Importance of Corporate Minutes and Resolutions in Protecting the Corporate Veil

The main advantage of corporate establishments is that the shareholders are mostly free from liabilities except for the equivalent of the money they have invested.

The corporation is legally seen as a separate entity that can incur its own debt, buy and sell property, do business in its own name and to sue and be sued separately from its investors.

This also applies to limited liability company’s (LLC) members, and a limited partnership’s (LP) limited partner.

However, there are certain actions of a shareholder, a director or an officer that may risk the company’s status as a legal entity.

Actions that neglect to treat the company as a separate entity will result to the courts and the IRS to do the same.

If that happens, it will affect the investors’ tax status and personal liability.

To avoid crossing the line and maintain the veil that separates the investors from the business, the company should adopt measures of good governance and keep everything formal.

Some steps investors, directors and officers can take are holding meetings, adopting resolutions and preparing minutes.

A way to keep a company’s corporate veil is by keeping good corporate minutes and preparing them in good fashion.

Preparation of minutes and resolutions is not a difficult task and it does not require any special skills.

The company just needs to make an effort to start systematizing the process of generating corporate meeting minutes and resolutions to cover official company business.

Once a system is in place it can be automated.

Corporate minutes of a meeting refer to the written record of a meeting. It often contains an overview of the structure of the meeting that contains:

• A list of all those present

• A statement of the various issues before the participants

• The responses of each thereto

Corporate resolution on the other hand is a legal document that is used as evidence of a decision made by a board of directors or of the shareholders.

The resolution can be about any subject but one that is very common, because it is required by banks and securities firms to open accounts, is defining the individuals that will be authorized to act on behalf of the corporation.

A corporate secretary is usually the one charged with recording the events and actions that transpired in a corporate meeting.

A good corporate secretary should understand that resolutions in minutes could be likened to a contract between the corporation and the directors or shareholders.

Just like any contract, the language in the minutes and resolution should be simple, clear and unambiguous.

This process will help keep the formality in the processes of the company and uphold the division between the investors and the corporation.

That should prevent the shareholder’s personal assets during litigation

To know more about preparations of meetings and resolutions, or about other ways to avoid personal liabilities against litigators, you should contact your corporate lawyer for assistance.

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How to Maintain Motivation through Unsettling Change

Copyright (c) 2009 Shona Garner



As a manager you need to get good at motivating others - but never more so than when your staff might be worrying about their jobs, about restructuring or other major changes to their work.



The present business climate is tough, and many businesses are affected by the current downturn. There are three common consequences in businesses when sales and growth slow down. As a manager, you may have experienced any or all three of these:



1. Some staff are made redundant, given reduced hours and bonus opportunities are often lost.



2. There is increased pressure on all staff to do more.



3. Tension, conflict, stress and apathy amongst staff increases, and motivation and engagement often decreases.



If you're a manager or supervisor, you'll feel the pressure too - possibly more - because your people's performance is seen by others as a reflection of your own ability to manage.



It's an irony that, at a time when you most need your staff to pull together, to be motivated, creative and productive, the environment often produces the exact opposite.



Some managers ride these storms better than others, managing to keep their staff on-side and positive, despite the circumstances. So how do you increase the engagement and morale of your people, reduce tension and conflict, and increase your chances of hitting targets? Here are three critical things you need to focus on if you are managing others through a period of intense change.



1. Understand that change causes emotional reactions and notice how your people are reacting.



All change, even changes we choose for ourselves, and which we think of as positive changes, take us through a roller-coaster of emotion. For example, even the presumably happy experience of getting a new job can take you through feelings excitement and celebration, to feeling really nervous about whether you will be successful, to "what on earth have I done, I can't do this job!" These are all normal, and very common reactions.



When we are faced with changes we haven't chosen, which outside forces dictate and over which we feel we have little control, such as team restructuring, possible redundancies or new working practices, those emotions can not only be very powerful, they are often very negative. We feel our security and "comfort zone" is threatened, and tension, stress and resistance can be the knee-jerk reaction.



The most successful managers seem to make a point of taking more notice of what's going on in their team, and how people seem to be reacting to news about change. They know that ignoring signs of discontent, tension or antipathy is likely to allow these negative reactions to become more widespread, and more difficult to deal with.



So, start noticing how your staff are reacting to any proposed or actual changes. Don't ignore any signs of discontent. Build opportunities for staff to feedback or highlight any issues or concerns they may be having. Once you have a better understanding of how people feel about the changes, you can start to build a strategy for managing the change which will support and encourage staff, and minimise unrest and unease.



2. Increase opportunities for communication



In times of unsettling change you need to keep the channels of communication not only more open, but more regular. At this time, more than others, the risk of gossip, assumptions, and misunderstandings is even greater than normal, and can de-rail any hopes you might have of trying to maintain motivation, focus and performance.



Consider how you can increase opportunities to either meet as a team, or one to one, and allow time to discuss changes, and for people to express their opinions and feelings. It may seem counter-intuitive to allow people to express negative emotions or reactions to change, but actually, research shows time and again, people hate not being listened to far more than change. In many cases, your staff probably realise deep down change is inevitable and actually necessary, but ignoring their views only serves to make them feel de-valued. So provide opportunities to allow your staff to have their say, but within a framework which helps to focus on solutions and positive actions.



And think about how you increase this communication too. Wherever possible, face to face always beats any other form of communication when there's tricky stuff going on. No matter how uncomfortable it might be, wherever possible provide more face to face contact. And a word of caution - be very sparing with the use of e-mail, particularly if you need to communicate something you know might provoke strong reaction. I know you're busy - and e-mail is a fast and simple way of communicating, but it's the most easily misconstrued form of communication, and the fallout from a poorly communicated e-mail message will probably end up taking far more of your time and focus than setting up a face to face meeting might have done.



3. Plan a strategy for change



People react to change in different ways. The better you know your staff, the more observant you are about how they are reacting in times of massive change, the more able you are to plan how you are going to handle the situation.



So, for example, you will have the cynics, and the negative activists; you will have those who recognise there may be opportunities or who even champion the changes, and you will have the "fence-sitters" - those who could be swayed either way.



Your prime job is to know where each of your staff sits on the spectrum of emotional reaction - and to consider how you can move as many of them as possible over to feeling more positive than negative and more hopeful than helpless.



For example; how could you utlise your staff who you know are champions of the changes, or who have had positive experiences, to support or influence the cynics or the "fence-sitters"? Which of your team might you need to spend a little more time with? Taking just a little time out to consider how you might plan your approach, can save you time, money and hassle, further down the road, and maintain better employee engagement..



Successful change management is less about managing the physical changes, and far more about managing the very normal, human emotional reactions to change in a way which helps people focus on the positives, and remain engaged, confident and solution focused.





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Shona Garner is an experienced Executive and Business Coach, specialising in helping managers build top performing teams, and increase their own standing in the organisation. For a straight talking, practical guide to the top four secrets of every outstanding manager, visit www.increasingmanagerialsuccess.com/freereport.php

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Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Leaky Brain?

Many in the autism community, especially those interested in biomedical solutions are familiar with the concept of leaky gut or intestinal hyper permeability. Many however, are not familiar with the concept of a leaky brain. I was asked the other day by the mom of a child with ADHD if she should give her child GABA, gama amino butyric acid, to help. The thought being if we could get him to calm down then we could get more out of the hemispheric integration therapy sessions he was participating in. In order to get the most benefit from hemispheric integration therapy the patient must be able to participate in the treatment program. That is, the more he can do, the more we can do for him and the better it works. In this particular case, the child's attention span is so short that it is difficult to get him to perform a particular therapeutic exercise long enough for it to be of benefit to him. This led me to discuss GABA, the GABA challenge and a leaky brain.

GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Inhibitory meaning that it encourages nerve cells not to fire, as opposed to excitatory which encourages neurons to fire. Thus, GABA supplements have the reputation of acting as a calming agent. This was the rationale behind the mom's suggestion to give him GABA before his treatments in order to calm him down and thus we could get more work done during the time of his treatment sessions.

The problem with this theory is that our brains are considered very precious and therefore have a special barrier to protect them from substances circulating in the blood and the rest of the body. This is called the blood brain barrier. The blood brain barrier is semipermeable meaning that it allows some substances to get through while prevents other substances from crossing over to the environment of the brain. Therefore, the blood brain functions to protect the brain from foreign substances circulating in the blood that could be harmful to the brain. This semipermeable function is similar to the way the intestinal barrier that acts as a screening portal of entry from the outside world to the body. For example, the blood brain barrier is very effective in protecting the brain from bacterial agents in the blood and body. These bacterial agents are screened out by the blood brain barrier and not allowed to cross into the environment of the brain making infections of the brain very rare. There is an issue when the semi-perm permeable blood brain barrier becomes too permeable and allows substances that should not pass through to the brain, into the brain and its environment. This is obviously of significant importance when dealing with patients on the autism spectrum.

In the case of testing for a leaky gut barrier we give the patient two sugars in a solution to drink. One sugar should be absorbed and one sugar should not. We then collect the patient's urine. If the sugar that should not have been absorbed appears in the urine then the gut barrier was not doing its job and is leaky. To test for a leaky brain or hyper permeable blood brain barrier we use a similar concept. This is called the GABA challenge. GABA taken orally should not be able to cross the blood brain barrier assuming that the barrier is intact. That is, when the doorman of the brain(the barrier) is at the door deciding who gets to go in and who should be kept out, GABA should be kept out. A healthy blood brain barrier should not allow GABA to cross into the environment of the brain. It is impractical to measure cerebral spinal fluid before and after administering GABA to see if there has been a significant change. However we do know the effects of GABA and we can observe for those. That is to say, if GABA did cross the blood brain barrier we would expect to see a calming effect on the individual who took the GABA. This is the basis for the GABA challenge. A GABA supplement is given to the patient and if within a two-hour period the patient becomes more relaxed, then we make the assumption that the GABA crossed the blood brain barrier and had its inhibitory/calming effect. This suggests a leaky blood brain barrier.

So the leaky brain may answer the question as to why some people take GABA and it has a calming effect, while the same GABA does not have any effect on others. Therefore, in this case, if mom gives her son some GABA in order to calm him down so that we may have more effective hemispheric integration therapy sessions with the child and this is effective, then we have unearthed another problem. Although this may help us have more effective sessions, we will have discovered the issue of a leaky blood brain barrier. A leaky brain is a serious problem which needs to be dealt with particularly in relation to autism spectrum disorders. We do not want a weak blood brain barrier leaving the brain susceptible potential bacteria, toxins and inflammatory reactions.

As always, these illustrations are simplified examples with many other factors that need to be taken into consideration and performing tests such as a GABA challenge should only be done with appropriate physician supervision.

Dr Nelson Mane is a chiropractic physician certified in both chiropractic orthopedics and neurology. He has sub specialty training in childhood neurobehavioral disorders as well as vestibular disorders and electro diagnostics. He was one of 11 doctors out of 60,000 chosen by the American Chiropractic Association to start the first Chiropractic neurology board back in 1989.Dr Mane is a D.A.N (Defeat Autism Now) doctor. He is considered a pioneer in the use of Hemispheric Integration Therapy for the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders. For more information regarding Dr. Nelson Mane and his unique approach combining functional medicine with Hemispheric Integration Therapy go to www.Hitautism.com.



For more information about Dr. Nelson Mane, D.C. and his treatment approach for ASD go to http://www.manecenter.com/ADHD.htm.

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The Advantages of Steel Buildings

Use of steel as a construction material has seen phenomenal growth in the last few years. Although steel buildings have been used in the commercial and industrial sectors for a long time, they are increasingly gracing the skylines of countries all over the world.

Use of metals in construction began in the 1700's with the use of iron columns within walls. Iron beams and columns became a common feature in large industrial buildings over the years. Ever since Sir Henry Basserner invented steel in 1855, it has become an integral part of bridges, pipelines and even skyscrapers. Various difficulties with the use of wood, such as its expense and the impact its use has on the environment, have contributed to the popularity of steel.

Steel buildings offer many advantages. They are usually constructed much faster than buildings using other materials; the costs are usually lower compared to traditional building methods; they are lighter weight; they are easier to maintain; and they carry a reduced risk of fire. Moreover, steel is 66% recyclable, which makes it an especially cost-effective and environmentally sound alternative to any other construction material. Above all, strength is a major plus for steel. Steel structures can withstand unfavorable weather conditions such as hurricanes, high winds, heavy snow and even earthquakes. They are also resistant to termites, creeping, cracks, splitting and rotting, thus increasing durability.

Even though steel framed homes are still slightly more expensive than traditional wood-based buildings, savings from the fact that they are more energy-efficient and reduced maintenance make them an attractive alternative. Besides, they can be given a conventional look by covering them with traditional building materials like bricks, siding or stucco. There are various benefits such as lower insurance costs (since risk of fire is lower), lower assembly and labor costs, and decreased material costs due to prefabricated designing. Modern technologies have also influenced the growth of the steel building systems industry since it can be used for better design and fabrication.

Steel building products, including steel frames, are made of recycled steel. No less than 28% of steel frames are recycled steel, which can then be recycled in turn. This is better for the environment than wood, as it is estimated that a typical 2000-square-foot home uses the wood from around almost 50 trees. The same house, when built with steel, requires only about six scrapped automobiles.

Steel Buildings Info provides detailed information about commercial, pre-fabricated, and pre-engineered steel buildings, steel storage buildings, and steel building kits. Steel Buildings Info is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.

Video Source: Youtube

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Brave New World w/Stephen Hawking Episode 4: ENVIRONMENT - Full/HD

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Vent A Hood - Performance Matters When it Comes to Fire Safety

Fire Safe for 75 Years

By James Aitchison

The air all around us gives and supports our very lives, so it is natural to give much thought to how we can better control our indoor air quality and safety; and no one has done this better than Vent-A-Hood . Good cooking ventilation systems must also help to protect our lives, homes and their furnishings from the byproducts of cooking. Amongst the variable elements that cooking produces, it is the management of grease and grease vapors that are of primary concern as they can present a significant fire hazard if they are not properly contained and removed.

Number of home fires your household can expect in an average lifetime: (5)

What can you do to prevent fires?

Preventing fires: Cooking is the number one cause of home fires. The biggest reason is that people start to cook something on the stove and forget it's there. The Home safety Council regularly publishes excellent safety tips to help families to be safer. Everyone should review and implement these recommendations to help avoid a catastrophic fire.

Containing fires: In the event that a flame does erupt from a pan or the cooking surface, containment or prevention of a secondary fire becomes extremely important as this creates the most damage and can threaten lives. This is where the focus shifts to grease—specifically grease extraction efficiency and grease removal.

The average American household produces approximately (9 Quarts of Grease per Year). If grease is not removed efficiently near the source, it accumulates on surrounding surfaces and into the ducting which can lead to a duct and attic fire.

Filters keep grease in harm’s way

The major problem with “filters” has been their tendency to catch on fire. The filter holds or stores the grease right above or near the cooking surface as well as lint particles which serve as a candle wick helping to ignite grease. Filters have shown to have a variable grease extraction of 5% to 60%; but even if a filter collected 100% of the grease, it would only store this grease in harm’s way. In essence, the more successful the filter is, the more flammable. In terms of safety, this is a considerable law of diminishing return that deserves everyone’s attention.

Vent-A-Hood - Setting the Standard Quality ‘Fire Safety’ Assurance

The selection of the ventilation equipment in your home is just as important at the selection of the range.

Grease Extraction Efficiency

The Magic Lung® ensures that the wide open inviting canopy and not surrounding kitchen elements is being used as a vapor collection area. This allows the blower system to utilize the advanced centrifugal action of the blower wheel to extract 99% of the grease 100% of the time. Additionally, it remains the only centrifuge, residential ventilation system on the market today shown to prevent fire from spreading to the rest of the home.

The Magic Lung (Keeps grease ‘Out of Harm’s Way’)

As opposed to having flammable, greasy filters that reside above or near the cooking surface, the Magic Lung keeps grease out of harm’s way by storing it within an ‘easy to clean’ tray. The Vent-A-Hood Magic Lung requires no filters because its patented, advanced technology allows it to intelligently separate the grease from the hot air coming off the cooking surface and deposits it safely in the blower housing.

Vent-A-Hood – Proud to be the choice of Fire Departments

Vent-A-Hood has never received a report of an attic or wall fire when a Vent-A-Hood range hood with the Magic Lung blower system was in use. In fact, fire experts have reported that the Magic Lung has actually prevented fires from consuming homes because it does not provide the same vehicle for travel as seen with conventional filtered ventilation systems.

From your cooking load to the right hood coverage of the cooking surface, there are many things that should be considered when determining the best kitchen ventilation system for your home and Vent-A-Hood is still the only manufacturer that guarantees 100% smoke and grease removal on all range hood options when properly specified and installed.

**URGENT:POPE CALLS FOR ALL PEOPLES TO UNITE FOR SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT

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Alberta's Education System

In Canada, each Province and Territory has jurisdiction over its own education system. Public education is free to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents aged less than 20 years.

Parents are responsible for providing school supplies, school uniforms are not worn but Band and Sports uniforms are also the parent's responsibility. In Alberta, students are legally required to attend school between the ages of 6 and 16 years.

It is extremely important that you find out when the registration period is to ensure that your kids get the places at the schools you want. The registration normally takes place several months before the year starts (I.E. register in Feb. for September). Contact the particular school to find out the precise details. There may well be an administration fee charged to register your child!

There are a number of different types of schooling options available for your child’s education in Alberta. The choices are: Public, French immersion, Catholic, Francophone, Charter and Private Schools. Parents also have the option of home schooling their children.

Each school has its own attendance area; school boards are required to provide transportation for students that live more than 2.4 kilometers away. There may be a charge for this which you can expect to have to pay before the start of each school year. Your child does not have to enroll in the school in your attendance area as you may choose to enroll them elsewhere. However, the parents would then be responsible for transportation to and from school. Also, a percentage of the local taxes that every resident has to pay are paid to the school system of your choice (catholic, public etc.) in your catchment area.

The school year usually runs from the beginning of September through to June 30th. However, there may be variations to this from system to system. Most schools close down for the months of July and August as well as breaks at Christmas and Easter.

Preschool and Kindergarten

Schooling can start as early as 3 years old, at preschool. These tend to be privately run; therefore, you have to pay for them. Most children will attend pre-school until they are five years old.

Children's Services set standards for day care, nursery schools, drop in centers and family day homes. This ensures the health and safety and well-being of the children that attend these facilities.

Kindergarten generally starts at the age of 5 years, although some school boards have different age cut off dates. The student will attend 5 days of either morning or afternoon classes. Kindergarten has 400 instructional hours per year. It is normally part of the school that your child will attend in Grade 1 and is good preparation for full time school.

If your kid(s) are around this age be sure to find out about vaccinations. There will be standard Vaccinations offered that schools MAY insist on being up to date before they start school. Check with your chosen school for more details.

This age or younger is a very good time to think about saving for your child's post secondary education. Fees for post secondary education in Alberta are very expensive. There is a savings plan available in which the Federal Government will input a percentage of your contributions. These are called Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP).

Elementary and High School

Children start Elementary school at the age of 6 years (Grade 1) and stay there until they are 12 years old(Grade 6). There are certain subjects that are required in these grades; these include Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Art and Music, Health and Physical Education. There are also optional courses available; these vary from school to school.

Some school boards have a middle school for grades 5 to 8. If there is no middle school structure the children move on to junior high for Grades 7 to 9. (12 to 15 years)

Finally, there is Senior high school; this is for grades 10 - 12(15 - 18 years old). To graduate from high school, students need to achieve 100 credits. Credits are given for different subjects and courses that the student can take.

High schools also offer many different choices for students to help them to prepare for further education in Alberta.

Schools do not have to teach a second language, however many schools offer various language courses. Students are encouraged to learn French, Canada's other official language. Depending on the school there are many other second language courses available.

There are three types of language courses offered:

Immersion - this is where French is mainly used during the school day to teach the pupils. At elementary level it is used for 50 - 100 % of the day and 40 - 80% at the secondary level. You do not have to have French speaking parents to enroll in French immersion.

Bi-lingual - in which the language is used 25-50% of the time.

Second language programs - in which a particular language is taught as a course.

Transfer from abroad

Students who are new to education in Alberta and are from a foreign (non Canadian curriculum) school system should submit an official statement of previous standing, such as a report card to the school they want to enroll in. You should also have the previous school records and transcripts, copies of course outlines and content.

After considering a number of factors including the students age, records and test results they will be placed in the appropriate grade.

Post Secondary Education

Post Secondary education in Alberta has a wide variety of institutes to choose from:

There are publicly funded colleges which are located at many different places. The courses that these colleges offer include academic upgrading, job readiness, apprenticeship certificate and diplomas.

The two main technical institutions of Alberta are North Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) which is located in Edmonton and South Alberta Institute of Alberta (SAIT) located in Calgary offer certificate, diploma's, apprenticeship and continuing education in Alberta that are tailored to workplace requirements.

Three campus based universities, University of Alberta (Edmonton), University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge and one distance learning university, the University of Athabasca. There are also seven private colleges that are accredited to grant degrees at University level.

Another type of course available is the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training System which is an industry and government partnership that ensures a highly skilled workforce in 54 designated trades. There are also scholarships available in this system.

Student loans, numbers and permits

As with all of Canada, the Post Secondary education in Alberta is NOT free. Several years ago, the Canadian Government launched Registered Education Savings Plans (RESP's) to help parents save for their children’s future education in Alberta. These are great if you start them early, but if your kids are about to start when you land it is too late.

In that case, there are interest free student loans available if you attend a designated post secondary institute full time. These are only available to Canadian citizens or permanent residents. There are two sources of student loans for education in Alberta - the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta.

To be able to enroll in any school or post secondary institute in Alberta or to apply for a student loan you must firstly apply for an Alberta Student Number.

Are Homes Toxic?

My husbands cigarette box, courtesy the government, lists a handful of ingredients: Tar, Nicotine, Carbon monoxide, Formaldehyde, Hydrogen cyanide, and Benzene. There are probably more to list, but the flap is only so big. Many families with smokers have taken measures to keep the children (or themselves) away from smoke. They take it to one ventilated room, take it outside, or for the ultimate and only full protection they wisely abandon smokes forever.

You’re no doubt aware of that, considering all the media attention on a cigarette’s toxic fumes. What you may not be aware of is the “ingredient list” of everything that remains in your home. There are still dangerous fumes in homes everywhere, and I’m not talking about so and so’s habit of breaking wind.

Our homes have their own toxic sludge, even sharing some “ingredients” with cigarettes, like Formaldehyde!

Did you know?

*Wrinkle-free sheets contain formaldehyde. Your mattress probably does too!

*Some bath towels contain toxic chemical residues.

*If a family members workplace has issues with asbestos, lead, or other toxins, said toxins can be carried home!

*That “new car smell” is Vinyl chloride, a known carcinogen.

*Is your house over 30 yrs. old? Until the ’70’s many paints, floor finishes, and possibly more home renovation supplies still contained lead.

*Do you have a wood deck or swing set in your back yard put in before 2004? Weather resistant lawn items made before a certain 2004 (US) ban contain arsenic.

*Most popular home cleaning products contain Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) which are linked to various medical problems including cancer.

Craig Mouldey, the Wood Flooring Guy (www.woodflooringguy.com) says, “there are many products in our homes, including plywood, the core of cabinets, and likely even laminate that uses a urea-formaldehyde adhesive.” Your furniture, your carpets, pretty much everything made by man contains VOCs.

The National Academy of Sciences estimates that 15% of the population currently suffer from Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and Environmental Illness due to the toxic environments we live in. So many home toxins are in fact, like cigarettes, linked to cancers and other debilitating illnesses. The next front in health may be the home front.

Tips for Clearing the Air in Your Home

-Avoid chemical products and cleaners

+Instead use common baking products like vinegar and baking soda or purchase “all-natural” non-chemical cleaners. If you have a closet full of chemicals, call your local government office for information about their disposal. They consider these items hazardous waste!

-Avoid the use of aerosol sprays (Includes hygiene products!)

+Search for alternatives to aerosol cleaners and hygiene products. If you’re an air freshener addict you can substitute it with an open box of baking soda in every room. You can use herbs as potpourri. For more substitutions see this page from NY’s DEC website. (http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dshm/redrecy/hhw1.htm)

+Keep up on maintenance of furnace, air conditioners, etc. Consider investing in some kind of air filter or cleaner.

+Ventilate high humidity areas such as bathrooms. In fact, ventilate the whole house weather permitting. Recent studies show indoor air pollution is worse than outdoor, even in the big city.

+Have your home tested for radon gas, mold, lead, asbestos and other more common pollutants.

+Use solid wood or at least seal any plywood or particleboard.

+Install hard floors and use very few rugs. Hard floors, which you can wipe clean, won’t harbor VOCs residue from cleaners and aerosols like carpets do. Choose stone, tiles or hardwood floors with nontoxic varnishes.

Also, when making purchases for your home be it bed sheets or renovation plans, google for product information and read labels to find out about the products safety. Look for “low-emitting,” “pesticide free,”"no outgassing” or “no offgassing,” and other related key phrases.

You won’t be able to keep out all chemicals, but you may be able to reduce the VOCs in your home by making environmentally friendly choices whenever possible. More than ever there are companies devoted to making safer products for your home. By being VOC-conscious you’ll also reduce the amount of hazardous waste being dumped into landfills when the time comes to dispose of your less hazardous belongings. As an unrelated but added bonus the time it takes to research products may prevent unnecessary purchases that would just add clutter to your home and put a hole in your pocketbook. Being toxin conscious thus has a myriad of positive effects!

Being a smart and toxin-aware shopper will help you clear the air in your home. You can make the world a little safer for your family and community.

Useful Resources

CHEC http://www.checnet.org/

Indoor Air Pollution Fact Sheet* http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=117535

*Presently includes contact info. to obtain a free pamphlet containing more household products and their associated risks.

VOCs info. from the EPA http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html

FLSA Lawyers � Fair Labor Standards Act Attorneys & Lawsuits

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) was created by the United States government in 1938. This act was set to protect the rights of workers and encourage ‘fair play’ between the management and labor. This act established a national minimum wage, created overtime pay and installed regulations for minors in the workplace.

Because of the diverse nature of the American workforce, there is special consideration given to various groups such as children working on farms. Selected terms were given for people in executive and administrative positions as well as thousands of other special cases who are able to claim exemptions to FLSA regulations.

In August 2004 the most important change to FLSA came about. Lawmakers decided to amend the document and clearly establish which jobs are exempt from overtime and which jobs are not. As a result, millions of Americans who were once eligible for overtime pay had now been ‘reclassified’ into administrative, professional and executive categories which disqualified them for their overtime pay.

Hard working Americans deserve respect for their contributions to society and should be entitled to fair and just compensation for their labors. If you or a loved one has been a victim of oversight, negligence or deceit in the workplace it is important that you contact an experienced FLSA lawyer immediately. FLSA litigation can be confusing and time consuming, and only a professional FLSA attorney will be able to get you the compensation you deserve.

Ergonomics At Work Osha Is On The Job

The French poet Charles Baudelaire observed back in the 1800s, “Inspiration comes of working every day.” Most people do work every day, and unfortunately it’s not only inspiration that comes of it. Repetitive stress injuries (RSI) are also the result of every day tasks performed again and again while operating a computer. Relief is in sight, however, thanks in part to a particular government agency. This organization is raising awareness and promoting solutions 24/7.

The Occupational safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a mandate to protect employees from being hurt in the workplace. James Hodgson, Secretary of Labor, established OSHA within his department in 1971. This was in response to the Occupational safety and Health Act, legislation he helped author. For the first time in U.S. history, the government stepped in to make sure that workers were as protected as possible from illness, injury, and death on the job. And OSHA had its work cut out for it. Construction, chemical, and agricultural workers were among the many who needed better safety standards in their industries.

But as computer use rose, and the related RSI grew, OSHA turned its attention to this new problem. In recent years, OSHA has developed a four part program designed to reduce injuries and illnesses associated with computer use on the job. The four parts are

Guidelines, Outreach and Assistance, Enforcement, and the National Advisory Committee.

Guidelines are recommended practices that are developed for specific tasks and industries. These are voluntary, not mandatory. Employers use the guidelines to identify and modify risks in the workplace. Implementing these practices reduces injuries related to the way people do their jobs.

The Outreach and Assistance component of this program is aimed at businesses of all sizes. OSHA wants companies to take a proactive stance when it comes to preventing RSI. To help employers, OSHA designed an extensive array of tools that educate, analyze, and train people regarding the ergonomics of their jobs. Available to the public for free on the OSHA website, the computer workstation portion of the Ergonomics eTools is a comprehensive guide to proper computing techniques.

Included in this section is:

Good Working Position (talks about every part of the body and what the best placement is for preventing RSI)

Workstation Components (all the technology and furniture you commonly use is listed here with possible hazards, solutions, and tips)

Checklist (a great way to evaluate how you’re doing ergonomically while you operate a computer)

Work Process (focuses on the physical movements of computer use, with hazards to watch for, more solutions, and tips)

Workstation Environment (information about factors people often don’t think about such as lighting, ventilation, and glare)

But Outreach and Assistance is more than the Ergonomic eTools. It has industry guidelines, cooperative programs, ergonomic analysis info, and success stories. It even has a checklist with tips for new purchases. It is chock full of valuable information for everyone from the individual computer user to the captains of industry.

OSHA persists in its campaign to help employers and employees prevent Repetitive Stress Injuries. If the folks at OSHA have their way, inspiration will be the only result of long hours of work in front of a computer. Baudelaire would approve