Self Protection From Strange Dogs

Have you ever been riding your bicycle around the block when a dog comes running out of it's yard and starts chasing you down the street? Maybe you're walking down the street when you spot a rather large dog a few houses away. The dog appears to be unattended and you don't know if it's friendly. Has this ever happened to you? Your walking your small dog (on a leash) down the street when suddenly your confronted by a strange, free roaming dog and it's growling and in the attack position.

What do you do? What can you do?

In the first scenario, described above, where the bicyclist is being chased by a dog, you would probably start peddling faster while simultaneously kicking out at the dog in an attempt to both outrun the dog and prevent it from biting you. The second scenario has you walking down the street when you spot a large, unattended dog a few houses away. Lot's of people go for walks carrying a base- ball bat or large stick to protect themselves just in case the dog turns out to be, shall we say, unfriendly. First, carrying a baseball bat or a large stick can be cumbersome and get heavy after awhile. Second, you have to be prepared to beat the dog (not an easy thing to do). Imagine how you will feel afterwards. So, instead, you'll probably just turn around and walk back rather than take a chance. The last scenerio as described above, has you walking your small dog on a leash, when your confronted by a larger, strange dog. Most likely, you will pick up your beloved pet, hold it close to you and then just hope for the best. Trying to run away almost never works.

Let's look at some other options. One is to keep the dog from coming near you in the first place. You can accomplish this with an electronic animal repellant. Using ultrasonic technology, the devise produces a discomforting but not harmful high frequency sound, audible to dogs but not to humans. One such device is the Ultrasonic Dog Chaser. It's small and lightweight. It measures 3 & 3/4 inches by 2 & 3/16 inches by 7/8 inches. That's roughly the size of a deck of cards. Weighing in at just 3.5 ounces with the 9-volt battery, it's quite compact. It has a frequency range between 20,000Hz - 25,000Hz. At 135dbs, it has an effective range up to 20 feet. The device is easy to use, too. Point the animal repeller at the dog and press the button. That's all there is to it. It's also safe and humane. The electronic animal repeller is not the repeller of choice however, if your walking your dog.

A second option is to whip out your trusty dog repellent spray. Mace makes a safe, humane and effective dog repellent spray that's EPA approved. It sprays 8-10 feet, but don't spray it into the wind as the results could prove to be dis- astrous. Here's how it works. When sprayed with a pepper spray dog repellent spray, most dogs throw themselves on the ground rubbing their eyes. The painful burning effects of the spray typically wear off within a few minutes, leaving the dog healthy and unharmed. Choose dog repellent sprays with pepper spray, also known as OC (oleoresin capsicum) spray, as it's ingredient. Other sprays may not work on dogs that don't respond to pain. It's totally non-toxic.

Another option is the stun baton. A favorite among security guards, it is very effective on dogs. Just touch the dog on it's face. It will drop to it's knees, turn and run. Normally, however, the clicking sounds the baton makes when turned on is enough to deter the dog. Stun batons come in different lengths ranging from 300,000 volts to 500,000 volts. A stun baton is a stun gun placed into a baton. Stun guns use high voltage and low amperage to temporarily disable an attacker. It does not rely on pain for results. The energy stored in the gun is dumped into the attackers blood sugar by converting it to lactic acid. Unable to produce energy for the muscles, the body is unable to function properly. The stun gun also interrupts the tiny neurological impulses that control muscle move- ment, causing the attacker to lose their balance. All this happens very rapidly. Should the attacker be touching you, the current will not pass to your body. Of course, as a last resort, you can use the baton as a stick or baseball ball to hit the dog with.

So go ahead and take that walk down the street, or pull out your bike and ride around the block again. There's no need to be afraid of those stray dogs any more. Have FUN!

You can find these devices in some stores and on most internet sites selling self protection products.

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How To Save $500 On Gap Auto Insurance

The average price for gap auto insurance sold by an auto dealership or finance company is $578.

Q. So why would anybody in their right mind pay $500 more they should?

A. They don’t know any better.

Imagine you’re in a car dealership and you’ve just purchased a brand new car. You’re sitting there with a self satisfied smile on your face that lets everybody in the showroom know you just brought the salesman to his knees with your finely honed negotiating skills.

Next you go see the finance person to arrange a loan. This is where you’re casually informed that if you wreck your beautiful new car during the next year or two you’re going to have fork over maybe five grand because the car will be worth that much less than what you still owe the bank.

Lucky for you the finance guy has a tailored made solution to the problem. For a measly $578 one time fee you can purchase a gap policy that protects you from a potential shortfall, up to $5,000, if you owe the bank more than the car is worth when that bus hits you.

Of course you’re going to say “sure, go ahead” because you’re afraid of losing your shirt and, by the way, did I tell you the premium could be rolled right into the loan?

On one hand, you’re relieved to know the value your asset is protected, but on the other hand you’re asking yourself why it had to cost so much.

Well, it doesn’t. But who knew that there was even such a thing as gap insurance much less how much it’s supposed to cost. The problem is not with you, but with the major insurance companies and their brokers.

The reason you don’t hear anything about gap from your insurance agent is that it isn’t exactly a big money maker. With an average gap endorsement costing around $35 a year, there isn’t a lot of profit incentive to buy 30 second spots on American Idol.

Besides the price, there’s another difference between the gap insurance sold by a car dealer and the policy rider sold by a name brand gap insurance provider. When you buy gap from a major insurer you can cancel the rider as soon as the loan balance and value of your car reach parity – usually within the first two years of ownership.

With dealership gap insurance, the coverage is spread out over 60 months and cannot be canceled for a refund – whether you need it or not.

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How to Dispose of Printer Toner Cartridges

It is a fact that most printer toner cartridges used by consumers contain harmful components. If not disposed of properly, printer toner cartridges pose a great threat to animal and plant life. Many consumers use electronic devices and forget all about them as soon as they outlive their usefulness. Mostly, after printer supplies are finished, they are discarded. The plastics in which the printer toner cartridges are contained are materials that can be utilized well and enhance the safety of the environment. One will have to ensure that the whole container is completely used and is empty.

To dispose of printer toner cartridges, one has to remove the toner or the ink cartridge from the printer. This would facilitate the process of disposal. Any printer repairs of printing supplies would make it easy to establish the effectiveness of printer toner cartridges. If the cartridges are from authentic dealers or manufacturers, there should always be safety measures that come with the manuals on what to do with printer supplies. Normally, information on how to dispose of empty printer toner cartridges effectively as well as ways of recycling is enclosed on purchase of the printer. There are disposal services that are available online and in the yellow pages and are rendered by organs such as TheGreenPC.com who recycle printers at some affordable fee ranging from $ 5.00 to $ 10.00 inclusive of shipping.

Even though throwing away the used cartridges is not in the laws, disposing printer toner cartridges in a proper way would be a modest move for a clean and safe environment. For printers, a consumer would dispose empty printer toner cartridges by giving them out to organizations and agencies that deal in collections and disposal. In case of repairs, it is convenient to contact institutional stores personnel who deal in delivery of printer toner cartridges. Most often, a consumer would be advised on what to do with the toner bottles. Printer toner cartridges from companies such as Toshiba toners can be disposed of in trash box or green buckets since they are not harmful. Most of the manufacturers have particular plans that are put in place on how to recycle used printer toner cartridges and old electronics.

For the consumers who would want to recycle printer toner cartridges, there are guidelines that regard the checks and instructions on which materials can be re-used. Any remanufactured cartridge would have to pass a quality inspection before it is re-used. Most quality printing supplies are often recommended for use by the buyers simply because they have been subjected to standards that make them environmentally friendly. This is the same with printer toner cartridges. It is wise to switch on the printers before removing the cartridges, once it is unplugged from the machine, it would then be safe to switch off the printer.

Learning how to dispose of printer toner cartridges is both beneficial to people and the environment. Recycled printer toner cartridges are also essential in making other products using the same material. Since the ink is no longer there, the outer covering can be used for something beneficial.

Rafi Ghanim Michael is owner and writer of videobabylon. Currently, he is writing on Printer Toner Cartridges and Toronto Printer Toner Cartridges.

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Energy, let's save it!

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Saving water saves our environment

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A Look into the Operations manager job description

The operations manager is very important in the company. He is responsible for the business of the company is running good by checking regularly the work of different departments in a company. This is the reason that all leading companies choose to recruit the most qualified and experienced candidates for the post.

The job description of operations manager consists of representing the company for which they work at various places such as conferences, meetings, seminars, and so on. Operations mangers provide details related to the growth plans of the company, the expansion details of the company and the future prospects and also the recent projects of the company.

Handling problems is a main responsibility to the Operations Managers. Many issues that Operations Managers have to tackle include shipment delays, customer dissatisfaction, risk management, and employee problems. This moment leadership skills come into play, as Operations Managers have to make the decisions that will help the company run smoothly but that also serve to prevent difficult situations in the future.

Some of the major requirements that operation manager should have is strong communications and interpersonal skills, quality assurance program design, implementation and testing demonstrated ability to multi-task and achieve results, understanding of technology. The function of the Operations Manager is to manage and provide technical support as required for delivery of all the hard services supporting the complete client operations as defined in the conditions and scope of work.

The Operations Manager is required to develop the operational business within the scope of the contract by offering the client support services. The Operations Manager will ensure that the works carried out under the contract satisfy the client's and the Company's environmental and safety standards. Promote the awareness of the latest technical standards in the field of relating to the operation and maintenance of utility systems, ability to prepare management reports, cost control and contract change reporting, able to do multi task effectively are some of the skills Operation manager should have.

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Pull An Elastic Band Too Far � It Snaps

Building a resilient workforce to manage pressure effectively

‘Resilience’ is the new buzzword for the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or other ‘stressors’. It’s how we ‘bounce back’ from difficult situations. And fortunately resilience isn’t a characteristic that we either do or don’t have. It involves behaviours, thoughts and actions that can be learned and developed.

Studies have shown that the most important factors in building resilience include:

• having caring and supportive relationships

• the ability to make realistic plans and take steps to carry them out

• possessing a positive self-view

• confidence in your strengths and abilities

• good communication skills

• being able to manage strong feelings and impulses

• strong problem-solving abilities

So if these are the qualities we need to increase our resilience as individuals, what lessons can we learn in terms of the characteristics and culture required to build a ‘resilient’ organisation?

Building resilience by reducing stress

Because our working lives are becoming increasingly stressful, in November 2004 the Health and safety Executive announced its new Management Standards for work-related stress, which are designed to help ensure that organisations address key aspects of workplace stress (or ‘risk factors’) including demands, control, support, relationships, role and change. For each risk factor, the Management Standards include a description of what should be happening in an organisation (or ‘states to be achieved’) in order for the standard to be met. ‘Demands’, for example, includes issues like workload, work patterns and the work environment. States to be achieved are that:

• The organisation provides employees with adequate and achievable demands in relation to the agreed hours of work

• People’s skills and abilities are matched to the job demands

• Jobs are designed to be within the capabilities of employees

• Employees’ concerns about their work environment are addressed

The guidance centres around carrying out a risk assessment for stress (this is also a legal requirement), the results of which should highlight problem areas that need to be addressed in order to reduce (or ideally remove the causes of) stress.

But while the Management Standards provide a foundation for stress reduction, there are many other actions that organisations should also consider in order to increase its resilience, some of the most important of which include the following:

Commitment to stress management

A Stress Policy should be implemented in conjunction with staff liaison groups, and commitment should begin at the most senior level and be cascaded downwards. There’s little point in introducing stress management training for line managers, for example, if senior managers have little or no commitment to minimising or eliminating excessive pressure within the organisation.

Recruitment and selection

When recruiting it’s important that both the organisation and applicant understand the requirements of the post and potential pressures involved. One conclusion of a landmark Court of Appeal case in February 2002 was that ‘there are no occupations that should be regarded as intrinsically dangerous to mental health’. It’s therefore essential to combine an appropriate selection policy with sufficient job-specific and practical training - to enable individuals to carry out their jobs within their capabilities and with the minimum of stress.

Management style

Effective communication is often neglected in management training, yet it’s essential to good management – by reducing misunderstanding and the opportunity for discontent.

Effective communication includes active listening skills - engaging with the person you’re listening to and responding appropriately. Good communication at all levels will help ensure that everyone in the organisation can work with confidence – reducing the opportunities for stress to develop.

Work-related training

Many organisations face sudden changes in work demands, and employees need the necessary training and experience to meet the ever-increasing demands made on them. Examples include training in resilience, time management, communication skills, etc. Training in communication (and particularly active listening) skills is essential to help ensure that managers are aware of their team members’ problems and in a position to offer early interventions to resolve these.

Stress awareness and stress management training

For stress management to become integral to corporate culture, initiatives must be introduced that will raise awareness of work-related stress. In particular, recognising the early warning signs and symptoms should become integral to management strategy. This can be achieved by monitoring sickness absence (especially short-term), carrying out confidential staff surveys, observing working relationships (especially team dynamics), and questioning changes in attitude and behaviour.

Stress management training can then build on this by teaching employees about the nature and sources of stress, its effects on health, and the personal skills needed to reduce it. Training may also help reduce stress symptoms such as anxiety and sleep disturbances, and has the added advantage of being relatively inexpensive.

Employees also need to know how to raise concerns about work pressure (informally and formally) – for example by speaking to their supervisor or manager, through an existing grievance procedure, or under a dedicated stress policy. The key is that employees should find it as easy and unthreatening as possible to speak up about stress at work, and should be able to do so without fear of recrimination or any other negative outcomes.

Mediation and negotiation

In mediation, the parties in a dispute express their views on a contentious matter, establish common ground, and move towards a solution that’s acceptable to all. In negotiation, the aim is to reach agreement on a course of action that satisfies at least some of the claims of both sides. Access to mediation and negotiation are therefore vital in enabling workplace disputes to be resolved before they escalate into stress-inducing or bullying behaviours which can be much more difficult to resolve.

Rehabilitation back to work

Where employees have been forced to take time away from work as a result of stress, their rehabilitation back to work needs to be carefully managed. For those employees who require specialist support, Employee Assistance Programmes and counselling services are a vital component in employee well being.

Employee counselling

In February 2002, the Court of Appeal ruled, inter alia, that ‘any employer who offered a confidential counselling service was unlikely to be found in breach of duty of care, by the courts’. Counselling should therefore be regarded as an intervention to be included alongside other supportive services available to employees.

First contact counselling teams

These teams are made up of volunteers (from the organisation) who are trained in basic counselling skills, and receive ongoing training and supervision. They’re often used as a ‘first contact’ for employees, for whom they can provide an active listening service and help to deal with work-related problems such as stress, bullying, change and mediation.

Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs)

An EAP offers employees access to a confidential counselling and information service, and to be effective must have the backing of senior management. However, although it can play an important role in helping to deal with stress-related problems, it should not detract from the importance of line managers actively listening to their staff. Nor must an application to the EAP be misinterpreted by managers as suggesting a lack of confidence in their own ability to deal with stress-related issues.

What shouldn’t you do?

Depending on the nature of your organisation, concierge services, or complementary therapies such as reflexology, yoga, massage etc, may also be of benefit. Typically, however, they should be incorporated within an holistic approach to reducing work-related stress and increasing resilience – rather than being expected to resolve underlying problems on their own.

If an organisation introduces these types of ‘stress-busting’ initiatives without a solid foundation of stress management training and employee counselling support, they risk adding to problems of work-related stress - through frustration, disillusion, and a belief amongst employees that the true causes of stress aren’t being taken seriously, and the organisation is simply paying lip service to the problem.

Ultimately, reducing workplace stress and building resilience is largely a matter of common sense and good management practice, and simply requires employers and employees to work together for the common good. Both share a joint responsibility for reducing stress – which, when this is successful, can help employees to enjoy their work more, and businesses to thrive as a result.

For this to become a reality, organisations need to work towards the creation of a ‘healthy’, resilient work culture – one where there is an intelligent two-way dialogue between managers and employees; where concerns can be raised in the confidence that actions will be taken; and where everyone in the organisation recognises stress as an unnecessary and unacceptable drain on creativity and resources. Or to put it another way, a culture where healthy ways of working have become so ingrained that the need for the Management Standards will no longer exist.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT WORK PLACE

SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT workplace

Each incident of sexual harassment of woman at workplace results in violation of "Gender Equality". The gender equality is includes protection from sexual harassment or abuse and right to work with dignity, which is a universally recognised basic human Right. A number of countries like U.S., U.K., Japan, Canada, Australia, India and several European nations have laws that prohibit sexual harassment at work place.

With more and more women coming out to complain about sexual harassment at the workplace, feminist groups suggest severe punishments and compensation to combat the situation. Sexual harassment of a female at the place of work is in compatible with dignity and honour of a female and needs to be eliminated and the there can be no compromise with such violations.

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination projected through unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favours and other verbal or physical conduct with sexual overtones whether directly or by implication, particularly when submission to or rejection of such a conduct by the female employee was capable of being used for effecting the employment of the female employee and unreasonably interfering with her work performance and had the effect of creating an intimidating or hostile working environment for her.

Any action of gesture, whether directly or by implication, aims at or has the tendency to outrange the modesty of a female employee, must fall under the general concept of the definition of sexual harassment.


SEXUAL HARASSMENT UNDER HUMAN RIGHTS PURVIEW:

Sexual harassment and sex discrimination are consider to be violation of Human Rights. All human rights derive from the dignity and worth inherent in the human person and the human person is the cultural subject of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The United Nations Organisation (UNO), keeping with its character to promote and encourage respect of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms for all without distinction, came out with an International Bill of Human Rights consisting of:

(a) Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948
(b) The International covenant on civil and Political Rights, 1966
(c) The International covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966 and
(d) The Optional protocol, 1966 providing for the right of the individual to petition International agencies.

The U.N.O. held that all human rights and fundamental freedoms are indivisible and interdependent; equal attention and urgent consideration should be given to the implementation, promotion and protection all human rights. The following are the principles on which the above charters were introduced:

1) All Human beings, without distinction, have been brought within the scope of human rights instruments.
2) Equality of application without distinction of race, sex, language or religion: and
3) Emphasis on international co-operation for implementation.

Article 1, 2 and 7 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 deals with equal in dignity, rights & freedoms and equal protection against any discrimination.

Article 1 : All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another n a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2 : Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this declaration, without distinction of any kind such as race, colour, sex language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status (first part of Art.2)

Article 7: All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration against any incitement to such discrimination (Second sentence of Art.7)

Part II of Article 2 (2) and 3 of International covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966 also deals with discrimination of any kind and equal right of men and women.

Article 2 (2) : The States Parties to the present covenant undertake to guarantee that rights enunciated in the present covenant will be exercised wi;thoud discrimination of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

Article 3 : The States parties to the present covenant undertake to ensure the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all Economic, Social and Cultural Rights set forth in the present covenant.


SEXUAL HARASSMENT & SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION IN U.S. :

In the United States, two major federal laws prohibit sexual harassment in employment and educational settings, which are - Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, 1964 and Title IX of the Education Act, 1972. These laws authorise federal agencies to investigate complaints of sexual harassment. They also permit victims to file law suits against employers or schools seeking to end the harassment and to obtain monetary compensation for the harm resulting from it. Many States have also adopted laws prohibiting sexual harassment. Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees including State and local Governments. It also applies to employment agencies and to labour organisations, as well as to the Federal Government.

Under U.S. laws, the unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual's work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has made certain parameters to test sexual harassment at work places.

· The victim as well as the harasser may be a woman or a man.
· The victim does not have to be of the opposite sex.
· The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, an agent of the employer, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or a non-employee, a teacher or professor, a student, a friend or a stranger.
· The victim does not have to be the person harassed but could be anyone affected by the offensive conduct.
· Unlawful sexual harassment may occur without economic injury to or discharge of the victim.
· The harasser's conduct must be unwelcome.

Perceptions differ about what behaviours constitute sexual harassment. However, typical examples of sexual harassment include sexually oriented gestures, jokes, or remarks that are unwelcome; repeated and unwanted sexual advances; touching or other unwelcome bodily contact; and physical intimidation. Sexual harassment can occur when one person has power over another and uses it to coerce the person to accept unwanted sexual attention.

Even, if the co-workers telling repeatedly the sexual jokes, posting pronographic photos, or making any unwelcome sexual innuendos to another co-worker is also sexual harassment. Both men and women can be harassers or victims of sexual harassment. However, researches indicate that women are more likely to be the victims. Approximately 15,000 sexual harassment cases are brought to U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission every year. Media and Governmental surveys estimate the percentage of women being sexually harassed in the U.S. workplace at 40% to 60%. The EEOC looks at the whole record the circumstances, such as the nature of the sexual advances, and the context in which the alleged incidents occurred. A determination on the allegations is made from the facts on a case-by-case basis.

Bernes Vs. Train (1974) is commonly viewed as the first sexual harassment case in America, even though the term sexual harassment was not used. In 1976, Williams Vs. Saxbe established sexual harassment as a form of sex determination when sexual advances by a male supervisors towards a female employee. In 1980 the EEOC issued regulations defining sexual harassment and stating it as a form of sex discrimination prohibited under Civil Rights Act, 1964. In 1986, in the case of Michalle Vinson Vs. Merit One Saving Bank, the Supreme Court first recognised sexual harassment as a violation of Title VII, established the standards for analysing whether the conduct was welcome and levels of employer liability.

Amendments to Civil Rights Act in 1991, added the provisions to Title VII protecting including expanding the rights of women to sue and collect compensatory damages for sexual discrimination or harassment.


SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN INDIA :

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed before Supreme Court of India, seeking gender justice for protection and enforcement of fundamental and human rights of working women. The PIL was mainly filed for the enforcement of fundamental rights of working women under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India. It was a class action by certain social activists and NGOs with the aim of assisting in finding suitable methods for realisation of the true concept of gender equality and to prevent sexual harassment of working women in all workplaces through judicial process and to fill vacuum in existing legislation. The Supreme Court of India in 1997 held that the working women have rights to gender equality, to work with dignity and to a working environment safe and protected from sexual harassment or abuse. Accordingly, the Supreme Court issued guidelines and norms for protection and enforcement of rights of the women at their workplaces. Further, the Supreme Court held that these guidelines and norms must be strictly observed in all working places by treating them as law declared under Article 141 of Constitution of India (The law declared by the Supreme Court shall be binding on all courts within the territory of India).

Sections 354 and 509 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 deals with assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty and the word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman. If there is any violations on women with regard to her modesty, the above sections will strictly apply and criminal proceedings will follow immediately on a complaint made to a nearest police station. The offences under section 509 are cognizable and are non-bailable.

Sec.354: Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty. – Whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may be extend to two years or with fine, or with both.

Sec. 509 : Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman. – Whoever, intending to insult the modesty of any woman, utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object, intending that such word or sound shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen, by such woman, or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year; or with fine, or with both.

Apart from this, if a woman faces any kind of sexual harassment at workplace can directly make a complaint to the State Women Commissions or National Commission for Women. The Women Commission will follow-up the complaints, informs to concern police stations to initiate criminal proceedings and directs the employer to conduct an enquiry and recommend to suspend the concerned harasser with an immediate effect pending enquiry.

The victim of sexual harassment can claim damages/compensation on concerned harasser by way of filing a civil suit under civil jurisdiction.

The Constitution of India guaranteed fundamental rights to its citizens. When we compare provisions of the Constitution of India to that of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we find many Articles have the same spirit. Article 14, 15 and 21 of Constitution of India mentions key words on Equality before law, prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth and protection of life and personal liberty.

The Supreme Court of India for the first time in Vishakha and others Vs. State of Rajasthan and others (1997 (6) Supreme Court Cases 241) dealt with sexual harassment on women. The Supreme Court made the definition of sexual harassment and laid down certain guidelines. It also specified the duties of the employer, preventive steps, awareness of the rights of female employees and workers initiative to curb sexual harassment at workplace.

The Supreme Court said that, it shall be the duty of the employer or other responsible persons in workplaces or other institutions to prevent or deter the commission of acts of sexual harassment and to provide the procedures for the resolution, settlement or prosecution of acts of sexual harassment by taking all steps required.

For the purpose of definition of sexual harassment the Supreme Court said that, the sexual harassment includes such unwelcome sexually determined behaviour (whether directly or by implication) as :

(a) physical contact and advances;
(b) a demand or request for sexual favours;
(c) sexually – coloured remarks;
(d) showing pronogrphy;
(e) any other unwelcome physical verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.

The Supreme Court of India rendered yet another Judgment on sexual harassment in AEPC Vs. A.K. Chopra (1999 (1) Supreme Court Cases 759). The case is about a woman employee of Apparel Export Promotion Council, who worked as the private secretary to A.K. Chopra, the Chairman of the company. She complained to the Personnel Director that the chairman was sexually harassing her. Despite her repeated protests, he was making sexual advances by 'trying to touch her' and 'sit close to her'. The company, immediately suspended him and ordered a departmental enquiry. The enquired confirmed female employee's position that the chairman tried to touch her with a sexual motive and the chairman was dismissed from service.

The chairman challenged the disciplinary committee order in Delhi High Court and the harasser was successful on the ground that the chairman only 'tried to molest' but did not 'in fact molest' the female employee. By shocking with the verdict, the company filed appeal before the same High Court which was heard by Division Bench (two member Bench). Interestingly, the Division Bench agreed with the findings of single judge and reiterated that the chairman not 'actually molested' the female employee.

As against the Judgment, the company once again filed an appeal in the Supreme Court. One of the issues that was deliberated at length by this court was " whether physical contact with the woman was an essential ingredient of a charge of sexual harassment ".

The Supreme Court while setting aside the High Court and upholding the dismissal of chairman held that:

a) The attempts by the superior to sit close to the female employee and touch her, though unsuccessful, would amount to 'sexual harassment'. The behaviour of the superior did not cease to be outrageous in the absence of an actual assault by the superior.

b) In the context of a female employee the sexual harassment at the work place is a form of sex discrimination which any be projected through unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favours and other verbal or physical conduct with sexual overtones, whether directly or by implication. This would be particularly so when submission or rejection of such conduct by the female employee could be used to affect her employment by unreasonably interfering with her work performance thereby, creating a hostile working atmosphere for her.

c) Where the conduct of a superior towards his junior female employee was wholly against moral sanctions and was offensive to her modesty, any lenient action would demoralise working women. Therefore, the punishment of dismissal from service was commensurate with the gravity of the superior's behaviour.

d) Each incident of sexual harassment at workplace violates the fundamental right to gender equality and the right to life and liberty guaranteed by the constitution of India. The fundamental right in a the Constitution cover all facts of gender equality including prevention of sexual harassment and abuse. The courts are under a constitutional obligation to protect and preserve those rights.

e) International instruments like Convention on Prevention of All forms of Discrimination Against Women, Beijing Declaration on Women and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights cast an obligation on the Indian Government to senitise its laws. The courts are under an obligation to see that this message is accepted and followed.


K.V.RAMANA MURTHY
ramanamurty9967@yahoo.co.in

I Got An Important Lesson In Chainsaw Safety

My neighbor Barry loves his gadgets. You know the type; spends half his time watching the handyman channel and the other half in his garage playing with his tools. There's always something going on in Barry's garage. His wife Linda says at least she knows where he is all the time.

"Better in his garage than down at the local drinking hole getting blind!" she'll tell you.

Anyway, three weeks ago it was Barry's birthday and he'd been on about getting a chainsaw. Linda and the kids got the message. Right on cue, a chainsaw found it's way into Barry's garage. He was ecstatic. He couldn't wait to show me.

"Look mate, a new member's been added to the family," he said to me like the proud father he was. " It's going to be a great addition to the family."

"Family?" I replied looking slightly puzzled. "You mean tool collection don't you?"

"No mate, my tools are like my extended family. I love 'em," he announced proudly."This chainsaw's going to take pride of place!"

"What the hell are you going to do with a chainsaw in the suburbs?" I asked. "I mean it's not like you're going to need it to go out and get firewood. You don't even have a wood fireplace!"

Barry massaged his chin and gave me a piercing stare. He paused for a moment and then in a quiet controlled tone he calmly pointed out to me... "Mate, you never know when a storm might hit." Then he held up the chainsaw and with nodding approval said, "This little baby might just become a lifesaver."

"Yeah right mate," I replied sarcastically. "Next you'll be telling me you'll carve your christmas turkey with it."

"Hey good idea," Barry responded with a sly grin. "I'll tell Linda to get rid of the carving knife!"

We walked into his garage with Barry pointing out with great pleasure where his new family member was going to spend most of it's time. "That's where I'm parking it until I need to use it."

"Use it. You'll never need to use it," I exclaimed. "And anyway Barry, if the time ever came for you to produce your chainsaw... and we'd probably all be dead by then anyway... do you know how to operate it?"

"I sure do mate. I did a crash course with a chainsaw expert on the operation and safety procedures of chainsaws," he told me in a forthright manner.

I retorted quickly. "A crash course! You're kidding right. How hard could it be to operate one of these things, I mean, it would be just like using a lawnmower wouldn't it? You just rev it up and away you go."

Barry looked at me with a bemused expression on his face. He almost had a calming presence come over him. I knew this look. In the past it meant I would get a lecture... A "Barry style crash course" in the use of one of his "family members." In other words, I was about to be educated... Barry style, and I hated it when he made me feel like a moron.

"Mate, mate, mate," he started in a smug tone. "This chainsaw can be very dangerous in the hands of an inexperienced user. Do you know how many people are injured in chainsaw accidents every year?

"Well..yeeaaah," I'd reply in a hesitant fashion."Quite a few I suppose." (I had no idea actually.) "I'd say..."

"Thousands!" Barry butted in without letting me finish. "Thousands. Mate these things are lethal in the wrong hands!"

I smiled and said, "Barry I know what you mean. Someone should have pointed that out to the Texas Chainsaw murderer. It would..."

He cut me off again. This time he meant business. "It's not funny mate. Come on. I'm trying to be serious here."

I backed off and said, "Hey, I know. Sorry mate." I then went into serious mode. Barry was the type of guy who loved to give advice. He expected you to absorb what he said. He just loved to explain how things worked. So I listened. He gave me that fixated look before he proceeded.

"Now before you turn on a chainsaw there's a few important safety procedures to consider. For example, after a storm when there's wood and debris lying around and you need to cut it up, make sure One..." he held up his index finger at me.

"You have a proper helmet system. Cover your head, face and ears. Two...gloves...

Three...protective pants and

Four... protective boots with steel caps."

"Got it," I said entusiastically. "But isn't that a little excessive."

Barry came back quickly. "Ask the poor guy lying in a hospital bed with a piece of wood sticking in his head or leg if that's a bit excessive."

"Right mate. I hear you," I said in an acknowledging tone. Barry went on.

"You must read the owners manual. Kickback injuries are common. The manual will help you in avoiding kickback. Make sure the chainsaw has all the safety features like a chain brake, catcher, spark arrester..."

Barry was in his element. He loved this stuff. "Make sure the carburetor is properly adjusted. If it's gas-powered, only fill it when it's cool. Be careful about using a dull chainsaw..."

"A dull chainsaw?" I interrupted. "What do you mean dull?"

"Dull is when the chain is worn. It can happen quickly. Just by hitting the ground you can dull a chain."

"And why is this a problem Barry?" I'd ask again.

By this time Barry was on cloud nine now. He had an audience even if it was only me but it gave him an opportunity to express himself a little.

"Well mate, it's a problem because the extra pressure you apply to a dull chainsaw increases the chance of injury. Remember, safety first."

"Okay, got it," although I still wasn't completely understanding but because Barry was a neighbor and a mate and because I had a habit of poking fun at him a bit, this was the least I could do to make him feel, well, a little important.

"Never carry a chainsaw when the engine is on. Only work on ground level, never from a ladder..." and he went on and on and on. "And finally mate."

"Yeah mate," I'd ask enthusiastically again knowing I was just about at the end of my lesson.

"Never work when you're tired or alone. That's why you'll be my offsider when I'm about to do a job with my chainsaw," he said with a wry smile interspersed with a Fred Flintstone type laugh.

That was a little Barry humor. In fact, it was about as funny as he ever got. A rare moment.

I'd smile and respond "Oh good mate, I can't wait!"

"So mate, did you get all that," Barry asked. "I'll run through it again if you like?"

He was serious. I had to think quickly.

"You know what Barry, I think I heard my phone," I said slowly backing out of the garage. "Listen, thanks for the tips but I've got to run."

And with that, I was "outta there."

I thought about what Barry had said and you know, it started to hit home that yes, a chainsaw is a useful appliance and yes, it can also be dangerous if not treated with a little respect. Do yourself a favor and read the manual. If you don't like to read ask an expert.

We need the Barrys in this world. It's all about balance. I'm sure you know someone like Barry. If not, then maybe I can introduce you to my next door neighbor!

Dangers Of Electric Shocks For Toddlers

Generally children are at little risk from getting an electric shock these days. Electrical appliances are the main danger around then home.

You can make you home even safer for your children by following these simple rules.

Just installing items like Baby safety Gates does not solve all of the problems around your home.

With regard to electrical appliances you can often tell if they are faulty just by looking at them. Inspect them regularly for frayed cables and wires, they can become frayed over time due to normal use. If the cable is damaged then this will present a hazard to your child as children tend to be on the floor crawling around during their everyday activities. Whilst you are checking the cables, have a look at the socket outlets to see if there is any sign of burning check to see if they work properly. If one side of a double socket works and the other does not then get it changed as there is clearly a fault.

Overloading sockets is another practice to avoid, especially taking extension leads off extension leads, doing this will certainly overload any sockets, and may cause a fire due to the high resistance in the cable due to its length. So avoid this at all costs. Also to be avoided are the multi-way plug adapters as they too can quickly overload a circuit if used for heating appliances etc.

Sockets are also favourite places for children to poke things into, sockets are designed not to have things pushed into them other than plugs, but to be safe fit socket covers to those empty sockets that are accessible to your child, fitting these devices will stop anything being push into them. If you child does push something metal into the socket tubes they stand a very good chance of getting an electric shock.

With regard to electrical equipment make sure that your child is unable to plug them in by themselves as they risk being injured by the equipment itself. Hair straighteners or hair dryers and irons can cause burning if they are touched. Turn off any appliances that are not designed to be left on, fridges are designed to be left on phone chargers and curling tongs are not. If you are unsure about any appliances in your home then do not use it. You can pay to have them checked out, if it is an expensive piece of equipment you can have a PAT (Portable Appliance Test) done on them which will let you know it is safe to use. If you need to find a PAT tester then look under portable appliance testing in the yellow pages.

Check that heating appliances are mounted correctly and check that they are not too close to walls or curtains. If you have a toddler it would be wise to ensure that they are unable to touch the heater or even get hold of the electrical chord in case they pull it down on top of themselves.

Remember water and electricity does not mix, ensure that when you feed your child or have then drink be sure that they cannot drop the liquid on any plug sockets or any equipment. Purchasing Baby safety Products can help reduce any risks in your home.

Having your electric checked on a regular basis will help to ensure that your home is electrically safe. When having the circuits checked by a qualified electrician such as an NICEIC registered company, you will get a full report of the electrical installation when it’s completed. They will highlight to you any issued that present itself. If your property has the old pull out fuses (BS 3036) they will recommend that you have it changed for a more modern unit that offers some degree of supplementary protect against electric shock. The new consumer unit will be fitted with an RCD protective device. They save lives every year.

Paul is an NICEIC registered electrician with a business in the west midlands and has years of experience testing and inspecting businesses and homes alike. He finds that Baby Safety Products can help make your home safer. The World of Babies stocks a complete range for parents.

Common workplace injury types

The most common types of workplace injuries
According to recent reports the tops five types of workplace injuries are as follows.

Falls from standing
One of the first things that pops into your head when talking about accidents at work will be trips and slips. Everyone has had a minor slip, whether it has been on a slippery pavement or over a box on the floor. So it is not hard to imagine that these are one of the biggest causes of injuries in the workplace. Business should make sure all surfaces are free of holes and tripping hazards. By coincidence, while writing this blog post, and handyman is walking around our office fixing our carpet tiles. Trips and slips can also be avoided by making sure that all spillages are cleared up and highlighted with signs. Poor lighting conditions can also cause people to trip over random objects.

Overexertion
We have all heard the correct lifting technique, keep your back straight and bend your knees while lifting. Well it is surprising the amount of people who will ignore this and just life heavy objects any old way. Tips to avoid these types of injury are correct training for staff members, teach them how to lift properly and ask for help if something is too heavy. If items in the workplace are seriously heavy, then mechanical lifting aids should be used to avoid injury and make the task easier.

Falls from a height.
These are injuries where people fall from equipment such as ladders and other apparatus that elevates them from the ground. The main cause of these falls is faulty equipment. When dealing with heights, equipment should be routinely checked to safety approved standards as we are not only talking about minor injuries, they have been known to cause death as well. These types of injuries also included people slipping down stairs and walkways, these can be avoided by using slip resistant treads, handrails and appropriate lighting.

Struck by an object
The fourth common workplace injury type on our list is employees being struck by objects. These injuries are more common in warehouse type settings where overhead storage is used or on building sites. To avoid accident compensation claims being made against them, employers need to ensure machinery operators are fully trained in using machinery that carries objects that could fall on people. Areas underneath storage and machinery should be restricted so that personal shouldn't be at risk in the first place. Finally all machinery should be used as the manufacturers have specified with all the safety features and guards working as should be.


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This article was written on behalf of Claims for you who deal with no win no fee accident claims and injury claims

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