Articles of Interest

  • freewifislider Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley
4640 thumb 150x150 Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

Workplace Safety Protects Employees and Your Business

Posted on by
127681hammerjpg 00000076527 Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley
It was a misty, cold and dreary fall afternoon in 1980 in Western New York; pretty typical for that time of year just ahead of the snow for which the region is known. It was early on in my automotive career and I was working at a 4×4 and Jeep salvage yard, rebuilding the manual transmissions that Rebel, our yardman, would remove from salvaged Jeeps.
These transmissions could be pretty difficult to disassemble with all the snow and salt ­exposure they got during the Buffalo winters. You can just imagine the type of persuasion that was required to get them apart. Hammers, acetylene torches and the occasional ­broken bolt were the norm.
On one particular teardown, I was using a large sledgehammer and a hardened pin to drive out one of the bearing shafts. Of course, I wasn’t using ear protection or safety glasses; heck, I was 20 years old and at that age we all think we are bulletproof and have the ­notion that safety gear is not cool.
THE VALUE OF ­EXPERIENCE
Unaware I was being observed by one of the owners, Bill came up to me and inquired as to what I was doing. I shared with him how I broke down the transmission, along with what I planned to do next to get it ready for reassembly. He was quite interested in how I did it, but he waited for the right time to share a personal story.
Bill asked me if I knew that he was blind in one eye. I wasn’t aware and asked how it happened. He said he was working at the salvage yard when he was about my age, and was ­trying to get something apart using a hammer and pin just like I was.
Bill said at one point he struck the hammer and felt a sting just under his eye and didn’t think much of it until he felt something warm on his chest. After he felt it and looked at his hand, he realized it was blood and that sting was from a sliver of the hardened pin that punctured his eye. He said the doctors couldn’t save the eye and he wished he had used safety glasses, along with a better procedure than using a hardened pin for a drift.
Bill’s story impacted my ­approach to safety. It made me realize we have only two eyes and 10 fingers, the loss of which can be devastating, but prevention of such accidents takes only moments.
WHY SAFETY SHOULD ­MATTER TO YOU?
It shows your heart. You care about your employees and what you do to ensure their safety demonstrates this to them. It showed how much Bill cared when he took the time to counsel me and share his story on such a tragic loss. He truly cared about me and my well-being, rather than any liability the company might have if I got hurt. His heart was revealed to me on that cold, winter day in the shop. Can your ­employees say the same about you?
Every day we focus on sales, ARO and bottom line profits. Does any of this really matter if we don’t have a safe workplace that ensures the ­security of our employees?
AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE
ExxonMobil is the largest oil company in the world and its safety credo is “Nobody Gets Hurt.” Safety briefings are the norm, whether you’re a contractor, an employee or a spouse on site for a seminar. Our shop has participated with AAA at several Car Care Inspection events, and prior to set up, an ExxonMobil employee always gave us a safety briefing. Safety is at the core of the identity of the ExxonMobil employee, and the company’s reputation for safety is reflected in these ­results: The number of lost-time incidents for employees are less than 1 incident per 400,000 work hours, ­according to ExxonMobil.
THE UNEXPECTED VISITOR
We know there are federal and state agencies put in place to make sure that industry, as a whole, remains safe. One agency we are all aware of is OSHA, but most in our industry are not aware that OSHA has the power to visit your facility at any time to ­inspect it and see if the workplace is safe. During the inspection, the OSHA representative has the right to cite each safety violation. Each citation can carry a fine up to $7,000, and willful violations can be up to $70,000. So, an ­
unexpected visit can have massive repercussions.
THE GOOD NEWS
OSHA does offer a voluntary inspection ­program, which exempts you from fines as long as you contact them, schedule an appointment and agree to fix the defects they find. This allows your shop to be proactive, rather than reactive, to items that are safety threats that you look past every day just because you have become accustomed to them. It’s a lot like what we try to teach to our customer — preventive maintenance is much cheaper than the repair. How often have we heard a noise or felt something on a test-drive that our customer hasn’t noticed because the problem had been around for such a long time?
OSHA’s On-Site Consultation program is put in place for employers who want to ensure and improve the wellbeing of their employees. In 2013, OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program conducted approximately 30,000 visits to small business worksites, covering more than 1.5 million workers across the nation. Staying ahead of the curve as it relates to ­safety benefits you, the wellbeing of your employees and the bottom line.
CONCLUSION
While the subject of safety is not ­nearly as sexy as a new marketing program or the latest on SEO, it goes a long way toward ensuring your ­employees and company remain a vital component of your community, and you remain a profitable entity.

The post Workplace Safety Protects Employees and Your Business appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.

Read more here: Engine Builder Magazine

4642 thumb Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

Amazon CEO Bezos explains why you should buy a Fire Phone instead of an iPhone

Posted on by
%name Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

After years of rumors followed by a string of exclusive BGR reports that exposed nearly everything there was to know about Amazon’s first smartphone, the company finally unveiled the Fire Phone earlier this week. Despite its somewhat lackluster specs, the phone includes a good amount of unique technology and related features that might help justify its sky-high price point. Industry watchers had expected Amazon to use aggressive pricing as a key weapon, however, and many have now written off the phone’s chances as a result of its $650-$750 price tag.

In an interview following the Fire Phone’s unveiling, however, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos made his case for the new handset and explained why he thinks it’s a better option than top rival phones.

…

Read more here: Boy Genius Report

4637 thumb Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

Major new security feature coming in next Android and Windows Phone versions

Posted on by
%name Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

In addition to replacing Dalvik with ART, which should bring performance improvements and better battery life, the next Android version has apparently been confirmed to feature a new significant security feature that will help users better protect their data when losing their devices, and especially when having them stolen. The same feature is coming to Windows Phone handsets as well.

…

Read more here: Boy Genius Report

4631 thumb Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

How to know when it’s OK to look at your smartphone during dinner

Posted on by
%name Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

Those of us who are addicted to our smartphones often do things we know we shouldn’t do, such as checking our phones during dinner. The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay has put together a handy list of 21 dos and don’ts for smartphone dinner tablet etiquette, and while not all of his suggestions will be adopted as cultural mores, some of them are definitely worth heeding.

…

Read more here: Boy Genius Report

4629 thumb Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

The stupidest $1 million app ever has already driven one man insane

Posted on by
%name Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

The Internet this week has been buzzing about the rise of Yo, the incomparably stupid new mobile app that has raised more than $1 million and whose sole purpose is to let you send a message that just reads “Yo” to your friends. In fact, Yo is such a flat-out brain-dead idea that it’s inspired iMore’s Derek Kessler to do the one thing no one should ever do with apps like these: Think about their broader implications for the future of the human race.

…

Read more here: Boy Genius Report

4627 thumb Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

Watch Conan O’Brien hilariously annoy E3 gamers

Posted on by
%name Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

Conan O’Brien took a slightly different approach to E3 coverage this year than we did at BGR. During his trip to E3, Conan took some time to see big titles like Sunset Overdrive, Forza and Entwined, but spent a majority of his visit harassing attendees, losing himself inside a virtual world and corralling everyone at Nintendo’s booth to watch him use his “fire rod” in Hyrule Warriors.

…

Read more here: Boy Genius Report

4625 thumb Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

What we’ve all been waiting for: Seizure-inducing smartglasses that can send Morse code

Posted on by
%name Articles of Interest by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

If you were looking for glasses that are more obnoxious looking than Google Glass, we may have found just what you’re looking for. Spotted by Engadget at CNET Japan’s Live 2014 event, Matilde’s Fun’iki glasses light up the lenses in different colors to send you alerts about new notifications. The glasses can also emit a beep. But that’s not all. If you want to send a message in Morse code (who doesn’t?), you can type in the text into an app and the glasses will then flash accordingly. The glasses also feature different modes which light up for different environments, ranging from “disco” and “party” to “relax.”

…

Read more here: Boy Genius Report