THIS time of year, it’s often dark by the time we leave our offices. This, together with the upcoming bustle and busyness of the holiday season, makes it a great time to review the security practices at your workplace.

Security company Protection One suggests these tips for keeping your office, employees and inventory secure during this season and year round:

• Make well-lit, access-controlled parking available, and suggest a “buddy” system within the parking area.
• If possible, make security escorts available to and from employee parking.
• Register all guests and accompany them during their visits.
• Never leave your reception area unattended.
• Do not allow entry doors to be propped open if no one is present or nearby.
• Don’t allow unknown service personnel free access to your office space.
• Report broken doors, windows and locks to building security personnel.
• Monitor and report suspicious activity in or near your facility.
• Consider an integrated, monitored security and fire system as well as a remote/IP video system, which allows easy access to facility cameras via the Internet.
• Install an electronic access system, and closely inventory all photo badges, ID cards, etc.
• If you already have a security system, request regular system inspections and evaluations.
• Do not open suspicious packages: Report them to local authorities.
• Employ updated computer security software for your entire network.
• Back up and store sensitive and critical information and databases.
• Shred or destroy old documents containing sensitive business information.
• Keep an inventory of your most critical equipment, hardware and software.
• Develop fire and emergency plans and regularly practice drills.
• Keep facilities well-lit, inside and out, even during non-business hours.
• Form a safety team to help keep safety and security issues a focus.
• Encourage employees to secure valuables, including documents that might contain personal information, in their work areas at all times and especially during company gatherings or breaks.

The Electrical Safety Foundation International has some great tips for both workplace and home electrical work.

Every year, people are injured or killed by circuits they thought were safely turned off.  Simply shutting off the power is not enough.  Hazardous conditions can still exist.  Working with electricity requires thorough planning and extreme care. Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer tackling a weekend project or an experienced contractor, learning and practicing safe work habits can significantly reduce your risk.  That’s why you must always TEST BEFORE YOU TOUCH. You may not get a second chance to learn this important lesson.

Here is a great home electrical checklist which you can include in your Employee Safety Newsletter.  If you don’t have one we can help you create one.

By Josh Cable, Occupational Hazards Magazine

If yours is the type of office where computers, printers, monitors, scanners, lamps, CD players, cell phones and iPod chargers typically are plugged into one inexpensive, overloaded power strip, the nonprofit Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) cautions that such a practice not only is unsightly but also dangerous.
According ESFI, overloaded electrical circuits pose both an electrocution and fire hazard. While the number of outlets in offices often is a factor that is out of employers’ – and employees’ – control, ESFI recommends these steps to stay safe from electrical hazards:
 
If you must use a power strip, use a name-brand product from a reputable retailer. Low-quality or counterfeit power strips may contain wiring that isn’t adequate to carry the load.

• Place power strips where there is plenty of air circulation to disperse heat.
• Do not attempt to plug grounded (three-prong) cords into ungrounded (two-slot) outlets.
• Do not bind, kink or knot electrical cords.
• Never run power cords under rugs or where chairs can roll over them.
• Keep cords close to a wall to avoid trip hazards.
• Keep all non-critical electrical items unplugged until you need to use them.
• Consider charging battery-operated devices in another area.

If your computer screen flickers or fades, or you detect a burning smell, power down and immediately contact the building engineer.

If you work from home, have a licensed electrician conduct an electrical inspection.

For additional electrical safety information, visit the foundation’s Web site or call (703) 841-3229.

Tips: Extension Cord Safety

AN extension cord can be a handy, temporary way to place electrical equipment wherever you’d like it. But if used improperly, extension cords can cause fire and injury, or even death.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that each year, about 4,000 injuries associated with electric extension cords are treated in hospital emergency rooms. About half of the injuries involve fractures, lacerations, contusions or sprains from people tripping over extension cords. Thirteen percent of the injuries involve children under five years of age; electrical burns to the mouth accounted for half the injuries to young children. CPSC also estimates that about 3,300 residential fires originate in extension cords each year, killing 50 people and injuring about 270 others. The most frequent causes of such fires are short circuits, overloading, damage and/or misuse of extension cords.

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) offers these tips to reduce the likelihood of electrocution or fire from improper extension cord use:

Use extension cords only when necessary and only on a temporary basis.
In locations where furniture or beds may be pushed against an extension cord where the cord joins the plug, use a special “angle extension cord” specifically designed for use in these instances.
When using outdoor tools and appliances, use only extension cords labeled for outdoor use.
Use polarized extension cords with polarized appliances.
Insert plugs fully so that no part of the prongs are exposed when the extension cord is in use.
To download ESFI’s free booklet, “Use Extension Cords Safely,” go to http://www.esfi.org/esfi-library.html.

The heat of summer may be right around the corner, but consumers and small businesses can stay cool and protect the environment by following five recommendations from EPA.

“This summer, you don’t have to let sweltering temperatures and sky-high energy bills get under your skin,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. “By taking a few simple energy-efficient steps, Americans can beat the heat while keeping more money in their pockets.”

The average family spends $1,900 a year on energy bills, nearly half of which goes to heating and cooling. With a few steps like seasonal maintenance of energy-efficient heating and cooling equipment, consumers can save on their energy bills and help reduce the risks of global warming.

EPA recommends the following five steps to help consumers and small businesses count down to a cooler planet and a more energy-efficient home:

1. Find and seal air leaks that cause drafts and make your cooling system work overtime. Sealing and insulating your home can prevent the loss of cooled air and help save up to 10 percent on your energy bills each year.
2. Look for the Energy Star when purchasing cooling products for your home. Products such as room air-conditioners and programmable thermostats that have earned the Energy Star operate more efficiently, which saves money and help protect the environment.
3. Schedule annual, pre-season maintenance checkups with a licensed contractor to ensure that your cooling system is operating efficiently and safely. Be sure to clean or change your system’s air filter regularly (generally once a month).
4. Install a programmable thermostat and use your ceiling fans wisely. Turn your thermostat up several degrees when you are away (and your home doesn’t need to be kept as cool). And use your ceiling fans only when you are in the room to save even more.
5. Visit EPA’s interactive Web-based tool, Energy Star @ home (http://www.energystar.gov/home), to learn more ways to make your home energy-efficient. Homeowners can see where they’re doing well, find areas for improvement and learn how they can use energy more efficiently to save money and enjoy year-round comfort in their home. Homeowners also will be able to share their home improvement stories or read and learn about others who have saved through energy-efficient upgrades.

Many of these same tips for consumers are also useful for small businesses. In fact, with energy saving improvements throughout their facilities, small businesses can save up to 25 percent or higher on their energy bills.