It’s a surprising fact that many people still regard the workplace as one of the safest places.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, many accidents occur at one’s place of work, causing employees many hours of downtime and costing companies millions of dollars in insurance coverage.  If you want to keep yourself or your employees safe at work, here are some workplace safety tips you must keep in mind:

Be aware of exits and entrances
Always be aware of the location of doors, windows and emergency exits at your place of work, whether it’s an office building, a plant, a warehouse or a home office. Determine the viability of these areas as effective exits in case of an emergency.

Try to familiarize yourself with these areas so that you know exactly where to go even if there’s smoke, heavy traffic or absolute panic.  Make sure that these exits are accessible for everyone to use and that workers are aware of them.

Handle electric gadgets and appliances carefully
Don’t do anything at the office that you would consider unsafe at home.  Be especially careful with electric appliances at the office.  Check proper usage instructions and make sure you use the equipment as directed. Don’t try to repair equipment yourself.  If something malfunctions, call the attention of the right department instead.

Wear safety equipment
Some workplaces, by the nature of the industry they belong in, can be hazardous.  Floors in the office pantry, for example, can be slippery or construction areas can have falling debris.  Even ordinary office fixtures such as stairs, elevators, overhead cabinets and electrical outlets can pose a danger if you’re not careful. If you work in places where there are personal or physical hazards, follow safety protocols and regulations that are in place.

Regularly check your workplace for hazards
An important workplace safety tip to remember is to be always vigilant regarding your work area. Check for faulty office equipment, furniture or office appliances that may pose possible threats and other possible sources of physical harm.  Check your desk, chair, cabinets and gadgets as well.

Implement and/or participate in safety practices
Every workplace should have its own set of safety practice procedures.  Be aware of what these are at your place of work.  If you don’t have a safety procedure in place yet, consider having a team of workers to handle this.  Concerted efforts work best in this regard and the more employees are involved, the safer it will be for everyone.

image credits to sxc.hu

Did you know that an average of 800,000 dog bites happen every year and 1 out of every 6 requires medical attention? source

And if you thought only Mr. Postman is prone to dog bites, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one American has a one in 50 chance of getting bitten by a dog each year.

Okay, enough of the gory details. So what I’m saying is, you will never know when a dog, although provoked by your unintentional noise or any other reason can make you a part of the statistic.

So what might be of help in avoiding having to go to the emergency room for a dog bite case?

One is never approach a stray dog. You don’t know if it’s been vaccinated or if it’s sick with anything.

Do not be too close to a dog. No matter how cute you find that new poodle of your neighbour, it’s better to be safe than never. Give the li’l doggie some space or it might force you to get some new stitches on your face.

If you see a nursing, sleeping or eating dog, resist the temptation of getting too near. It will feel threatened and you know animal instinct, right?

Use dog repellers. One is known as the Dog Chaser. It deters unfriendly canines with the help of ultrasonic technology. It sends off a discomforting but harmless, high frequency sound that can be heard by dogs. There’s also a dog repellent spray, which works like Mace for dogs. This dog repellent device works like a pepper spray.

And as always, prevention is still better than cure. As much as possible, stay away from dogs you are not familiar with. Stay safe and Happy New Year, everyone!

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Hiring someone to take care of your children is essentially like asking someone to take your place. This is why having a nanny is really as much an issue of trust as it is of necessity. If you suspect that this trust is breached, then you might want to consider using a nanny cam to keep your children safe and your nanny in line. But how do you prevent your nanny from manipulating the nanny cam? Here are tips you can use:

Buy a nanny cam that can be hidden
Most nannies will take it personally if they find out that you’re using a nanny cam. This can affect her relationship with you and your child. Furthermore, if she knows exactly where your nanny cam is located and has plans of harming your child, she could manipulate your nanny cam in such a way that it won’t show her in a bad light.

For example: if you keep your nanny cam only in a specific place in the bedroom, the nanny could avoid hitting your child in that area, since she knows the nanny cam is watching. But what’s to stop her from hurting your child in another area of the house where no nanny cam is present?

To make sure your nanny won’t be able to manipulate the nanny cam to her benefit, buy one that resemble a common household item. Or, use a nanny cam that can be integrated into things that are inside the room such as the child’s crib, stuffed toy, books or furniture. If she doesn’t suspect it, she won’t be able to do with it as she pleases.

Use dummy cameras
Dummy nanny cams can work in your favor in case you have a clever nanny in your hands. In case she goes around searching for a hidden camera that spies on her, you could place multiple cameras in the room, preferably hidden in an area where she either would not think to look or cannot easily reach. Place the dummy camera in an obvious area and the other camera/s in a more conspicuous location.

Tell your nanny that you have a nanny cam installed
Another way to prevent your nanny from manipulating the nanny cam is to simply inform them that you have one installed. Explain that it’s not that you don’t trust her to take care of your child, it’s just that you like to check on your child yourself. However, do not tell your nanny where the nanny cam is located. That way, she won’t have an idea which places in the house she could be in her best behavior in and which areas she can let loose.

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