smallreportsfortunes.com

I love to write about a variety of interesting topics. I do not have a favorite topic in mind, but I really enjoy writing about almost anything right now. At this time I am starting an online business. I have been known to write about credit cards, insurance, Spanish, English, Chinese, Japanese, French, Italian, German and other languages. I speak several different languages and currently I’m going to school to acquire a bachelors degree.

When I’m done with school. I will continue to do SEO work and write articles. I enjoy, writing articles, because I’m able to learn more about the topics that I’m not very familiar with. Of course, I have to learn about the topics first and I do much of my research on the internet. I am then able to write about what I have learned on that topic. For example, if I am learning or if I am going to write an article about a topic, I first go online and I research that topic. Sometimes it only takes me a few minutes when I am somewhat familiar with the topic already. It depends to a great exent, on how familiar I am with the topic. Sometimes it might take me an hour or more to learn about the topic. Either way, I am continuing my education.

I look at all kinds of sites. I like to look at sites like yahoo answers, Google News, Yahoo news, CNN, Fox news, press releases and other reference materials. Anyway, after I have researched the topic well and that I can write something from off the top of my head. To give you an example this time I will write about Used Meat Grinder. I write this is down on my computer and I begin typing. I’d like to type out then run through it once again to make sure it flows nicely and check for grammatical errors. In the article I will be sure to include useful information to readers, Used Meat Grinder . After that I’m done.

I then set the article aside and maybe wait a few hours, sometimes the day and I’ll get back to it later with fresh eyes and a good night’s sleep, and I’ll see the article, and again review it for any errors or any changes needed. I like to see if it might sound better if it were put in other words, sometimes more precise and condensed. Then I’m ready to publish what I wrote, so I find the place where I want to publish it, and I submit the article. The article is then reviewed. It is usually accepted and I can go on in the next topic of choice. After the readers have the information, with useful references, then they can make a smart choice.”

Introduction

In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the health and safety agenda of handling asbestos, its management and disposal in a safe and secure manner. Where workers have been exposed to asbestos in confined spaces or where dust have been present, such as during manufacture of items with asbestos as a key component, they are faced with serious health issues. It is now widely recognised that the greatest single work related cause of death is asbestos. For this reason alone health and safety information high lights the dangers of incorrect handling of asbestos contaminated products, and the need for safe management and disposal is very high profile.

What is asbestos?

There are generally three forms of asbestos known as brown, blue and more common white asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibre and is mined in various countries such as Canada and South Africa but, by far the largest producer is Russia. Although a dangerous substance to be managed, it is still valuable because of its unique resistance qualities, such as being resistant to heat, electricity and noise. It is essential for employement as a key component for items such as brake linings and insulation as well as for industrial use or in building construction.

Asbestos became widely used during the late 19th Century in the programme of constructing hospitals, factories, schools and farm houses which were all built using materials that contained asbestos. Its qualities of being resistant to heat, flame retardant and a good insulator meant that it was widely recognised as very good construction material in ceilings and walls. It was also widely used as a lagging material to wrap around steam pipes and boilers. Some household products such as early electric ovens also contained asbestos material, due to its excellent heat resistant qualities. Indeed I seem to recall the use of it in a very early electric oven at my grandparent’s house in the mid-late 1960’s.

Nowadays if asbestos is discovered to be still present within a building, it is likely to cause alarm amongst those residents residing in the building. People living close by are also likely to be concerned and very quickly an entire local community may find themselves concerned about the dangers of having asbestos close by.

However, as long as the asbestos is well maintained and is not releasing fibres, into the atmosphere there is no hazard to health. Asbestos only becomes dangerous and a health hazard when it’s disturbance takes place or if you breathe in asbestos fibres, from the surrounding environment. Asbestos is toxic when dust are breathed in because they lodge in the lungs causing breathing difficulties. The various forms of lung disease are very serious such as bronchiactisis, silicosis, and lung cancer. From the mid-1980’s, countries within the European Union and some of the world’s other most developed countries have banned asbestos due to its high risk health concerns.

A simple task such as laying roof insulation, should always be undertaken whilst wearing a protective face mask to avoid inhalation of asbestos dust and particles.

It really is vital to employ a company posessing a specially trained workforce in demolition procedures and practices.

Why is Asbestos Dangerous?

The inhaling of asbestos fibres is the cause of life threatening diseases. So, if you work in an environment where many thousands of asbestos-related particles exist in the air, unless you wear the appropriate face mask protection, you are putting your health at risk.

Of course, many years ago the dangers were unrecognised and whilst asbestos related disease may not affect you immediately, in later life the effects will become more apparent. Currently asbestos is responsible for approximately 4000 deaths per year and every week it contributes to the deaths of almost 40 tradesmen, including plumbers, electricians, carpenters and joiners. These trades are particularly at risk because the tradesmen will have been employed in environments where asbestos will have been present. The refurbishment of plumbing work in factories, hospitals, schools, houses and factories will have been a common requirement in recent years. Equally, electricians, carpenters and joiners will have been exposed to similar work in their professional fields.

My father was an electrician before retiring ten years ago and over a thirty year period, rewired many factory premises, most likely working in asbestos contaminated areas
I used to work for a compressed air equipment manufacturer. The company’s main manufacturing site also included the offices, the manufacturing and assembly plant, the foundry and workshops. The whole site was constructed in the early 1900s and inevitably had used asbestos products within its construction. In the 1990s with much of the manufacturing moved overseas, it was decided to sell the site for redevelopment and the site has now been entirely demolished, ready for reconstruction. But just think how much of the construction material would have contained asbestos.

Before major demolition works could begin, a full site survey including an asbestos survey would have been required to identify and assess how to manage the removal of the asbestos material across the site. Each specific area would have required the advice of an approved asbestos management contractor and assurances of how the asbestos materials would be safely removed and disposed of. Due to the size of the site, this would have been a major task and also a costly one, but an essential requirement to ensure that all regulations relating to the management of asbestos material were adhered to.

Where is Asbestos Found?

If you visit an old building built around the 1950s, it is worth taking a look around to see where asbestos has been used and the types of materials which might contain asbestos. Asbestos cement products, such as large sheets of a corrugated material are likely to be asbestos cement sheets. It is distinguishable as a hard grey coloured material in which asbestos has been mixed with cement. It is likely that if the sheets have been used on the roof, that similar flat sheets will have been used for wall cladding. If a wall has been given a textured coating, then many old wall coating materials contained an asbestos mix to create the texture. On the floor, floor tiles made from asbestos may also be in place. Recognised for its fire retardant qualities, an asbestos spray may also have been used to coat wooden roof beams. Asbestos sprayed on walls and ceilings will have a high content of asbestos and is known to be easily disturbed just by movement and will give off particles. Then there will be asbestos used as a lagging material on pipes and plumbing equipment.

So be wary when in elderly structures, chances are that asbestos will probably be present in some form. Regardless of how big or small the job, always employ an expert asbestos removals contractor to comply with regulations.

Managing and Disposing of Asbestos

Since the banning of using asbestos took effect, the normal method by which asbestos is now disposed is through the use of landfill sites. There are however very stringent guidelines on how asbestos should be managed and disposed of.

First you must decide how big a challenge the job is. If you have asbestos removal to undertake in the home then the best strategy is to employ a fully licensed asbestos removal specialist to remove the toxic waste safely. The basic requirements for protection, including the wearing of a dust mask and a disposable overall, are not suggested as the limit of safety precautions and you will be will be much safer trusting this work to a specialist contractor. If you are removing sheets of asbestos for example from an old garage or shed, simply breaking one sheet up will release potentially harmful asbestos dust and fibres.

As long as there are no electrical cables and connections nearby, the asbestos removal specialist may treat the asbestos to be handled with water spray before commencing the removal of the material.However this kind of thing is not for the novice DIY enthusiast and should be left to an experienced specialist contractor at all times. The removed asbestos cannot simply be placed in your domestic waste for collection, it must be treated separately and either bagged or placed in a dedicated skip for safe disposal by specialists.

When the requirement for asbestos removal is much larger than the domestic project, the work should always be undertaken by a licensed commercial asbestos removal company.

These specialists have qualified in the specific training and certification and will have the correct equipment to manage the task effectively, safely and in accordance with the correct regulations. Older buildings may require a dismantling process to carefully remove any asbestos and this work is likely to involve the use of scaffolding or cranes to be able to undertake this work safely. The most important point to remember is that as the customer, asbestos is on your premises. You are responsible for the removal, handling and safe disposal of the asbestos and to do so without employing an approved contractor could leave you open to prosecution.

To ensure that dedicated skips are used in the disposal of asbestos some waste management contractors operate colour coded skips so that only these are used for asbestos disposal. I know of one leading UK waste management company who have a two tone yellow and red painted skips used solely for the safe transportation and disposal of asbestos. As asbestos is classed as a hazardous waste material, only landfill sites licensed to take hazardous waste material are permitted to accept asbestos onto the site.

I recall a large automotive company going into administration and thousands of brake lining pads had to be removed as part of a major site clearance project. Although they were all boxed, the fact that asbestos had been used in their manufacture meant that a specialist contractor was brought in to manage the removal and disposal of the stock. In today’s environment where recycling is a buzz word, it is very difficult and costly to recycle asbestos.

All of the accredited contractors in the industry will be capable of undertaking a good asbestos survey, as well as to offer tips on the management of asbestos, and confirm their disposal methods of the asbestos prior to commencing the job.

Health and Safety Issues when Working with Asbestos

Before commencing any work, if it is thought that asbestos may be present, the project manager must undertake a complete project plan. No employee should be placed at risk, in an environment where asbestos is knowingly located. Through a complete site survey, it must be established if materials containing asbestos are present and the work must be planned to either avoid disturbance or the need to dismantle and remove these materials.

If asbestos materials are to be removed, it is essential that the work should be undertaken by an specialist asbestos contractor, who has completed the appropriate asbestos awareness and training courses and is certificated. It is also important to note, whether the premises will need to be vacated whilst the work is to be undertaken. If people remain in or near the area where asbestos is to be removed, disturbance of the material will place anyone in the close vicinity of the project in danger. Other considerations and decisions may need to be taken into account, particularly where there is a need to work at height and to identify precisely which equipment is to be required to complete the task safely.

All major projects, should be supervised throughout and inspected at various stages to ensure that the work complies with regulations at the end of the task, and that it is safe for employees to re-inhabit the premises.

Of course, throughout the project, the professional manager must ensure that arrangements have been made for the safe disposal of all the asbestos waste. For those undertaking the task, vigilance will be required throughout the project to protect their own health. Face masks will be worn, as well as appropriate clothing such as a disposable all in one overall. Clean up as you go is a strategy employed by asbestos removal specialists when they work through the project, to limit the amount of asbestos waste spreading to other parts of the building.

Conclusion

The strict regulations which now surround the handling and management of asbestos will in nearly all cases require that any project involving the dismantling of asbestos materials is managed by a specialist asbestos removal contractor.

Without specialist knowledge, awareness and the correct equipment, any project involving asbestos removal brings potential health risks. Any company engaging a contractor who does not comply with the correct legislation, will be responsible themselves, not the contractor. So aside from the health concerns, it is in the interest of the owner of a property to comply with the rules and regulations which govern the management of asbestos projects.

Often referred to as the hidden killer, improved knowledge and awareness of the devastating long term effects that asbestos has upon one’s health is now well documented. It is hoped that in the coming years we will begin to see a decline in asbestos related diseases or illnesses . Unfortunately until the mid-1980s, for those who had worked in or around environments where asbestos was present, the worry of asbestos related death or illness remains.

Whichever way you look at it, asbestos is a pretty unpleasant substance if inhaled and brings cause for concern if it is present in your premises, so seek the advice of a specialist asbestos removal contractor to perform a thorough asbestos survey and ensure the effective and compliant management of the removal of your asbestos.

Adelaide Personal Trainers

If you choose to make energy conscience purchases for your home you may be able to receive a tax credit for these items. You can feel confident in these purchases as long as they meet certain energy efficient requirements. You can receive up to a 10 percent credit for energy efficient home improvements.

President Bush signed the “Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008” on October 3rd, 2008. This bill is actually an extension to a residential tax credit that has already been put into effect. This bill will cover certain home improvements made between January 1, 2009- December 31, 2009.

Some of the new items that are included are:

Exterior Windows and Skylights - 10% of cost up to $200.00

Metal Roofing - 10% of cost up to $500.00

Central Air Conditioning - $300.00

You must be sure when purchasing any of these items that they meet the qualifying requirements to be considered energy efficient. They must meet certain energy factors. It may also be helpful to look for the Energy Star approval. The Energy Star approval is not always a guarantee but will give you somewhere to start.

Another big tax credit is the solar energy systems credit which will give you a credit of 30% of your cost up to $2,000.00 You may qualify for this tax credit if you have installed a solar energy system between December 31, 2005 - January 1, 2008.

When making energy efficient improvements to your home you are not only receiving a tax credit you are also making purchase that will save you monthly utility expenses as well.

If you have recently made an energy efficient purchase or improvement you may find the tools at TurboTax online helpful in determining the credit you may be eligible for.

Great Products Reviewed

Desire to get paid more? O.K. Why notenhance your income by participating in paid market research!

One easy way to start an independent extra income stream for your own would be to join the many thousands who take paid surveys online. If you are 18 or over, a consumer (if you eat, you’re a consumer!) and have enough computer skills to be able to send and receive e-mails, then you qualify!

The reason why this is possible is because large companies absolutely must know what consumers, especially the consumers that buy THEIR products or services, are thinking. Most such companies never have direct contact with the people that ultimately buy what they are selling.

And they MUST KNOW what consumers think and prefer. They have to know this to design new products, improve current products and know which advertising campaigns are working and which don’t seem to be!

So they employ market researchers to find out. The market researchers use web surveys to evaluate consumer opinion. This is big business on the internet, with thousands of surveys being taken every single week.

The only way to get people to make the effort to sit down and fill out survey questionnaires is almost always to pay them! Typical surveys pay $10 to $25 and take 7 to 18 minutes to complete. Take a $10 and a $25 survey a day and you’ll make over $1,000 in a month!

That’s how paid surveys at home could be your key to more cash.

Getting cash for surveys could be your method to gain extra spending cash.

Author: Horace Dylan

Free article marketing represents one of the cheapest forms of business Internet advertising. It originated in printed press where it was a common practice for companies to publish materials related to their business in order to attract more customers. No commission was charged for the publication, and the company gained from the free publicity as the business contact details were always mentioned. This practice is still in use, and it has led to the accelerated development of free article marketing.

While in some cases, article marketing strategies do require a minor investment, in others, web developers manage to keep the entire process free. And this is a viable business decision as long as you know what you’re doing.

The most advantageous situation for beginning investors is when they have the skills and the time to author their materials. Outsourcing does indeed cost money.

Another investment issue is related to the submission of articles to article directories. You may choose to use only free directories like www.enzinearticles.com where submission costs you nothing.

Constantly submit quality content to such directories and you’ll profit a lot from this form of free article marketing.

There are quite a lot of tips available that can help you with free article marketing. The more you know about this domain, the higher your chances of success. Self-education should become a priority, meaning that you have to be informed on the trends that constantly appear on the Internet and thus have the flexibility and the chance to adapt your business to the market variables.

Even if you start with free article marketing as a propeller for your business website, you should create a budget estimate for the future company development. Costs may appear any time during the business evolution, and there is no company without expenses. Remember that you have to make lots of efforts and dedicate yourself to hard work in order to really enjoy a decent revenue.

Free article marketing will help you improve page ranking and traffic, but this means that with a superior level, you will have to face new challenges. Investment will thus become inevitable and a necessary measure for sticking to positive business evolution. At such times, you can consider that you pass from the amateurish to the professional business level. We can only wish you ‘good luck’, then!

There are also great traffic exchanges like www.tweet.bz. Short URL services can also provide a lot of web traffic. One free short url services allows you to track all your ilinks and also conversion tracking, go to www.viral.bz to check it out.

For members of society who are experiencing problems getting a loan there is at all times a way out.  For example, a portion individuals have had problems staying up to date with their credit bills taking them to a poor credit status.  Then, when they attempt to ask for a loan they are turned down.  Luckily, they do have a method to gain borrowed funds – payday loans.  These loans are aimed for low credit borrowers thanks to the lenders do not do credit checks on applicants.  Thus, gaining the funds is easy. 

A while ago, I discovered that people might receive far more beneficial best overseas exchange rates if one utilise an internet foreign exchange company.  At first, I thought they may be not trusted and wasn’t confident if it was a good option yet I discovered that these companies are safer than normal banks and offer you best FX rates!  Today I always utilise them and they are very friendly as well.

Within these tiresome financial period, people could’ve assume that individuals require credit more than than in a positive climate to protect their expenses. Although this might be the case, but the issue is that in such times, lenders are far more guarded about lending – they must to be. They wish to make sure that they do not be deprived of their cash, what with more of IVAs and the frustration in finding money with people losing their jobs. Therefore it can be hard to get a loan if you haven’t got an exceptional credit rating. So what about people with a less than positive banking history? Well there are choices for consumers in this bracket. On the whole there are a number of lenders who concentrate on lending to people with a negative credit rating. These are normally named ‘bad credit loans ’. As the lender are accepting a greater chance however, they do usually to advertise a greater interest rates. On the other hand if you really need the cash and have been let down by a bank or normal lender, this might be your only possibility. It all depends on how desperately you need the money and what it is for, naturally - but at the very least the offer is feasible.

Some call them “tag lines”; others consider them as”catch lines” or “tie-in-slogans.” Whatever the words accustomed to reference them and their name badges, these are the most important part of your promotional writing.

Does one recognize these? :

“Being a rock…”

“Fly the friendly skies…”

“It’s the genuine article !”

“Quality is job number one”

“The quicker-picker-upper”

Nearly all of those tag lines are recognizable by us without even including the category of the corporation or product.

They summarize in a very few words or badges the essence on the thing they may be promoting. They communicate an excellent, positive feeling or relationship towards the product. They do it with a simple,memorable phrase which is easily repeated.

The shorter the description is, greater challenging it can be to write. Anyone can write a 500-word description of the products or services. Now try doing the work with 5 to 10 words ! Each word you decide is very important for the message.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS for writing good taglines on your business offer.

1) Start by noticing ads on billboards because you drive down the road.

Billboard advertisers and printers have but some seconds to grab your attention then sell their product or service. Usually their copy is going to be a good tagline with a picture with the services or products. They are great degrees of name badges.

2) Notice other media forms like magazine and newspaper display ads, business cards, brief radio and TV commercials.

Observe the one thing that caught your attention and helps make the message easily remembered. It’s often a concise and well-written tagline.

3) Note down everything you can imagine that relates to your organization. You may also begin with a narrative description in paragraph form.

4) Now, make a list on the top 25 or 30 things that are crucial and worth mentioning.

Whittle that jot down to 8 or 10 of the most basic things you intend to say.

Now eliminate repetition or things that aren’t really that essential to your services or products.

Get your report on words or phrases as a result of a few central elements.

5) Based on your final core selection, makeup some phrases that will serve as your taglines for consideration. You can keep them short and use simple, everyday language.

Which of the taglines would you remember best? :

“Joe’s auto repair shop, the cheapest*costs plus the best service”

OR

“Quality Take care of The car !”

=====

“The top Tax Service Anywhere Throughout the Town !”

OR

“Your Tax Experts At the office !”

=====

“Emergengy ambulance service available 24-hours a day”

OR

“When Minutes Count!”

Well, you get the idea!

Perform some test marketing with making name badges along with your final 2 or 3 best taglines. Discover one that works effective for you and incorporate it into your promotional messages.

Remember, like all of life’s endeavors, experience and practice assistance to increase your badge skills level. If you need to be considered a good writer, write a whole lot!

All the best along with your promotional efforts.

http://www.email-sync.com/

What are the differences between Loans bad credit and payday loans?  This enquiry is many times raised on web-based money-based blogs.  In general, the facts provided are accurate.  However there are some of badly – written blogs.  For that reason it is key to turn to a financial adviser, as they are able to bestow accurate advice.  Additionally, they won’t try to sell products which you do not require.  You recognizes the kind of advertising on the internet: ‘bad credit loans!’  They certainly are worth researching – simply they are everyday credits however have a dearer interest rate, due to the fact that they are open to people who have a low credit record. 

Payday loans no credit check are frequently named as low-cost cash loans.  They are highly easy to request for.  The requesting process happens on the internet and the payday lender will give you a approval super quickly.  There are no credit checks and almost anyone may get one (as long as they are at least 18 or thereabouts).  The one drawback attached to pay day loans is that they carry a large APR.  Therefore, the more fast you back back the payday loan off, the better.  This is the most important factor to getting a wage day advance loans.

For people who are looking for an exhilarating method to grow finance, foreign exchange investment may be just the ticket.  Forex trading may happen anywhere – in the house on the computer, on the tube on the palmtop or on foot – on your mobile phone!  It is a real challenge to pick where to put your cash, to have knowledge which currencies to exchange.  Investment of any kind does mean a fair amount of background work, so it is a advantageous idea to join with a forex broker that can list extra research data and apparatus to aid you.  You can never be sure that you will be a successful trader yet the likelihood for fantastic returns are ever here.

Knowledge a diverse method of vacation with your spouse or girlfriend. Take them towards promising destinations by visiting compare hotels; you will be able to compare bookings of distinctive hotels, automobile rentals and cruises.

Whether you need to invest your weekends, vacations or holidays together within or outside the country, you can at all times find a good deal and a perfect information at www.comparebookings.com which provides you having a full travel options and services for convenience and affordability.

Pamper your partner with a romantic vacation; decide among the most romantic spots in their internet site, you possibly can go for from a lot of travel packages, you are able to save as much as 75% on all travel packages such as cheap hotels in munich then cheap hotels in singapore which includes hotel accommodations, car rentals, cruises and many more. With so many options created available for you within the internet you are able to save on travel by seeking other options on the web, this will make your searching encounter easier.

Through their web site it is possible to also compare hotel amenities and other services; this information can be manufactured visible for your evaluation uses. The promos is ongoing which started on June 1, 2009, grab this opportunity to get your partner to a distinctive type of getaway, this provide comes once from a lifetime.

Book now take your partner on a romantic escapade she/he will surely get pleasure from. Get your intimacy on a various level with no compromising your budget; this is really a value in your money type of vacation. Via the web you can find the top and most inclusive hotels and places that will suit your needs.

An Introduction to Working from Home

Ask anyone to identify their ideal job and working from home would come high on their wish list. Whether home working is an option provided by your workplace or a decision you have taken yourself in starting your own business, the thought of simply springing out of bed, wandering over to a workstation and instantly starting the workday is very appealing. No commuting back and forth to the office and working hours to suit you.

But is home or flexible working suitable for you as an individual, or good for your boss as an employer? Well there are lots of advantages and disadvantages. Home or flexible working brings new responsibilities for both the employer and employee. Equally with progress in mobile technology it has never been easier to set up your own business to work from home.

An Increasing Trend

From an employers point of view, allowing staff to work at home on either a full or part-time basis could potentially bring a raft of business benefits, from increased productivity, greater staff motivation to effective use of your premises. Advancements in mobile technology contributes enormously to the increase in opportunities for working at home.

The spread of home working using the internet or telephone opens up a new range of possibilities with regards to the way a business works and structures itself. Computers, mobile phones, broadband and mobile broadband all play a role. For the individual, becoming self employed and working from home has also never been easier. If you have a laptop and mobile phone the opportunity is there, it’s just deciding what you want to do. So home working is becoming a way of life for many individuals and businesses, but what is home working?

Some employers will offer selected employees the opportunity to become a teleworker, whereby an employee can undertake their role from home utilising various types of technology, which is provided at the employees home by the employer. The employee will remain in touch with the business and other teleworkers. Some businesses, for example the utility companies who require gas, electric and meter readers, will class employees undertaking this type of work as teleworkers or outworkers.

Some individuals opt for the self-employed work life. The self-employed will operate their business from home, offering a product or service such as web development or business consultancy from home. In these types of roles, the individual can often plan their day to suit their own needs. I know one web developer who often works well into the early hours of the morning as this is when he feels most productive.

Others such as a painter and decorator, plumber or gardener, whilst providing their services away from the home, use home as the office for paperwork such as pricing future jobs and preparing invoices. I know of several painters and decorators who work Monday to Thursday, but use Friday’s to go out and price up future potential work. That is one thing to bear in mind when setting up as self employed, you need to allow time to find or prospect for future work.

Some types of work are more suitable for flexible working than others, the following list is not exhaustive, but will give some guidance:

• Telesales and Marketing
• Customer Services
• Professional services & consultancy i.e. HR Administration & Accountancy
• Certain types of administration work
• Data input
• Creative/Graphics
• Writing, editing, translation and research.
• I.T. Support & Programming

Many of the above have a common theme and that is that as long as you have access to a computer and a phone, you can undertake almost all of these tasks from home.

The shift towards flexible working does not mean employees only work from home. Splitting time between the workplace and home is the most productive solution, as you want employees to attend meetings, therefore keeping them informed and involved. Continued face to face interaction within the business remains a key requirement.

With the introduction of home working regulations, employers now have to seriously consider employee requests to work flexibly from home, especially if they have parental responsibility for children under 16 years old, disabled children or they are carers for other adults with disabilities.

Employers and individuals also need to consider what equipment will be required to ensure that an efficient business operation and working environment is set up.

The product range of office furniture manufactured to suit any home working environment is vast.

The Pros and Cons

So what are the advantages and disadvantages of an employer allowing employees to work from home or use their home as a base for at least part of the working week? It’s clear there are a number of benefits to the employer:

• Staff Retention is increased
• Wider pool of applicants to recruit from e.g. disabled people who prefer to work from home.
• Productivity gains through having fewer interruptions and less commuting time.
• Reduced stress and sickness increasing staff motivation.
• Savings on office space and facilities.
• Sales staff closer to clients, rather than being based at the office which could be miles away.
• As with life if there are advantages then there are also disadvantages to home/flexible working:
• Management of staff and monitoring performance
• Possible deterioration of key skills and quality of work.
• Capital costs - training and providing suitable equipment, this could include adaptations to meet Health & Safety standards or meet the needs of disabled workers.
• Difficulties maintaining staff development and upgrading of skills.
• Information security risks
• Increased telecommunication and I.T. costs
• Sense of isolation and communication problems amongst home workers.
• Staff morale and difficulties in maintaining team spirit.
• Home working may not be suitable for certain types of jobs.

One thing I particularly miss is the Monday morning office banter about what you did at the weekend of how your football team has fared compared to others. Often the camaraderie that is unique to an office where you get to know people well over many years is also lost where flexible working becomes an option.

Are You Suited o Working at Home?

Having identified the types of work that is suitable for flexible working, the employer must satisfy themselves that employees are suited to this type of work. It’s likely they will need a number of skills in key areas to allow them to work away from base.

• Time management and self discipline
• Motivation
• Communication
• Technology

We must make it clear that flexible working is not suitable for everyone and care should be taken, because allowing one person to work from home will set a precedent that others will want to follow. Others will see an attraction to working at home particularly on a lovely summer’s day, rather than being stuck in an office. I must confess that as I write this article, I am sitting in our summer house at the bottom of the garden with the laptop on a glorious summer’s day in June.

An employer you must have a clear idea of how home/flexible working could fit in with the needs of the business. A set of house rules need to be established and maintained, i.e. priority is given to requests from parents of young or disabled children. My wife for example, plans her day around the hours of taking the children to school and collecting them later. She maintains that she is extremely focused on what she needs to achieve within those six hours in between. No distractions or idle chit-chat that will occur in an office environment.

In some cases the employer is legally obliged to seriously consider requests for home/flexible workers. Employee with parental responsibility for children aged 16 or under, or disabled children who are under 18 and receive disability living allowances can request a range of flexible working patterns from their employers, this includes the right to work from home. There are similar rights for employees who are carers of adults.

The introduction of flexible working can also lead to an changes to employment contract terms and conditions. In a majority of cases an employee’s place of work is listed in the written schedules of their employment contract. It’s important that when an employee starts to work from home it may be necessary to review and amend their employment contract.

The following is a list of contractual aspects an employer should consider when implementing a home/flexible work policy:

• Stated hours of work
• Identify core times when employees undertake to work and/or are contactable.
• Extra duties or responsibilities that may need to be assigned in addition to those already agreed
• Identify the terms regarding the supply and insurance of any equipment that may be required, these should clearly state ownership and use, especially that its not to be used for personal use.
• Clearly identify what the employer will reimburse to cover additional expenses the employee may incur, its especially important to identify the calculation method when costs are shared i.e. utility bills and telecommunications
• Procedures to be put in place if either the employee or employer wishes to terminate the home/flexible working arrangement.

Allowing flexible working the employer should remember that they still have health and safety responsibilities for people who work at or from home; and you are likely to have to provide and maintain equipment for employees to use, these include:

• Workstation complete with suitable task chair
• Filing cabinet, shelves or storage
• PC/Laptop with office software, email and broadband internet connection
• Dedicated business telephone line
• Printer & fax machine
• Stationery and Office Supplies

Back troubles caused by poor posture at the desk can be overcome and safety and health regulations outline the significance of choosing desk chairs which avoid posture problems whilst working at a desk.

IT equipment and software can be expensive so it’s important to ensure it meets your genuine business need and is compatible with your existing systems. Technology changes almost daily and with today’s advances the establishment of virtual teams where employees work together despite working at home can be set up easily and at reasonable expense. These teams could be two employees talking over the phone or you could use more hi-tech solutions like high speed internet, instant messaging, webinar and video conferencing. Many laptops now have web cam and this also offers the chance to see the person you are speaking with.

Providing all this kit and equipment it is important to ensure your business insurance cover is extended to cover home workers, as their home insurance is unlikely to cover this, however they should check with their insurer and extend their policy to cover working from home.

Workers who undertake home working should check with their local council and mortgage company the position regarding using their home as a work base, and whether they may have to pay business rates for the portion of their home they use as an office. Some self employed businesses will involve use of a vehicle which will need to be parked up at certain times of the day. For example painters and decorators and builders are likely to utilise a transit van or pick up truck in the work. You should therefore ensure that neighbours will not be offended by having the vehicle parked in the street or to block light out of their homes. If you are to park a vehicle at home, let the neighbours know, it may save a lot of hassle later.

The employer needs to ensure that employees take care of business equipment and information in their possession, it’s important to establish procedures to be followed if any item is damaged or lost, especially data and intellectual rights.

We all agree that home working offers a wide range of benefits to both the business and employees, but it needs to be carefully managed to be successful. Procedures should be put in place for managers to monitor and assess home workers, this is the most significant managerial challenge an employer will face. It can be helpful to measure their effectiveness in terms of output rather than the hours of work. Agree set goals and deadlines for particular projects, and ensure these are being met, give feedback promptly and sensitively if things go wrong.

Ensuring home workers have access to training can prepare and help employees develop the necessary skills they need.For staff who work alone a sense of isolation is one of the main factors most likely to make home working fail, therefore it’s important to ensure procedures are put into place to make people feel part of the team, these should include:

• Frequent 2-way feedback sessions about work and work related issues
• Regular visits to the workplace
• Inclusion in social activities for home based workers.
• Clear procedures that can be followed and contact lists if things go wrong.

When the employees job is home-based from the start, make sure their induction is undertaken at your premises, this helps the home worker focus and be productive if they have a chance to establish a clear idea of the people they will be working for. The most successful home workers are those who have worked from the business premises previsouly.

To effectively maximise office space, hiring office fit out contractors could be a wise choice, to instruct on successful space usage, use of lamps and lights and health and safety regulations in the company environment.

A Brief Health & Safety Obligations Check List for Home Workers

If you use your home as your business workplace, you must carry out a health and safety risk assessment to identify any possible hazards to yourself, workers, visitors and other members of your household.

Possible hazards include:

• Using work equipment at home, including electrical appliances
• Your workstation set-up
• Handling loads
• Hazardous substances and materials
• Psychological hazards, such as stress or loneliness
• Fire
• Slips, trips and falls
• Excessive noise or vibration

Slips, trips and falls are one of the most common causes of injury in the work place. Even something we take for granted on a daily basis, such as walking up and down the stairs, should be regarded as a hazard. Evaluate whether a hazard is significant and if it is, whether you have taken enough precautions to make the risk as low as you reasonably can.

You need to consider:

• Your home and those who live there - including vulnerable persons, e.g. children, the elderly, and new and expectant mothers
• The work done in your home
• The equipment in your home
• Emergency procedures
• First aid provision

Five steps to a health and safety risk assessment

1. Identify any hazards.
2. Decide who might be harmed and how.
3. Assess the risks and remove them or, otherwise, reduce them as far as is reasonably possible.
4. Record your findings.
5. Check the risks regularly and take further steps if needed.

Conclusion

With advancements in mobile technology, working at home has become far easier to do. It can offer a very balanced way of life and the rewards can be great. In the current economic climate, many who have been unfortunate to suffer redundancy or reduced hours are considering setting up their own business to work at home. Having worked in the corporate world for over twenty years and just suffered redundancy, it is certainly an option to consider.

But working at home needs to be considered carefully. Is it right for you? Is it right for your employer? What impact will it have on your homelife? Many advantages, but also many disadvantages and bear in mind the health and safety requirements and risks. Your health is important so choosing the correct office furniture to meet your needs is a must for any home worker to ensure you have the proper facilities for home working.

Another thing to consider, which is often overlooked, is that once you have got your work into your home, how do you get away from it?

If you are lucky enough to really love your work the temptation can be to do it all day long. Eventually this can lead to burn out and can also take away some of the pleasure of working, even if it is something you really love. Therefore it is important to have balance in your life, even more so when you work from home. Some suggestions to help to achieve this are to make sure that when you have lunch, for example, remove yourself from the work space and don’t eat at your desk, get some separation from the work when you are not doing it.

Remember that just because you work from home it doesn’t mean that work has to take over your life.

www.online-help-guide.com