How to accelerate wound healing.

Science has advanced our knowledge of wound care significantly over the last few decades. No longer is "letting it air out" seen as a safe and effective method of healing. Instead, moist healing has been found to be most effective for healing, providing significantly less scarring than dry healing. Keeping a wound moist maintains a constant temperature at the healing site, and allows the cells to move and regenerate better; this allows for faster healing and less chance of scar development. While one should never remove a scab that has already formed, preventing a scab from forming by moistening a wound is the best way to help a wound heal faster and with less scaring.



Oxygen Free Radicals



When a wound occurs, oxygen free radicals, also called reactive oxygen species (ROS), are created. These ROS molecules are unstable, containing unpaired electronics which are highly reactive, seeking to steal and bond with electrons from other molecules, thus creating more ROS's. This cycle continues, and can, in some cases, end up destroying living cells in and around the wound, slowing the healing time, and in some cases, putting a complete halt to healing. In severe cases, this healing can be halted to such an extent that the wound becomes susceptible to contamination, and problems such as infection.



Medical researchers have been working on products to help remove the oxygen free radicals from open wounds. One product, walled Wound-Be-Gone, has an active ingredient that can remove these radicals, while also forming a barrier over the wound to protect it from the environment, keeping the wound clean and accelerating healing. This gel also provides a protective layer over the wound, maintains constant moisture and temperature, allows the gel to penetrate the open wound, and creates the perfect conditions for would healing.



Wound-Be-Gone helps to heal, effectively reduce pain, swelling, and scarring in wounds of any severity. Effective in private and clinical settings, this revolutionary healing gel accelerates the healing process in all wounds by binding with free oxygen radicals that are created at the injury site. When an injury occurs, free oxygen radicals are a type of byproduct that is created, which can significantly slow healing, even causing further damage to healthy tissue surrounding the wound. Wound-Be-Gone neutralizes these radicals, by binding with them, and removing them from the healing process.

Wound-Be-Gone's ability to reduce inflammation and removal of free oxygen radicals helps wounds of any type, from simple scrapes to severe burns and deep tissues wounds, to regenerate more quickly, and with less scar tissue formation. The impressive healing properties of Wound-Be-Gone have been proven in multiple clinical trials, with a variety of wound types.



--

wound healing interest

www.woundbegone.com

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Ergonomic Risk Factors: Protecting The Lower back

Lower back injuries are among the most common complaints seen in primary care and workers' compensation. Approximately 85 percent of the general population in the western world is afflicted with an episode of back pain in their lifetime.

The peak incidence of lower back pain is found to be highest during the most productive years of life, ages 25-60, making work-related lower back injuries a major health concern. In order to address this, a strategic three-step plan to reduce work-related lower back injuries is required:

• identification of ergonomic risk factors that can contribute to injury;

• implementing ergonomic control measures;

• following safe work practices, including proper posture and safe lifting techniques during work activities.


Ergonomic Risk Factors

Ergonomics is a multidisciplinary field-it addresses the interactions of people, work tasks and the total work environment. Ergonomic risk factors are job attributes or exposures that increase the probability of developing a work-related injury: repetition, forceful exertion, stressful postures, contact stress, vibration and temperature extremes.

The presence of an ergonomic risk factor does not necessarily mean that a person is at an excessive risk for developing a work-related injury, but the greater the exposure to an ergonomic risk factor, or multiple risk factors, the greater the probability will be of a worker becoming injured.

Posture: The No. 1 Culprit

The primary ergonomic risk factor responsible for back injuries in the workplace is stressful posture. Posture refers to the position of a specific anatomical body part in relation to an adjacent body part.

Stressful postures occur when an extreme or awkward body position places undue stress on muscles, ligaments and joint structures. Stressful postures can result in physiological damage to the tissues within or around a joint. Stressful postures typically include end range of joint motion and excessive rotation.

Stressful postures should be minimized to reduce physiological damage. To achieve this, the evaluator must be familiar with the components of posture-adjacent body parts, the angle of the joint connecting adjacent body parts, and motion-as well as how these components induce damage.

Adjacent body parts. In assessing back posture, the position of the legs and the thoracic and cervical spine is critical. If the adjacent body parts are positioned in awkward angles in relation to the spinal segment, there will be a greater physiological stress placed on the tissues that support and maintain the position.

The more awkward these positions are, the greater the physiological stress, so adjacent body parts should be maintained in positions that promote open-packed joint positions, tissue relaxation and maximum circulation to the working tissues.

The angle of the joint. This angle will influence the degree of joint and tissue stress. Awkward joint angles place physiological stress on the joint structures, muscles and tendons. The more awkward the angle of the joint is, the greater the tissue damage. Awkward joint angles, including end range of motion and excessive rotation, should be minimized.

Motion. This refers to whether the posture is static or dynamic. Static postures must be held for a period of time, and can cause tissue fatigue and microtrauma due to continual muscle firing and strain on the tendons and ligaments.

Dynamic posture involves rotational forces of one body segment relative to another about a common axis or joint. Dynamic postures involve angular displacement, velocity and acceleration, and are preferred over static postures due to the ability to use multiple muscle groups, enhance circulation and prevent local tissue fatigue.

Because of physiological requirements to maintain muscle and tendon functions, no position can be maintained indefinitely; all positions have some dynamic component to them. The more stationary a position is, however, the greater the degree of risk for tissue fatigue and injury; for this reason, dynamic postures and the ability of a worker to vary position are of utmost importance.

Ergonomic Controls: A Three-Pronged Approach

Instituting ergonomic controls in the workplace, which place limits on duration, frequency or the intensity of ergonomic risk factors, can be an effective method in preventing lower back injuries. Ergonomic control measures fall into three categories.

Engineering Controls. These involve modifying the work interface:

• Adjust work surfaces to minimize awkward postures and ensure appropriate sitting and standing postures;

• Provide footrests to standing and sitting workstations;

• Tilt work surfaces to bring the work closer to the worker;

• Make the work more accessible by raising or lowering the work with lifts, platforms, or scaffolds;

• Reduce the size and weight of the materials handled;

• Design the workstation for the target population (male or female, as one example);

• Provide carts to reduce material-handling activities;

• Maintain all equipment on a regular basis;

• Install mechanical lifting aids to counterbalance loads: lifting devices, reaching devices and pulley systems;

• Provide joint protection, anti-vibration or shock absorbance to reduce exposure to the physical environment (vibration, concrete floors, cold). This can include anti-fatigue mats, gel insoles and anti-vibration seating systems.

Administrative controls. These involve modifying the work process, flow or organization to reduce the exposure of the worker to an ergonomic risk factor. Examples include:

• Provide job rotation or alternating work activities;

• Reduce the length of work shifts;

• Limit employee overtime;

• Increase the number of employees available to perform a task;

• Implement mandatory or additional rest breaks;

• Alternate highly repetitive work tasks with less repetitive ones;

• Reduce production quotas or machine pace.

Work Practices. These include general health habits, complying with safety rules and maintaining proper posture and good lifting techniques. Examples include:

• Maintain good health habits;

• Participate in a smoking cessation program;

• Participate in a weight loss and/or regular exercise program;

• Follow safety rules;

• Understand the limitations of safety equipment.

Proper Posture

Since postures can contribute to the development of lower back injuries in the workplace, reducing these stressful positions throughout the day is critical.

Proper postures result in the least amount of physiological stress and fatigue on the local tissues through proper positioning of the adjacent body parts, the connecting joint and the degree of motion. They place the least amount of stress on the working ligaments, muscles and joints, resulting in less tissue damage.

Proper postures should be maintained during both static and dynamic activities. Examples include:

Sitting:

• Keep your head directly over your shoulders;

• Do not rotate or tilt your head;

• Keep your shoulders in a relaxed position, resting close to your body;

• Keep your back well supported by the back of the chair;

• Keep your knees at the same height or slightly lower than your hips;

• Keep both feet on the ground or a footrest;

• Do not cross your legs;

• Sit as close to your work as possible.

Standing:

• Keep your head directly over your shoulders, and keep your shoulders relaxed at your side;

• Keep your feet approximately shoulder length apart;

• When possible, place one foot on a stool or rest bar to alleviate back strain;

• Move and stretch frequently.

Finally, functional activities include reaching, bending, squatting, climbing, lifting, pushing and pulling. It is important to maintain a neutral back position when performing all of these functional activities. Keep your stomach muscles tight, and avoid excessive spinal twisting, forward flexion, extension and lateral flexion.

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Workplace Safety Tips - Attitude and Behavior the Keys to Improve Safety

safety is about company policies and procedures. It's even more about people; more specifically, your employees' natural behavioral style and safety attitude at work.

Training plays an important role in workplace safety. But who your workers are, not just what they do, may be even more significant according to a 1993 study conducted by

Behavioral-Values Research Associates.

SAFETY STUDIES

The research was conducted on railway maintenance workers. Participants were given four assessments that measured their knowledge of safety rules, their pictorial and mechanical reasoning abilities, and their behavior and attitude. The study shows the only significant differences between two groups of workers (injured vs. non-injured) were in their behavioral styles and attitudes/values.

The research validates that when companies implement a pre-hiring employee assessment selection system, four things occur. These companies:

• Reduce accident costs and risk
• Reduce worker's comp claims
• Reduce employee turnover
• Improve profitability

By utilizing this system when hiring drivers, G & P Trucking in South Carolina reduced accident costs and cut its accident rate in half over five years. G & P President, Clifton Parker says, "We are doing a better job during the hiring process. The behavioral testing has given us insight on the applicants' true beliefs and actions rather than finding out later. The bottom line is that it has helped us lower accident cost."

Common sense tells us that people who are naturally careful and cautious are going to cause fewer accidents than those who are impatient and short-tempered by nature. The BVRA research concluded the safest workers are those who are steady and cautious and who genuinely put others' well being above their own.

The safety studies found workers with the best safety records are those who are high in the "S" and "C" behavioral styles and low in the "D" factor. They are also high in the Social value.

DISC BEHAVIOR, VALUES, AND SAFETY

In 1928, Harvard psychologist William Moulton Marston defined the four DISC behavior styles we all have. Around the same time, psychologist Eduard Spranger published his studies of six values that determine our motivation attitude. Target Training International in Scottsdale, AZ, continued their research and produced the first computer-generated attitude and behavior DISC assessment that companies use today to hire, develop, and retain superior performers. This was the assessment used in the BVRA research project.

The four behavioral styles are:

• D-Dominant
• I-Influencing
• S-Steady
• C-Cautious

Those high in the "D" factor want control, they are quick to anger, and become impatient easily. They are the ones most likely to cause accidents.

Those high in the "I" behavioral factor are extroverted and people oriented; they talk a lot and like attention. The research found no significant difference in the "I" factor between the injured and non-injured workers.

People high in the "S" factor are steady and patient, they move slowly, and have a strong focus on their team's success. Safety and security are of utmost importance to them.

Those high in the "C" factor are extremely cautious and detail-oriented, and adamantly follow rules set by others.

So, it's understandable that workers high in both the "S" and "C" factors and low in the "D" style will have or cause fewer accidents.

It's also significant that research shows those high in the Social value are the safest workers because they selflessly put others' needs above their own. It's also important that they rank low in the Individualistic Value. Even more than those with Core "D" behavioral styles, people high in this value are passionate about having power and control over situations and other people.

Simply put, the worker you want to hire when safety is crucial is one who is high in the "S" and "C" factors, low in the "D" factor, high in the Social value, and low in the Individualistic attitude.

Understanding each of your employee’s innate behavior and attitude is the key to improving safety in the workplace.

Five Common DIY Tiling Injuries: Gory, Yet Preventable

The risks of DIY tiling projects include unsatisfactory results, poor installation, and personal injury. Although freak accidents happen every day, when you bring heavy tile and sharp cutters into the mix, the odds raise. To do everything you can to prevent a tiling mishap, take every precaution and wear goggles, gloves, masks, hard-toed shoes, and other protective gear. Even so, accidents such as these five common mishaps plague the eager improver.

1. Falling wall and ceiling tiles lead to serious injury during the installation process and long afterwards, such as in this New Jersey Church. Moisture behind the wall, improper installation, and blunt force against the tiles can cause them to loosen and fall, and depending on the distance and force of impact, has been blamed for concussions, bruises, broken bones, and even death. The best way to prevent falling tile accidents is to replace them when they start chipping or cracking, before they start falling out on their own. During the installation process, make sure that every tile is securely glued to the wall or ceiling before moving on to another row.

2. If not properly secured or balanced, many people fall of ladders. If your tiling project requires some height, make sure to keep one hand on the ladder at all times and remember, the higher the ladder and harder the ground, the more serious the injury. Ladders cause the most DIY deaths and the number of ladder injuries rise each year. Thankfully, this man survived, but his mishap demonstrates the need for sturdy ladders and trustworthy spotters.

3. Sharp tools, such as tile cutters and power saws, are difficult to use without proper training. The sharp blades can cause lacerations, deep, open wounds, and even amputation of fingers. Also, when you cut tile, pieces can fly off and imbed in your skin, or worse, in your eye, if you don’t wear protective goggles.

4. Permanent damage to your arm, back, and rotator cuff is common after lifting heavy tile and bending over during an installation project. Use a cart or dolly to carry especially heavy pieces of tile made of stone, marble, or granite. Lift slowly and smoothly and ask for help if necessary. Sometimes years of rehab result from these injuries in which the victim never regains full range of motion.

5. Toxins in the home release during the tiling process if the room is not ventilated properly. Lead, asbestos, smoke, fumes, and adhesives can cause headaches, skin rashes, and nausea. More seriously, they can lead to asthma, cancer, nerve damage, and allergies. Before you start a tiling or any home renovation project, identify the hazards and seal off the ventilated workspace from the rest of the home. Practice safe work methods to minimize dust and fumes and effectively clean your workspace at the end of each day. Take heed of this British family’s warnings after their loved one died following exposure to tile asbestos.

The good news is that these injuries are 100 percent preventable. Always wear protective gear and close-fitting clothing when working in your home. Make sure you know how to operate each tool correctly and be realistic about your skills. Professional consultations never hurt, and if you need to hire the pro, feel no shame.

Learning to install tile safely is easy, if you go to Denver Tile Installation's website and click through to the blog.

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The Importance of Kilowatt Meters

The kilowatt meter is used to read the amount of energy used by a home, business or building. They are fundamental to the maintenance of power consumption.

Types
There are three main types of kilowatt meter used for measurement.
- Electromechanical (standard): These kilowatt hour meters are the basic ones found on houses and offices. They work by counting the revolutions of a metal disc inside the machine that rotates in proportion to the amount of power being used. The machine itself requires energy, about two to three watts.

- Electronic (display screen): LCD or LED displays are used on these meters to show power readings, allowing the owner to track the jumps and dips in usage and calibrate accordingly.

- Multiple tariff (price): Multiple tariff meters work on variable rates that allow the electricity retailer to charge clients different prices at different times of the day. This flexibility enables them to be cost effective, distributing/reducing energy when it is needed most/least.


Practical Uses

Different meters can be used in different ways, depending on the user’s needs. Today’s kilowatt meters are convenient, practical and easy to install and operate.

- Appliance: Also known as plug-ins or plug loads, these are used to measure appliances. As the name implies, they are simply plugged in to a wall socket and are ready to read. The user then plugs an appliance into it and they can see the power consumption.

- Smart: The next generation of meters, these offer the ability to measure power quality, power outage notification and give real-time read-outs.

- Prepaid: These are often used for customers who are considered payment risks. Users are required to pay in advance for electricity they will be using. If credit runs out before the allotted time, electricity is cut off.


Saving Energy

Reducing energy costs is a common goal for home and business owners. Methods and technologies are always being implemented in an effort to save money and minimize impact on the environment.

- Time of day: TODs are programmed to use less or more energy, depending on the time of day, month or season. It automatically controls loads for on-peak, off-peak and mid-peak times.

- Power export: Some people go beyond their electric companies and have generating equipment installed. Excess energy is exported to the power grid, causing the meter to run backwards, reimbursing the user.


All of these are examples of steps being taken to save money, energy, cover redundancies and be environmentally helpful. Customers and companies are able to work together to find the best solution to home and business electricity needs.

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Ways to Store Homemade Chocolate Candy

Who wouldn't want to find out how to store chocolate the right way? Chocolate is perhaps the single most desired food on the face of the planet, enticing people from all parts of the world to have that sinfully delightful bite, that delicious taste of darkness and sweetness, that unmistakable and absolutely irreplaceable chocolaty experience bursting in their mouth.



Knowing how to store chocolate allows one to repeat the delightful experience of eating chocolate again and again because you know there's more where that tasty chocolate treat came from - and that it is kept fresh and rich.



Storing chocolate candy or chocolate fudge by the bulk is easier than it sounds. This heavenly food is not demanding in terms of storage, but there are considerations to be made if one wants the chocolate to keep its original flavor - or even enhance it.



Ideally, chocolates need to be stored in a place that's dry, dark and slightly cool. The perfect environment, to paint a picture, would be that with a temperature of 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. But that's not all. It also has to have low humidity, be out of range from direct sunlight, and must not have any other foods or substances that carry strong odors which could be easily absorbed by the chocolate to be stored in the same area.



What happens if chocolate is not stored properly? Well, there are different answers to this question, depending on what kind of storing as well as handling has been done. For example, when chocolate is exposed on a regular basis to high temperatures, the cocoa butter may rise to the surface, prompting the birth of a rather unpleasant cloudy, gray color. This is called a bloom and can be easily corrected by melting as well as appropriately tempering the chocolate.



Moreover, white chocolate may experience not just a bloom but rancidity when it is left exposed to strong lighting, affecting the chocolate's flavor and the quality.



That is why people who live in tropic areas or who have no air conditioning available to them must keep their chocolates in a freezer, or even just in a refrigerator, so as to avoid melting. This is the easiest way to store gourmet chocolate candy as well as gourmet chocolate fudge.



To freeze chocolate the right way, it must be placed in an airtight container, such as a zip-lock plastic bag, and must not be removed until it is brought to an area that has room temperature. This will prevent condensation from forming anywhere on the chocolate. Water droplets are known to keep chocolates from melting smoothly and, in addition to this, they also affect the texture and overall quality of the melted chocolate.



Chocolate candy makes a great gift for people of all ages, and making gourmet or homemade chocolates is the best way to save money and still give thoughtful presents. To make sure the chocolates one wishes to hand out have that perfect taste and texture, don't forget to store them properly.



I usually make homemade chocolate candy for gift giving at Christmas. It is always well received and allows me to give people that I don't really know that well something that they are likely to like and appreciate. If you would like to have the recipe that I use then view this article: An Easy Chocolate Fudge Candy Gift for all Occasions . I typically place the candy in plastic containers with wax paper sheets between the layers and store in the refrigerator until delivered.



If you would like the idea of giving chocolate candy as a gift but don't have time to make your own then visit: Gourmet Chocolate Candy . If you would like to choose from some nice chocolate gift basket selections check out: Gourmet Chocolate Gifts - Your Place For Chocolate Lovers Gifts.

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Safety requirements for a Diesel Generator

There are many requirements to meet when considering the safety of your generator. These do not always involve consideration for personal safety but measures to protect the generator itself. If your generator is a permanent installation it is important that a safety feature such as an automatic shutdown device be installed. This will protect from several malfunctions.

There are basically three monitored factors that can be considered when installing a shutdown device. One of these monitors the engine temperature and if these values are too high the generator is shutdown automatically. There is another that deals with the oil pressure and if there is a drop in oil pressure the generator is shutdown. There are also over-speed shutdown kits that can be used. It is by far the best choice to install all of these shutdown devices as a safety precaution to protect your equipment.

It is also recommended as a safety precaution that regular maintenance is carried out. The most maintenance that is required of a diesel generator is a regular oil change. This can do wonders in increasing the lifetime of your generator. Once properly maintained there will be few issues with your generator up to 30,000 hours or an approximate time period of 3 years.

Regular inspections of the generator should also be carried out at every oil change. Ensure that the generator is kept clean so it is easy to observe any leaks. This is important as a safety requirement as even if you installed the oil pressure shutdown device it is possible for significant damage to be done before it is triggered. The diesel generator in particular is very much dependent on proper oil amounts as it has a high pressure on the components.

It is of importance that the diesel generator be exposed to the proper amounts of fresh air or ventilation for cooling. Although the machines have a water cooling system built in it is vital that they are well ventilated. This ensures that the machines do not overheat. If storing the generator in a shed ensures that there are large enough ventilation openings. If noise is a concern the installation of a blower is a good safety precaution to protect your equipment. High temperatures are what will eventually kill an alternator and it is vital that this is controlled to extend the life of the generator.

In order to extend the life of your diesel generator it is possible to install an hour meter. This will alert you in terms of usage when maintenance is required and avoid improper maintenance practices.

In terms of your safety it is important that you are knowledgeable in electrical aspects and take proper precautions. Do not remove guards put in place for your protection unless you have professional assistance. If the machine is overheating be cautious of handling the equipment as serious burns can occur. Do not allow oil spills onto the floor as this is a fire hazard. Noise is another consideration for your safety. Make sure you install your diesel generator away from earshot range of your home and any neighbors. A sound barrier enclosure may be an idea if space is a limitation.

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Value Investing: 3 Lessons from Seth Klarman's "Margin of Safety"... and 1 Value Investment Recommendation

When the stock market gets stuck in a trading range, funny things happen on Wall Street.

This year, Yahoo! (Nasdaq: YHOO) reported an 83% jump in revenues, and its stock promptly fell 13%. Starbucks (Nasdaq: SBUX) said new-store sales rose 4% - considered terrific at many restaurant chains -and its shares tumbled 8% on heavy volume.

In short, growth is no guarantee of higher stock prices.

That is why investors are switching to "value" plays, looking for stocks that may not have the best earnings outlook, but are selling so far below their intrinsic value that they have little downside risk and considerable upside potential.

Thus, the new hot "sector" is value investing. At the end of this issue, we'll reveal one of today's most successful value funds. But first, let's look at a used book on this strategy that's currently selling on Amazon and Bookfinders for anywhere from $1,295 to $2,003. You can even rent it on eBay for $75 a week...

The World's Most Successful "Value" Investor

The book is Margin of safety: Risk-Averse Value Investing Strategies for the Thoughtful Investor, by hedge fund manager Seth Klarman. It was written in 1991, but is long out of print, and the author and publisher have no plans to reprint it.

Why? Because Klarman has been so successful as a hedge fund manager that he doesn't care to reveal his secrets to the general public. Since 1982, his oldest Baupost Group partnership posted a cumulative return of 6,133% after fees, four times better than the S&P 500 Index (1,517%, including dividends reinvested).

But before you run out and buy this obscure title, let me give you a summary of its contents:

Basically, Klarman is a devotee of Benjamin Graham, who first wrote about his "margin of safety" formula for picking stocks in Graham and Dodd's classic work, Security Analysis. The idea is to buy companies at deep discounts to underlying business value.

Of course, there are thousands of value-oriented investors and fund managers, but Klarman takes Graham and Dodd to an extreme. Despite his subtitle of seeking "risk-averse" value investing, Klarman speculates in distressed securities and even bankrupt companies where the current price is close to the value of its tangible assets (excluding goodwill).

According to the latest SEC filings, Baupost Group holds mostly obscure securities whose prices have plunged, and have hopefully bottomed out, such as:

- Mills Corp. (NYSE: MLS), a REIT

- Alliance One (NYSE: AOI), a tobacco company

- Pxre Group (NYSE: PXT), a reinsurer; and

- Novelis (NYSE: NVL), an aluminum manufacturer.

His biggest position is in News Corp. (NWS). Clearly his approach is not for the faint-of-heart.

Three Highly Valued Investing Lessons From A Highly Priced Book

1. Value investors must be patient, willing to wait for months to find a truly undervalued play. Klarman has sometimes invested half his portfolio in cash waiting for opportunities to buy cheap stocks or bonds. According to Klarman, value investing "can be a very lonely undertaking, and may experience poor, even horrendous, performance."

2. Successful investors "tend to be unemotional, allowing the greed and fear of others to play into their hands." His statement reminds me of Joe Kennedy, a strict contrarian who had an ideal temperament for speculating: "a passion for facts, a complete lack of sentiment, a marvelous sense of timing," as one confidante said.

3. Create a "margin of safety" by waiting for stocks of good companies to sell at a significant discount to enterprise value (or in his case, distressed companies that have valued assets and a good chance of turning around).

A Mutual Fund That Shares Klarman's Value Investing Philosophy

Mutual Shares is one of the most successful value funds, stressing turnarounds and distressed securities. The fund's founder was the late Max Heine of Heine Securities.

Heine died years ago, and his successor, Michael Price, has left the firm. Today, Mutual Shares is owned by Franklin Templeton Group of Funds and managed by Peter Langerman, who used to be an analyst for Heine in the 1980s.

Mutual Shares is available in A shares (TESIX) with a front-end load; or B shares (FMUBX) with a back-end load. Mutual Shares owns a big position in Tyco (NYSE: TYC), a potential turnaround. The fund is rated 4 stars by Morningstar.

By the way, don't bother to contact the reclusive Klarman, who manages $6.2 billion of assets in nine partnerships. His firm is so successful that they are refusing new investors.

And don't bother buying Margin of Safety. I suspect it won't be long before a new edition comes out, or pirated copies appear in Asia.

Good trading, AEIOU,

Mark

Stress In The Workplace

According to the Australian Council of Trade Unions’ (A.C.T.U.) 1997 survey, fifty per cent of workers had suffered some form of stress at work in a 12-month period. The statistics in care professions were even higher, with the Department of Education and Training in Western Australia reporting in its 2002 Attitudes To Teaching Survey that seventy per cent of teachers identified workplace stress as a cause for concern in their teaching positions.

Stress in the workplace is becoming a major concern for employers, managers and government agencies, owing to the Occupational Health and safety legislations requiring employers to practice ‘duty of care’ by providing employees with safe working environments which also cover the psychological wellbeing of their staff.

One of the costs, for employers, of work place stress is absenteeism, with the A.C.T.U. reporting that owing to stress, nearly fifty per cent of employees surveyed had taken time off work. Other negative effects were reductions in productivity, reduced profits, accidents, high rates of sickness, increased workers’ compensation claims and high staff turnover, requiring recruiting and training of replacement staff.

While a certain amount of stress is needed to motivate individuals into action, prolonged stress can have a huge impact on overall health. More than two-thirds of visits to doctors’ surgeries are for stress-related illnesses. Stress has been linked to headaches, backaches, insomnia, anger, cramps, elevated blood pressure, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and lowered resistance to infection. For women, stress is a key factor in hormonal imbalances resulting in menstrual irregularities, PMS, fibroids, endometriosis and fertility problems. Stress can also be a factor in the development of almost all disease states including cancer and heart disease.

Each profession has its own unique factors that may cause stress; below are some causes of stress that cross many professions:

• Increased workload
• Organizational changes
• Lack of recognition
• High demands
• Lack of support
• Personal and family issues
• Poor work organization
• Lack of training
• Long or difficult hours
• Inadequate staff numbers and resources
• Poor management communication
• Lack of control or input

So what can be done to effectively manage workplace stress?

Organizations can:

• Educate their employees to recognise the signs of stress.
• Where possible, give their employees the chance to be involved in decisions and actions that affect their jobs.
• Improve employer-employee communications.
• Provide employees with opportunities to socialise together.
• Be understanding of employees’ personal and family responsibilities.
• Ensure employee workloads suit their capabilities and resources (provide more training and resources if not).
• Provide support (internally or externally) for employees who have complex stress issues.

Employees can reduce their overall stress by:

• Regularly exercising, as this releases ‘happy hormones’.
• Eating a healthy diet, as stress depletes vital nutrients.
• Getting adequate rest.
• Using tea and lunch breaks to read, listen to a relaxation CD or have a five-minute power-nap.
• If appropriate, playing relaxing music at work and burning aromatherapy oils.
• Being more organized. Get up earlier to have more time.
• Delegating responsibility where possible. Say no!
• Taking time out to laugh by telling someone a joke. Start a laughter group: by standing in a circle and all forcing a big laugh, it will soon become real!
• Avoiding caffeine and sugar. Although this may provide an instant lift it later depletes the body of energy and nutrients.
• Taking time to do things that bring enjoyment and pleasure.
• Making the work environment pleasurable. Have relaxing sounds in the form of music or a water fountain. Have enjoyable smells by burning candles or aromatherapy oils. Hang beautiful pictures or posters on the walls; have photos or flowers on the desk.
• Taking care of their overall health and wellbeing by practising good self-care.

Sometimes trying to implement change (even for the better) can itself cause stress and prevent a person remaining motivated. In this case it’s important to get support for your stress from a counsellor, doctor, naturopath, friend, peer or life coach who specializes in stress issues.

The benefits of a systematic and joint approach to reducing work stress are:

• Increased productivity
• Decrease in absenteeism
• Improved morale
• Decrease in workers’ compensation claims
• Reduction in workplace accidents

The most important benefit in reducing workplace stress is that it will promote a pleasant work environment for all.

Hawaii Employers Facing Inceased Litigation over English-Only Rules as More Complaints are Filed with the EEOC

Title VII prohibits discrimination because of “national origin.” The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the agency charged with the enforcement of Title VII, defines national origin discrimination as the denial of equal employment opportunity because of an individual’s ancestry, place of origin, or because the individual possesses the physical, cultural, or linguistic characteristics of a national origin group.

The EEOC has consistently scrutinized English-Only policies very closely and has taken the position that such policies can be a proxy for national origin discrimination. In the EEOC’s view only the most limited policies do not violate Title VII.

Given the amount of attention given to immigration issues on a national scale, the significant increase in national origin claims being filed with the EEOC in the last few years is no surprise.

Recently, the EEOC brought suit against a California Nursing Home company that prohibited Spanish-speaking employees from speaking Spanish to Spanish-speaking residents, and also while on breaks or in the parking lot of the facilities.

According to the EEOC, in addition to being required to comply with an overbroad English-Only policy that the employer did not apply even-handedly, it was alleged that Hispanic employees were given desirable work than non-Hispanic counterparts, were paid less, and promoted less often. In April 2009 the EEOC and the company settled for $450,000.

Hawaii employers are also finding it difficult to balance legitimate business needs and Hawaii employment practices law prohibiting ancestry or national origin discrimination. Hawaii law, HRS Chapter 378, prohibits discriminating against an employee in the terms or conditions of employment, because of their “ancestry.” However, as a practical matter “ancestry” and “national origin” are synonymous under Hawaii law.

Hawaii law is arguably more expansive than Title VII in that employers are precluded from making pre-employment inquiries and requests for information which tend to lead to disclosure of the person’s ancestry/national origin, unless the inquiry is justified by a bona fide occupational qualification.

Both the EEOC and the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission (“HCRC”) have issued regulations addressing the issue of English-Only rules and whether and to what extent employers prohibiting foreign languages to be spoken in the workplace have violated the prohibition against national origin discrimination.

The EEOC and HCRC’s regulations presume that blanket English-Only rules are per se unlawful. Their position also is that limited English-Only policies are lawful only if justified by business necessity. 2002 EEOC guidelines list the following examples where business necessity justifies an English-Only policy:

• For communications with customers, coworkers, or supervisors who speak only English;
• in emergencies or other situations where workers must speak a common language to promote safety;
• for cooperative work assignments in which the English-Only rule is needed to promote efficiency;
• to enable a supervisor who only speaks English to monitor the performance of an employee whose job duties require communication with coworkers or customers.

Employers with English-Only rules should also consider doing the following:

• Implement cultural sensitivity training programs for supervisors;
• provide non-native English-speaking employees English classes;
• ensure to the extent possible an even-handed application of the rule;
• draft or revise the English-Only rule as narrowly as possible;
• give employees fair notice of the rule and consequences for violating the policy;
• have the policy written in other languages spoken in the workplace.

Additional information may be accessed here: www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/national-origin.html#VC.

Roman Amaguin, Esq;
http://www.amaguinlaw.com
http://www.virtualhawaiiemploymentlawyer.com