Businesses: Be Wary of Insider Crime and Identity Theft

Insider Crime – Many businesses put a great deal of effort into protecting their property from theft by outsiders but neglect to put an equal effort into preventing insider theft. Employers should not underestimate the risk of trusted employees stealing from the company.

Loss control experts at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) encourage employers to adopt two strategies to prevent internal theft: increase the perceived probability of discovery and decrease the probability that an employee will commit the crime.

The ACFE recommends stringent accounting controls, which your accountant can help you create, and frequent audits. Having a policy that gives honest employees a way to report theft by their co-workers without fear of reprisal helps cut down insider theft, as does emphasis on ethical practices, rewarding company loyalty and having clear performance standards.

Identity Theft – Identity theft occurs when an individual uses someone else’s personal information to commit fraud. Federal law requires businesses to provide identity theft victims with transaction records relating to their identity theft free of charge.

The above is an excerpt adapted from the article, “Reducing Vulnerability To Theft.” For more information, please visit www.iii.org.

How to Care for an Air Compressor

Frequently inspect valves and governor controls on the compressor. Always disconnect the electric supply line to the motor before making any repair.

Never use an air tank without a pressure gauge and safety valve. Safe working pressure should be maintained according to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Code for Unfired Pressure Vehicles. Never use household hot water tanks as air tanks. They are not designed to meet boiler specifications.

Every air tank should have a drain pipe and valve at the lower part of the tank. Accumulated oil and water should be removed frequently to prevent corrosion of the tank and to reduce the danger of explosion. Because corrosion weakens the tank, regularly inspect the inside.

Soapy water or other non-toxic, non-flammable solutions should be used to clean compressor cylinders, piping and receivers; never clean with gasoline, kerosene or other flammable solvents.

The above is an excerpt from the article, “What are air-powered tools?” For more information, please visit www.bwc.ohio.gov/.

Laying a Foundation for Small Business Crime Prevention

Crime—burglary, robbery, vandalism, shoplifting, employee theft, and fraud—costs businesses billions of dollars each year. Crime can be particularly devastating to small businesses, who lose both customers and employees when crime and fear claim a neighborhood.

When small businesses are victims of crime, they often react by changing their hours of operation, raising their prices to cover their losses, relocating outside the community, or simply closing. Fear of crime isolates businesses, much like fear isolates individuals—and this isolation increases vulnerability to crime.

Helping small businesses reduce and prevent crime must be a community effort. Law enforcement can work with owners to improve security and design their spaces to reduce risk. Small businesses can join together in such efforts as Business Watch to alert each other to crime patterns and suspicious activities. They can help young people in the community learn job-seeking skills and give them jobs, when possible.

Finally, businesses must reach out to others—law enforcement, civic groups, schools, churches, youth groups—to fight violence, drugs, and other crime and create a safer community for all.

Laying a Foundation

Take a hard look at your business—its physical layout, employees, hiring practices, and overall security. Assess its vulnerability to all kinds of crime, from burglary to embezzlement. Some basic prevention principles include:

Provide training for all employees—including cleaning staff — so they are familiar with security procedures and know your expectations.

Use good locks, safes, and alarm systems. If you have questions, seek the help of law enforcement. Keep detailed, up-to-date records. Store back-up copies off the premises. If you are ever victimized, you can assess losses more easily and provide useful information for law enforcement investigations.

Establish and enforce clear policies about employee theft, employee substance abuse, crime reporting, opening and closing the business, and other security procedures. Mark equipment—registers, adding machines, calculators, computers, typewriters—with an identification number (for example, tax identification or license number). Post the Operation Identification warning sticker in your store-front window. Keep a record of all identification numbers off the premises with other important records. Consider the cost of each security improvement you make against the potential savings through loss reduction. Remember to assess the impact on employees and customers.

Crimes against businesses are usually crimes of opportunity. Failure to take good security precautions invites crime into a business.

The above is an excerpt adapted from the article,”Small Business Crime Prevention.” For more information, please visit www.lapdonline.org.

Safety Checklist for Using Air-Powered Tools

The use of portable tools involves many hazards, but air-operated tools present even more danger. Each type of air-power tool requires knowledge of specific operating instructions. Let’s look at the general hazards that can occur when using air as power.

The air must be compressed, which involves hazards uncommon to any other power source. If properly designed and installed, the air compressor and air receiving tank should operate efficiently. However, proper maintenance is required to ensure continued safe operation.

Safety check list

Before starting an air-power tool:

• Check the tool for loose parts. Tighten if necessary;
• Check the air strainer in the tool. Clean if necessary;
• Lubricate the tool with a high-grade light machine oil. Place a few drops into the hose connection, unless an air line lubricator is being used. A few drops every hour are required if the tool is operated continuously.
• Check all fittings for proper connection;
• Be sure the control valve is in the closed position. An open valve can result in a whipping tool;
• Check air pressure at the tool retainer device. Without it, the tool may be ejected with force, possibly causing injury or damage to property;
• Check equipment for the tool-retainer device. Without it, the tool may be ejected with force, possibly causing injury or damage to property;
• Check the provided guard equipment. Be sure it is properly installed;
• When changing tools, close the stop valve in the air-supply line. Never kink the hose to save steps or time.

Safe air-tool operators are efficient workers. These operators:

• Know their tools;
• Can recognize defects at a glance;
• Report all defective equipment;
• Do not improvise make-shift tools;
• Use the guards supplied by manufacturers;
• Know the danger of loose spindles in the bearings;
• Can spot signs of failure in drill steel;
• Check polishing and other wheels for balance before using them;
• Avoid using flammable or toxic solvents to clean tools; • Seek and find the safe way to care for and work with air-power tools.

The above is an excerpt from the article, “What are air-powered tools?” For more information, please visit www.bwc.ohio.gov/.

Exposure in Work Zones and Related Delays

Our aging U.S. highway system requires reconstruction, rehabilitation, and maintenance in order to provide users with a safe and efficient infrastructure. This means more work zones. A growing portion of this work is rehabilitating and reconstructing existing infrastructure, while these same roads continue to carry a high volume of traffic.

In addition to the work zone related fatalities and injuries experienced on our highways, work zones on our freeways also account for nearly one-quarter of all non-recurring delay. These delays can happen at any time as a result of slowed or stopped traffic due to work zone activities, and it is important for drivers to pay attention when approaching and while driving through a work zone to minimize the potential for collisions.

The above is an excerpt from the article, “15th Annual National Work Zone Awareness Week.” For more information, please visit www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov.

Ask a Question & Stand Out by Sounding a Bit Over the Top

Ask a Question.

Consider Chris Brogan’s post, “Do Local Businesses Deserve Your Money?”  It’s a good question.

The reader is forced to ask himself the question, and if he doesn’t have the answer, he’ll be inclined to click. Whether the article answers the question to his satisfaction is a different matter – but the headline at least gets him to click.

Stand Out by Sounding a Bit Over the Top.

Tabloid magazines have mastered the art of the outrageous, but that doesn’t mean your business blog can’t apply the same technique – in moderation. Use words like:

●     Secrets

●     Revealed

●     Superlatives like biggest, the ultimate, best

Just be careful because you don’t want to lose credibility by creating headlines like this all the time or by being too outrageous.

Also, make sure the article delivers on what the headline promises. Don’t claim to bring the reader the “ultimate” guide to whatever or the “best advice” on some topic, only to offer up a mere 150 words stating the obvious. If you’re going to deliver the ultimate guide, then it had better live up to it.

The above is an excerpt from the article “8 Smart Techniques for Improving Headlines.” For more info, please visit www.sba.gov.

Who is Responsible for Work Zone Safety and Mobility?

We are all responsible for making work zones work better and safer!

Project planners, designers, and construction/maintenance/utility workers have the responsibility to integrate safety, mobility and constructability when planning, designing, and implementing work zones.

• Drivers, bikers, motorcyclists and pedestrians have the responsibility to always be alert, obey traffic laws and signs, and pay attention to their surroundings when approaching and traveling through a work zone. Properly securing pets in a vehicle prevents driver distraction and harm to the animal.
• Passengers should always buckle up, act responsibly, and avoid distracting the driver.
• Public safety agencies have the responsibility of responding to and securing crash locations and enforcing traffic laws.
• Local communities, and state and local governments need to allocate funding for safe roads and increase public awareness about work zone safety.
• Police and courts have the responsibility of enforcing traffic and work zone laws.

The above is an excerpt from the article, “15th Annual National Work Zone Awareness Week.” For more information, please visit www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov.

Headlines: Play on Emotions & Use Numbers

Play on Emotions.

Humans are emotional beings, and we want to feel something. Evoke emotions in the headline, and you can get more clicks. Here’s an example from TheChive.com:

“Homeless Man Tells Heartbreaking Story”

We’re ready for an emotional response to that story.

Use Numbers.

When you use a number in your headline, you’re letting readers know exactly what to expect. When you read the headline to this post, you knew there would be eight tips on improving headlines. No more, no less. Today’s readers are impatient and want to quickly skim content, and numbers let them do so.

Here’s a related point: generally speaking, the bigger the number, the more likely people are to bookmark and save an article. Two tips might not be bookmarkable. But 8, 10 or 12 tips – well, that’s a different story.

The above is an excerpt from the article “8 Smart Techniques for Improving Headlines.” For more info, please visit www.sba.gov.

10 Tips for Driving in Work Zones

By driving safely in work zones, motorists can help to make sure everyone gets home safely.

• Expect The Unexpected. Things may change overnight. Normal speed limits may be reduced, traffic lanes may be closed, narrowed, or shifted, and people may be working on or near the road.
• Don’t Speed. Obey the posted speed limit at all times, even when workers are not present.
• Don’t tailgate. Keep a safe distance between you and the car ahead of you and the construction workers and their equipment. Rear-end collisions account for 30% of work zone crashes.
• Obey Road Crew Flaggers and Pay Attention To The Signs. The flagger knows what is best for moving traffic safely in the work zone. The warning signs are there to help you and other drivers move safely through the work zone.
• Stay Alert And Minimize Distractions. Dedicate your full attention to the roadway and avoid changing radio stations or using cell phones and other electronic devices while approaching and driving in a work zone.
• Keep Up With The Traffic Flow. Do not slow down to “gawk” at road work.
• Know Before You Go. Check radio, TV and websites for traffic information and schedule enough time to drive safely. Expect delays and leave early so you can reach your destination on time.
• Be Patient and Stay Calm. Work zones aren’t there to personally inconvenience you.  Remember, the work zone crew members are working to improve the road and make your future drive better.
• Wear your seatbelt. It is your best defense in a crash.
• Remember – Dads, Moms, Sons, Daughters, Brothers, and Sisters Work HERE!

The above is an excerpt from the article, “15th Annual National Work Zone Awareness Week.” For more information, please visit www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov.

 

Why An Appealing Headline Is Important!

Even the most well-written article or blog post, or the best video, is worthless if it isn’t topped by an appealing headline. The headline is what piques the reader’s attention.

The headline has become uber-important in today’s world of social media sites. For most people, the headline is all they see on a site like Twitter. And on other sites like Google+ and Facebook, it’s a key element of what they see. If the headline isn’t good, chances are the reader won’t bother to click over to read it or view it.

In fact, Copyblogger says 75% of the readers who read the headline don’t bother reading the actual blog post.

Headlines are also important for email marketing. Here again, the subject line (i.e., the “headline” for an email marketing message) has a lot to do with whether people will open the message.

With a little effort and a lot of inspiration, you can improve your headlines and increase the number of people who want to read your articles and view your video or other content.

The above is an excerpt from the article “8 Smart Techniques for Improving Headlines.” For more info, please visit www.sba.gov.