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Company directors across the UK are preparing themselves for one of the biggest legislative shake ups to direct corporate accountability in a very long time. The Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act comes into force on 6th April 2008 and business lawyers are urging businesses to check their level of risk.

The new law follows events such as the Paddington and Southall rail crashes and the ICL/Stockline explosion which have increased public awareness in regard to the lack of accountability in large private companies.

Roughly 40,000 people have been killed in commercially related circumstances between 1966 and 2006 with 34 companies prosecuted for homicide and seven resulting in convictions. In the past year there have been over 600 fatal work related injuries, with other injuries ranging from amputation of limbs to loss of sight and electrocution.

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Evaluating a business and its productivity is possibly the most difficult thing for any big or small owner. Gauging the subtle differences between which employee’s would make for good management material or are truly working at optimum proficiency is all but a guess at best, even when relying on the judgment of management. Throughout recent years and most prominent in the United States of America has been the arrival of mandatory drug testing by businesses both hiring new employees and testing those who have been with the company for an extended duration.  Read more...

Regular testing of the different pieces of electrical equipment that are used in the workplace is mandated by rules as set forth by the government. It is done to make sure that all electrical equipment is operating at optimum levels. PAT testing stickers are used to indicate the condition of the machine after the tests are conducted. The appliances are tested using specific types of equipment which can read the machines in question, resulting in readings that will let the inspector and therefore the business know the relative safety and functioning of the machine. PAT testing labels can give workers the pertinent information regarding each machine that they use in their daily work routines.

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Lowering business insurance premiums in tight economic times can be quite a challenge. With constantly increasing costs, businesses need to reallocate their budget in order to be able to cut on those expenses that can be reduced. Without a doubt, business insurance can offer savings. Business owners should ask their insurer for the best package policies to serve their needs at the lowest possible premium. Insurers would be glad to help a business out because if the business goes bankrupt, insurers would be liable to cover for its liabilities. 

Reducing insurance premium is worth the effort provided coverage is not compromised. Insurance coverage has to be thoroughly reviewed so as to evaluate the cost/benefit relationship between the premium paid and the coverage offered. This is a repetitive process that may be conducted on an annual or semiannual basis or whenever there is a change in the business that calls for a review.   Read more...

A safe working environment is a corollary to good business practice. Should your safety precautions fail, and your employee is hospitalised or becomes disabled through a workplace accident, you’re obliged to cushion the personal financial hardship that would ensue. This is where the Worker’s Compensation Insurance will provide the necessary coverage.

Legally required insurance

Should your business meet the minimum criteria in your state, then you are legally committed to obtain compensation insurance for your employees. Neglecting to provide compensation for injured employee will open your business to stiff pecuniary penalties under the law. If your employee takes action to obtain legal redress and files a lawsuit against you for negligence, your company could be burdened with astronomical legal fees that may even cripple the business.

Factors to consider

There’s a price tag associated with insuring your employees against workplace injuries. The premium payable on the insurance would depend on a number of factors.  Read more...

The answer is both yes and no.

The yes answer is that for the most part achieving compliance with your policies and procedures can happen if you are willing to put in the time, and effort into your staff, your business and the legislative requirements for your industry in your country.

That is ensuring your staff are adequately trained in what you want them to do in the normal events of the business day. After all no-one can perform to the standard required if they don’t know what that standard is.

The harder part of the yes answer is the culture around your work place. Is yours the kind of workplace that encourages worker contributions to the development of procedures and policies? Do you encourage staff to trial new methods of achieving the work required? Or do you discourage them?  Read more...

Workplace Breathalysers Rated for Best Performance

Worldwide polls show that 1 in 10 people show up for work drunk. And in most cases, employers have no way of verifying it. It’s an especially concerning problem for workplaces where employees drive planes, trains, and other vehicles, perform intricate job tasks, or are liable for the well-being of others, such as medical personnel and teachers. With the development and affordability of workplace breathalysers, it makes smart business sense to have employee alcohol testing devices on the worksite for pre-employment screenings and random employee alcohol testing.

There are numerous models of portable workplace breathalysers on the market today that can perform alcohol tests. But in comparing them for effectiveness in detecting alcohol, there is one breath test that stood out on several fronts. In comparing worksite breathalysers, the devices were rated for accuracy, ease of use and price.  Read more...

All businesses must be registered with the government in order to make it legal. Illegal business ventures do not have annual business tax and its employees will most likely encounter problems with health benefits or social insurance because their illegal employer cannot enter transactions with the government. It is therefore compulsory to make business owners register their businesses, either through manual registration (getting an application form, filling it, then mailing the form to the business registration office address) or through online application (which makes people fill up forms online and send it via e-mail). Of the two, online transactions are processed faster. The reply for online application is also released in less time compared to having it mailed conventionally. That said, more people do register a business online.

There are obvious benefits of having a business registered. First is that business people do not have to deal with being in conflict with the law. Businesses are complicated enough for criminal liabilities to add up to the load.  Read more...

It is a sad fact of life that crime is on the rise in America. Perhaps it is the slowed economy or perhaps it is just people looking for an easy way to make a dishonest living. Whatever the case may be it is more important than ever before that you protect your business from theft and other crimes by utilizing surveillance equipment and surveillance signs which can be found at workplace safety websites such as Emedco.com.

Now you may not view surveillance as a means to keeping you and your employees safe, but there are many who would tell you otherwise. More times than not criminals have a tendency to be desperate people and they will let nothing stand in their way when it comes to getting what they want. The last thing you want to happen is to have you or one of your employees caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and be forced to confront one of these criminals. It is better to deter them first.  Read more...

Workplace safety issues have become important overtime. As employers and employees, we don’t really think about such issues because we really don’t have an idea about them. But they exist and we should be aware of any security issues related to the place we work at. All major companies are looking into making their workplace environment safer. Hughes notduschen is famous for providing security and safety equipment for the business.

The management and the employees both determine how sound and secure a safety and security program is. Accidents occur in our daily life and they are both small and large, but many accidents can lead to further consequences such as serious injuries or death. To guarantee a safer work environment for everyone it is mandatory that workers invest time and energy into their surroundings and take in interest in the place they are working at. You should take steps to make your workplace dekontamination  Read more...