Announcement: Clean Victoria Carpet Cleaning Partners for UK Movement!

We have a big announcement to make. In the background we have been working very hard to establish our presence in the UK within the trades industry. After scheduling a lot of meetings we finally found a few trades people that were willing to help us get started. We now have some electricians, plumbers, builders and carpet cleaners.

W spoke with Paul of Clean Victoria last week and he is very happy to lead up the movement in the North East of England. He is based out of Newcastle himself but his service area covers all of Tyne and Wear. So we will now have a representative in Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, Washington and Sunderland.

We are still in very early days right now and getting things going in the UK to push harder for safety is mandatory to get our message out. After speaking to Paul we found out that when he started Clean Victoria was due to his concern for safety on the job. Sometimes there would be equipment that was not working properly that was a disaster waiting to happen. So he decided to go out on his own and no everything he does is 100% safe. So our message really resonated with him.

We look forward to keeping you up to date with our progress and if you’d like to find out more about Paul’s professional carpet cleaning in Gateshead then why not take a look at the Clean Victoria Website.

Safety Across the Pond – Time for Change!

Safety is our number one priority. It does not matter if that is a New York state or across the pond in England. Our Brothers in Arms throughout the globe should feel safe when they go to work no matter what industry they are in. Anyone that is working outdoors with electricity, machines, or any type of trade to feel safe at work.

That is why we have decided to help establish a presence in the UK. Some of our members were on holiday together in the UK and had a chance to catch up with one of their friends who runs a removals company and he mentioned that the standards for safety in the UK could definitely be improved. And he started to ask the members about the Brotherhood and what we are doing to keep members safe. He was very interested in getting something started for the UK and his industry.

From what we found out there was actually talk of starting something similar to what we are doing but everyone is too busy running their own businesses. It was just not a viable option. But now we are proud to say that we are making a move on this. It doesn’t matter what industry we it is as we are more than happy to share our experience and keeping workers safe and sharing that knowledge globally.

There are so many different industries from what was found out in the UK that don’t have the best safety standards. Such as the house remove was industry, the carpet cleaning industry, the glazing industry and even the electrical industry in the UK could use with a safety shape up.

The business owner that we spoke with that started this entire conversation runs one of the most respected removal companies in Swindon. They deal with house removals, commercial removals, cleaning and other supplementary services. And from what we now understand his company has a good safety record but he understands the industry and he knows his competition.

He knows that his competition I’ve had staff that have been injured simply because of the fact that there is no real safety standards from moving companies in the UK. This really aggravated him as one of the injured was a long time friend. The movers industry is not seen as a high-risk industry in the UK from what we have now been educated on. So that is why there is no solid safety reform already in place.

We are happy to announce that we are going to be having some members fly back over to Swindon and sit down to start the UK Brotherhood Of Moving Professionals. It will essentially be replicating what have done done to bring reform and safety standards to our industry.

We are excited to say the least! Actually we are jumping up and down. We know what our industry used to be like 20 years ago and it is a much friendlier and safe place to work because of what have we have implemented. Over the coming year we will keep you updated on our site about the progress of the UK Brotherhood Of Moving Professionals.

April 18th: National Lineman Appreciation Day

On April 10th, the United States Senate passed a Resolution making April 18th, 2013, as National Lineman Appreciation Day.

113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 95

Recognizing linemen, the profession of linemen, the contributions of these brave men and women who protect public safety, and expressing support for the designation of April 18, 2013, as National Lineman Appreciation Day.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES RESOLUTION

Recognizing linemen, the profession of linemen, the contributions of these brave men and women who protect public safety, and expressing support for the designation of April 18, 2013, as National Lineman Appreciation Day.
Whereas the profession of linemen is steeped in personal, family, and professional tradition;
Whereas linemen are often first responders during storms and other catastrophic events, working to make the scene safe for other public safety heroes;
Whereas linemen work with thousands of volts of electricity high atop power lines 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to keep electricity flowing;
Whereas linemen must often work under dangerous conditions far from their families to construct and maintain the energy infrastructure of the United States;
Whereas linemen put their lives on the line every day with little recognition from the community regarding the danger of their work; and
Whereas April 18, 2013, would be an appropriate date to designate as National Lineman Appreciation Day: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate–

(1) recognizes the efforts of linemen in keeping the power on and protecting public safety; and
(2) supports the designation of April 18, 2013, as National Lineman Appreciation Day.

Health & Wellness

May is Electrical Safety Month

Nationally, the month of May has been designated to focus attention on electrical dangers, and to deliver core messaging and themes to help raise awareness and prevent electrical fires, injuries, and deaths in the home and the workplace. We are reminded to take appropriate precautions regarding electric appliances and to work safely around electric equipment. Electrical accidents occur too often, and frequently result in serious injury or worse. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, each year there are about 31,000 fires and 200 deaths involving home electrical systems in the United States. Additionally, 180 of these are related to consumer products such as appliances, power tools, or other useful items around the house. Electrical Fires is the #2 Cause of Home Fire Deaths.

Electrical Safety Tips
Replace or repair loose or frayed cords on all electrical devices.
Avoid running extension cords across doorways or under carpets.
In homes with small children, unused wall sockets and extension-cord receptacles should have plastic safety covers.
Consider having additional circuits or outlets added by a qualified electrician so you do not have to use extension cords.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for plugging an appliance into a receptacle outlet.
Avoid overloading outlets. Plug only one high-wattage appliance into each receptacle outlet at a time.
If outlets or switches feel warm, shut off the circuit and have them checked by an electrician.
When possible, avoid the use of “cube taps” and other devices that allow the connection of multiple appliances into a single receptacle.

Extension Cords
Extension cords should be for temporary use only. They are not intended to replace permanent household wiring.
Cords should be discarded if they are cracked or frayed.
Cords should be used according to their ratings (indoor or outdoor use) and according to the power needs of the appliance that is being plugged in.
Never nail or staple cords or use cords that are coiled or bent.
If the cord is hot to the touch then it should be replaced with a cord that has a higher wattage capacity.
Always unplug the cord by pulling on the plug and not the cord.

Polarized and 3-Prong Plugs
Polarized plugs have one blade that is slightly bigger than the other. This design makes sure that plugs are plugged into outlets correctly and also reduces the risk of electric shock. NEVER shove a polarized plug into a non-polarized outlet or extension cord.
3-prong plugs also help to reduce the risk of electric shock. NEVER remove the 3rd prong in order to make it fit into a 2 prong outlet or extension cord.

Light Bulbs
Check the lamp’s wattage and use the appropriate watt light bulb.
Make sure that light bulbs are screwed in securely to prevent overheating.
Place lamps on level surfaces, away from things that can burn.
If you smell a faint burning or rubbery smell from a lamp then the wattage level of the light bulb is too high for the lamp and it should be replaced with the appropriate bulb.

Appliances
Make sure that all appliances have been tested by an independent research laboratory and be sure to follow all manufacturers instructions carefully.
Appliances that take a lot of power to operate, such as space heaters and halogen lamps, should be plugged directly into an outlet. These appliances should not be plugged into extension cords.
One Outlet One Plug! Don’t overload electric outlets with several plugs. If multiple appliances must share one outlet, be sure to use only one appliance at a time.

Water and appliances don’t mix!
Don’t leave appliances plugged in where they may come into contact with water.
If an appliance falls into water DO NOT reach in to pull it out. First turn off the power and unplug the appliance.
Don’t use electric appliances or take showers or baths during an electric storm. Using electricity during an electric storm increases your risk of getting an electric shock.

Hunt for Home Electrical Hazards
Keep an eye out for these warning signs. If any of these are present in your home there could be a risk of an electric fire or electrocution.
Frequent power outages or blown fuses. This may indicate that your home wiring needs to be updated or repaired. Contact a licensed electrician.
Overloaded electrical outlets.
Dim or flickering lights.

Sparks or sizzling sounds in outlets or walls.
Overheated plugs, cords or switches.Smells of something burning or rubbery smells.
Frayed wires or cracked cords. Feeling a mild shock or tingle when you plug in an appliance.

Relaxation to the Rescue

Are you trying to eat better, quit smoking, or foster other good-for-you habits? It’s not that hard to make healthy changes for a day or two. However, it’s much harder to stick with the changes for weeks and months. Stress and tension can interfere with your best intentions and cause you to give in to food cravings, smoking urges, or other familiar habits. 

The Road to Relaxation
Relaxation can rescue you from stress so that you don’t backtrack on your healthy behaviors. To help you relax on a deeper level, these techniques may help:
– Breathing exercises
– Yoga
– Meditation
– Progressive muscle relaxation

Taming Tension
You can learn yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, and other relaxation methods from a class or book. Here’s one exercise to try now:
– Sit or lie compfortably in a quiet place. Close your eyes.
– Imagine you are in a peaceful place, perhaps lying on a warm beach or grassy hilltop watching the clouds float by.
– Put one hand on your stomach and focus on your breathing.
– Breathe slowly and deeply. As you inhale, feel your stomach rise. As you exhale, feel it sink.
– Continue breathing slowly for 10 minutes.

How Patients are Diagnosed with Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma diagnosis typically begins with a sufferer’s visit to the doctor complaining of chronic chest pain. The pain is caused as a result of a buildup of fluid inside the pleural space; this is called pleural effusion and is the most common presenting symptom of malignant mesothelioma.

Preliminary mesothelioma detection can be achieved through a chest imagery scan (CT scan, x-ray); however, mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed as viral pneumonia at this stage because of certain symptomatic similarities between the two. The only way to definitely verify a suspected case is through a biopsy.

A biopsy is a relatively minor procedure (dependent on the location of the tumor) during which a small section of suspect tissue is removed. The removed section is examined by a histopathologist, an expert in the study of diseased tissue. Hisopathological examination can confirm a case of malignant mesothelioma while also typing and staging it. Understanding the type and stage can help doctors suggest the best form of treatment.

Thanks for reading. Stay healthy. Go back home. Or contact us.