.  In addition, all items of electrical equipment should carry a valid appliance test certificate or label, to reduce the risk of electric shock.  Electric shock can result in death or severe burns. Serious injury can also result if someone falls or becomes incapacitated during lifting operations as a result of electric shock.  Testing should be carried out by suitably trained individuals.   You should also carry out a visual pre-use inspection of all equipment to ensure that it remains undamaged and ensure that all safety devices are fitted and are operational.  If any item of electrical equipment does not carry a valid test label, it should not be used and you should inform your manager. 

Load Integrity and Stability

Establishing load integrity and stability is also essential to reducing the risk of loads swinging, moving or falling during lifting.  All equipment operators and users should be familiar with the safe lifting capacity of the equipment and should understand the effects of changes in configuration.  The safe working load of the lifting system should be assessed, taking into account the configuration of the equipment and the operating environment where appropriate.  This safe working load should never be exceeded.  The load should possess sufficient integrity to withstand the forces applied during lifting and the method of rigging should ensure that the load remains stable and cannot tip, slip, swing or fall unintentionally.  For this reason, all rigging and thorough daily pre-use inspections should be carried out by competent personnel.  During jacking operations a firm level base should be provided against the load so that no sideways forces are present.  Loads should also be checked in increments to prevent the limit of the jack stroke from being reached. 

Human Factors

To reduce to risk of injury to other personnel from swinging, moving or falling loads, all non-essential personnel should be excluded from the area in which lifting operations are taking place.  Barriers and warning signs should be used where appropriate to facilitate this, especially as people can make mistakes and may break the rules.  These and other human factors play a significant role in safe lifting. Personnel should not undertake more than one task at a time during lifting operations and you should not take part in lifting operations if you are tired or otherwise unable to give your full attention to the task at hand. You should never come to work in possession of, or under the influence of, alcohol or drugs.  These substances expose everyone on site to risks that are unnecessary and easily avoided. 

Communication

Communication is a vital part of safe working practices during lifting operations.  The lifting appliance operator needs to be able to understand and obey an emergency stop signal no matter who gives it, and any member of the lifting team needs to be able to issue an emergency stop signal.  It is therefore vital that all members of the lift team establish, test and understand the verbal, hand signal or radio communications that will be used during the lift, prior to lifting. 

Personal Protective Equipment PPE

Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, is an important means of reducing the risks associated with lifting operations.  At least standard PPE with safety glasses, a hard hat and industrial work gloves should be worn.  Only PPE in good working condition will reduce the hazards associated with your work, so it is important to remove, clean and store your PPE correctly.

Noise at Work

Hearing loss caused by exposure to noise at work is a significant source of occupational disease, with many people suffering deafness, tinnitus or other ear conditions as a result of exposure to excessive noise levels at work.  The level of noise and how long people are exposed to noise at work both contribute to potential hearing damage.  Noise can be reduced to harmless levels by using ear plugs and ear defenders in high noise areas. 

Emergency Procedures

In the event of an emergency while conducting lifting operations, lower any suspended loads, isolate any equipment that you have been using, make your work area safe and evacuate the area according to the site emergency procedures.  If you are involved in an accident, seek immediate assistance.  Lifting operations should never be carried out alone. 

Riskatmedia – Safety Videos

General Safety Issues

HOW TO KEEP YOUR CHILD SAFE FROM FRIENDS WHO ARE ADDICTED TO PROHIBITED DRUGS (GUEST POST)

 Written by Kaylee Wilson; Submitted by Joyce DelRosario

There are a lot of things that parents fear, and for a child to become an addict at a young age is one of a parent’s worst nightmares. There are some things that parents can do to help deter their children from this ill fate. These things include keeping children safe from friends who are addicted to prohibited drugs. 

Addiction is something that strikes even people who may seem to have their lives completely together, and friends of children can often be involved in activities that put others at risk. This is just one of millions of reasons to develop a healthy relationship with children that include communication and trust. Yes, it is very important for your child to trust you, as you want to be able to trust them. This can help in developing communication, and knowing when they, or one of their friends may possibly be in trouble. 

Knowing Your Child, and Knowing Their Friends; Recognizing a Problem

It is not always easy to see problems when they are hidden in plain sight. This is why it is important to have communication with children. It is also important to know the type of company that they keep, and the company that the company keeps. There are warning signs for problems, which if caught in time can help your child, and their friend. 

There are many signs of use of prohibited drug use, and noticing them may help you and your child, address the problems before they escalate out of control. It is important that you do not cut the ties of communication between you and your child. This can happen by directly prohibiting contact with their friends. 

There is another approach to severing the ties to illicit drugs. It may serve you better to attempt to help your child get help for their friend/s. You can try to get in touch with the other parents to be able to aid in the intervention of the child that is in trouble. 

Working with Your Child to Understand the Damage Done by Addictions

It cannot be said enough, how important it is to be able to communicate with children. This is even more so when it comes to explaining the danger of addiction in a way that children will listen. Sometimes, it pays to be able to communicate with your child. 

There are many instances, where children became involved with illicit drug activity due to misunderstanding, and not knowing the consequences. Having a way to communicate with your child, and developing trust on both sides of your relationship  may aid in educating your child on the dangers of illicit drugs. 

There are many resources that are available to help you break the barrier of communication with your child. 

Dealing with Friends Who Are Addicted to Illicit Drugs

It may not always be easy for a child to cut ties with friends, and it is for this reason that communication can play an important role. Friends that are addicted may bring your child into a world where they do not belong. It is important that you always know where your child is, and what they are doing. 

You may not be able to completely cut ties and associations, but you can make compromises, as can your child. You can make sure that if they have to be around the friend that is addicted, it is with supervision, and you know what your child is doing. Eventually, the friend will need help, which you can help your child reach out and try to help through places, such as http://thefamilycompass.com, and get the friend the help that they may be looking for. 

About the Author:

Kaylee Wilson is a proud single mom and a professional writer. She currently contributes at http://thefamilycompass.com. The Family Compass brings together a vast collection of resources that will help families find their bearings.

General Safety Issues

GROUND REQUIREMENTS FOR SAFETY IN THE WAREHOUSE (GUEST POST)

2 Comments

Another great article sent to us by Maree Kyle.

Safety in the workplace is at the top of any company’s list because risks that aren’t accounted for and dealt with accordingly have the potential to cause the loss of life, limb and livelihood. No matter what rules and guidelines you put in place, you still have to exercise caution when using power supplies and tools. To avoid unnecessary harm or danger, it’s important to make sure you are on top of safety compliance issues, communicate safety rules to your employees and ensure they are using every precaution possible to prevent hazardous situations from arising. Here are some tips for promoting safety.

  • Provide training and education: Good communication is one of the most important safety tools you can use in your workplace. Regular workshops sponsored by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration should be a consistent part of your warehouse safety plan. As technology in the warehouse increases, new information must be passed on to the workers so old, outdated practices don’t inadvertently cause a safety issue.
  • Avoid electrical accidents: Machinery and tools that use electricity place everyone in the warehouse work environment at-risk for accidents. Power supplies for heavy duty industrial equipment are an important addition to your warehouse tools and supplies. When new supplies are introduced into the workplace, be sure to provide on-the-spot training so employees are aware of the new supplies and how they function. Daily electrical safety checks should be a part of every morning to ensure your employees are starting the day in a safe work environment.
  • Provide emergency kits: Your local fire department will work with you to ensure you’re in compliance with your emergency kits, which may include first aid supplies, a light source, batteries, a radio, water pouches and food rations. Follow the directives put forth by the fire department to ensure each emergency kit contains what it should and is placed where it’s easily accessible by you and your employees.
  • Post evacuation plans: Evacuation during an emergency is an essential component of your warehouse safety plan, and it’s something you and your employees should practice. Even though workers in a large warehouse may have assigned emergency exits and shutdown procedures to follow, make sure they know safety comes first and it’s okay to use a closer or safer exit when necessary. Likewise, discuss when equipment shutdown practices should be followed or abandoned in an emergency.
  • Be diligent with cleanups: This simple-but-effective tip will make the warehouse a safer place to be for anyone on the floor. Even small spills from water, oil or other slippery component can pose a hazard in the workplace. Avoid accidents that can become serious issues by being mindful of messes.

The time and training invested in promoting workplace safety is well worth the cost when compared to the time and money you’d have to expend to recover from a workplace accident. Keep communication lines open and convey every new safety tip to your employees. Make sure they’re following through with safety measurements, even if it involves a little extra work and time. Some companies try to save time and dollars by cutting corners on safety; not only is the practice unsafe, but it places little value on the company and those who keep it going. Follow these and other safety tips to make your warehouse a safer place to work.

 

General Safety Issues

Benefits of 2-Way Radios (Guest Post)

Guest post by Charlie Curtis-Jones

Planning an event is never easy at the best of times. Perfect preparation may prevent pretty poor performance but all your best laid safety plans may go to waste when hundreds of people descend on one space and the chaos begins. It’s not always possible to prepare for every eventuality.

The life of an event planner may call for a cool head and organisational skills that border on obsessive but there are certainly a few tools out there which can make life somewhat easier. In recent years, the 2 way radio has become something of a life saver for those hoping to keep an event flowing and ensuring everything and everyone is in the right place at the right time.

The key benefit of having instant communication at an event, and large events in particular, is safety. Having tens, hundreds, or even thousands of people in one place at the same time can be difficult to manage and it is even harder to ensure everyone arrives safe and goes home in one piece.

This is an area where 2 way radios can really help. The primary benefit of instant communication across a whole site is emergency response to an incident. If your event is a large one, say a festival, wedding or party or club night – or any place where alcohol is served – then it is paramount you are able to keep on top of everything and limit any possibility that someone could get hurt or cause damage.

Being able to contact either an on-site medical team or designated first-aid personnel instantaneously could prove to be vital, and that is something the use of 2 way radios can grant you.

Coupled with the ability to call upon medical assistance straight away is the fact that with mobile communications you are able to co-ordinate more efficiently, and therefore even further restricting time that could be wasted if an event organiser and other parties are not constantly instantly contactable. The fact signal won’t ever drop out like it does on mobile phones further increases their benefit.

Improving your control of a site and in turn your control of events, is undoubtedly helped by increasing communication.

If for example, an event planner is charged with organising a large wedding then it is not only important to make sure guests are in the right place and ready to move on to the venue or to the dining area to keep the day running smoothly to ensure everyone has the best day possible, but to also keep everyone safe.

If, say, caterers are setting up a dining area with cutlery, glasses and crockery and guests are coming in and out of the area then an accident is a real possibility.

Through communicating across a large space, an event organiser can ensure every person at the venue is away from the hustle and bustle and enjoying themselves while behind the scenes everything is set up seamlessly to ensure they have a day to remember for all the right reasons.

Before an event, those charged with organising it will put hours of planning into making sure everything runs smoothly across the day. Having the right communication device can be paramount in ensuring that these well laid plans are administered and adhered to ensure the safety of visitors and guests at any event.

Guest post by Charlie Curtis-Jones who writes for Brentwood Communications, a leading UK supplier of digital and analogue two way radio communication equipment.

 
General Safety Issues

TEN LOST ARTS PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS CAN TEACH THEIR CHARGES (GUEST POST)

Observe any group of children for any length of time and it’s clear that today’s children are different that those of yesteryears. While technology advances have definitely provided advantages to youth of the 21st century, when it comes to homemaking, communication and playtime, some things have become a lost art.

To rediscover things of times past, consider teaching your children:

1. The art of writing thank you cards. Many children today operate with a sense of entitlement and as a result, fail to properly acknowledge and thank people for the things they contribute to them. If someone has done something kind for a child, like give a gift or taken her on a special outing, writing a thank you note is an appropriate way to say thanks.

2. The art of handwritten notes. The handwritten word is a powerful and personal communication tool. With computers and cell phones that function as mini computers, hand written notes have become a thing of the past. Encourage children to write a handwritten letter to a grandparent, pen pal or friend. They’ll be excited to receive their own mail back.

3. The art of storytelling. Long before books, people used to tell stories. Stories can be used to teach a moral principle, share an educational lesson of for pure entertainment. Passing down folklores and fairytales, or sharing stories about your family’s heritage can instill a love of storytelling in your children.

4.  The art of being neighborly. Life is so busy the needs of others around us can go unnoticed. Encourage children to care for their neighbors. Bringing cookies to a new family that moves in, helping to pick up an elderly neighbors lawn or offering to take in the mail for a neighboring family that goes on vacation can help children learn the value of being neighborly.

5. The art of respecting elders. The way children talk to and treat adults and those in authority at times can be downright embarrassing. Reinforce the importance of respecting elders by modeling respect. Insisting children address adults using their proper title, hold and open doors for adults and listen to those in authority, like their teachers, can help reinforce the importance or respect.    There are many older students who are rude to their teachers.  In earlier times, students wouldn’t have even dreamed of being as disrespectful as some are today.

6. The art of thinking. Children need to learn how to think for themselves. Encourage them to consider information for themselves before accepting it as fact. If they think something doesn’t make sense, help them explore their thoughts and encourage deeper consideration of topics that interest them.  They also must learn to be kind to others, and helpful to someone who may be hurt.

7. The art of problem solving. Helping children to see problems as challenges can help to foster a desire to problem solve. Encourage children to face challenges with confidence and brainstorm with them ways to overcome obstacles.

8. The art of sewing. Mending a button or taking up a hem is a life lesson that is worth teaching.  Practice simple sewing projects and progress to other things, should the child express real interest.  How many of us have to take clothes to the dry cleaners because we don’t know how to mend?

9. The art of having manners. Looking at someone in the eyes when speaking to you, saying please, thank you and excuse me when appropriate and not reaching across the table are a few lessons all children could benefit from learning.

10. The art of free play. Never have children been so overscheduled. Play is a child’s work and too often, children aren’t given an opportunity to play. Free time provides the opportunity to children to explore their world around them and create fun for themselves.

Don’t let technology rob your children of learning the lost arts and valuable lessons that have stood the test of time.While making headway in the areas of science and technology are admirable, losing footing in the areas of kindness, courtesy and conversation is not so much.

Thank you, Carol Watson, for this great article, reminding us that teaching children the things learned by generations before them still matter.  Carol writes for National Nannies.

 

General Safety Issues

WANT TO GET YOUR SAFETY MESSAGE ACROSS?

As we have said many times, a good way to get your safety message across is through safety posters. Posters have different themes – they may be serious, may display your state and federal laws, be funny, or encourage teamwork: Together Everyone Accomplishes More!  We have been fortunate to hear from many of our readers, who share the same concerns about safety for everyone, regardless of the location: work, home or play.  This week, we have been sharing some of those articles, accompanied by photos; we know you will enjoy them.  Tomorrow and Friday, we will feature two more guest posts.

Meanwhile, we’d like to introduce some of the new safety posters fromTexas America Safety Company, www.tasco-safety.com.  Anyone who works in the medical field, from hospitals, clinics, dentists, pharmacies, to other types of healthcare know that patient privacy is foremost, and they can be punished by fine and released from work if they give out unauthorized medical information.  Please refer to this new HIPAA poster.

You see exit routes almost everywhere, that say “You are here,” but do you really stop to figure out how to escape once you need to?  Another new poster spells it out for you: Know your emergency escape.  This gives the company a lead to the actual map you need to study and familiarize yourself with.

We just recently wrote about protecting our backs.  This back and exercise poster has some valuable information on relieving back pressure.  There are also new posters available on handling heat related illnesses, Everyone’s a Winner, Respirator Safety, and a general safety poster.  One of my favorites is “Attend Safety Meetings.”  You’ll see why!  In addition, there are posters available for just about every type of hazard you can imagine.

Any way we can communicate the importance of safety compliance in the workplace is of the utmost importance.  Posters play an important reminder that the company is interested in everyone’s safety.  A poster contest among workers with a dinner for two, or some other prize would be very entertaining for employees.  Funny or serious, posters need to be changed around pretty often so workers don’t get complacent and ignore them.  If they look for new ones ever so often, you know they are paying attention.  (Especially when there are fewer accidents!)  So, get your safety rules and regulations out and spread the word: Safety First!

General Safety Issues

DOES YOUR COMPANY HAVE A LACK OF COMMUNICATION?

Not long ago, we talked about mistakes – how we handle our own, and those of our coworkers.  One of the main causes of errors, incidents and injuries at the workplace may be a lack of communication.  Have you ever felt that you worked in a “top secret organization”, where only the chosen few knew anything about what was going on?  If you often hear, “I didn’t know,” as an excuse, chances are that person probably didn’t know.  Many times, a boss or supervisor will tell their assistant, but it never trickles down to the people who need to know what’s going on.

In the military, communication is of the utmost importance.  Even then, there may have been errors made that proved costly.  Whatever field you choose to work in, it is important that you do your part by paying attention.  Have you ever noticed when you tell someone something,  by the time it has circled the group of friends or coworkers, it’s not even close to the point you were trying to make?  You can tell ten different persons the same thing and they all may walk away with a different point of view.

When your company has an effective communication strategy, the whole team excels.  Employees will come closer to working together with the same goal in mind when they are fully informed on what is expected to happen and how it will be achieved by teamwork, and sharing of information.  Most times, it isn’t necessary to speak eloquently, just put it in pure layman’s terms.  Don’t be afraid to hurt someone’s feelings.  You’d rather do that, than have someone injured because they didn’t get the message.  Employee performance will be enhanced if they are given instructions that produce the correct results.

Another way to improve communication is to ask for others’ opinions.  After all, the workers are the ones that see mistakes and know how to improve productivity.  Many times, they won’t say anything because they are afraid they will upset their supervisor.  So ask for their input, and take heed.  Teamwork is the key to success in any business.  Lack of communication can lead to mistakes, confusion, anger, misunderstandings, and anger or resentment.  There’s no room for any of that in business.  As this motivational safety poster says:

moving gears_ip

There are many consequences of poor communication, such as:

  • Fear.  If workers are afraid there are going to be lay-offs, rumors may start circulating, without communication from the authorities to put their fears at rest.
  • Stress.  If there is tension in the workplace, problems grow.  Persons who are stressed tend to make mistakes.
  • Gossip.  Rumors spread, which can lead to false information.
  • Mistakes. Misunderstanding and confusion can lead to costly errors.
  • Less Productivity.  Taking unnecessary steps because of lack of communication, or often redoing their own work or someone else’s.
  • Lack of Confidence.  Employees misinterpret information, and may begin to feel unappreciated if the information wasn’t fully given to them.  Everyone likes to feel appreciated.
  • Low Morale.  Employees either carry on, giving only the minimum expected of them, or they quit.

No doubt we have all dealt with establishments that have poor communication.  It leads to customer dissatisfaction , resulting in loss of customers.  It may not be the fault of the employees who work there, but a serious lack of clear communication and contact between the leadership and employees.   More often we are seeing that employees are there for one thing, and that is to get the paycheck.  Effective communication increases morale among workers, letting them know that they are important to the company.  Things need to change back to when keeping the customer satisfied was the #1 priority.  When customers are pleased, it is a reflection of happy workers.