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Christian InTech - Communication
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Business Cards Printing Services at its Finest!
Business card printing services have expanded swiftly in years. With easy production and relatively little cost, most people find business cards to be an ideal way to disseminate information about the company and the business. Being aware of the...
Business Writing Tip: Question & Answer Format
Traditionally, business writing uses the "one thing after another" format, which usually means a plain recitation of the facts, circumstances, or whatever else needs to be said. But, we have a number of other options, and some of them may provide...
Check Your Communication Skill
How would you rate your communication skill? Use this handy check list to find out if you have the marks of a successful leader.
Use this check list to assess your communication skills.
Focus
Do you pay complete attention to...
Lessons In Leadership: What Not To Do... From A Canoe!
When it comes to fishing, my husband takes the lead. But his lack of leadership ability in a recent canoe trip on the Boundary Waters in Northern Minnesota offered wonderful lessons on how leaders can unknowingly screw up.
(1) Assign...
Why Bosses Don't Get All the News
Not long ago, a friend who works in television complained that the industry has no interest in real business stories. And, I had to agree with him, since we don't see much coverage that doesn't involve stock prices or some sort of scandal.
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Introduction to Hazardous Materials Safety
You don’t have to work at Three Mile Island to be exposed to potentially hazardous substances. Indeed, almost all workplaces of any size contain at least a few substances that could pose potential safety hazards to your workers. For example, your janitorial closets may contain ammonias, bleaches, phosphates or other caustic cleaning solvents. Shops that house machinery often contain petroleum products — fuels, oils, and lubricants — needed for their maintenance.
Federal law requires safeguards to protect workers from hazardous materials (HazMat) in the workplace. Originally, the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) — the law requiring employers to clearly communicate the hazards posed by dangerous chemicals — applied only to the manufacturing industry. Since 1987, though, the law has been updated to apply to all businesses, regardless of industry or size. If you have hazardous materials in your workplace — for any purpose — you may need to update your HazMat program.
What’s involved
Federal "Right-to-Know" laws, which build upon the HCS regulations, require all importers and manufacturers of chemicals to research their properties, and communicate all hazards to all workers. Companies working "downstream" whose workers may come into contact with such chemicals are required to communicate all hazards to their workers as well. "Communicating hazards," means training all workers on the specific hazards of the chemicals that exist in their workplace, and how to use them safely. This includes an understanding of the physical properties of the hazardous material; e.g., is it a flammable solid, a corrosive or an explosive, and what to do if someone comes into contact with or ingests a hazardous
material. Training also should include what is appropriate safety gear and how to use it.
HCS established uniform requirements to ensure that all chemicals in U.S. workplaces are evaluated and that the information is transmitted to employees. Chemical importers and manufacturers must create a material safety data sheet (MSDS) on every chemical they introduce to the marketplace. All employers must have a hazard communication program in place to educate employees on how to find and use the MSDSs.
The key to a successful program is specificity and follow-through, says Linda Sterling, a human resources manager at Johnson Hosiery Mills in Fort Payne, Alabama. Johnson Hosiery maintains eight MSDS binders, prominently located throughout its plant. The company’s HazMat training program focuses on the specific bleaches, dyes, and lubricants actually in the facility. Every employee is retrained on HazMat safety every year. And the HazMat program is supported throughout the year. "The main things we focus on are maintenance and good housekeeping," says Sterling.
G.Neil offers many safety products designed to bring your HazMat program into compliance. For example, our Right to Know Bundle includes prominent MSDS binder displays, the binder itself, and a poster. And our Hazard Communication CD-ROM Training Kit provides an ideal way to conduct employee training sessions.
E-newsletter—May 2005—www.gneil.com
About the Author
Based in suburban Fort Lauderdale, Fla., privately held G.Neil Corp. offers more than 7,000 "tools to manage and motivate people" to more than 1 million U.S. businesses. For further information, call toll-free 1-800-999-9111 or visit http://www.gneil.com.
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