We Answer the Top 9 Most Commonly-Asked Questions About Hazardous Materials Packaging

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |Ship Hazardous Materials|We Answer the Top 9 Most Commonly-Asked Questions About Hazardous Materials PackagingFor companies that regularly ship hazardous materials, there is a lot to consider to ensure that their products are not only shipped safely, but that they also follow government regulations about where the product is being shipped. When considering how to ship hazardous materials that need to be sent by your company, it is wise to research and compare different shippers to see who is following the current regulations, previous client feedback, and most economic pricing. If you are trying to find out information about shipping hazardous materials, consider these nine most commonly-asked questions about hazardous materials packaging listed below:

9 Most Commonly-Asked Questions About Hazardous Materials Packaging

Companies typically have many questions when it comes to how to properly ship hazardous materials. Below is a substantial list of common questions that companies may be wondering before deciding on the right shipper of hazardous materials for their business. In order to learn more about shipping of hazardous materials, visit www.clsmith.com.

What Are the Different Classifications of Hazardous Materials?

There are several different classifications of hazardous materials that companies need to be aware of. Class 1 is for Explosives. Class 2 is for Gass. Class 3 is for Flammable Liquid and Combustible Liquid. Class 4 is for Flammable Solid, Spontaneously Combustible, and Dangerous When Wet. Class 5 is for Oxidizer and Organic Peroxide. Class 6 is for Poison and Inhalation Hazard. Class 7 is for Radioactive. Class 8 is for Corrosive. Class 9 is for Miscellaneous. Each classification indicates a different level of risk when transporting a hazardous material. It is important to be aware that not all shipping companies work with every classification. It is wise to ask the shipping company which classes they work with to ensure that they are an ideal fit for the products that you need shipped.

What Constitutes Suitable Packaging?

Many times, companies have a great deal of knowledge when it comes to manufacturing their hazardous materials; however, they don’t know how to package them. There are many packaging regulations surrounding hazardous materials because some packaging forms can melt if there are highly dangerous chemicals involved. When a company is unsure about packaging, it is best to outsource packaging to an external vendor that has extensive knowledge about what is required for the particular hazardous material that the company is producing and ultimately, needs to transport. Remember, that improper packaging can have substantial safety issues in the long-term. Companies should be careful with this in order to avoid employee liability lawsuits from harm caused by hazardous materials that were improperly packaged.

How Should the Containers Be Labeled or Marked?

Labeling a hazardous material is something that should be considered with care. There needs to be a diamond sticker, but there also needs to be certain information on the diamond. First, the classification number needs to be designated along with the United Nation’s four-digit code designation is a recommended approach. The label should also have some indication of which direction to store the container saying, “This side up.” Putting the container upside down is a major potential safety issue, which is why having this label on the package is imperative at all times.

How Frequently Should You Be Training Your Team?

You should be periodically training your team about new regulations in your industry. This is particularly true for those that are transporting hazardous materials. Transporting hazardous materials is risky and particularly if you have individuals driving large trucks, they have to be trained. If your organization has new employees, they need to be trained in order to work with hazardous materials. This is very important to follow government regulations. Many popular training subjects when it comes to hazardous materials are: Function-specific Training, Safety Training, Security Awareness Training, Driver Training, and Security Plan Training. It is important to regularly assess what your training procedures are to be sure that you are following current or new government regulations.

What Can You Do to Manage Your Risk?

Risk Management should be something that is at the forefront of your strategy when your business involves hazardous materials. There are many potential legal issues that can arise when you are working with hazardous materials. The first issue is related to the packaging. If you are not packaging your products correctly, you can be sued by your employees or your clients. If you are shipping your products incorrectly and there is an accident, you can also be sued by parties involved in the accident and your employees. In your warehouses, if you do not have safety protocols in place, then you can also be sued. Being aware of what safety regulations are required to work with hazardous materials is paramount to your business’ success. From the beginning, it is wise to have clear Risk Management objectives in place to avoid higher costs and legal liability.

What Is the Difference Between Shipping Hazardous Materials via Air vs. Ground?

Deciding to ship your hazardous materials via air versus ground can make a substantial difference in your cost. When you are shipping items by air, the cost will be calculated by the weight. Many times, hazardous materials are quite heavy, which means that shipping by air will be far more expensive. This is particularly true if you are shipping hazardous materials in large canisters. Shipping by ground is a much better option for longer lead times. When shipping by ground, the cost is calculated based on the volume of the shipment. This is why shipping by ground can save a considerable amount of money. The key when deciding about shipping hazardous materials by ground or air is to know the lead time of the order and how much the hazardous materials weight. Shipping higher volumes by ground usually lowers the shipping cost a great deal, which is why many companies opt for this option.

Can I Ship Hazardous Materials Internationally?

It is absolutely possible to ship hazardous materials internationally. What is important to understand is that the United Nations does have a code index about what designations need to be on the containers with the objective of promoting safe international trade. This means there are regulations in place to assist with orders that are shipped internationally. Oil is a great example of this. Oil is a hazardous material because, if combined with fire, it can be explosive and cause substantial damage. Oil is regularly shipped all over the world through following strict protocols. Shipping internationally is the reality now. One of the best shipping rates for hazardous materials can be found through shipping by boat.

What Environmental Regulations Do I Need to Be Aware of?

Environmental regulations are relevant when considering working with hazardous materials. Some products are harmful for the environment and have legislation protecting them. Other products are beneficial for the environment and are able to be recycled to reduce waste. It is important to check the regulations by jurisdiction to see which products need to be used sparingly in order to follow environmental regulations and avoid common pitfalls.

What If My Products Are Going Across State Lines?

In the United States, commerce is defined as “within a state” or “interstate commerce.” This is important because states have their own regulations and statutes that have to be consistent with what is set out by the federal government. When transporting hazardous materials across state lines, it is important to be aware of what each state’s regulations are to avoid excessive fines or lawsuits that could occur resulting from accidents or faulty packaging. It is also important to consider which states your shipper will be passing through if you are shipping by ground to be sure that you are in compliance with any and all regulations.

Final Remarks

Shipping hazardous materials is something that if not done well, can cause companies enormous lawsuits. It is important to carefully research the kind of hazardous material that you are looking to transport, and which companies work with that classification of hazardous material. Then it is best to get a comparison of prices to see how your shipping could vary by ground or by air. It is also important to roll out an extensive training program for your staff. By doing so, you will be able to lower your risk of accidents happening due to lack of knowledge regarding local regulations. Before packaging the hazardous materials that you are looking to sell, assess whether your company has the ability to realistically follow requirements and ensure safety risk reduction. If the answer is no, outsource your packaging efforts to an experienced packaging company. This way, you can be sure you have the proper packaging that is labeled according to industry standards. Choosing the right transport company to transport your hazardous materials is one of the most important decisions that you will make. By finding the right company to work with, you will be able to maximize your products, but also limit your potential legal liability in the long-term.

9 Ways Your Employees Can Hurt Your Business

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |Hiring Employees| 9 Ways Your Employees Can Hurt Your BusinessYou’d like to think that everyone you invited into your organization would help your company to do nothing but grow, but alas, what we think and what we get aren’t always in sync. When it comes to your employees, there’s always a chance that they will do something that ends up harming your business. You can limit the chances of this happening by hiring correctly, but there isn’t a foolproof method of hiring excellent employees. It’s always a risk. But just how can your staff cause harm? We take a look at nine ways how below.

Poor Productivity

The act of being present in the office isn’t going to do all that much for your business. It’s what happens when you’re there that counts. Now, you’ll know yourself that there are days when you’re a little more sluggish than normal, and thus get less work done. And your employees will be the same. However, it’s a different story when you have an employee who consistently underperforms. If they’re only working for, say, a couple of hours a day, yet they’re getting paid for 7.5, then that’s a huge waste of funds. There are ways you can boost your employee’s productivity, however — paying them well, giving them interesting work, and all-around making sure they’re engaged with the company.

Bad Atmosphere

Everyone can point to a working bad working environment in their past. The troubling thing about offices is that one person can have such a huge effect. All it takes is one employee to cause trouble and create a bad atmosphere, which will lead to an unhappy and unproductive workforce. Of course, there are days when people are off and not in the cheeriest of moods, but if it’s happening consistently, then it’s an issue that should be addressed. Making sure you have employees who are pleasant is something you can incorporate into your hiring process. Ask about their past work, why they left, and, just at the moment, see how well you can get along with them. It’ll save a lot of trouble later on if you’re reasonably sure they’re friendly souls before inviting them to join the team.

Data Issues

Your employees don’t have to be lazy or rude, or otherwise malicious, to have a negative effect on your company. Sometimes, they can do so without even realizing what they’re doing. Take your data, for instance. Cybercrime involving data is a growing problem for small to medium size businesses, and many of the attacks are a result of employee negligence. A staff member can inadvertently leak sensitive information, or make it easy for outsiders to access the company’s information. One way to combat this threat is to incorporate an identity governance platform into your business. It’ll help ensure that employees only have access to the information and data that they need access to. There’s little need for all workers to have access to all information!

Internal Crime

However, while we should talk about the very real threat of cybercrime, it’s also important to keep in mind that most crime that takes place against a company happens internally. That means that an employee you hire — and pay — to work ends up defrauding your business in some way. One of the best tools against this is to conduct a criminal background check before you offer someone a position within your company. For your present employees, it’s about bridging the gap between trust and monitoring their behavior to ensure they’re not harming your business.

Harming Reputation

Your employees aren’t just there to do a single job for your business. They’re also ambassadors for your brand, and this means they have a lot of potential to boost and harm your brand, especially if they’re customer facing. There are employees who have won a company a lifetime customer because of their polite and helpful nature. On the other hand, there have been employees who have caused a customer to turn their back and never return. If you’re hiring for a position that deals with customers, make sure you’re paying extra attention to their temperament.

Lack of Teamwork

There’s been a shift in the working practices over the past couple of decades, and especially so in the last few years. It used to be that people would more or less work on their own; if everyone did their job well at an individual level, then the whole company would prosper. Now, the emphasis is more on collaboration and teamwork. As such, it’s important that all employees at least have some capacity to work with their fellow colleagues. Group effort only works if everyone’s on board. If there’s one employee making it difficult, they’ll be the weak link in the armor.

Contradictory Actions

There’s another reason why you need to look beyond the skills section on a resume, too: an employee has the capacity to undermine your branding. A company’s branding should be watertight, which means all staff members have to, if not reflect those values, then at least agree with them. An employee who’s at odds with your company mission and branding can undo some of your good work, especially if they’re dealing with the public.

More Work

Employees don’t manage themselves. Depending on the size of your business, you’ll either have an HR team, a third-party company looking after your staff, or you’ll be doing it yourself. Problem employees will require more handling than regular employees, which will ultimately mean that you (or whoever handles employee issues) has to spend more time, energy, and money on keeping them on board, all of which could be better used elsewhere.

Intentional Sabotage

It’s generally a good thing that the internet has given everyone a voice. You’ll see the positive side of this when it comes to your glowing customer reviews. But there’s another side to the internet, too: it gives ex-employees the platform to badmouth your company. There are ways to get these negative comments taken down, but it’s best to simply stay on good terms when they leave.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire A Private Criminal Defense Lawyer?

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |Defense Lawyer| How Much Does It Cost to Hire A Private Criminal Defense Lawyer?If you are charged with a crime, then you would definitely need to contact a defense lawyer. Defendants, who don’t qualify for any public defender, need to find as well as hire their own private lawyer. To hire the services of a competent lawyer requires you to pay fee to them.
A private criminal lawyer performs a thoughtful search of a private lawyer and the charges for their services. In this article, we will give our readers an idea of how much do they need to pay to the attorney towards his services.

Factors that impact the fee of the private lawyer

As there are a few factors that determine the amount of fee that will be charged by a private lawyer, there are no standard legal fees exist. Rochester criminal defense lawyer charges to the clients on the basis of below factors.

Complexity of the case

Most of the attorneys charge higher than crimes as compared to misdemeanors. This is because crimes and offenses carry higher risk and penalties. It often needs more appearances in court, requires more preparation, etc.

The experience of the attorney

Normally it has been seen that attorneys that have lesser experience ask for lower fees as compared to specialized ones. It is very important to know that the lawyers who charge very low hourly rate can prove to be misleading. By hiring an experienced attorney who charges a higher hourly rate resolve a case satisfactorily and quickly than a fresher who has a lower hourly rate.

Geography

The fee charged by the attorneys also differs on the geographical location.

Type of representation

The fee charged by the attorney depends on the type of representation. Defendants would have to pay more for a full representation than for a consultation, or a single appearance in court.

The time when the alleged crime was committed

It has been seen that fresher cases are settled quickly and requires less time to deal with the case. So, for those cases the lawyer will charge you less as compared to the one that has become old.

Modes of making payment of legal fee to the lawyer

Hourly Billing

Some lawyers ask defendants to pay them for total number of hours that they have devoted to their cases. Defendants may need to pay for a few other expenses incurred during the course of representation. These expenses include subpoena fees, copying fees, etc.
Defendants find this mode useful when the case gets solved quickly. If the gets unexpectedly complicated, then it can prove to be expensive. Luckily, most of the experienced defense lawyers anticipate the number of hours that is going for them to spend on a particular legal case.

Case Billing

There are lawyers who charge their clients for a fixed amount of fee. This fee remains the same whether a lawyer has devoted one hour or a hundred hours. This mode of payment will prove to be advantageous when the attorney stands the dangers of unexpected complications.

Conclusion

For all those who have not taken any assistance of any private criminal lawyer before, would definitely be benefited by the information.

2019 Cyber Security Statistics

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Cyber security challenges are not just limited to large banks, credit bureaus, utilities, or other critical entities, they effect all businesses.

The infographic below, presented by techjury, reveals the cyber security statistics for 2019.
 
Cybersecurity Infographic | Tech Jury | Cyber Security Stats – Infographic
 
Republished with permission from techjury.

What You Should Do If an Employee Has an Accident at Work

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article|Health & Safety | What You Should Do If an Employee Has an Accident at WorkDespite all the precautions and safety measures put in place at your place of work, accidents can and do happen. The truth is; however, you can never totally minimize the risk of an accident but understanding what you can do to help your business and employee through this difficult time is a lot easier when you know what to do.

You might have had all the necessary training to prevent accidents but not how to deal with them afterward. Therefore, if you have found yourself in this situation where an employee has injured themselves, and you are unsure about what steps to take next this guide can help you to get through it.

Medical Attention

When the incident first happens, many people could find themselves going into shock, but acting quickly is vital. You will need to get a first aider to the scene to assess the situation and to see whether an ambulance will need to be called if it seems serious. The quicker you act, the quicker you can eliminate further injuries or problems for the employee.

Get a Written Statement from the Employee

After the incident has happened, and once the employee has received the necessary first aid treatment, you will need to fill out an accident and injury report to find out the facts; who was involved, where it happened and type of injury they have suffered. You will need all this and more to find out precisely what happened to ensure that it never happens again.

Try to talk to them sooner rather than later as trying to understand it early on is essential to not having any other problems further down the line, such as forgetting what happened.

Witness Statements

A good thing to follow up with is getting witness statements from other employees who might have seen what happened and could tell you how the events unfolded. You may find that if your employee is saying that it wasn’t their fault and was a result of the company’s unsafe work area, but three other members of staff are saying something different it could prove that the accident was the employees’ fault and not yours.

This could prove vitally important if it is taken to court when the employee tries to claim against you. You don’t want to find yourself in financial difficulty because someone is suing you. Remember this would affect not only your finances but also your reputation, and for your business’s future, you will want to avoid this at all costs.

Report The Accident

No matter how serious the injury your employee suffered was, it is essential that you report this accident to your insurance company which can cover you financially while you deal with being down an employee. You shouldn’t avoid filing this report as this could have repercussions on your behalf if the employee was to claim against you and it was your fault. The financial losses could be huge for you.

Assess the Levels of Safety in the Work Place

After the accident has happened and you have read the statements and deemed what exactly happened you will need to assess the levels of safety in your workplace. You might have found that despite the safety measures you put in place some time ago due to people falling back into bad habits of not being careful that the safety levels have slipped.

You will want to prevent anything else happening in the future, so it is a good idea to train up all your employees again with a refresher course and testing all your equipment to ensure that it is safe to use.

Seek Legal Help

If from the statements you take you find that it was neither yours or your employee’s fault but was a third party such as another employee or a visitor who caused them the injury, helping your employee to get legal help when dealing with a long-term injury would mean a lot to them. There are lawyers that specialize in injuries at work, and this law firm will ensure that your employee will get themselves back on their feet financially by taking away any stress that comes with it.

If they were injured by any of your equipment or a product that you have bought from elsewhere, these lawyers could also help your employee get the finances they deserve, on top of the sick pay they will be receiving from you. If this was the case, you should consider replacing the equipment and changing the products you use.

If you find out that it was your employee’s fault because they were under the influence of alcohol intoxication or drugs and they are trying to sue you, you have every right to take them to court. You will need to prove that actually, the safety measures you have in place were not at fault at all but it was the employees.

If it turns out, it was your fault, and they have filed a claim against you then you legally will have to pay them the compensation, and you look at how you can stop this from ever happening again.

Welcoming Back the Employee

The injury has probably affected the employee in more ways than you can imagine and so when they are ready to come back to work, it is important to welcome them back and ensure they are happy. Some people may find that even with a long term injury that they have to come back sooner than they wanted to for financial reasons so sit down and have a chat with them about how you can improve how they work to make it easier. If their job involves behind on their feet a lot and they have hurt their leg you could offer them a job sitting at a desk.

If this isn’t possible and they have to go back to their old job make sure they bring a doctors letter with them that proves they are fit to work; if they cause further injury and haven’t provided you with this letter, they could make a claim and you can be made responsible. Persist that they only come back to work if they have this letter.