Pallet Jacks And Forklift Safety -- Recognizing And Dealing With Hazards

While pallet jacks might not seem as dangerous as a forklift, both of these machines have their own set of safety hazards.The required maintenance of these machines also carry a risk.In addition to all of that, the possible hazards you might encounter when dealing with a load of products requires even more safety precautions.The first step towards avoiding these problems is adequate training for the operator.In the end, however, the only true precaution is a collaborative effort between the operator, company, and everyone who works in and around the equipment.

Concerns With Forklift Batteries

The batteries require a lot of the same maintenance as other vehicle batteries.

The amount of use these batteries receive, however, means this maintenance, including replacement, removal, and recharging, occurs more often.The dangerous acids and other ingredients they contain means handling them with the utmost of care at all times.Ventilation is needed to prevent the inhalation of dangerous fumes and protective clothing is needed to protect against contact.This could be a special system installed into the building to remove the fumes and pump in fresh air, or it could be opening large garage doors.Other items to have on hand include a well-stocked first aid kit, an emergency shower, and eyewash station.Be sure they are easily accessible as well.

Equipment In Ill-Repair

Before each shift, the operator should inspect the pallet jacks or forklift very carefully to ensure everything is in good repair and looked after.

Breakdowns dealing with important systems such as the hydraulics, steering, or breaks could cause very serious accidents quickly.Tires are another component that could cause problems.If they are worn unevenly or have flat spots, the machine will not carry the load evenly, increasing the possibility of having the load tip or fall.

Provide everyone who works with any of these machines with a comprehensive checklist that outlines a full inspection.The operator should follow this before each shift and stop using it as soon as he or she notices something out of the ordinary.It should stay parked until it is fully operational.

Increase Risk Of Collision

Pallet jacks run a constant risk of running into things and running over the feet of the operator or a passerby.

A forklift also has these same issues.With the movement of large loads and basic inattention to their surroundings, injury and death are a very real hazard.Adding systems such as backup tweeters, lights, and horns can help warn others of the machine's movements.It also helps to eliminate pedestrian traffic in areas where moving equipment operates.Lastly, operators should move loads while driving in reverse to increase their visibility.

Unstable Loads

Loads themselves are not as dangerous as a load elevated to a particular height.

Loading the pallet correctly is half the battle.It is important to educate others about how to stack the products and check them for stability.The stability should also be checked and the load should be wrapped with plastic before using the forklift to raise the load.Caution is also needed with pallet jacks since they can jerk the load.It also helps keep the load from falling by ensuring that the flooring is maintained.Uneven flooring and surface flaws should be repaired as soon as possible.Finally, ensure equipment operators are able to distinguish the difference between loads that are stackable and those that are not.

These safety concerns are just a few of the issues that face businesses requiring the use of pallet jacks or a forklift.education, careful decisions, and the ability to identify tragedies before they occur are the only way to prevent accidents in the workplace.

About the Author

Christine O'Kelly writes for RHI Lifts, a leading provider of pallet jacks.

Chicago customers and those throughout the country have access to the Illinois forklift dealer's full line of storage and handling equipment.

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The Top 3 Factors Determining who Makes Money in the Forex Markets and who the Big Losers Are

If you are under the belief that most people, if not all of the people who invest in the currency markets are there for one reason, to make money, then what really separates the winners from the losers?While there are numerous small factors that contribute to private financiers failures to become successful when trading the FX markets, research has shown that three of them stand out above all others.The research has also shown that these can be over come if the people failing knew why they were not achieving there goals and they would take the time to make adjustments.

Learn Forex Trading:

The number one reason people fail by a wide margin, almost two to one over the second reason people fail is due to the fact they have not made any or feeble attempts at that to become educated on the finer points of the currency markets.

Profitable Forex trading is a skill that can be taught and a skill that can be learned.

Research has shown that the vast majority of people that dropped out of the markets quickly were the ones that made no attempt to become educated on the subject matter.They put some money in to see what happened.If they made money, they would then put in more.If they lost money, they would quit investing.

Have the Forex Tools Required to be Successful:

The number two reason failed to make money in the currency markets is that they lacked the tools and the expertise to use those tools.

The tools of course, are the Forex software trading systems one must utilize to capture the eminence amounts of data created daily by the currency markets and the know how to interpret that information.If fact, above all else, research showed that a very high percentage of first time investors bought a piece of software and started trading the next day.They did not know how to use the software and they knew little or nothing about the markets.When they lost money, it was the software's fault they lost money.

Lack of Understand of Margins, and How to Make Them Work for you Instead of Against You:

Forex margins can be as high as 200 for every 1 currency invested.

Most stock market margins are on a 1 to 1 basis.The novice traders think it is great they can control such a large amount of currency with such a small investment.They fail to realize until it is too late that at that borrowing percentage even a small downturn in a currency can wipe out there account.There are numerous techniques to take this disadvantage and turn it into an advantage.Unfortunately, if we refer back to the number one reason people fail, they have never acquired this knowledge.

Education is the cornerstone of our society and it has never been easier to obtain than it is today with regard to the currency markets.If the people who failed to make money had only taken time to learn currency trading by taking a Forex training course there success rate would have been much higher.Research on this matter has only found the obvious, which is the better educated you are, the greater chance you have of making a success of any endeavor you choose to undertake.

About the Author

We have researched, tested reviewed 100s of Forex Courses, Software Systems and Brokerage Firms which we only list our TOP 10 to help you LEARN FOREX TRADING.

For 100s of FREE FOREX TUTORIALS please visit LEARN CURRENCY TRADING.Good Luck!I look forward to seeing you on the trading floor making money!

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Food Production And Safety Requirements -- How Everyone Stays Safe

Working with food, particularly those that are consumed by someone else, requires the utmost attention to safety.In the food production industry, everyone needs to use disposable shirt protection, hearing and head protection, chainmail, and other safety items to prevent injuries.These precautions also prevent contamination and keep others from getting sick.Here are some of the items used in the food industry to keep everyone safe from harm.

Disposable Shirt Protection And Clothing

Standard disposable shirt protection and safety garments play two important roles in the food production industry.

One of the first ways protective clothing helps keep everyone safe is by preventing lint, hair, and other items that may be on a shirt from falling into the food.Secondly, disposable shirt protection keeps the food from getting on your own clothing.This helps keep the mess contained so that it does not contaminate other areas outside of the work area.

Head And Hair Covers

When working with food items that someone else will consume, you should always keep your hair and head covered with either a mesh-like hairnet or a paper-like hat.

This prevents hair and dander from falling into the food.Employees working in a commercial plant may also have to wear a hardhat.This will protect them if something would happen to fall off the conveyor belts that carry the food down the line.

Metal Armor

In processing jobs that require the use of knives, safety rules generally require them to wear special safety 'armor' often called chainmail to protect against cuts and other knife injuries.

Chainmail is a tight metal mesh that goes over your body like a shirt and across the tops of your legs.The mesh is designed to keep the knife from going through and making contact with your skin.For added protection, workers may also wear metal gloves over their regular gloves to protect their hands.

Hand Protection

When working with food, gloves made from materials such as plastic or latex are a must.

This helps minimize the chance of contaminating other foods or spreading germs and diseases to other surfaces.You need to change them each time you move from one type of food to the next.In a restaurant, you may need to change them between meals.Manufacturing plants may simply require you to change them at each break or several set times throughout the day.

Footwear

All workers need to wear the proper shoes when working in the food industry.

These may or may not have steel toes, but the most important thing is that they cover your entire foot.In some situations such as in hospitals and production plants, you may also be asked to have a designated pair that are only used in the workplace, or you may be required to use shoe covers while in the work area.This keeps outside dirt from entering the food prep area and protects your feet if you would drop a knife or spill a hot liquid.

Protection For Your Ears

Traditional restaurants and smaller businesses in the food industry will likely not require hearing protection.

Industrial production plants, however, use large machines to make production faster and easier.These machines often combine to increase the noise in the workplace to an unhealthy level.These situations require workers to wear earmuffs or earplugs at all times.

Businesses in the food industry keep the safety of the consumer and their employees in the forefront of their minds at all times, Disposable shirt protection and other required safety gear play a large part in achieving this goal.Unfortunately, these items aren't enough on their own -- everyone needs adequate training and information to ensure everyone from the workers in the plant to the end consumer stays safe while enjoying a quality product.

About the Author

Christine O'Kelly is an author for MPE Safety Apparel, leading supplier of Tyvek shirt protection.

In addition to offering disposable shirt products, they offer a full line of recycled protective clothing including biohazard suits, pants, and shoe covers.

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Marketing During A Downturn

Here are two different company's responses to the current economic downturn.

"The second the stock market crashed all my clients stopped.I haven't had any new clients all this week.business is a shocker.If it keeps up I don't know what I will do.I will have to stop my marketing as I need to cut costs".

"The stock market crash has been the best thing for my business ever.I have so many new opportunities.People need me more than ever to help them find their business edge.I will have to tweak all of my marketing to help people feel confident again.Can we revamp the lot and get it out there yesterday?"

Similar industries.

Same world issue.Totally different outlooks.

In a downturn the worst thing you can do is to reduce your marketing efforts.This tells people you are giving up and you don't think your product or service is really worth the price you are asking for it.

If you are confident in the value you offer, the downturn can be where the seeds of prosperity and success are sown.Most of the world's biggest companies started their success from the Depression.
So, precisely what should you be doing with your marketing during a downturn?

1.Dust off your database.Your previous clients all know your services and offerings.Make sure you go back and touch base with all previous clients (even the ones you haven't spoken with in some time).These people are more willing to buy from you than new customers so treat them like gold and with great respect.

2.Become more personally visible.In a downturn people want more than ever to know and trust the person they will work with.Get out there, meet people and form strong business relationships with them.Don't hide away in your office.Allow people to see the real you - you will attract a better match of clients that way.

3.Boost your credibility.This is the time to go back and get all of those testimonials you have been meaning to get.Include testimonials on your website and your marketing material to ensure people know you have a proven successful track record.

4.Revisit your guarantee.You need strong guarantees for your goods or services.In a downturn you may want to strengthen your guarantee.Instead of 30 day money back guarantee make it 90 days.

5.Show leadership confidence.If you trust the doom and gloom merchants you will curl into a ball in a remote cave.Be out there, show your confidence in your product and the economy and show strong leadership within your industry.People value strong leaders.

6.Watch your statistics.You do need to monitor your statistics for each campaign.If a brochure, flyer or ad isn't getting you the results you were looking for then adjust it.You still should be getting a strong return on investment for each campaign.

7.Don't scrimp on design and printing.It's very tempting to DIY or running your own brochures up.Professional design is just that professional!It looks great and gives you a professional brand and image.Don't cut corners with your design and printing as this is false economy.

8.Stay positive.If you think the sky will fall it will.If you think you will be successful you will be.Find positive, empowered people and hang out with them.Don't stay too long with naysayers as they will drag you down into their depression.This also means don't cut your prices in a vain attempt to stay afloat.You are sending the message that you are desperate.Correctly value your goods and services.

9.Boost your communication.This is the time to increase your communication to customers not reduce it.Keep it informative, credible and up-beat.Don't get tempted to fall into doom and gloom for your headlines or marketing messages.

10.Adjust your website.People will spend more time researching in this market before investing or buying.Make sure your website is information rich, has been optimised for search engines and is easy to navigate.

For most businesses, the downturn will be just a storm in a tea-cup.Yes, you may have the odd spilt drop of tea, but as a whole there is no reason your business can't survive and thrive no matter the economy.

In the words of Warren Buffet "be brave when people are fearful and afraid when people are brave", that is the secret to business success.

About the Author

Ingrid Cliff is a freelance writer and the Chief Word Wizard of Heart Harmony - a writing services studio that helps put your business into words.

For a free copy of the "7 Secrets of Compelling Copy Powerful Words" visit her website http://www.heartharmony.com.au "> www.heartharmony.com.au .

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What To Do To Protect Your Online Reputation

When managing your online reputation, you might wonder what to do if you search google for your name or company and find that a negative item appears about you on page one.Can you have such things removed?

You can't make a negative Google result vanish, but you can help push it farther down the rankings by sending out a steady stream of new content that shows you or your company in a positive light.Here are ten things you can do to quickly get quality content out there:

1.

Create a website.That might seem obvious, but many people don't have their own domain name and website.You can nab the top spot in the search engines for your name or company name just by having a website.

2.Create a blog.The search engines love blogs because they are updated frequently.Even if you leave the blog untended for a while it will still tend to rank well.Target certain names or phrases in your blog titles and the first sentence of the posts.You'll be on page one of Google before you know it.

3.Create pages and sub domains.The search engines view these as separate from your main site, so it's a way to brand yourself more and send out yet more content on the search engines.An example of a subdomain would be "products.yourdomain." Having lots of pages and subdomains out there helps crowd out any negative information that might be on the Internet about your company.This way you remain in charge of the conversations and your reputation.

4.Use Social Media.Use your business or personal name and create profiles in the social media (MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, etc.).Even if you don't want to use these tools, it is wise to at least reserve your name so that others don't create profiles using your identity, potentially damaging your online reputation.

5.Create a social network of your own.Ning is an excellent free social networking software that you can use for your own community (the free version comes with ads).Or you can pay $5/month and host it on your own domain.

6.Create a LinkedIn profile.This is especially important if you are a professional and are looking for employment.It's also a way for colleagues to find your contact info and a way to meet new clients.

7.Use Flickr.Flickr is a photo sharing site which you might not think of in connection with reputation management, but if you upload photos with your name or company name, they will rank well in the search engines.Include comments on the photos too.Be strategic when choosing your Flickr ID name, because that shows up well in searches.

8.Create a Naymz profile.You can link to all your other profiles from this one site and is a one-stop site for your brand.

9.Create your own Wiki.Rather than create a page for you or your company on Wikipedia (where you don't have total control), create your own wiki instead and build a profile there.Make one for your name or company name.You control who contributes to it.

10.Use Google Pages.Google loves these pages, of course.It's yet another place for you to post content that will rank well, and using these Google Pages is especially important if there is negative content about you on page one that you want to push out.

About the Author

Search engine marketing is the most powerful way to drive traffic on the web.

With Content Syndication you can control your internet brand.For more info on reputation management go to www.directhorizon.com

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Property Management -- Allowing A Home Based Business In A Rental Unit

Many property management companies have a blanket rule against using a real estate rental for a home-based business and often for good reason.However, like most things there are two sides to every issue.There are some types of home-based businesses that may actually help you keep a good tenant in place.Rather than have an inflexible policy, a good property management company will carefully consider each case individually.

How Will The business Impact The Real Estate Rental?

If the home based business requires a large number of people coming and going, this may have a large negative impact on the real estate rental.Simply by the number of people coming in and out, there will be greater wear and tear on the carpet, people will be touching the walls and fixtures, and the amount of trash produced will increase.The impact may not be noticeable at first glance but over time, this will definitely put a greater stress on the real estate rental.

As the business volume increases, so will the amount of traffic produced.Customers will require a larger number of parking spaces, which will quickly become an issue if the building was not designed to accommodate such volume.Complaints will start to come into the property management office as other tenants find customers parked in their allotted spaces.

If the situation goes unattended, you run the risk of driving off other potentially better tenants.You'll also want to be aware of how deliveries are to be made and how often to expect them.Delivery trucks can be very disruptive in a residential neighborhood.

Be Aware Of Zoning Laws

Regardless of your policy on home-based businesses in real estate rentals, you will need to be aware of the local zoning laws.

Some cities make it illegal to have any type of home-based business in a residential area.Sometimes these laws are subject to review and exception.

For example, running a child care business will have many restrictions but running an internet based business usually will have few or no restrictions.When a home-based business is allowed, the property management will want to consult with the tenant about the number of customers they expect on a regular basis.If a large number of clients are expected, they may fall under the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which could have an impact on the use of the remaining part of the building.

Make Sure Everyone Involved Is Protected

If a home-based business is approved, an agreement ahead of time between the property management and tenant should be made as to who is responsible for any damage that may occur while the business is under operation.

You'll want to consult with your insurance agent to guarantee that your policy is in full force if a business is operated in your real estate rental.You may be required to purchase additional or modified insurance coverage and you may want to have the tenant take out a policy to cover your potential loss as well.

If the home-based business is very small and doesn't have a large client base coming and going frequently, such as with an internet based company, it may actually help you to allow the business because you keep a good paying tenant.A satisfied tenant is a good source of word of mouth advertising.However, if the home-based business is going to cause problems down the road and become a liability to you, don't hesitate to try to seek a compromise or refuse the rental.The short-term gain will not be worth the long-term headaches.

About the Author

Christine O'Kelly writes for Chicago Beal Properties.

With 80+ years experience being a property manager and real estate rental company, Beal Property, LLC offers an apartment rental in many of the city's historic neighborhoods.

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