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When it comes to safety, we all want to do our best and keep our workers out of harm's way. However, wanting and doing are two different things, and governing safety bodies like OSHA are there to make sure that the "doing" part gets done. In fact, OSHA can come inspect a factory or workfloor without notice. While they aren't trying to trick you, they do want to make sure that people who aren't following the rules are caught a bit off guard so that anything that needs fixed can get done before someone gets hurt. In general, if you're doing what you're supposed to and following the rules (and keeping on top of recent updates) you've got nothing to worry about. However, here are a few things you can do to make sure that your visit goes over smoothly and that you get a stellar review from the organization. Do Your Own Inspections One of the easiest ways to prepare is to do your own inspection or have someone come in and do one for you. The point is that it can be easier to catch things and have a unique perspective when actually walking through and putting yourself in the mindset of someone outside of the company, whose sole concern is safety. This kind of thoroughness will trump looking through a safety checklist and thinking "yep, did that one" every time. The other great thing about a mock inspection is that it will condition/get your workers used to having a third party evaluate them and watch them at work, which brings us to… Prepare Your Employees One problem that can come up throughout the course of an OSHA evaluation is employee behavior. Sometimes, being watched can be nervewracking, and for others it can be insulting to have someone glancing in their direction and scribbling something down on a clipboard. In your mock inspections, you can let people know that it's nothing to worry about and that in the event someone does come in to observe, they can just continue working as normal because they're doing everything right already. Ev

A night out with your girlfriends is fun, but it can get expensive and most certainly result in an unbearable hangover. If you're long overdue for a catch-up with your friends, why not invite them over for a girls' night in? From a chick-flick marathon to a spa night, there are many ways to make your night in just as fun as clubbing. 5. Watch a chick flick Let's start with the girls' night in staple: the good old chick flick. Sure, these are not the most ambitious films ever made but did European arthouse cinema ever get you through a break-up? Thought so. To spare you the frantic scrolling through Netflix, here are some film suggestions for all types of chick flick fans. If you're feeling nostalgic, watch the rom-com classics like When Harry Met Sally, Pretty Woman, Notting Hill, Four Weddings and A Funeral, You've Got Mail, Bridget Jones's Diary, or 50 First Dates. Looking for something more modern? Give new Netflix releases a try: To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Sierra Burgess Is a Loser, Isn't It Romantic, and Always Be My Maybe. Pro-tip: If you picked a film just to realise it's not hosted on British Netflix, try a VPN. Short for Virtual Private Network, VPN lets you bypass geo-blocking and access the Netflix film directory in other countries. 4. Get crafty Doing crafts together is a guaranteed way to have a good laugh and unleash your inner child. Does anyone in your group have a hidden talent? If you've got artsy friends, ask them to prepare a simple workshop for the group. You can even plan a few differently themed crafting nights and take turns to teach each other. ADVERTISEMENT Otherwise, there are plenty of easy adult crafts ideas online. You can make your own scented candles, try decoupaging old furniture, or continue with the home spa theme and make a DIY soap. Whichever you pick, make sure to get all the ingredients beforehand and budget enough time to complete the masterwork. 3. Make your own face masks No need to go t

Do you know, there are more apps like Instagram - socially interactive & collaborative? The opportunity to connect with millions of people by signing up at some social platform was once a DREAM! YouTube managers earn a lot of money by using YouTube as a marketplace. Similarly, Instagram is a fantastic platform for uploading, editing, and sharing photos and reels.

Crafting luxurious Dead Sea salt blends Dead Sea salt is renowned for its exceptional mineral content and is known to benefit the skin and provide relaxation. Creating your own Dead Sea salt blends can be a delightful and rewarding experience, allowing you to customize your skincare and bath products to your liking. In this article, we will explore the art of crafting luxurious Dead Sea salt blends, providing you with valuable tips and delightful recipes. The Wonders of Dead Sea Salt Before delving into the world of crafting Dead Sea salt blends, it's essential to understand the unique qualities that make Dead Sea salt so special. Located between Jordan and Israel, the Dead Sea is one of the saltiest bodies of water on Earth, packed with minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium. These minerals offer a wide range of benefits for the skin and overall well being. Dead Sea minerals benefits in the salt blends Magnesium: The Skin Soother Magnesium, a superstar mineral found abundantly in the Dead Sea, is known for its soothing properties. It has the ability to calm irritated skin, reduce redness, and alleviate skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. When infused into salt blends, magnesium helps create a soothing and invigorating scrub that exfoliates the skin while promoting a sense of relaxation. Calcium: The Skin Rejuvenator Calcium is another essential mineral found in Dead Sea salt blends. It plays a pivotal role in maintaining healthy skin by promoting cell renewal and regeneration. Calcium-infused salt blends can help slough off dead skin cells, leaving behind a smoother, more youthful complexion. Additionally, calcium aids in the absorption of other beneficial minerals, enhancing the overall efficacy of the salt blend. Potassium: The Hydrator Potassium is vital for maintaining proper skin hydration. It helps balance moisture levels, preventing dryness and promoting a supple, radiant complexion. When incorporated into salt blends, potassium-

In the recent times, Indian ethnic wear has evolved largely with its proclaimed show stealers like Indian kurtis. It is the longest sustaining trend inundating the fashion circuits with numerous styles and designs to follow. The biggest highlight of these kurtis is their wearability for any occasion and any age. Women of all ages can.....

In the recent times, Indian ethnic wear has evolved largely with its proclaimed show stealers like Indian kurtis. It is the longest sustaining trend inundating the fashion circuits with numerous styles and designs to follow. The biggest highlight of these kurtis is their wearability for any occasion and any age. Women of all ages can.....

Vishnu Mukherjee frowned into his cup of tea.  The tea looked exactly as it had for the last 25 years. Everyday, at 6 a.m., he got up and made his tea, picked up his newspaper, dusted it to get rid of the ants in the veranda and settled down in his favourite chair to savour.....

Vishnu Mukherjee frowned into his cup of tea.  The tea looked exactly as it had for the last 25 years. Everyday, at 6 a.m., he got up and made his tea, picked up his newspaper, dusted it to get rid of the ants in the veranda and settled down in his favourite chair to savour.....

Recently, I started my journey into the world's most enigmatic beverage- Wine! The world of Wine is so fancy and intriguing. For a novice like me, it's hard to make sense of this intricate subject. But fortunately, in one of the sporadic attempts to learn about wines, I found something astounding! Look for yourself, what  Read More

We are a different AI company. See how our LearnCloud brings together your entire enterprise to operate on the same "information plane" towards an exponential increase in efficiency. Jenny is responsible for customers at Acme Corp Jenny feels she is driving blind. She realizes the ground truth but often it is too late. The information is spread across multiple applications & systems. Even when available, it does not help her look into the future so that she can act & save the day Sarah is a Support professional at Acme Corp Sarah feels she has her hands tied behind her back. She has to manually process each & every issue. Her job is tedious and inconsistent. She is not able to leverage patterns across issues & across support professionals. John is a salesperson at Acme Corp John is frustrated with antiquated tools & late arriving insights He has to manually scour the internet for information about his prospects & their changing strategies. He has to talk to many people to understand the state of the customer. By the time he understands the current state, it is often too late to prevent abandonment or drive the expansion People like them encounter these problems all the time which causes frustration and attrition for them and their customers. How does this happen?

A lot has been said about agility and the need for enterprises looking to innovate and disrupt to build agility. Agility, at the same time, also gets confused with the process of scrum. Small and large teams get enamored with the idea of scrum and mistake the process with the state of being agile. This is often more detrimental to the enterprise and can often create more process and not enough real agility. What is Agility Agility is the efficiency with which an enterprise executes and delivers on its objectives and goals. Agility is the ability to react to changes in goals, feedback from customers and shifts in strategy. Agility, from the outside, looks like a predictable stream of value delivered by the enterprise that matches and exceeds the needs of the customer. Organizational agility requires agility at multiple levels within the enterprise to drive the insights that can channel and align the efforts of the entire organization by leveraging data and information to make quick and informed decisions. Business Agility Business and customer-facing employees need to achieve "Business Agility". This is the ability of these employees to react to business critical in real time if needed and have access to the latest information at any decision point. Business Agility enables users to reduce the latency or lag between a need in the market or of the customers and when they are able to service the need. Decision Agility Analysts and data scientists creating the insights to drive decisions require "Decision Agility" i.e the ability to easily discover, leverage and use data for analytics and insights through any and multiple tools and channels. Analysts and data scientists need to produce insights that reduce the time and effort required to convert data into information and insights that are required to drive key decisions and actions. Development Agility Application developers and data engineers need the ability to easily generate, collect, access and deli

Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA is a body created in the year 1970 by the American Congress in order to protect the workers from being harmed or injured in the workplace. This entity implements rules and standards that will enforce health and safety of the workers. With this, working in companies that are OSHA compliant can give you that sense of security. But what are these standards and how they are implemented? OSHA Regulations There are two kinds of regulations being handled by OSHA and these are health standards and safety. The former deals with toxins exposure and the outcomes of other hazards while, the latter deals accident prevention. Some of the rules being implemented by this organization were actually adopted from private agencies. OSHA was supported by other bodies such as the NIOSH or National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in the creation of the laws. OSHA compliance can be very advantageous since it boosts workers productivity knowing that the company can provide better care. With this, employers must devote time to come up with a safer work area. OSHA - Protection to Workers Employees have the right to work in a safe workplace regardless of the industry they work in. Hence, if you think that the company you are working with has violated the rules you have the option to file a complaint at to OSHA. With your report, they can conduct inspection on your workplace to determine whether your employer is OSHA compliant. In essence, OSHA gives employees the following rights: Request OSHA to inspect the work area - This can be done if your employer has violated the laws on operating heavy machineries such as forklifts and failed to provide an area such as eyewash facilities for employees who are working with corrosive substances. Even the failure to comply with the safety floor markings is subject to OSHA's investigation. Practice their rights - OSHA safeguard the right of workers so that they can exercise the

When people think about personal protection equipment, they typically think about hard hats, steel toed boots, and safety goggles. One of the most commonly used types of protective gear, however, is fairly normal looking protective apparel. Protective apparel from KleenGuard is used in many industries ranging from medical labs to manufacturing facilities and offers an excellent first line of defense from a wide range of different hazards that are commonly found in the workplace. Look Like Normal Work Clothing or Uniforms The apparel from KleenGuard is designed with safety first in mind, but it is also made to look and feel nice so employees will be happy to wear it. In fact, many people don't even realize that this type of apparel is a form of protective gear that is keeping them safer while at work. Depending on which apparel is chosen, these items can be buttoned up, zipped up, sealed with tape, or slipped right on to allow easy preparation at the start of a shift. Types of Protection KleenGuard makes a full lineup of protective apparel, so looking at each individual item is the best way to learn about what types of protective features it offers. The following, however, are some of the different ways that KleenGuard protective apparel help to keep those who are wearing it safe: Liquid Barrier - The material is made to stop liquids from soaking through and coming in contact with the skin. This is important when working with biological liquids (body fluids, etc.) or when working with chemicals that could cause skin irritation. Particulate Barrier - Stopping particles of materials from getting through the clothing is an important feature. Tiny particles of wood, metal, fiberglass, or other very small materials are kept away from the skin to avoid irritation or other issues. Antistatic - The material resists the buildup of static, and passes the NFPA 99 criteria for this feature. Avoiding static is important in many industries and can be a key safety featur

A report by the AmericanManufacturing.org website and a recent Pew Research Center article both focus on the discordance in opinion between the general public and elite economic and legislative policymakers on the threat of China to U.S. jobs and fiscal matters. Chinese Manufacturing The general public, who largely contributes to the tax and voting base and to the domestic economy and workforce of the United States, is not accurately being represented by these "elite" lawmaker, financiers, and economists, according to these two articles. Despite a growing insecurity by the American public and advice from former military leaders, many of our elite financial, political, and historical leaders have remained strangely blinded by the large scale offshoring of U.S. jobs to the China, not to mention the growing debt we have incurred from them. The loss of domestic manufacturing jobs is almost directly proportionate to the increase in Chinese manufacturing jobs, and it is difficult to understand that this fact is hard for "elite" minds to grasp - from the very obvious U.S. Dept of Labor statistical evidence offered below: U.S. manufacturing employment in January 2000: 17,292,000 U.S. manufacturing employment in January 2012: 11,860,000 Annual U.S. trade deficit with China in 2000: $83.8 billion Annual U.S. trade deficit with China in 2011: $295.4 billion I think these stats say a lot about our country's current economic state, and I'm not sure why our politicians, economists, and corporate leaders are choosing to ignore them. Or, maybe they know something we don't. Wait, that is starting to sound like a crazy conspiracy theory.

Workplaces today are extremely safe compared to what people had to endure generations ago. This is in large part because of the increased focus employers have put on workplace safety. Employers made this effort for a variety of reasons including regulatory pressure, the best interests of their employees, and of course, the fact that a safe workplace is a more profitable workplace. Despite all the great strides that have been made, many workplaces are still quite hazardous. The following 10 workplace safety mistakes illustrate just how far many industries still have to go. They can also help spur ideas for where improvements can be made in your facility. 1. Using Ladders Improperly One of the most common and most dangerous workplace safety mistakes is failing to use a ladder properly. People make many ladder-related mistakes in the workplace, all of which can be devastating. The following are just a few of the more common examples: Unsteady Ladders - If you don't take the time to properly steady the ladder when setting it up, it could easily slide out while you're on it, causing serious injuries. Leaning from Ladders - When working on a ladder, you should never reach off to the left or right as that can throw the center of balance off, which could cause the ladder to fall. Using Objects as a Ladder - Using scaffolding, chairs, stools, or other objects to reach high areas can be dangerous. These things aren't meant for climbing the same way a ladder is. Climbing too High on Ladders - One should never step onto the upper rungs of a ladder. Depending on how the ladder is placed, even several rungs down can be unstable. 2. Lack of Visual Communication The noise in many workplaces can be quite deafening at times, which can make it difficult to communicate. When it comes to safety, communication is essential. This is why it is so important to have visual communication options in any loud workplace. Visual communication can come in many forms including

On the A Lean Journey blog, Tim McMahon offered up the reins to Lean Six Sigma writer, Kathryn Thompson, about a case study in lean manufacturing and six sigma. Inappropriately titled "The Successes of Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma: A Case Study," Thompson's post is sparse on details and any data backing up the claim that Midlake Products is a decent model for lean and six sigma. No disrespect intended toward Ms. Thomson, but this article is NOT a case study. It reads more like a press release for Midlake Products. Thompson's post gives a summary of this company's lean six sigma background and links to their website which, for all intents and purposes, is devoid of any significant examples of how they implemented lean or six sigma and what the pros/cons included. A case study is something that gives a reader some indication of a need for improvements, the processes implemented, and results. They are important documents for anyone who is contemplating starting a program and looking for basic firsthand perspectives from professionals in their industry or comparable production models. If one were to desire a real case study on the matter, I'd recommend this one from Lean Enterprise Institute for starters. It lays out the information in a more traditional way.

Creative Safety Supply sells industrial products that help businesses comply with OSHA regulations, implement 5S and Lean programs, improve worker safety, and make processes run smoothly. Shop our wide selection of visual tools to improve communication in your facility. Choose from a variety of personal protective gear to keep people safe. Then select the organizational products that will keep your workspaces orderly and easy to navigate. You'll find the tools you need to create the facility you're looking for. You're invited to take advantage of Creative Safety Supply's current offers. Check out our FREE coupon codes and discover how our industrial supplies can make your facility safer, more organized, and more efficient. Follow the instructions below to get your codes and start saving on items like label printers, floor marking tape, custom and pre-printed signs and labels, training materials, and 5S supplies! Enter the coupon code of your choice at checkout to receive your discount.

Eliminating Awkward Postures For most companies, the work that employees perform on a daily basis can be quite physical. This type of physical labor can lead to a wide range of injuries. Of course, to improve on workplace safety it is important to do all you can to help reduce the amount and severity of these types of injuries. One easy place where you can start is with the different postures that employees take while performing their day to day activities. In many cases, they put themselves in awkward postures, which increase the risk of injuries to the back, neck and other parts of the body. Fortunately, there are typically alternative ways to do things or even tools that can do those tasks for them so they can avoid injury. According to OSHA: Working in awkward postures increases the exertion and muscle force an employee must apply to complete a task and compresses tendons, nerves and blood vessels. In general, the more extreme the postures the more force is needed to complete the task. Examples of awkward postures include performing overhead work, bending or twisting to lift an object, typing with bent wrists, and squatting. The important thing is helping to identify the awkward postures, and help find alternatives for the employees. The following five positions should be removed from the workplace as much as possible so that employees can complete their work with as little risk for injury as possible. 5 Awkward Postures that Should be Avoided 1. Working with Arms above the Head The first awkward posture that is commonly seen in workplaces is trying to complete tasks with your arms above the head. There are many examples of this, some of which could include holding up a board while it is secured in place, or even painting a ceiling. Any time you are working with your arms over your head, you are putting added strain on your back. In addition, your arms are going to fatigue much more quickly than they would in a more natural position. This can put you at r

Make Construction Safety a Priority Everyone knows that construction sites can be very dangerous. The more you know about the types of danger you will face, however, will help you to take steps toward keeping everyone safe. Look over the following 10 safety facts and see what you can learn about how to improve the overall safety of your facility. In addition to using this information to help you to make safety improvements, you can also show these items to the workers at any site so they can be more aware. Some of these facts may surprise people, and cause them to be more aware of their surroundings. According to OSHA, "Nearly 6.5 million people work at approximately 252,000 construction sites across the nation on any given day. The fatal injury rate for the construction industry is higher than the national average in this category for all industries." 10 Tips to Improve Construction Safety Fact #1 - Losing your Load On construction sites people use machines to lift and move all sorts of things on a regular basis. Whether it is lifting wood or metal beams, or you are digging out dirt to prepare to lay a foundation, this is an essential part of most jobs. The vast majority of times this type of activity goes very smoothly and the jobs are completed without incident. The fact is, however, that having loads come loose while in transit is actually a leading cause of injury on construction sites. You need to keep in mind that even if you don't lose the entire load, people can be severely injured from even one thing falling out of a crane or back hoe. With this in mind, people working on site need to know to stay well away from this machinery, and the machine operators need to know to avoid moving items when people are nearby. Fact #2 - Entering and Leaving Heavy Machinery Another safety issue related to working with heavy machinery is related to operators getting on and off of the rigs that they will be working on. While this is something that they of

An arc flash is a dangerous situation in which an electrical current leaves its intended path and leaps through the air from one conducting source to another, or even sometimes the ground. Many times the transfer of electrical energy resembles and arc, hence the term arc flash. However, it is important to never underestimate the power behind an arc flash. An arc flash can vaporize metals, plastics, and even flesh. Many times arc flashes cause irreversible damage and harm to people and surrounding objects. In fact, most people injured in arc flash situations often never return to the same quality of life due to severe injury stemming from heat and burns. The heat of an arc flash has been calculated to be near 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit which is four times as hot as the sun's surface! What Causes an Arc Flash? There are many possible contributors towards an arc flash, which makes it difficult to really fully stop one from occurring. Some common culprits that may add towards the probability of an arc flash include dust, condensation, corrosion, material failure, faulty construction, dropping a tool, or simply accidental touching. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Boundaries In an attempt to help protect employees and visitors from electrically charged equipment possible of creating arch flashes, certain safety boundaries have been put into place by the NFPA. The boundary resembles a target and in the middle is the energized equipment, and then there are four outer rings around the center with each ring labeled and specified for safety. The first ring, closest to the center (energized equipment) is called the prohibited approach boundary, then the next ring further out is called the restricted approach boundary, the next ring is called the limited approach boundary, and the furthest ring out from the center is called the flash protection boundary. Let's quickly describe each boundary. Prohibited Approach: Being within this boundary during an arc flash

Have you heard the story about the lifeguard in Florida who was fired because he saved a swimmer's life?! Mark Graban writes an interesting post on his Lean Blog about the incident. In his post Lifeguard Saves Swimmer, Gets Fired, Graban compares the shocking response to the lifeguard's laudable action to possible consequences of overly strict rules in the Lean work place: A lifeguard, Tomas Lopez, was "hastily" (and incorrectly) fired by a supervisor after saving a swimmer in distress… because the swimmer was outside of Lopez's assigned zone. Are you kidding me? The lifeguard wasn't fired due to a bad policy… he was fired because a supervisor misinterpreted (or didn't understand) a policy. That's just common sense that Lopez should have saved the swimmer. It sounds like the supervisor didn't even know the proper rules and regulations… firing Lopez because they thought he violated some rule. We can't put rules, procedures, and "standardized work" in the Lean parlance ahead of common sense and judgment. Can you image the uproar of Lopez had just sat there because saving that swimmer "wasn't my job"? We need to be careful that our standardized work, especially in healthcare settings, aren't overly restrictive or violate common sense. Maybe this lifeguard story is a good illustration of what could go wrong…

Effective marketing also means effective communication with existing and prospective clients, so every business should make an effort to come up with methods to establish a connection with their clients. If you are operating a business, you must be aware that one great method to achieve this is to come up with excellent signage that will serve as a bridge between your business and your customers. With this, you may want to consider purchasing label maker software that will accommodate of your label printing needs. Why Opt For Label Makers? It is a fact that you can go about and look for commercial label printing if you want to accomplish the branding and labeling needs of your business. However, doing this can lead to higher marketing expenses which would have been reduced if you just depend on label makers. A lot of companies are opting for label makers for many good reasons like the following: They are simple and very convenient to use Very flexible as they can help produce labels of varying sizes Can reduce the business operating cost by a huge percentage Can be used for small and large scale marketing levels Very affordable and comes in different types and designs Depending on the size and output of different labeling and sign printing machines, using a label maker serves as a great way to establish a business without having to spend huge sums on expensive marketing strategies.