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If you are a notary public, there are some things you should know about renewing your notary ID card. Read on to learn about the steps you need to take and the requirements that must be met.

Renewing a notary before the expiration date

When your florida notary renewal commission is due to expire, you should renew it before the deadline. The date of notarization isn’t affected by the Notary’s expiration, but the document’s validity may be. You can check the state’s rules for renewals by using the Notary Public Online Service. If you need to renew your Notary’s commission, you can contact the state’s commissioning authority.

A new notary application must be completed to renew your Notary’s commission. This includes providing proof of your legal name and proof of your age. Once you have submitted your application, you can verify its status through the Notary Public Online Service.

The application must be filed at least sixty days before the expiration of the Notary’s commission. Once the application is approved, you can pay the fees with a check or money order. Unfortunately, these fees are not refundable. However, you can also use a credit card with the Visa logo.

Your new notary application is processed within two to three business days. After reviewing the application, you will receive a commission certificate from your bonding agency. Therefore, you must destroy the old seal.

After your commission is renewed, you can continue notarizing documents. However, you will have to retake the notary exam.

Renewing a notary’s ID card after a change of name

When a Notary changes their name, the Notary’s ID card may also vary. In addition, the new Notary will have to update their address and contact information. Some states have different rules for changing a Notary’s identity. Depending on the state, a Notary will need to complete a few steps to get the ID card changed.

In Pennsylvania, Notaries must file a Change of Address form with the Department of State within 30 days. They will receive a replacement ID card from the Department of State within 6-8 weeks. If the Notary decides to keep their old name, they must record the change with the Pennsylvania Department of State.

If a Notary changes their name for any other reason, the Notary will need to notify the Secretary of State and the county clerk. They must also renew the commission with the Notary’s new county clerk.

Notaries are required to take the Notary Public Examination before they can be commissioned. Commissions are valid for five years. Applicants must pay a $60 fee to the NYS Department of State. However, the exam will be waived if the applicant is a Notary Public or a court clerk in New York.

Requirements for a notary public

There are several steps involved in renewing a notary public license. First, you must determine if you are eligible for a new license or renewal. If you are, you will need to complete an application. You may …

Personal Productivity – 3 Tips For Personal Productivity Improvement

Need to boost your work output and minimize the amount of time you spend head down in your papers? Every professional wants to improve their productivity, and while thousands invest in tools and strategies that have the potential to help them, few actually see any substantial gains from them.

These three tips are designed to work on the opposite principles of most productivity theories. They don’t force you to adopt behavior that makes you uncomfortable, they encourage you to work to your strengths.

Invest in these tips and you’ll see your productivity increase without the needless expense of your work comfort.

Personal Productivity Guide #1: Ignore external advice or information.

Sounds silly, doesn’t it? Here I am giving you advice, and you’re supposed to ignore it. However, it all makes sense.

When you’re working, there are hundreds of distractions out there waiting to take away your time.

Allocate yourself time to work and ignore any external information or advice. In the digital age, we’re surrounded by information, and the real key to personal productivity improvement is the ability to distance ourselves from that information.

Personal Productivity Guide #2: Create ‘standards’ for your day.

Need to work four hours per afternoon? Allot that time on your daily schedule, but don’t stop there. Mark down when you’re going to eat dinner, when you’re going to brush your teeth, and the exact time that you’re going to get out of bed.

By forcing yourself to stick to a rigorous schedule in other parts of your life, you’ll find it much easier to focus on work in its allotted time slot.

Personal Productivity Guide #3: Audit your weekly output.

At the end of the day, ask yourself a simple question: “What have I achieved today?” Don’t just stop with the question though, take stock of what you’ve achieved and write it down.

Keep a spreadsheet and make sure that your work output is constantly on the up-and-up. By monitoring your output, you can set simple targets for the coming days, weeks and months of work.…

Warehouse Facilities Keep Our Goods Safe And Economical Too

For most companies, keeping vast amounts of stock in their own buildings will be out of the question. The added burden of keeping enough space for everything may be too overwhelming, financially speaking, particularly if goods are cyclical in nature. Public warehouse facilities are there for just such a purpose and they help to keep stock when the company cannot handle all that they are holding for perhaps a manufacturing process. Even a 3PL (third-party liability) does the same thing and they can even store things of a perishable nature too.

Imagine that a company is in the field of selling everything to do with Christmas. The months leading up to December are very sensitive since this is when the majority of profit is likely to be made for the whole year. A slip up here could affect the company detrimentally and may even put it out of business.

Therefore, and probably for a full year in advance, the company will be buying in all kinds of stock which will probably be sold from around September onwards. The trick here is not to over order or under order since either way, he will probably make a loss. Once retailers know that this company can always be relied upon to have the right stock in at the right time of year, they will always come back for more for sure.

The company may also be in the business of selling something like Christmas or Thanksgiving hampers which people tend to send to each other. Stores stock them too so the supplier must be able to keep them in temperature controlled facilities particularly if they have perishable goods inside. Turkeys and hams are great favorites at this time of year so it is very important to keep them cool or frozen. Once the retailers make their orders, the facility can often deliver across the country to chains of outlets too and this takes the strain off the originating company for sure.

One other service that these facilities provide is consignment break down into smaller lots. These goods may well be coming in from abroad in containers which hold enormous amounts of stock. Once they reach the facility, they can be downsized into smaller lots to make them more manageable. Here too, they may well be repackaged into different boxes which the company can design at will.

Most of these facilities have sister companies which produce cartons to specifications that the company wants. This is free advertising for the company and the boxes are often left on counter tops, in the case of candies etc, for the public to view.

It is obvious then that these third-party companies play an important part in the supply chain and this makes it much easier for goods to be priced competitively. Without them, we would all be paying much more for goods which would only be available on certain occasions throughout the year instead of whenever we …

When Making a Multiple Shop Shipment, Can I Use Multiple Couriers?

When you’re shipping with a courier service, it can be a bit overwhelming when you start to realize how many options even a fairly small San Francisco delivery company might have to offer you. The options can include ways to either save you money off the cost of delivery, as well as ways to get your delivery to its destination faster. Usually, the way to save money is to integrate your deliveries into a larger delivery schedule.

This means the courier can make more efficient use of their employee’s time and of their vehicles, and their savings can be passed along to their customers. On the other hand, if you want your packages to get exactly where they need to go in a certain time frame, you can pay more to have more control over your shipments, even specifying the routes you want a courier to take, for example, if you have more than one delivery to be made over the course of the shipment.

The options get even more complicated as the scale of the company which is shipping packages increases. For those companies which might be shipping goods across the country there are any number of different ways that shipments can make their way to their final destination. Sometimes people wonder about the possibility of shipping a package with more than one courier company in order to try and get better rates or delivery times, often by re-distributing parts of a multi-stop shipment at various points throughout the country.

This is an option, and many courier companies facilitate this sort of shipping by either having certain other couriers that they partner with in order to make this type of arrangement simple, or by having a partnership in a multi company distribution center that is leased by m any different courier companies. These facilities serve as warehousing and redistribution points which can help to allow you to ship your goods with more than one courier in order to get more cost effective and more timely service for your deliveries.

It is very seldom that this is going to work out to be more effective or cheaper than simply shipping with a single company, and if you want to do this type of shipment, it pays to do your homework beforehand. You may find that some courier companies have a fee or surcharge for being part of a multi-courier transaction, and others may have existing infrastructure to make it easy and affordable.…

Staff Behaviour Vs Staff Performance – A Case Study in Tightrope Walking

Summary

This is Harry’s story. Harry was a bit odd. He had a highly individualistic way of managing his people. It would’ve been easy to let Harry’s behaviour overwhelm his performance.

Basic Definitions

Dr Tom Gilbert explains it up this way. “Behaviour is what you take with you: performance is what you leave behind”. We recognize Michael Jordan as one of basketball’s all time greats because of what he achieved on the court. None of us ever met William Shakespeare. He was one helluva playwright. Both men “left outstanding performance behind”.

Confusion At Work

We’re unlikely to find a Jordan or a Shakespeare in our workplaces. But we do find people who seem to be “difficult” or “outspoken” or “uncooperative” or just plain “different”. Sometimes these odd behaviours influence our view of their performance. This case study about Harry illustrates the point.

Reputation v. Results: The Case of Harry

Harry was a Section Head. Some 15 women worked for him. He called them his “girls”. He had a reputation as a hard taskmaster. He was also seen as “cranky”, “outspoken” and “difficult”. And he was all of those things. So much so, the CEO asked me to “counsel him” about his management style.

Reputation v. Results

I knew of Harry’s reputation. But when I checked his results I found that they were quite outstanding. Sometimes his “girls” complained about his people management methods. Strangely the same “girls” always responded well to his demands. His section regularly broke their own production records.

Other “Interesting” Behaviors

Harry fought relentlessly for his “girls”. If he perceived that any one of them was disadvantaged, Harry “went in to bat” for them with a vengeance. Then I discovered that Harry’s “girls” enjoyed some special privileges about punctuality, leave and general working conditions that weren’t covered in the corporate policy manual. His staff “covered” for each other where necessary. They worked without extra pay to meet production deadlines. They received “unauthorized” time off. And Harry never bothered to report any of these “digressions from policy and procedure”.

Harry’s Test

We decided to test the mettle of Harry and his girls. We set a production target that our quality experts claimed simply couldn’t be achieved. They told us “The equipment can’t handle that rate of production.” They were so certain that they “knew best” we offered a substantial incentive to Harry and his “girls” if they succeeded.

Silly Us!

Of course Harry and his girls beat the record… easily. They earned their bonus. Only then did we discover that Harry, acting on the advice of his staff, had already modified their equipment so that it achieved higher results than even the manufacturers claimed

What We Did

The Operations Director and I sat down and had a quiet chat with Harry. We introduced some formal rewards and incentives for outstanding performance for his people. That enabled Harry to discontinue his “special privileges”. And we provided Harry …

Areas With Industrial Units to Let in Manchester

Manchester is one of the largest cities in the UK, and has many great areas with industrial property that is available to let. If you are familiar with Manchester then you will probably have a good idea about which areas of the city are suitable for your business.

However, if you are not from the Manchester area you might struggle to find a suitable location that has industrial units to let in Manchester. You can search on the internet or use a location commercial property agent to help with the search, but you will need to do extra research on each area to ensure you do not end up with somewhere unsuitable.

Some of the areas surrounding Manchester have great advantages over other parts of Manchester. In particular, Trafford Park has a great number of industrial units and good transport links and the Manchester Airport Enterprise Zone offers tax benefits and other perks to help business.

Trafford Park

Trafford Park is located on the south side of the Manchester Ship Canal across from Salford Quays about 3 miles to the west of the city centre. It was the first planned industrial estate in the world and even now is the largest in Europe.

The original plan was to use the canals to transport goods and materials to Trafford Park, but these were too slow and quickly overtaken by the road network. Great links to the M60 Manchester Ring Road means that it is easy to get in and out of the area.

Currently Trafford Park hosts around 1,400 businesses that employ 35,000 people. This means that it should be easy to find a local supplier that can satisfy all your needs for goods and materials.

Manchester Airport Enterprise Zone

This new government incentive aims to give a helping hand to businesses by providing tax incentives and other perks like super-fast broadband links. These incentives can really help a new business to get established.

Not only does this area have great incentives for businesses, but the transport links are second-to-none. The M56 motorway runs through the area providing easy access to the motorway network and the airport is close by if you need to use air freight.

Finding Suitable Premises

A quick search on the internet or in the local newspapers will return a number of industrial units to let in Manchester that might be suitable for your business. You might want to locate your business to one of the great areas mentioned above, but other areas of Manchester might be more affordable for a small business. Whatever area you choose, Manchester has many great commercial properties that will make a perfect base for your business.…

How To Keep Your Private Pool Safe And Clean

Swimming pools provide hours of fun for children, but can also be dangerous if you do not follow certain safety rules. If you are not always around to be on the lookout for your kids, then install fences and keep the pool water clean to avoid accidents. Teach your children how to swim and follow the tips below to protect them from any untoward accidents.

Warning Your Children

The deck can be a dangerous place, as water from the pool can spill onto it and cause slippery conditions. Tell your kids not to run, skip, or hop around the pool. Warn your children about the dangers of drowning. Teach them never to play or swim near drains or suction outlets.

Cleaning the Pool Deck

A cluttered deck can also be a hazard. Other swimmers may leave pool toys and gears your kids can trip easily. Keep pool gears clear of the walking path around the deck. When playing with toys in the pool, children should only use items designed for water activities. Kids should follow the directions on the packaging before using such.

Teaching Children to Swim

Once your kids are potty trained, they are old enough to take swimming lessons. It is important that children know how to swim, or at least to tread water. Treading water will give a lifeguard or other swimmers time to help a child get back to the pool steps or wall. Kids who do not know how to swim or tread should remain in the shallow end of the pool.

Keeping the Pool Water Clean

Swimming pool filters are important in maintaining and extending the life of pool equipment. Keeping the right pH and chlorine levels ensures that algae and bacteria will not grow in your pool. If you do not clean the pool water properly, parasites and germs can accumulate and spread among your children.

Putting a Border

Most children sneak outside just to dip their feet in the pool. This is risky because they can slip and meet accidents without your supervision. Be sure that your pool is safe at all times by adding a fence. Ensure the safety of your family and avoid accidents by fencing the surroundings of your pool. This gives you peace of mind, knowing that your kids are safe from pool-related dangers.

Letting them Use Swim Vests or Arm Floatation Devices

Supervise your children around water at all times. Vests or other floatation devices are not alternatives for your supervision. Make your children wear the floaters or water wings in an upright manner. This position helps your young ones gain strength in the upper body. Use these floatation devices to prevent accidents, not to teach them how to swim.

Lounging in your swimming pool can be an entertaining way to spend lazy weekends at home. Keep in mind, though, that swimming pools need proper care and maintenance. Buy supplies from companies, like, that offer sturdy and well-built …

Why Hire Warehouse Deep Cleaning Specialists?

As a warehouse owner, running and maintaining a massive warehouse unit is a difficult task. You do need keep it spick and spank so that your warehouse reflects the feature of a well kept and clean warehouse. A neat and hygienic warehouse can attracts good clientele enabling you to increase your earnings considerably.

Cleaning a warehouse is a mighty and a gigantic task. It involves cleaning of internal floorings, high ceilings, lights and even ventilation systems. Keeping the size of the warehouse in mind, you do need to worry about dirt and tyre marks which the logistic vehicles have left behind. In case heavy machinery or industrial machine products have been handled within your warehouse, there may be oil and grease marks all over the floor as well as outside. In order to get these stains and dirt effectively erased and removed, you do need to hire Warehouse Deep Clean Specialists

By hiring Warehouse Deep Clean Specialists you can rest assured of a thorough cleaning task of your warehouse. Most of the warehouse cleaning specialists equipped with special cleaning equipment and machinery suitably sized to clean the large expanse of the warehouse. Moreover by using specially formulated products the cleaning specialists can remove the oil stains and dirt in no time without damaging the existing surface. In fact they are capable of cleaning and brightening the surface in the best possible manner.

At the same time they are equipped with ladders and suitable cleaning equipment to reach out to high ventilation windows and ceilings to effectively clean them. Similarly they can even clean the light and their fixtures enabling them to emit light to their full capacity.

While hiring a warehouse cleaning service, a warehouse owner should mainly look out for the following –

1.Type of service offered – generally overnight and weekend cleaning service

2.Quality of Work – Assured and problem free

3.Quotations offered at no cost

4.Offering High reach internal and external cleaning

5.COSHH/HACCP approved cleaning products used

6.No usage of harmful caustics and solvents

It would be a good idea to ask for cleaning quotes from more than one warehouse cleaners. You could even go ahead and ask for testimonials from them and cross check them accordingly in terms of service, rates reliability and customer support the company is willing to offer.

On the basis of the response so gathered, you can then proceed to hire professional ware house cleaning companies. You could even check out maintenance contracts which some cleaning companies also offer as this means your warehouse gets cleaned on a regular basis. Equipped with specially formulated and approved cleaning products, customized work schedules and affordable rates, you can finally trust a warehouse cleaning company to do a thorough cleaning task and make your warehouse look neat, tidy and immaculate at all times.…

Time Clocks Lower Labor Cost

How to cut labor cost is on every organizations mind. Whether you’re a farmer or a national football league team owner, labor cost is a big issue. How you track the issue is up to you. Employee data collection is the mythology of collecting time and/or labor hours spent on departments and jobs. Time-sheets and time clocks are your most common data collection device, but modern technology has advanced from a paper time-card or time-sheet into electronic time-sheet and electronic data collection terminals.

Modern day data collection allows flexibility that was once non-existent with a manual process of adding up time-sheets and time-cards in a timely fashion. Once the employee data has been collected from an data collection terminal it is then polled or imported into a time and attendance software system. These labor management systems allow you to track labor hours, job costing, and compare actual versus scheduled times, giving the information a manger needs on demand. With this information companies can then organize their workforce to be the most cost effective solution to increase efficiency saving both time and money.

Many different employee data collection systems exist. As stated before, time-sheets and time clocks are the most common. With these common methods new solutions have evolved with modern technology. Electronic time sheets allow employees to login into a PC or web browsers and submit their time. Electronic time clocks allow employee to swipe a badge or scan their finger or hand to clock in and out. Telephones allow employees to dial a phone number and clock in and out from permitted phone numbers. The web has also had its influence on how we collect our employee’s data. Web based software has really taken off in the last ten years. Web browser software eliminates the need for a dedicated time clock and allows employees to submit time-sheets or clock in and out online. These total web based time and attendance solutions can even be fully hosted on a time and attendance software providers server rather than implementing on their own servers, know as “Software As A Service” or SAAS for short.

With the ability to reduce man hours, eliminate errors associated with manual time-card calculation and data collection, maintain accurate records, and implement and enforce fair and consistent pay policies, your business will realize savings almost immediately. Any of these data collection solutions may take a little upfront cost, but the return on investment can last a life time.…

Warehouse Distribution in Canada – Locating Fulfillment for the Canadian Market

The list of foreign retailers (think Target, Marshall’s, Nordstrom’s and Khol’s) entering or eying the Canadian market is on the rise. What’s not to love? With US sales softening during the last couple of years while Canada experienced continued modest economic growth, it presents itself as a logical and attractive market for growing sales. Undertaking a multi million or billion expansion is great for the big corporate brands, but what about small and mid-sized players looking to gain Canadian sales? Can they get a piece of the Canadian distribution pie?

Physical Store Reach versus Fulfillment Reach

The truth is, you don’t have to “set up shop” to sell into Canada. And no, this doesn’t mean fulfilling every customer order from the US or elsewhere which can render international retailers uncompetitive. More international distributors and retailers – large and small – can set up warehousing and distribution points in Canada to reach a wanting Canadian consumer. A partnership with a warehousing and logistics company that specifically provides fulfillment services can be a solution.

Warehousing and Order Fulfillment – Pick Pack and Ship Orders with a 3PL Partner

Whether your sales are $100,000 annually or over one million, a 3PL partner can help fulfill customer orders so that small and mid-sized businesses (SME’s) can focus on marketing and sales. These companies take your inventory into stock and as you make sales or need to supply retailers (or your own stores/kiosks – and this includes online sales) they simply pick, pack and ship your orders directly to customers. Sounds easy? Well, there is much planning involved and a thorough cost analysis must be made, but with the right partner it can be a viable solution.

Also, this can be an interim “proof of concept” for a small but growing retailer-distributor to test the market without committing a lot of capital to pursue Canadian market development. Brand building can begin without setting foot in the country in many cases.

Key Canadian Product Distribution Hubs – Mississauga / Toronto Canada

The largest couriers in Canada – UPS, Fedex, and Purolator courier all have Greater Toronto Area distribution hubs. More packages run through these Mississauga-Toronto courier networks than anywhere in Canada. Also, it so happens that the greatest population density in Canada is the Greater Toronto Area. To expose your products and brands to the greatest number of Canadians, it makes sense to approach 3PL partners in this market. Getting your product closest to the greatest number of Canadians is a key to maintaining affordable fulfillment costs. Costs that can be saved and help in the promotion of your sales.

With international and US retailers and suppliers looking for growth, Canada makes sense for a lot of reasons. A stable social-political and economic environment and the same language means navigating Canadian based fulfillment is worth investigating. Finding the right partner to undertake your warehousing and fulfillment -picking, packing and shipping your customer orders – is …

The Advantages of a Forklift Rental

As a warehouse owner, you should be able to acquire all the necessary pieces of equipment that you need for your business operations. One of the most important machines that you should obtain is a forklift or lift truck. However, it may take a long time before you could actually get your own unit. The price of the lift trucks today makes it impossible for you to start immediately in your business operations. Obviously, a brand new truck is very expensive. Even if you have a budget for a used forklift, it is not really worth spending the money since it may not work properly. If you want to spend less on a forklift, you should consider a rented forklift instead.

There are some heavy equipments manufacturers that provide forklift rental to interested parties. They usually offer them to businesspersons who do not have enough funds for their warehouse operations. Below are some of the reasons why you should rent a forklift:

It is more affordable – Compared to buying new and used forklifts, applying for a forklift rental is cheaper.

It is more practical – In some cases, you may not frequently use a forklift in your warehouse. When there is a current slowdown in the business, forklifts are usually left out in the garage. This is the reason why dealers offer forklift rental. You will only have to use the forklift whenever there is a new batch of stocks to be unloaded from a ship, or there are orders to be loaded for delivery to the consumers.

It is entitled to regular maintenance services and repairs – Because you do not own the forklift, the dealer is the one who will be in charge of the maintenance and repairs. Provided that you have paid for the use of the truck, you can always contact the dealer for the necessary fixes.

It is handy – Whenever you need to load or unload boxes and crates, you can always rent a forklift to do those tasks. You can save more space in your warehouse if you do not have to park the forklift inside when not in use.

It is ideal for new businesses – If you are new to the industry, chances are you will have to capitalize on your meager budget. You can begin with a leased forklift if you do not have enough money to buy a unit. Once you have succeeded in expanding your business, that’s the time when you should acquire brand new equipments for your warehouse operations.…

Warehouse Racking Safety – Repairs & Protection

As pallet racking is now classified as “Work Equipment” it requires regular documented inspections. Regular surveys can help reduce both insurance premiums and maintenance costs. A survey may even be enforced by an insurer or Health and Safety Officer following a warehouse accident or rack collapse.

SEMA (Storage Equipment Manufacturers’ Association) is committed to promoting and extending the safe design, installation and use of storage equipment manufactured by its members. When a SEMA Trained Inspector carries out an inspection of your warehouse storage system they ensure the following:

Your installation meets the requirements of the current Health and Safety Regulations and the SEMA Codes and Guidelines.

Recognise unsafe components in order to reduce the danger of collapse.

Identify if there is a risk of damage to storage installations by mechanical handling equipment.

Highlight any potential risks of injury to personnel caused by the continuous use of damaged racking.

Warehouse Protection

In order to both fulfil survey criteria and prevent accidents it is advisable to take preventative action and invest in protection for your warehouse.  If you are finding damage to your warehouse and pallet racking a constant problem, this is perhaps the best long-term course of action to take. One of the most common problems is lower portions of posts being exposed to damage by forklift trucks and other moving equipment. Once upright posts have been ‘hit’ and are no longer straight, they do not carry the same structural integrity for your storage loads.

There are however products available that are specifically designed to solve such problems. Many consist of so-called rack armour, a tough and inexpensive contraption that significantly reduces the costs that can accumulate from the use of damaged racking. Products like this are invariably impervious to moisture, mould, corrosion, acid, alkaline and most solvents. They are also quick and easy to install and even fully recyclable and non-toxic. As prevention is a better option than cure, warehouse and pallet racking protection could save you money in the long-term.

Other preventative measures that can be taken:

Good initial design: racking systems must be designed to fit and function with both the handling equipment and the load

Good lighting

Well maintained mechanical equipment

Ensure loading/safety notices are clearly displayed

Warehouse Racking RepairsIf you do require repairs to your warehouse racking, it is essential you ensure your repair work meets SEMA standards. Warehouse racking repairs which meet SEMA standards provide the user with high-level quality assurance. Without the SEMA assurance, there is a potential for your liability to increase if you have a future claim on health and safety.

As the warehouse is potentially one of the most dangerous places to work it is therefore imperative that your racking is up to scratch in order to meet stringent health and safety standards. Rack repair is an easy on-site option that, when combined with a scheduled maintenance program, can ensure rack system longevity and safety.

Possible causes of damage to warehouse racking:

– Incorrect …

Employer Drug Testing and Legislation by Congress Considered

It appears that there may be some future new employment laws with regards to employee drug testing, whether it be random or mandatory. The ACLU and Congress, prompted by the Unions feel that drug testing is degrading and violates someone’s civil rights.

The business community and corporate opposition contend that workplace safety is a key ingredient to a successful company, and that workmen’s compensation insurance and health care plans are already too costly in the case of a work related accident caused in part by drug use.

So, there are many sides to this issue. Another contention is that an employee can choose not to work for an employer that decides they will test for drugs because it is intrusive, just quit, no one says you have to work there!

Still, others on the Union side say that a man (or woman) has the right to meaningful work and if we are going to test for drugs at work, then let’s test Congress, the Senate, the President, Cabinet, Supreme Court, and make the findings public! See how far the legislation goes then?

You can see how some of the raw emotion of this particular debate rages on, as opponents of drug testing claim “We already know there is abuse, widespread in DC,” so let’s test them too. Corporate lobbyists want to have the option to drug test, unions and workers do not want the invasion of what goes on in their personal lives to cost them their careers.

More interesting in all this employment law debate is what happens in the future when some illegal drugs are ruled legal, as that will launch a completely set of fission material into the controversy, so please consider all this.…

Forklift Container Ramps

FACT – Across Australia, the transport and storage industry has the highest injury rate for all industries, at nearly double the current average claims per 1000 employees.

FACT – On the 10th February, 2006, a company was convicted and fined $17,500 after a worker was injured while helping to unload plate glass packages from a shipping container.

FACT – Basic hazard identification and risk assessment is not enough.

The Forklift Container Ramp is ideal for accessing, loading and unloading shipping containers, bridging access from ground level to the container, and permitting front-on forklift approaches to transport containers.

With fork pockets easily accessible on self-levelling and bi-folding container ramps and fixed container ramps make workplace health and safety risks a non-issue, while the self-levelling component of the bi-fold container ramps promotes full load capacity even when on uneven ground.

It is important to select a bi-fold ramp container that will fit all ISO shipping containers and chiller boxes, or a fixed forklift container ramp that will fit all standard shipping containers.

For those companies needing to load and unload semi trailers from a dock, the use of fully installed dock levellers is recommended, as standard forklift container ramps are not a safe solution for access to a vehicle that may depart without prior warning.

Transport companies, resellers and importers, distribution centres, warehouses and manufacturing companies all need access to shipping containers, and the forklift ramp container is the perfect solution.

Even better is a ramp container manufactured fully in accordance with relevant Australian Standards – this would guarantee to save you the risk of liability and long term costs associated with damages to workers.

Whatever capacity you’re after, finding a ramp container to match will guarantee an improvement in handling time and output from loading and unloading activities,

Container-based transportation is a vital component to the design and running of any warehouse, logistics company, distribution centre or manufacturer.

Loading and unloading efficiencies are of a high concern for these businesses, but speed and convenience often comes at the price of occupational health and safety or at the risk of a workplace injury.

Forklift container ramps can provide a solution that avoids dock delays and guarantees safer workplace access to shipping containers if used correctly.…

Ten Things You Need to Bring While in Labor and Delivery – Part 2

As you prepare for the birth of your new baby, consider this list of items for your suitcase or emergency bag. This list consist of 5 additional items that will provide comfort during this special time.

Your own Change of Clothes – The hospital provides the wonderful gown that leave you exposed. This can be annoying and embarrassing. Bring your own set of comfortable clothing so you can relax and not have worry about your derriere being exposed. Include your robe, socks, slippers, and anything else that will provide the comforts of home. This is extremely comforting after the birth of your child and is one last thing that you shouldn’t have to worry about.

Comfortable Pillows – Hospital pillows tend to go flat quickly or not provide the comfort you want. Bring your own pillows so you can be comfortable as you recover. Also, bring a donut pillow. When you are able to get around, the donut pillow provides relief when you sit down. This is especially helpful if you had a vaginal birth.

Ipod or Laptop – Depending on the length of your labor these items will help the time pass as you wait on your little one to arrive. Most hospitals provide cable TV but these items will provide your own entertainment that you choose to watch.

Easy Grasp Reacher – Use this to grab things that you can’t reach. Allows you to pick up items that fall on the floor or things that need to be pulled closer to you.

Lipstick or Chapstick – You want to look your best when the pictures are taken. You will have to reapply it often depending on the length of your labor.

Use this list to complete your suitcase or emergency bag as you prepare for labor. Hopefully this list help you be prepared and comfortable as you prepare for your special day.…

Important Considerations In Food Storage

Storing food in bulk is quite a challenge. This is where you can need a 3PL service. Some food items get damaged quite soon whereas, others can be stored for long term. Such non-perishable items can be stored in public warehouse until a time when supplies are needed. The shelf life and proper storage methods depend on what you intend to store. In order to get a glimpse of long-term storage ideas, you need to know the nature of the food item.

For instance, you must exactly be able to distinguish perishable foods from non-perishable ones. Dry or canned ones are perishable however dairy products and fresh foods are considered perishable. the best thing about non-perishable food is that it can stored at room temperature or dry storage for any amount of time but the same is not true for perishable items.

The best solution is to cook and consume as soon as possible or refrigerate or freeze immediately after cooking. Even after that the perishable items can only be preserved for a short duration. In this case, dry storage or freezing tends to be the only way out. This is the most legitimate option for long-term food storage.

When you are storing non-perishables in dry storage, make sure the products will retain their quality. Also find out the time until when the food will remain fresh for consumption. Try to find out the approximate shelf life of the products you are storing.

Speaking of quality, canned foods like vegetable soups, canned fruits, juices tend to preserve their highest quality for around one year. As for the powdered milk, dried fruit and crackers the shelf life is around six months. It might interest you to know, there are some items you can store indefinitely. Things like vegetable oil, corn, baking powder, instant coffee can be stored in suitable containers. You can use them any time without worrying about their proper storage. Actually, there is no need to worry about storage when it comes to these items.

For the preservation of perishable food items freezing is the best option. You can maintain their highest quality in this way for about a year. After which they tend to lose their taste and quality. Moreover, they must be consumed immediately upon thawing. You when such food items get deteriorated you will feel a rancid smell upon thawing.

Maintaining the quality is possible only when you freeze the food as soon as possible. In order to prevent them from freeze burn, make sure that the food is properly wrapped in plastic foil or at least package well. This also directly influences the taste of food you intend to store. For usage, you will have to defrost the food. Begin thawing by placing it in refrigerator first and then microwaving it.

For bulk storage, you will need storage containers. They are feasible as it is easy to cover them. You will find them in lockable or snap-on lids which is …

When to Hire Self Storage Warehouses

This question is often not answered properly. There is a strong belief system that self-storage warehouses should be hired only when one is shifting or has space constraints. Although this thought process is correct, yet you can hire storing services for many other reasons. Here are some of the reasons which probably would have gone unnoticed. Hiring self-storage warehouse in such situations will ease your burden and relieve stress.

When To Hire Storage Services

Home Remodeling – If you intend to renovate your home, then it makes sense to hire these services. Home remodeling is often time consuming and can create a mess in the house. Moreover, there is a risk of damage to your delicate belongings. Add to that the space constraints, since the furniture has to be shifted from one room to another while renovating. Moving around in the house can be a challenge when there is so much furniture scattered around. When you keep the belongings in self-storage warehouses, they are stored in a good condition.

Arrival Of A Newborn In Your Home – If you are expecting a little one, then it is a good idea to make some space in the house. A newborn baby requires a lot of space. As the infant grows to become a toddler, he/she will not only move around in the house, but will also require baby furniture items, not to mention the baby clothes and accessories that occupy a huge amount of space in the house. In this case, you can hire moving and storage services on a temporary basis. Once the baby grows, you can bring the furniture items back. Moreover, it is will serve one more purpose. When there is a toddler in the house, it is good to keep glass furniture items at bay. Moreover, sharp edged furniture and delicate artworks should also be away from the reach of children to prevent breakage or damage.

Transporting Items – If you wish to transport items from your existing home to a second holiday home, then moving storage can be of great help. It will help in transporting the items safely, without causing any damage or getting damaged. Though you can transport small items in your own vehicle, yet, hiring moving self-storage warehouses is a better option. This is because professionals handle the items. Moreover, there won’t be a headache of loading and unloading heavy furniture items. If your new house is not ready for possession, then you can hold the belongings in the moving storage van by hiring it for a few more days. The vehicle can be parked around your house. Indeed, this is a new concept, and offers mobility. It is different from static self storage buildings.

The need for self-storage warehouses can be felt for many other reasons like storing fine jewelry, art and craftwork, electronic appliances, vehicles, boat, RV, etc. In fact, the state of art technology enables you to store perishable items, like wine, in climate-controlled …

Understanding the Three Stages of Labor

During the birth process, there are three distinct stages that occur, and the first of these stages is marked by certain phases within the stages. Simply termed the first, second, and third stages of labor, it is important for a mother to know what to expect during the delivery process.

The first stage of labor starts with the onset of labor and ends when the cervix is completely dilated. There are several signs that you may notice which indicate the start of labor. First, preliminary signs that your labor is approaching includes a “bloody show,” which can appear as a bloody mucus or plug. Also, your water will break, either in a trickle or a gush. You may notice irregular or even normal contractions, which can last for hours. They do not work to open the cervix, but they indicate that labor may not be far away.

Next, you know that your labor is starting for sure when you pass the amniotic fluid, as well as progressing contractions. Progressing contractions means that they get longer, stronger, and closer together as time progresses. These are the contractions that work to dilate your cervix. The latent phase of cervical dilation happens very slowly. Once the cervix begins to open very rapidly, this is the active phase of dilation.

The second stage of labor begins once the cervix is completely dilated. As the mother starts to push, the uterus also contracts and moves the baby into the birth canal. A soon-to-be mom’s pushing ability may be decreased if she has had an epidural. This is because epidurals, although helpful in blocking pain, can also hinder a mother’s capacity to use the muscles necessary to push. Thus, if a mother has had an epidural, her second stage of labor may be longer than normal.

Finally, once the baby arrives, the second stage of labor ends, and the third stage of labor begins. The third stage is characterized by the delivery of the placenta, or afterbirth. Typically, the span of time between the arrival of the baby and the arrival of the afterbirth is only about five minutes. While this seems to be a very short, harmless stage, it is actually very dangerous for the mother. If the placenta and the uterus do not separate correctly, the mom is at high risk for hemorrhaging.

During all three of these stages of labor, a doctor should be competently guiding you through the delivery of your baby. However, if an obstetrician fails in his or her duty to you, it can result in injury to your new baby.…

Labor and Travel Time Cost Considerations for Mobile Contract Cleaners – Some Advice

One thing interesting about being in the service business, specifically the service cleaning business, is that often you will travel to your customers, some of which you are less than geographically ideal. In other words they are out of your way, but the account is good enough that you go ahead and spend the extra money to travel to their location and do those services. Not long ago, I was talking to an acquaintance about all this, someone who was trying to maintain their cash flow, but had watched their business spread out over time.

Why did this happen you ask? Well, during the recession there was less business locally, and therefore he had to travel to get larger accounts and more business. Then, the fuel prices increased, which very much hurt his cash flow due to the increase costs. Worse, some of these larger accounts required that he take more labor with him to do the job, therefore he was paying the labor for travel time as well as working. On top of that, by the time the workers got there, they were so tired from driving, they worked too slow, therefore, all his efficiency was lost as well.

One piece of advice to mobile operators running small service businesses would be to take a hard look at what you are doing, along with your routing and scheduling. Next it makes sense to figure out a way to cut down on those costs, combine trips, and perhaps even hire local labor once you get there, rather than using you regular crew coming from your home base. This way you don’t have the extra weight in your vehicle, therefore your vehicle will get better fuel mileage, but also you don’t have to pay those workers for all that travel time.

Is this difficult to do you ask? It might cost a little bit to train those workers at a faraway location to do the work, but over time if it is a reoccurring account, it will probably be worth it. Also, under the casual labor laws, they would only be part-time employees, perhaps only working a few hours. And as long as we are in a recession, and the unemployment rate is well over 8%, you can bet there will be people who will be willing to take those jobs even if it is only for three or four hours every other week or so.

Indeed, this might be perhaps, one solution to this dilemma if you run a small service business that has found itself spread out due to economic factors over the last few years. I hope you will please consider all this and think on.…

The Evolved and Enabled Envious Employees – Union Labor and Economic Trouble

It seems like every time a troubled industry starts to make money, the labor unions in those large companies in those industries demand more money, and if they don’t get it, they will strike. This is one reason the airline industry cannot re-invent itself, innovate, or buy more fuel-efficient airplanes to help it to greater profitability. The auto industry desperately needed to re-tool to build smaller cars instead of SUVs due to the higher fuel prices.

Unfortunately, the big three automakers were bogged down in sand due to the labor unions. The increased profits from making all those SUVs should have been reinvested in the future of those companies. But instead the labor unions demanded better benefits, more health care, greater pensions, fewer hours, and more money. That took away all the profits, which should have been re-invested.

John Sweeney the president of the AFL CIO is retiring and what a beautiful golden parachute indeed. He had enabled the envious employees and labor unions to destroy General Motors and Chrysler. Along with several auto parts companies such as Delphi which closed 25 plants, taking most of that work to Mexico. Who won? The answer is nobody.

In the end, it was the US taxpayer who bailed out General Motors and Chrysler. This is interesting because it was also the citizens which paid more for buying American cars because the unions demanded more and those cost increased the price of American-made automobiles to an uncompetitive and unsustainable level.

Adam Smith warned us that we have to look out for corporations and governments getting into cahoots with each other. Still, we should have also been watching the labor unions, and how their politics and political strategies have harmed consumers, free markets, and shaken the core of capitalism itself. Please consider all this, as the coordinator for the Online Think Tank; I am quite concerned about our future, and global competitiveness.…

Six Sigma And Lean Manufacturing – True Methods Of Business Improvisation

In any business, there is always a chance of risk and loss which keeps a businessman in stress. Only a wise entrepreneur knows how to develop their steps when they are following challenging pathways. In any business, there are mainly three things to be managed, price, quality and service. If the three things are according to the customer’s satisfaction then the chance of loss is minimized to a great extent. Apart from this, there are aspects like “outsourcing the inventory location” which reduces the overall cost of production. These were some of the things for which require to book a public warehouse to store their products properly. They do so by contracting a 3PL to cope up with their standards and requirements of storing their valuables.

Business of any type, whether it is a big oil and gas firm, a textile industry, a cement factory or an automotive industry, the top heads of every organization try their level best to introduce measures for customer satisfaction.

Their effort is based to serve this common objective. And for this, they develop high level of operational standards to justify themselves in front of their loyal customers. Beside these external objectives, they have some internal objectives too like generating profits by minimizing the cost of overall production. The core objective is based on the concept of “no compromise on quality” but a sub-objective is “the minimization of cost”.

For achieving the core objective of quality, the organizations have developed the philosophy of accomplishing the second objective first. As they know that if the second objective of cost is accomplished they will automatically achieve the core objective of quality. So for achieving the objective of cost, many big organizations like “Motorola” and “Toyota” have founded some latest techniques to improvise them on achieving the objective of cost. Here are those trendsetting methods which have provided big successes to big business names of all times:

Six Sigma:

It is a technique developed by “Motorola” in 1988, one of the big names in the business trend setting. The technique is based on measuring defects and deflection in procedures and their outcomes.

Six sigma is basically the maturity of a manufacturing process. It indicates the percentile of the products which are clear from any defect line. A product which is having a sample error is named as a defective piece and the error is itself called as a defect. Six sigma is based on the methodology of DMAIC processing.

Design, measure, analyze, improve and control are the elements involved. These elements are divided in the groups of black belts and green belts. Black belts are the master operators and green belts are the middle executors.

This process provides a business with a complete business strategy to produce some top quality products. When a business hits the quality standard of SIX SIGMA, it means they are producing 99% products without any defectives percentile. Today we can find its …

Data Warehouse Architecture – The Basic Concept

To carry on the swift and even operations of different departments in an organization, data warehouse is very helpful. It is not that only big companies can take the advantage of this but also small companies get benefited equally. In fact the success of the organization is determined by the architecture of data warehouse. The overall benefits of society are possible only by the development of different types of corporate and organizations that come together to form a business unit. The progress is direct or indirect or both.

In any organization the most important role is played by information or data. The right and absolute utilization of this data by the organization contributes and helps to progress eventually. There is lot of hard work and calculation that is needed for proper utilization of data. This work is minimized and simplified by data warehouse architecture and it works as the core obligation. The information from different business processes is gathered through this process and it helps in the easy access and smooth working of the organization.

Data warehouse has been an integral part of various organizations since 1990s and this has been possible only with the help of Information Technology and due to the revolution that hit the information management system. A data warehouse, thus becomes an essential part of any organization and it helps in shaping and achieving exact and absolute data. This is not only beneficial for business organizations but also helps the businesses to have enhanced productivity.

The functions and services of an organization is designed and taken into account methodically with the help of data warehousing. It helps provide collective and complete information to all employees and assists the work to get along smoothly and uninterrupted. All employees are trained and can have easy access of the entire data related to production and progress of the company.

The data can be accessed and collected without even disturbing the operating system. Data warehouse makes the entire system user friendly and helps make the flow of data more easy and convenient. The users can retrieve and collect data easily to carry on the work smoothly.…

Small Businesses Can Gain Immensely by Using Self Storage Warehouses

Edmonton self storage warehouses have become extremely popular among many small businesses in this city in Alberta, Canada. In fact, many businesses usually find renting the facilities for a short time on contract the best choice. Of course, since you’re a small business, you cannot approach a larger facility because you will be asked to take a considerable portion of the premises on rent. You may not have the resources to do so, and more importantly, you may not need such a big place But you still need to protect your important items.

Therefore, you need to look for an Edmonton self storage warehouse where you can rent out a small portion of the facility. And there is a lot of flexibility here – you can rent the premises for as little or as long as you want.

Renting Edmonton Self Storage Warehouses For A Short Term

If you have just started your business, and if you are trying to get it off the ground, this is just perfect for you. If you have certain things to store, your garage or basement might not be the best place for this. While it is true that you may not need the entire space a conventional warehouse offers, but you may still need more space than a garage. Also, your garage cannot be really compared to these Edmonton self storage buildings because the premises here are climate controlled and properly insulated, immaculately cleaned and sanitized.

Additionally, your items are protected adequately. For this, the Edmonton self storage warehouses use the latest security gadgets that include close circuit cameras, video cameras, electronic fingerprint detection systems, alarm systems and professionally trained security guards.

So if your business needs you to store some items for a short time that probably you want to distribute soon, you should turn to these facilities.

The Facilities Help You Move Your Items Too

Many small businesses can also face a challenge when they are trying to move their physical possessions. First, you will have to find a transporter and then you will have to spend a lot of money. Edmonton moving storage services can help you here too. The Edmonton moving and storage services can arrive at your place with packing material, pack everything up expertly and the transporter will then move everything. It is part of a complete package.

Select Edmonton Self Storage Warehouses Carefully

Though there are many facilities available, finding a good Edmonton moving storage service may not be that easy. First, not every facility may agree to keep everything, and so you will have to check to ensure that it actually can store your stock. You will also have to ensure that the price charged is reasonable, because when you are running a small business, you do not want to spend too much money on this. And of course, you will have to be convinced that the facility is able to take adequate care of …

Why Hire a Temporary Warehouse

Many businesses require warehouses in order to store their goods. Nowadays, they simply hire temporary buildings instead of commercial ones to minimize the costs.

A temporary warehouse is a fast yet cost-effective solution for your industrial needs. It may be a simple storage area, a workshop, or a production area where you load and unload your products from shipping. They can be installed in areas within your premises with ease. They stand on any hard surface and do not require any ground preparations. The size of a warehouse usually ranges from 500 to 25000 square feet, with varying widths and heights. The smallest ones have widths measuring 5 meters, while the largest ones usually have 20 meters width. Heights vary from 2.4-6.2 meters to maximize volume.

These smart-space temporary warehouses are hired by businessmen for just a few weeks, a few months, or even years. What’s even better is that they are made to withstand any seasonal changes like heat and snow. They are usually built from aluminum with galvanized steel so they do not rust at all. Because of these, temporary buildings last for many years. Some smart-space warehouses are even made with thermo-insulated roofs so that the goods kept inside are kept dry.

Another good this about these warehouses is that they can be relocated, which means that when you move to another place and do another business there, you can use the same portable warehouse that you rented. There are also no upfront payments with these types of warehouses unlike commercial warehouses that require you to give your advance payments and monthly fees.

Some owners of temporary warehouse business also offer these warehouses for sale. This option is for clients who want a more permanent type of building. Instead of paying for rent, they can buy these warehouses and get 35 years warranty.

For those clients who prefer to rent a portable warehouse, they can choose add-ons for their temporary building. Roller shutter doors, personnel doors and lights are usually part of the package when they rent.

Temporary warehouse companies usually have these warehouses in stock. They also have their installers who will install the temporary buildings. This is another reason why renting a smart-space warehouse is convenient and cost-saving. Instead of paying a sub-contractual building installer, renting a temporary building already comes with a free installer. What’s even better is that warehouse managers provide all the necessary risk assessments to ensure that you will be safe in the temporary building.…

Tips to Get Great Storage When Necessary

When companies have a lot of work coming in, they normally do not have enough room for storing excess stock then they need to look for a third party to take over this work. Finding a Texas contract warehouse is not difficult and this is usually the answer to the storage problem. Of course, this holds true for a California contract warehouse too but care should be taken to make sure that it is adequate for the needs of the hirer.

Of course, it is much better to hire this kind of space when the need arises because space and building is a very costly exercise. If the company does not need the space on a full time basis, it makes great economic sense to just hire when the need arises.

This is probably true for those companies who import goods into the country. If they supply a great number of outlets in the country then they will obviously need huge storage facilities, but only when their goods arrive. Once these goods have been broken down and sent on their way, the facilities are no longer a necessary expense.

Although this may look expensive on paper, in fact it makes great economic sense. Once the goods have been delivered to his customers, he will no longer have to pay for his employees to look after the goods; pay for heating or cooling depending on what the goods are; or pay rent or rates on vast expanses of storage facilities that are lying idle.

Some of these storage facilities also offer a great service on top of the normal ones too. If the goods are arriving in bulk, they may need to be broken down into smaller packages or indeed be repackaged with branded casings. The company who holds the goods will do this at a fee as well as deliver the goods countrywide where and when the hirer tells them to.

Some goods will be perishable so it is imperative that these facilities have the proper cooling systems in place. If there is more than one lot of stock to be stored then they should also observe the ‘sell by’ dates that are usually included on the original packaging.

Once the company which hires the storage space builds up a good rapport with the storage facility company, then they will certainly be able to relax a little and trust that the company knows what they are doing. Indeed, the relationship should be so good that the company will find that once the goods are delivered to the storage company then it is a ‘one stop shop’ for the importer.

Whichever company is used it is of the utmost importance that they have all the handling equipment that will mean less wastage from damaged goods. Most bona fide companies have this equipment but it does not hurt anyone to check this out beforehand. Any storage company worth its salt will not mind any kind …