Today the state police and the Department of Motor Vehicles are cracking down on unsafe trucks and buses.This new safety initiative is taking place all over the US as well as Canada and Mexico. The campaign was named Roadcheck 2011 and began today. The DMV along with the help of the state police have set up truck and bus safety inspection sites. Main areas such as truck stops and the busiest highways will be a main focus. Enforcement will be checking trucks and buses for maintenance, safety, and looking for drowsy drivers. The goal is to immediately remove violators off the road. This is all part of a bigger plan from the DMV to make roads safer and ensure that all companies are remaining compliant. Be sure to go through your safety check list before sending out your drivers. You will not only be avoiding the possibility of hefty fines but the hours of productivity that will be lost with removing your trucks or buses off the road.

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Last week, members of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Faculty Senate voted for a policy to ban all uses of tobacco products on campus. This policy will also prohibit the use of tobacco products in vehicles and doesn’t go in effect until July 2013.  Most people understand that colleges and universities have policies in place for no smoking within buildings. This new policy is different since you will not be allowed to smoke anywhere on the grounds…including parking lots, sidewalks, athletic fields – anywhere on the University’s property. Similar policies have been proposed across the country.  Any student, employee or guest  would have to drive or walk completely off the property in order to smoke. Is this infringing too much on your personal life? Is this a new trend emerging? A bigger question is how and will this be enforced? UMass officials say it most likely will be on a voluntarily basis to comply. Some wonder if this policy even work then without proper enforcement.  UMass has two years to figure out the best way to implement this effectively..until then, we will watch other no smoking ban trends across the country. What are your thoughts on this potential new trend?

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first-aid first’-aid’ (fûrst’ād’) adj.
n.
Emergency treatment administered to an injured or sick person before professional medical care is available.

First Aid Kits and Supplies include everything from Storage Cabinets and First Aid Kits to Refills on Pain Medications and Bandages. First Aid Kits and Supplies are necessary in every facility or warehouse, regardless of the type of product being produced. First Aid Signs, Labels and Tags are also available to remind employees of First Aid locations and procedures.

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I think we all know the importance of posting warning messages, but when is it too much? I recently read an article posted by Forbes.com that read “Only a moron would try to wash her daughter in a washing machine; or shake hands with the business end of a chainsaw; or light a match to check the contents of a gas tank.” Although these warnings are geared toward consumer use products, what about warning messages in your facility? Some say you can never be too safe. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry, right?

Seton is here to help you create the perfect safety sign for your needs with Custom Safety Signs. So whether you want to remind a person to save their eyes by wearing goggles while working or not to hold the wrong end of a chainsaw, we can help you do that. Visit Seton.com to Design Your Own sign online and make your work facility a little safer.

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No matter how damaged and dirty your property looks right now, you can make it look fresh and clean again with a few simple changes. Use the list below and you can quickly transform your property into a tidy and good-looking area that you’ll be proud to show off to your customers, clients or residents.

• Replace faded traffic and parking signs. Fresh signs not only look good, but they’ll also be easier to see, increasing driver and pedestrian safety. High-Intensity reflective signs are extra visible, especially at night. Plus, they meet Federal MUTCD regulations.
• Keep new signs looking great for longer. It takes time and money to replace signs. Not only for the price of the signs, but in time and labor to install them too. When ordering new signs, get them with a clear protective layer like SetonUltraTuff™. This outside layer keeps signs from fading in the sun and lets you wipe off graffiti without scrubbing. Plus, SetonUltraTuff™ coated signs carry a lifetime guarantee.
• Repair or replace bent or rusty sign posts. If buying new posts, upgrade to the flexible style that pops back into place if it gets hit.  This saves you the hassle of repeatedly replacing posts that get run over.

• Get rid of broken concrete parking curbs and speed bumps. Replace them with plastic or rubber versions. They won’t chip or fade, which means you won’t have to keep repainting them all the time.
• Repaint parking lot stripes. Nothing makes a parking lot look fresh faster than a new coat of parking lot striping. Hire a professional to stripe the lot for you, or buy a striping machine and striping paint and re-stripe it yourself.
• Make sure your parking lot is safe. Use barricade tape or orange cones to block off unsafe areas from vehicles or foot traffic. Set up crosswalk signs that tell drivers to take caution and to show people where it’s safe to walk.
• Protect landscaping. Bushes, grass and trees are expensive. After you’ve replaced any dead or severely damaged ones, be sure to protect them with security posts or bollards. They’ll keep unruly drivers from running them over and the snow plow from damaging them next winter.
• Keep smoking areas tidy. Hang “No Smoking“or “Smoking Allowed” signs in outdoor break areas or at entrances. Install bins or receptacles for people to safely and cleanly discard their cigarette butts.

• Discourage trespassers and vandals. Post signs to let vandals and other miscreants that you’re watching. This cuts down on graffiti, littering, dumping and other property damage.
  

  Take the tour to learn about upgrading your property

Seton offers a wide variety of signs, posts and pavement products to keep your property, clean

and attractive.  Learn more about how and where to use these products by taking the virtual parking lot tour at seton.com.

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Means of Egress…It sounds pretty straight and forward, but what does it really mean? How easy is it to locate a means of egress when seconds count? How effective are your means of egress? Are your means of egress up to code? These are just some questions to ask yourself about emergency exits, or your “means of egress”. If you are in charge or will be held accountable for emergency plans, you should be able to answer these questions about your entire facility.

Every workplace must have enough exits suitably located to enable everyone to get out of the facility quickly. Considerations include the type of structure, the number of persons exposed, the fire protection available, the type of industry involved, and the height and type of construction of the building or structure. In addition, fire doors must not be blocked or locked when employees are inside. Delayed opening of fire doors, however, is permitted when an approved alarm system is integrated into the fire door design. Exit routes from buildings must be free of obstructions and properly marked with exit signs. The standard 29 CFR 1910.36 Design and Construction requirements for exit routes consists of several requirements:

• Every exit must be clearly visible, or the path to it conspicuously identified in such a manner that every occupant of the building will know the best way to get out of the building in a fire or other emergency.
• Exits must never be obstructed. Any door or passageway that is not an exit or path to an exit must be identified with a sign that reads ‘Not An Exit‘ or a sign that indicates its actual use, such as storage.
• All exit signs must either be self-illuminating, or illuminated by a reliable external light source

For more information regarding 29 CFR 1910.36, visit osha.gov. Remember, there are more than just signs needed for as proper “means of egress” ; fire extinguishers, safety vests, flashlights, evacuation maps just to name a few. Check out Seton’s new virtual tour online for Emergency Evacuation.  This tool demonstrates an integrated emergency evacuation plan from the top to bottom of your building. Be confident that your employees are equipped with the right Seton products to keep them safe during blackout/emergency evacuations.

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ISO/PAS 17712 establishes uniform procedures for the classification, acceptance, and withdrawal of acceptance of mechanical freight container seals. It provides a single source of information on mechanical seals which are acceptable for securing freight containers in international commerce.  It addresses all types of security seals usable on maritime containers. Since many other industries use the same seals, members of those industries also may choose to adopt ISO 17712. ISO/PAS 17712 is not applicable to special-purpose seals, such as fibre-optic or sophisticated electronic seals.

ISO Compliant seals give peace of mind when using these certified security seals.

In September 2010, International Standard 17712, Mechanical seals (ISO 17712) replaced the Publicly Available Specification 17712 (ISO/PAS 17712).  17712 is now a fully-fledged ISO International Standard.

Compliance with ISO 17712 requires independent confirmation in three areas:

1. Physical testing to determine a seal’s classification for physical strength.
2. Process auditing of supplier security-related business processes.
3. Physical testing that earns a “Pass” grade for evidence of tampering.  Please note that the tamper test grade is not required until 1st March 2012.

The new changes published in ISO 17712: 2010 have addressed technical issues, added testing for tamper evidence and established an 18 month transition buffer after publication for critical issues.

Most of the technical changes that affect accredited testing labs, which must have ISO 17712 included in their scope of competence, have clarified test fixture designs and added specificity to the test procedures.  Also, it was established that an 18mm minimum be the widest diameter for bolt seals.  With an 18 month transition buffer, this would accommodate manufacturer’s tooling requirements and particularly to allow seal inventory adjustment throughout bolt seal supply chains. Additionally,  seals will also be required to have markings of high security (“H”), security (“S”) and indicative (“I”) on each seal.

• High Security – The strongest type of seal. Provides the most protection for shipments and serves the purpose of delaying or discouraging intruders. It is designed to keep people out or make it extremely difficult for them to gain access to your high-risk and high-value shipments. Requires heavy-duty bolt or cable cutters for removal.

• Security – The middle ground. Shows whether your application has been tampered with, but is stronger and provides limited resistance. Commonly used when indicative seals can’t stand up to an application or are damaged unintentionally. Cable cutters or other lightweight tools are used for removal.

• Indicative – The simplest type of seal. Shows whether your application has been tampered with, but doesn’t prevent someone from accessing it. Used for low-risk applications and can be pulled apart by hand or cut with a simple shear or snipping tool.

Testing for tamper evidence is the most important change. Customs regulators in the European Commission approached ISO and expressed strong interest in tamper testing and vetting of security seals. There is one main goal: to facilitate maintenance of a common global regime for security seals.

ISO 17712 gives testing labs unusual flexibility in finalizing their test procedures for evidence of tampering.  Tamper attempts must leave detectable evidence of tampering in each of three tests; three successes earn a “Pass” grade but an “undetectable” result on any test generates a “Fail” grade for the seal.  All classes of seals must earn “Pass” grades to qualify as 17712 compliant.

Beginning 1 March 2012, all ISO 17712 compliant seals must be certified as tamper evident, giving companies peace of mind when using these certified security seals.

For more information on how this affects you, visit the International Seals Manufacturers Association

For all your seal needs, including ISO 17712 Compliant seals, visit Seton.

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The microfiber mop is the newest mop on the market. We continue to get the question from our customers, “how does it really stack up against the conventional mop that my business has been using for years?”

To start lets discuss microfiber. The fibers of a microfiber mop are a 1/16 the thickness of human hair. The fibers are a blend of microscopic polyamide and polyester and are split to create microscopic hooks that act as claws to pick up  dirt, dust and grime.

Even though the mop appears overly thick, microfiber mops can actually hold 6 times their weight in water. When you are done lightly wring it out and it can be laundered in a standard washing machine. Another great feature is microfiber mops  come with lightweight handles that are also extremely durable. This makes the mop easily maneuverable.

So, here are some of the benefits to using a microfiber mop:

• No need to rinse and wring
• Microfiber is a lint-free synthetic fiber
• Mopping is less tiring, easier, more efficient
• Very absorbent so it hold a sufficient amount of cleaning solution, without dripping
• No need to re wet the mop pad so the floor dries quickly
• Significant reduction in the amount of water and chemicals used
• Studies indicate that use of microfiber mops/pads can use 95% less water and chemicals

So now what about the conventional wet loop mop that so many businesses are fond of.

The main issue with wet loop mops are the combination of chemicals they pick up. Most floor cleaners contain extremely harsh chemicals which may be harmful to human health and the environment. These mops use large amounts of water which in turn means the majority of chemicals stays on the floor.

Wet loop mops cannot be laundered. So their life expectancy is not as long as microfiber mop.

So, here are some of the benefits to using a wet loop mop:

1. Mopping the floor;
2. Preparing and changing the cleaning solution;
3. Wringing the mop before and after jobs;
4. A thorough clean by a “pro” takes about 10 minutes for a typical 15 x 15 room.

Now that we have seen the pros and the cons there really isn’t one better than the other. Both serve very different purposes. Wet loop mops still work the best for high traffic areas and greasy floors. Microfiber mops guarantee disinfecting  with out the danger of chemicals.

So which one?

The answer is here at Seton we recommend you use both to get the ultimate cleaning results for a clean and healthy work place.

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Did you know that March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month? The Prevent Blindness America website reports that “more than 2,000 people injure their eyes at work each day”. Those are some scary statistics and what is even scarier is that “of the total amount of [eye] work-related injuries, 10-20 % will cause temporary or permanent vision loss”. We at Seton want to remind you about the importance of wearing proper eye protection and posting eye protection signs in your workplace. We want to help keep you and your employees safe and offer many safety signs to suits your individual facility needs. We have a large selection of OSHA Safety Signs to post in work areas, where eye wear is required. We also have various signs for posting near eyewash stations and first aid stations so employees can locate them quickly. Remember, work safe and stay safe not only in March, but all year long.

For more info on Workplace Eye Wellness Month please visit the Blindness America website for tips on how to prevent eye injuries the type of safety eye protection you should wear.

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Many people don’t know what MRO means, but every facility, no matter what the size, performs MRO in some way. MRO is an acronym that stands for Maintenance, Repair and Operations. These are the repairs and maintenance you perform to keep your facility in good working order. Every minute a piece of equipment is shut down means lost productivity, late production schedules and lost revenue. A good MRO team, no matter how big or how small, plays an important role by minimizing downtime and keeping your facility running on schedule. Good MRO practices also create a safer work environment with more productive employees. When MRO jobs are done efficiently, with all the necessary tools and supplies on-hand, the results are attractive buildings and grounds, safe and productive work environments and a healthy bottom line.

For tips and pointers on MRO procedures to keep your facility up and running, click here.

To order MRO tools and equipment, click here.

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