Archive for the ‘Articles’ Category

Emergency Lighting and Heating

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

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Accidents do occur and sometimes when we are least alert. Surviving under such situations often blur the thin line between life and death. It is only after falling in such situations we realize the importance of life but find ourselves helpless to cope with such miseries. This happens due to being less informed about how to handle such emergencies and ignorance in using the adequate emergency supplies when it is highly required. Another important cause behind a disaster becoming worse is that either at that time we so not have access to disaster kits or the disaster supplies appear inadequate.

As in an emergency some medical supplies like antibiotic cream, insect repellent and bandages are essentially required, similarly situations may also appear where the use of emergency lighting and heating materials is equally demanded. A layman whose basic idea about a first aid kit is preparing a first aid box with basic medical supplies, may doubt the forget the need for emergency lighting and heating products in a disaster kit.

Emergency lighting and heating supplies are generally required as an essential item for outdoor first aid kits. Generally people who go for long outdoor excursions need emergency lighting and heating supplies which include emergency lights, solar blankets and solar sleeping bags. There are situations when you need lighting and heating equipments in your disaster kit to brave adverse climactic conditions.

Situations like your house becoming frost laden on cold winter nights or your car breaking down in the middle of nowhere on a windy winter night are the ideal examples when you direly need a lighting or heating solution. Hence, it is good to keep solar heating blankets and bags to fight the cold. Suppose you are in a place where the decreasing temperature is weakening your nerves, the use of solar blankets and solar sleeping bags is highly recommended.

A good solar blanket retains about 90% of body heat. You can feel the warmth by wrapping yourself in a silver solar blanket. Solar blankets can also be used as a cooling medium, but also during sunny days when you are out on a trip. Using the solar blanket you can deflect the sun and keep your vehicle cooler by putting it in the windows directly facing the sun.

Portable water heaters are available and can be useed to quickly heat water. The pumps used in the water heater run on a rechargeable battery. So it is necessary to have a supportive infrastructure to recharge the battery anywhere, anytime. Other emergency heating products available in the market include hand warmers. These are very handy and can easily be kept in the first aid kits. These are only used to provide heat. Though candles are readily available for emergency lighting requirements, they need to be used with great care and only in places with proper ventilation. Therefore high powered flash lights and lanterns are best recommended for emergency use, with the newer solar flashlights and shack flashlights being very popular.

Your emergency lighting and heating products and the emergency supplies you select should be designed for your unique situation and use. Pre-planning is always the key.

Eric Holm, Publisher, Manager, and Owner of Emergency And Disaster Supplies. We can help you with your emergency lighting and emergency heating needs. Also, huge selection of emergency kits, emergency supplies, and first aid kits. Use our free information, resources, printable forms, and blog ideas.

Emergency Hygiene and Sanitary

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

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The term ‘Hygiene’ suggests set of practices associated with preservation of health and living a healthy life. Hygiene correlates with personal and professional care practices followed at every aspects of healthy living. Hygiene could be of many types such as medicinal hygiene, body hygiene, dental hygiene, domestic hygiene, occupational hygiene and sanitary hygiene. Hygiene practices widely vary based on cultural variations. Although hygiene at every level is necessary for healthy living, sanitary hygiene is something that is promoting health by avoiding human contact with the hazards of waste. The term ’sanitary’ is derived from the word ‘Sanitation’. The term sanitation is applied to a particular concept, aspect, strategy or location for basic sanitation, on-site sanitation, food sanitation, environmental sanitation and ecological sanitation.

A good sanitary habit includes following hygienic practices. Poor sanitary habits can create health problems and the spread of diseases. A good sanitary habit can only be followed if the individual is supplied with proper sanitary supplies. Sanitary supplies are necessary in a crisis situation. There are hygiene supplies available in market that support you even when you are without water as a cleansing source for several days. Hygiene and sanitary supplies are the primary tools for achieving good health where elementary cleanliness is the basic criterion. Neglect of hygiene and sanitary issues result into problems and diseases of which we sometimes were not even aware of. Every body part demands attention at regular intervals, as far as cleansing them is concerned. Hygiene and sanitation also include proper grooming routines for hair, skin, hands, teeth, nails feet and menstrual hygiene.

Sometimes we complain about conditions that disturb our daily regimen appearing as a threat to personal hygiene. Some health conditions that can be controlled by improving personal hygiene include dandruff, head lice, ear wax, bad breath, perspiration, body odor, urinary infection, athletes foot and pinworms. There are sanitary supplies readily available in market that can well be used for both in crisis situations and also in daily hygiene. A good hygiene is the only method of preventing infections. One most effective method of preventing ourselves from illness is practicing good personal hygiene. Sanitary and hygiene is a wide concept which includes practices such as bathing, washing hair, brushing teeth, and cleaning clothes.

Below are some simple tips to follow in order to practice good hygiene.

Try to bathe at least twice a day using an antibacterial soap. This helps fight germs and body odor.

Always use a deodorant with zinc or aluminum. Make sure that the deo-spray you use is capable enough of fighting odor-causing bacteria.

Launder your clothes at frequent intervals

Clean clothes at home using some odor fighting detergent.

Avoid consuming spicy or smelly food.

Hygiene is not only associated with cleanliness, it also involves following a healthy diet along with good mental health. Hygiene also means being careful to your surrounding. Only a completely hygienic person can contribute to a healthy atmosphere. In conclusion you should plan for your hygiene needs during an emergency or disaster by purchasing your own personal hygiene kit.

Eric Holm, Publisher, Manager, and Owner of Emergency And Disaster Supplies. We can help you with your emergency hygiene and sanitation needs. Also, all of your emergency kits, emergency supplies, and first aid kits. Use our free information, resources, printable forms, and blog ideas.

Saint Frances of Rome and Purgatory

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

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Saint Frances of Rome and Purgatory From Visions of Heaven, Hell and Purgatory

  St. Frances is led to the deepest Dungeon of Purgatory

The Angel brought Frances to the lowest level of Purgatory, to a a cavern filled with a roaring fire, its red-hot flames cutting through the black smoke that darkened the cave. But as horrible as it was, Frances said it was not as hot as in Hell. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could see bodies being plunged into what appeared to be a cauldron of raging fire, its flames enveloping them, pulling them down. She was told that these were souls who had been guilty of committing serious sins, had confessed and were absolved of their sins by a priest, but had not satisfied the wrong done by their act against God.[1]   In this vision, she was told that for each mortal sin committed and forgiven, a payment of seven years of reparation[2] in Purgatory was necessary to erase it from the soul. Since the damage done by each mortal sin affects the world differently, some more deadly and lasting, the length of time and punishment differs. The type of pain and suffering measured out to each of these souls, was in proportion to the type of sin, the damage done by the sins, and the number of wounds inflicted on our Lord’s Sacred Heart by these sins.   In this level, she found the Poor Souls of the Laity and Religious, alike. Those of the Laity were souls who had led a life of sin, and converted toward the end of their lives. Conversion to the Lord and His Church is God’s gift to us, as only the Holy Spirit can convert men’s hearts. As they had not paid their debt on earth, they had to clear the invoice due the Lord here in Purgatory.   The Souls of the Religious were those who had not kept the vows they had professed. No sooner had this been explained to her than St. Frances saw the soul of a priest who was very well known. He had a covering on his face, to try to hide the ugly blemish that had remained. Now, this priest had led a truly priestly life, faithfully administering the Sacraments and pastoring his flock. His only sin had been an intemperate need to gouge himself at mealtime, seeking his reward from God’s creation rather than God alone.   The Angel then led Frances to the Intermediate Dungeon

This region was reserved for those souls who had not sinned as seriously as those of the lowest dungeon, nor caused irreparable damage by their transgressions. As their souls were not free from the ugly blemishes that are a result of sin, they were required to spend time in Purgatory; but because of God’s Justice they did not need to spend time suffering the intense punishment of souls in the dungeons below. This dungeon had three compartments:   (1) The first was a cavern of ice, sharp icicles threatening the souls below. It was incredibly cold in here. She could see the poor souls trying to warm themselves to no avail, as ice seemed to be hemming them in, closing in on them, surrounding them; the walls, the floor, the ceiling, nowhere to get away from the endless freezing cold!   (2) Next, there was an underground prison of boiling oil and pitch.[3] The sickening odor of burning flesh filled the area. She could see the Poor Souls, covered with black pitch, writhing in pain. No matter what they did, they could not escape the boiling petroleum nor the sticky hot, black mess which clung to them.   (3) In the third and last level she saw Souls struggling not to drown in what appeared to be a pool filled with liquefied ore, resembling melted gold and silver. Had these Souls attached too much importance to the rewards of the world, counting the Graces from the Lord as nothing in comparison?

The Saint visits the Upper Dungeon   Our Saint does not go into detail on this level of atonement, only that this is the place where the Poor Souls condemned themselves, upon seeing that one time[4] before the Lord, how they had transgressed against Him. The more we study about Purgatory, the more I find myself asking the question, “Am I offending You, my Lord?” This is not so much from the viewpoint of suffering in Purgatory (my foremost desire being Heaven), but the thought of Jesus and how He will look, as my unrequited sins pass before me, the many times I failed to put Him first, the missed opportunities to love Him by loving my brothers and sisters. Oh my Lord, how my heart breaks thinking I may have offended you!   The Souls in this dungeon have the anguish which the Poor Souls in Purgatory say is the most painful, the absence of the Beatific Vision. Can you imagine knowing that your loved one is somewhere but you cannot see him or her? Multiply that by a million-fold and you get a small idea of how it must be for those who, having seen Jesus that one time, can no longer see Him. Oh, Lord, how we long to see Your Face! The consolation of being in this place is that this is the last place before being united with Jesus, Mary and the whole Celestial Family; they know they are on their way.

Bob and Penny Lord are renowned Catholic authors and television hosts on EWTN, Global Catholic television. They are prolific writers about the Catholic faith, especially the Saints for which they have been dubbed “experts on the Saints.” For more information about Visiona of Heaven Hell and Purgatory go to: http://www.discover-catholic-miracles.com/dreams-and-visions.html

Find the Most Effective Keywords Using a Top Notch Keyword Research Tool

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

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Using keyword research tools is highly advantageous in obtaining useful information such as the number of searches done in a month and the search count. Another advantage is, knowing the converted searches and comparable keyword combination among others.

It can also yield some useful information about words that you failed to use and those that have similar meaning. To know the success rate of the keywords you’re using, use keyword research tool such as the Micro Niche Finder. This tool is not only easy to use, but it will also help provide you valuable information such as knowing how strong the competition is (SOC), measure of backlinks (MOB), and the keyword’s commercial intent (OCI).

You can also try these very useful keyword tools:

Google Adwords Keyword Tool: This PPC freeware does not provide the exact search number for every keyword. However, it has a bar that will show you the approximate number of keywords. This information can still help you analyze results.

Google Suggest: This tool is very helpful in searching for synonyms and provides more alternative words that have similar meaning. Through this, you can come up with more keyword choices.

It is very important that you do not rely only on the number of people using the term when doing their research. You should also be on the lookout for other words that compete with your keyword in ranking.

After you have seen the result, it is now time to exert more effort in making sure that your keyword gets a high rank.

Two things you need to remember:

- how many sites compete for the keyword

- the status of their rankings (i.e. the number of linked sites and indexed pages)

Using a keyword research tool is important in knowing whether or not the keyword you are using is effective or not. Testing new terms gives you more room for improvement. Through this you can also determine those which are performing poorly. You have to make the necessary adjustment to test the effectiveness of the new money keywords.

Search engine optimization can sometimes be tricky and errors can occur if you are not careful in using keywords that people will use when doing searches. This is why it is also important to do your own research and make educated guess on the type of keywords customers use.

You have to make sure that the money keywords you’re using are related to your site. Drawing a lot of traffic is not enough. It is more important that the customer stays and browses your site.

These and more great internet marketing tips can be found online. Just make sure you come to the right site.

To Find Out How Elmar Has Built A Very Profitable Internet Marketing Business Using The Most Cutting Edge Keyword Research Tool Visit : http://www.InternetMastermindStrategy.com/

Where Do We Want To Be?

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

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We know the importance of having a financial map. We also know that getting the map together requires asking the three big questions. After looking at the first question (Where are we now?), we should consider the second question: Where do we want to be?

Be free

Once we have a clear picture about where we are now, we want to figure out where we want to be. This is the fun part. We can be totally free and creative here. This is no-holds barred.

We should let our dreams loose and really think about the things that we want out of life. Often times, we find ourselves just floating through life day by day, not really thinking too far into the future. However, that old saying is true: out of sight, out of mind. If we don’t see what we want to accomplish in life, it is easy to forget about it.

There are lots of things to consider when doing this exercise. If we have families and spouses, we should make sure that everyone is included in the dreaming and planning process. Everyone should be in agreement so that there is complete cooperation in reaching the goals that the family sets.

Baby steps

We also need to set goals based upon our present financial situation. While we can, and should, dream big, we want to make sure that we take baby steps at first. We should gradually increase the size of our goals until they can become a reality.

Setting smaller goals along the way also allows for mini-victories. If we are continually accomplishing smaller goals, we become more motivated to move on to the next level.

For example, a single, full-time college student renting an apartment cannot expect to purchase a home to immediately replace the apartment while living on a part-time income. However, with proper planning and the right perspective, that student can start saving money and putting other strategies in place that will make home ownership a reality in the very near future.

What matters most?

In deciding where we want to be, we should consider the things that matter the most in our lives, whether that is family, financial freedom, a stress-free “retirement,” or being able to help others.

Create a list of top goals. Husbands and wives should discuss their goals together so that they are on one accord. This list is extremely important in making things happen. Writing our goals out forces us to think about them and to figure out how they actually fit into our lives. We have a chance to dream, to visualize what we want to accomplish. By seeing ourselves at that point in our lives, we get a little bit more motivated to turn those goals into realities.

Constant reminder

Remember that we need to eliminate the saying, “out of sight, out of mind.” We should have our lists in places where we have to see them every day – whether that is on our bathroom mirror or on the door of the refrigerator. If we don’t write our goals down and keep them where we can see them, then we may not find ourselves continually motivated to accomplish them.

Lastly, we should always include a specific deadline date on our goals. This helps us hold ourselves accountable to each of the goals we set. Without a date, we can continue to procrastinate about when we should reach the goal. If there is a definite end point, then we work hard every day toward making that goal happen.

Happy planning. Remember to dream big!

Ozeme J. Bonnette is a financial coach, speaker, and author. She began her career at Merrill Lynch, and now works to increase financial literacy. She teaches and speaks to groups and organizations throughout the U.S. She earned 3 Bachelor’s degrees at Fresno State and an MBA at UCLA’s Anderson School. She blogs at http://www.povertynorriches.com. Send questions and comments to ozeme@thechristianmoneycoach.com.

Arranging Spending Money For Your Holiday

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

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When on holiday it is always a good idea to pace yourself and learn some tips on arranging spending money for your holiday.

Fun. Because your vacation is for pleasure, you will want to be sure to have enough money to play with.

If you are visiting a gambling area, you will need money to throw away, as the risks for this type of fun are high. This is not to imply that risking your fun money is not recommended, but you must be able to have this type of fun, and walk away still satisfied with the good time you had, should you lose some money at the craps table.

If you are visiting a place where the shopping is superb, you will want to be able to make purchases and not hurt your wallet too much. The purchases might be souvenirs, in part, or the shopping could be in a fabulous fashion district, such as Paris or New York City. You will want to have enough to spoil yourself, if your holiday destination brings you to this type of fun.

Organization. Your money should be organized so that you have ample funds for the necessary things while on holiday.

It is easy to overspend while on vacations of all sorts. So it would be wise to organize your pockets or wallet or purse so that you have money separate from your fun money. These funds will be for transportation, meals, hotel rooms, and tips. Although this is all part of the fun of your holiday, these are necessary items that require a separate accounting.

Emergency. Although nobody likes to think of certain mishaps, even disasters, that one might encounter on holiday, it is necessary to consider it.

Even if just in the back of your mind, it is wise to put aside emergency funds in case of a mishap. Indeed disasters even happen to unfortunate vacationers. Hopefully, nothing serious will happen while you are visiting away from home. But if it did, you would be happy to have excess emergency funds available, just in case. These funds could be in the form of a separate credit card that is only used for this purpose. It could be additional insurance. Or it can simply be cash that is not touched, unless needed in the event of a disaster.

Back on a good note, enjoy your holiday, and keep the Tips on Spending Money For Holiday.

Tom is a writer for a range of travel publications. he recomments the FairFx holiday money card for the best deal on currency when going abroad.

Article Submission Software: Does It Really Work?

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

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If you are serious about your article marketing campaign, submitting articles by hand can be incredibly time consuming. Perhaps you’ve heard about article submission software and are wondering if it would be a good investment for you.

First of all, let’s clarify our terms:

What is the difference between article submission software and an article distribution service?

Article submission software is something that you buy and install on your computer. The software helps you fill in the fields for each site that you submit to, but you still need to go to each site to submit your article. You will also need to create individual accounts at most of the sites the software lists.

Another thing to keep in mind is that with the software you will need to maintain your site list and email list yourself. You’d be amazed at how quickly the lists provided with article submission software go out of date. This can be rather time consuming to maintain the lists yourself, but if you don’t you can start getting complaints from publishers.

Is using the software easier than trying to submit articles manually?

A little, but as someone who has tried to use article submission software I can tell you that the time saved is minimal, and there is actually more time invested because of the work you need to do in constantly maintaining the email list and publisher list.

What about an article distribution service?

An article distribution service is a web-based membership service that will submit your article for you to the various publishers. There is no installation involved–the service is entirely on the internet. You just sign up, get your login information, and then enter the membership site. The submission process is very streamlined–all you have to do is enter your article into the submission page, and then submit your article.

An article distribution service that has an editorial staff is a great bonus, as your articles can be pre-screened before they are distributed, ensuring that they have the best chance possible of being accepted by publishers.

There are a few major benefits that go along with using an article distribution service (aka an article submission service):

-The work is largely done for you. You do not have to maintain lists or go to each website to submit your articles. Just enter your article once on the membership site and click to distribute.

-Targeted publishers–a good article distribution service will update their publisher list on a daily basis, which helps ensure that your articles are distributed to people who actually want to receive them.

-Editorial assistance–having your articles reviewed by professional editors helps to be sure that your articles are up to the standards of most publishers.

-Saves time–By outsourcing the distribution of your articles, you free up valuable time to write more quality articles and build your business.

Article Submission Software vs. Online Article Distribution Service

So, which one should you use?

Obviously it depends on what type of return you want for your article writing efforts and how much time you are willing to invest. I can tell you from my own experience–if you are serious about article marketing and your goal is to get great results with minimal effort and time, then you will vastly prefer the convenience and effectiveness of using an online article distribution service.

For more info on how you can use article marketing to reach thousands of potential prospects for your website, go now to http://www.submityourarticle.com/report . Steve Shaw is an article marketing expert and founder of the popular article distribution service http://www.submityourarticle.com used by thousands of business owners.

How to Create Sport Themed Charm Bracelets

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

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Gold and silver have long been the traditional colors for first and second place in any type of sporting event or competition. Gold charms and silver charms don’t have to be just for winning or second place however, they can be used to highlight an athletic individual’s achievements within the sporting world. Charms of various aspects of a sport are a great way to make a personalized bracelet that is sure to be first class gift.

Sporting charms can depict literally any type of sporting event. Marathon runners will love a collection of charms that relate to running. These could include running shoes, trophies, marathon runners and even small trophies to symbolize personal accomplishments and victories.

For those that enjoy a particular team sport or individual sport there are lots of charms available that symbolize these particular types of events. Consider charms of volleyballs, basketballs or even footballs as a way to highlight being on a sporting team. For those that are into weight lifting, barbells or even weight lifting gloves and benches can be wonderful additions to a collection of charms.

Charms of specific types of equipment used in the various sporting events may also make wonderful additions to the bracelet. These can include helmets, sticks, goals and other types of equipment used on or off the field or arena of play. Often these charms are very lifelike in appearance and are really miniatures of the specific types of equipment.

Commemorating specific types of track and field events is also a great way to highlight athletic accomplishments through the use of charms. Huddles, figurines of runners, pole vaulting and throwing the discus are all ways to show athletic ability through a wide range of events and activities.

For athletes that compete in a variety of different national or international types of events and competitions, highlighting both the sport as well as the specific location of the competition is a great combination. You may want to include charms of a horse and rider going over a jump with a symbol of the city near which the equestrian event occurred for a charm bracelet that tells a story.

Including all aspects of travel to an event, charms that represent the event and location as well as a trophy or award charm at the end provide a great memory of a specific type of activity or competition. These types of charm bracelets are treasured for years to come as a way to remember the competition.

Finally, all athletes appreciate well wishes in their various type of competitions and events. For individuals going into a competition, consider a gift of a collection of charms with positive messages. Everyone in the family as well as friends can write their own good luck message on a variety of types of charms and present it as a send off gift, sure to bring a smile to the athlete’s face.

Amber S. developed a interest for charm collecting since she was a child and is now working at Charms to Treasure. Looking for the perfect charms? Come visit our sterling silver charms and yellow gold charms

Unique Bridal Shower Invitations – Tips for Sensational Wedding Shower Invites

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

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It doesn’t matter if you’re the wedding shower planner guru or if this is your first time planning one, you know that bridal shower invitations are an important way to give guests the 411, or all the important information they need.

The Theme

Like wedding invitation ideas, there’s no shortage of themes for unique bridal shower invites. For a one-of-a-kind look, consider an invite printed on die-cut paper. Guests will be impressed when they open the envelope to find an invitation shaped like a bridesmaid’s dress, a wedding gown, or, yes, even lingerie.

One of the no-brainer ideas for bridal shower invitations is to incorporate the party theme. For example, if you’re planning an ice cream social, use an image of a cone or sundae. No matter what the theme, you don’t need to settle on fuddy-duddy designs that look like overdone wedding invitation ideas. Find ultra-modern and super-cute designs for images that range from disco balls to designer-looking handbags.

Colors are another way to create tone-setting party invites. If the future bride is well-known for her love of purple, invite stationery in lavender or text in a flirty bright purple will let guests know exactly who the shower is for.

Add pizazz to your party invitations by using embellishments. Ribbons, charms, and elastic ties are common ways to jazz up an invite. For a festive touch, add confetti to the envelope. Imagine a shower guest opening a winter-themed invitation to find snowflake-shaped confetti.

You can also match the bridal shower invitations to the wedding invitation ideas. If the bride’s planning a chic beach affair, use shower invites that sport a more casual beach theme, such as flip flops or a sun towel. Is a formal red-themed wedding in the works? A bold red paper or a white invite trimmed in a red shade will tie the two events together.

The Message

If traditional wording is your style, look for suggested text that fits your needs. Online wedding specialists frequently list wording suggestions for a range of events, from wedding invitation ideas to shower ideas.

For unique bridal shower invitations the guests are sure to talk about, make like Shakespeare (or Seuss) and pen a poem. If verse isn’t your style, ask a literary-minded friend to help create an ultra-unique poem invite.

Of course, you already know to include the date, time, and location on the bridal shower invitation, but there are other tidbits you might want to add. For example, remember to include any guidelines for themed shower. For example, if you’re hosting a lingerie event, the bridal shower invitations might include the bride-to-be’s size. Kitchen shower invitations might suggest a cooking-themed gift.

Wording for bridal shower invitations should also include whether guests should RSVP or send regrets only. RSVP means they should respond to you regardless of whether they’re attending or not. Regrets only means the guest should only respond if they cannot attend. The problem with regrets only is that some guests will invariably forget to notify you they can’t show up. As a result, you might plan a party for 30 guests but only have 20 of them actually attend.

The bridal shower invitation is the first impression guests will have of the event–with a little planning it’s easy to create a wedding shower invite that your guests will remember.

Rose Watson is a reviewer and commentator on wedding invitations sites. For more recommendations and reviews of providers of bridal shower invitations, go now to: http://www.allstyleweddinginvitations.com

Employment Law – 6 Things Every Business Should Know

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

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When it comes to employment law, there are often misconceptions as to the obligations and rights of employers. Listed here are six of the areas where these most commonly arise, together with some suggestions and clarifications as to the best way to protect your business and your employees.

1. Health and Safety

There is a raft of legislation dealing with specific health and safety requirements and workplace hazards. For information, see the Health and Safety Executive website at http://www.hse.gov.uk . 
In general, all employers have a statutory duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of their employees and to take reasonable care to protect the health and safety of anyone else who may be affected by the business and its activities, such as customers.

Carrying out risk assessments is an important step in protecting your workers and your business, as well as complying with the law. It helps you focus on the risks that really matter in your workplace – the ones with the potential to cause real harm. Health and safety arrangements must be monitored continually, so it is vital that you start from a carefully thought out policy. This will help you review and manage preventative and protective measures.

All employers are obliged to provide the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work or their employees. In order to do this you need to identify the skills needed to carry out all jobs safely and provide the necessary training. This should include training in emergency procedures. It is good practice for internal health and safety inspections to be carried out by more than one person in order to get more than one viewpoint. Try to be objective and look for problems that might be outside the scope of your current safety check list.


2. Stress

Dealing with stress in the workplace is a difficult issue and employers cannot afford to be ignorant on this subject. An employer should be knowledgeable as to the best ways to prevent the onset of stress and be able to recognise the signs and know how best to respond.

Failing to deal with cases of stress and to appreciate the psychological damage that can result can be costly for employers. You should have a formal policy for dealing with stress-related complaints. Treat any complaints seriously and investigate them thoroughly.

Employers who offer a confidential advice service, with referral to appropriate counselling or treatment services, are unlikely to be found in breach of their duty.


3. Flexible Working

Family Friendly Policies – there is specific employment law legislation dealing with employees’ statutory rights to maternity, adoption, parental and paternity leave and pay and to time off work to look after dependents. In addition, parents of children aged under 6 (or under 18 if the child is disabled), who have worked for their employer for 6 months or more, have the legally enforceable right to ensure that a request for flexible working arrangements is not rejected without good cause.

4. Email and Internet Policy

Make sure employees understand that what they put in an email message should not be regarded any less seriously than written or spoken communications. Inappropriate Internet use can also lead to claims of harassment and discrimination. Employers should have and enforce a clear email and Internet use policy.


5. Staff Parties

The annual staff party can be a nightmare and many employers choose not to hold them. If you do, it is important to carry out an assessment of possible risks and take reasonable steps to reduce them, as you would for any work activity. Employees should be made aware that normal disciplinary procedures apply. Employers can be held responsible for employees’ actions after consuming alcohol provided by the employer, so beware!


6. Performance Appraisals

Equal treatment must be given to all staff when setting targets and performance standards. Appraisal reports should avoid phrases which use discriminatory language, such as ’shows maturity for their age’. It is important that the person carrying out the appraisal is trained to do so.

Overall any employer is well advised to conduct a thorough review of their employment policies and ensure that they are comprehensive and up-to-date. In particular if there’s any doubt in your mind, don’t take any risks with regard to employment law.

Instead make sure you take appropriate legal advice from a specialist employment law solicitor.

Bonallack & Bishop are specialist Employment Law Solicitors with particular experience of redundancy. Tim Bishop is senior partner at the firm, responsible for all major strategic decisions. He has grown the firm by 1000% in the last 12 years and has plans for its continued expansion.