Every year, over 3,000 fires occur in office properties, reports the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). You can prevent such incidents in your business when you follow several fire prevention tips. They’re important during October, National Fire Safety Month, and all year.
Know the Laws
Your business must follow local fire safety laws. After you discern the laws, codes and regulations, take the necessary steps to ensure you’re in compliance at all times.
Check Wiring
Regularly inspect all the wiring in your building, including electronic and extension cords. Replace frayed wires and cords with cracked insulation or broken connectors. Limit the number of plugs per outlet, too.
Operate Machines and Appliances Properly
The machines and appliances you use may overheat and start a fire if they’re used improperly. In addition to following the recommended operating procedures, ensure air can circulate properly on all sides of your machines and appliances. You may also wish to unplug non-essential items when they’re not in use.
Use Hazardous Materials Carefully
Paint and all flammable, combustible or hazardous materials should be stored, dispensed and cleaned properly. Train all staff to know and carefully follow the usage recommendations for all hazardous materials.
Remove Clutter
The storeroom, break room, hallways, and stairwells are often hotspots that collect clutter. Clear out unnecessary items from these areas as you reduce fire hazards and improve your escape options.
Maintain Smoke Detectors, Fire Extinguishers and the Sprinkler System
Regularly inspect the tools that can notify you of a fire or put a fire out. These items should be in good working order at all times.
- Change the smoke detectors’ batteries at least twice a year.
- Charge and inspect the extinguishers regularly.
- Ensure the sprinkler heads are not damaged or covered.
Limit Smoking Areas
If you allow your employees, vendors and customers to smoke on your property, designate specific smoker-friendly areas outdoors. Provide sturdy outdoor ashtrays to secure flammable cigarette butts and ashes.
Close Doors
Keeping doors closed can prevent a fire from spreading. Instruct your staff to close the office, storeroom and other doors when possible. Never dismantle doors or prop fire doors open, either.
Remove Garbage
Refuse can contain combustible materials that prompt or spread a fire. In addition to a dumpster or designated refuse area outside, assign staff members to remove garbage from the building every day.
Hire a Safety Officer
Businesses of all sizes benefit from employing a safety officer. This person oversees the fire prevention plan and makes arrangements for safety, such as marking escape routes, testing fire extinguishers and overseeing emergency drills.
Prevent fires in your place of business when you implement these tips. They’re important during National Fire Safety Month and year-round.
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Over 65 million Americans have high cholesterol, a condition that can affect anyone from young kids to senior adults. You can improve your health when you understand the definition of cholesterol and the best ways to prevent high cholesterol. 
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol circulates in your blood and resembles wax or fat. It supports metabolic processes, such as cell membrane stabilization, vitamin D formation, and steroid hormone and bile acid production. It While your body makes cholesterol naturally, it’s also found in food. If you make or consume more cholesterol than your body needs, the excess will accumulate in your arteries and narrow those passageways, which could increase your heart disease and stroke risk.
You have good cholesterol (HDL – high-density lipoprotein), bad cholesterol (LDL – low-density lipoprotein) and triglycerides. The lipoproteins carry cholesterol to and from your body’s cells.
- HDL – Removes bad cholesterol as it flows through your bloodstream.
- LDL – Becomes part of the plaque that lines your arteries.
Your cholesterol levels can depend on several factors, including a family history of heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure. Smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, and your weight can also affect cholesterol levels.
What are Normal Cholesterol Levels?
The ideal cholesterol level is under 170 mg/dL. Your LDL level should be under 110 mg/dL, and your HDL level should be over 35. Aim for a triglyceride level of under 150 mg/dL. While these numbers are confusing, your doctor can explain them and help you achieve healthy levels.
How do you know if you have High Cholesterol?
You might have high cholesterol and not know it. Visit your doctor for a blood test that shows your cholesterol levels. Typically, adults over the age of 20 should have their cholesterol checked every five years. High-risk children should have their cholesterol checked regularly, too.
How is High Cholesterol Treated?
Often, lifestyle changes can reduce your cholesterol levels. Your doctor may recommend exercise and dietary improvements, such as:
- Engage in two hours and 30 minutes of moderate exercise or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week.
- Eat more high-fiber food, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
- Limit the amount of saturated fat and sugar in the foods and beverages you consume.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Quit smoking and lower your alcohol intake.
- Reduce stress.
Your doctor may prescribe medication, too. Statins reduce the amount of cholesterol your body makes and can lower your bad cholesterol levels.
This month, raise your cholesterol awareness levels. Visit your doctor for a cholesterol check, and discuss the steps you can take to achieve a healthy lifestyle that improves your health now and into the future
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When you host neighborhood barbecues or invite your friends’ kids over to play in the yard, you could be responsible if someone gets hurt. Ensure you have premises liability insurance to protect your assets.
What is Premises Liability?
Visitors who suffer an injury while on your property could sue you. You could be responsible for their medical treatment, legal fees and other damages under premises liability laws. Before your next neighborhood party, verify your premise liability responsibility.
Know the Nature of the Injured Party
In general, visitors to your property fall into one of three categories. They may be a licensee, business invitee or trespasser. Your liability and responsibility for a visitor’s safety depend on their classification.
Licensee
If you have invited or allowed a neighbor onto your property, they’re considered a licensee. You have the responsibility to take reasonable care to ensure a licensee’s safety. For example, if you know one of the deck steps is loose, you should fix the step, but if you run out of time, you can simply warn your neighbor of the danger and not be liable for any injuries.
Business Invitee
A neighbor who shops at your yard sale or stops by to discuss fixing your broken steps through her remodeling company falls into the category of a business invitee. In this case, you have invited them onto your property for business, and you must actively inspect your property for safety hazards, dangers and risks and repair any issues before a business invitee steps foot onto your property.
Trespasser
Someone who enters your property without a specific invitation or your implied permission is considered a trespasser. This category applies to the neighborhood kid who opens the gate and plays on your swingset when you’re not home or the neighbor who crashes your barbecue without an invitation. Typically, you don’t have to warn a trespasser of potential hazards around your home or make repairs to keep him or her safe. However, check your local laws because they may include different requirements.
Understand your Status as a Homeowner or a Possessor
Your status as a homeowner or property possessor determines your liability during a premises liability claim. For example, if you rent your home to a tenant, you might not be liable for injuries that occur on the property. Check your local laws to verify your responsibility.
Purchase Adequate Insurance
While you always want to remove hazards and dangers on your property before you invite the neighbors over, purchase homeowners insurance, too. It should have premises liability and adequate coverage for any liability. Your agent can help you analyze your assets and choose appropriate coverage limits that provide financial peace of mind.
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What is a Credit Report Freeze?
A credit report freeze allows you to restrict who can access your credit report. When a freeze is in place, only certain professional entities can see your information, and it’s less likely that an identity theft can access your data.
Ways a Credit Report Freeze Affects You
When you place a credit report freeze on your account, it affects you in several ways.
1. It prevents certain entities from accessing your credit report. This includes potential employers, mortgage companies and car dealers.
2. Existing creditors and any debt collection agencies they hire and government agencies responding to a court order or subpoena may continue to access your credit report.
3. You can continue to access your free annual credit report.
4. It does not affect your credit score.
5. You will continue to receive pre-screened credit offers for credit or insurance. Call 888-5OPTOUT (888-567-8688) or go online to optoutprescreen.com if you wish to stop receiving these offers.
How to Place a Credit Report Freeze
Contact the three nationwide credit reporting companies to freeze your credit report.
To place a freeze, you must provide your name, birth date, Social Security number, address and other personal information. You will also have to pay a fee. It typically ranges from $5 to $10 but varies based on where you live.
How to Know if Your Credit Report Freeze is Successful
After placing a credit report freeze, you will receive a confirmation letter from the credit reporting company. It includes a unique password or PIN you will need if you ever choose to lift the freeze.
How to Lift a Credit Report Freeze
Your credit report freeze remains in place indefinitely. However, you may want to lift it so you can apply for a job or credit. To do that, simply contact the credit reporting company to request a lift. You will provide your password or PIN, pay a fee that varies by state and indicate if you want a temporary or permanent lift.
A credit report freeze can protect your personal data and identity. Consider monitoring your bank, insurance and credit card statements, though, too, and purchase cyber liability insurance as a further protective measure.
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Do you live within five miles of your workplace like half of all American workers? A 20-minute ride one way burns up to 3,000 calories (dependent on the rider, the uphills , etc) and provides key health benefits you’ll appreciate.
Boost Your Energy
Instead of waking up with coffee, tea or energy drinks, ride your bike. A recent study found that a low to moderately paced bike ride releases endorphins that boost your energy level by up to 20 percent and decrease your fatigue by 65 percent. That’s a big wake up call.
Increase Your Heart’s Health
Ride at a moderate to high intensity speed for 30 minutes at least three times a week, and watch your cholesterol and blood pressure drop in one year. You can easily achieve this goal simply by riding the long way home.
Protect Your Joints
Riding your bike is one low-impact exercise that’s perfect if you have joint conditions or leg, ankle, knee or hip injuries. If your knees aren’t bent at a 25-degree angle on your down pedal stroke, ask your bike shop professional for a saddle adjustment.
Improve Your Mental Health
There’s no denying that work and even daily life can be mentally challenging. Use your bicycling commute to regulate your emotions, combat depression and anxiety, prepare for the day or unwind after the day and improve your overall mental health.
Tone Your Muscles
Want to tone your arms, thighs and calves for summer? Riding a bike tones muscles you didn’t even know you had. The pedaling works your lower body, and you’ll tone your triceps and core by pedaling uphill while standing.
Boost Your Immune System
Exercise and fresh air support a healthy immune system. Plus, your body will be stronger and better able to fight germs inside and outside of the office.
Are you ready to jump on your bike and ride to work? Today and every day, gain healthy benefits and have fun simply by cycling. For additional tips on way to stay healthy, talk to your health insurance agent.
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Triple digit temps in Norcal are here again, be safe out there!
High heat and construction work are simply not compatible. Yet, the work must get completed. Workers must wear protective clothing and gear which diminishes the body’s capacity to shed heat. This fact combined with high heat creates specific exposures which require vigilant monitoring.
Short-term exposures to heat and humidity:
- Prevention: Drink plenty of water – a good test is the employee must urinate every three hours at a minimum, two hours is better. If they do not need to urinate, they are not getting adequate fluids. Wear breathable clothing such as cotton. Work in the shade or indoors as much as possible, take frequent water breaks in the shade.
- Heat exhaustion: the stage prior to heat stroke when many symptoms from dehydration can be noticed. Any dizziness, nausea or vomiting, cramping, or sudden weakness requires immediate attention. Headaches, blurred vision or unusual fatigue can be signs of heat exhaustion. Rest the worker in the shade, loosen tight clothing and provide water. Observe the employee for several minutes. If they quit sweating or any symptom becomes worse, or they breathe rapidly or have a quick pulse, seek emergency medical help immediately.
- Heat stroke: LIFE THREATENING. Add these to the heat exhaustion symptoms:
- Hallucinations, confusion, disorientation, illogical behavior
- High body temperature, red or pale skin, difficulty breathing
- Unconsciousness or coma
Seek immediate professional help for these symptoms.
Bacteria carrying insects love this weather. Lyme disease and West Nile Virus are not uncommon. Prevention includes spraying mosquito deterrent and checking for ticks.
Long-term exposures include skin cancer. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen.
Common sense goes a long way to prevent over-taxing workers. If a concrete pour is scheduled for an extremely hot day, postpone. You’ll spare your employees heat related discomfort, and the odds of getting the concrete in before it sets is remote at best.
Remember your machine operators too. Check on them throughout the day and carefully observe their performance. Any signs of erratic behavior needs to be addressed immediately. Even air conditioned cabins can create dehydrating condition in the hot sun.
If you want your crew working Friday, you need to supply plenty of water and shaded rest breaks Monday through Thursday. The body can only take so much heat.
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