When discussing health and safety, the manufacturing industry is among the riskiest. In the U.S., 5% of total workers have occupations within the manufacturing industry, and according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the manufacturing industry accounted for 15% of all nonfatal injuries and illnesses across all private industries in 2019. With that being said, implementing a safety program with the help of a health and safety management software solution is crucial, not only to reduce and ideally eliminate work-related injuries, illnesses, and accidents. However, a functional safety program can also help the manufacturing company to more efficiently meet its objectives.  While we obviously can’t put a price tag on human lives, manufacturing businesses in the U.S. spend hundreds of billions per year on workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. Investing in a health and safety management software solution and a comprehensive safety program, while considering that cost, can allow manufacturing businesses to save more money in the long run while also promoting a positive brand reputation and higher employee morale.  Implementing Safety Program in a Manufacturing Business While safety programs should be made unique for each business, almost all, if not all safety program should include these elements in some form:  Management Commitment To Safety A statement from members of management (business owner, plant manager, project manager, etc.) that they are committed to the implementation and execution of the safety program.  This statement can be something along the line of “management is committed to employee health and safety”, but the management’s commitment should be put into practice by defining and implementing safety policies, as well as investing in the required infrastructures and systems to identify and reduce hazards.  Written Safety Policies Manufacturing businesses are considered relatively high-risk when it comes to health and safety, and you should check OSHA’s requirements for written safety programs here to identify which safety standards apply to your manufacturing business.  Also, you should conduct a safety audit and compliance gap analysis to determine the written safety policies and programs needed.  Manufacturing health and safety management software solution by iReportSource can help you in performing an accurate safety audit for this step.  Hazard Identification and Control Implementation Safety audit and/or risk assessment should be extended into a functional hazard identification system so the manufacturing business can implement effective control for each identified hazard.  This aspect should include:  A system to collect and review information about hazards and near-misses, including a reporting system  A system for investigating near misses, incidents, injuries, and work-related illnesses to determine the hazards causing these issues and how to control them.  A system for fixing hazard, or at least mitigating the effects of the said hazards Communicating hazards to workers and management to ensure correct implementation of control measures Safety-oriented SOPs (Standard Operation Procedures) should also be developed to provide detailed guidelines on repetitive business processes, especially those with potential hazards.  It’s crucial to understand that hazard identification and control is a continuous rather than a one-off process. Both workers and management should stay committed to observe various elements of t he manufacturing businesses to identify potential hazards and always be prepared to develop and implement new control measures.  Workers’ Involvement In an effective health and safety program in a manufacturing company, workers should be involved both in the development of policies and their implementation by:  Actively participating in the program’s development and implementation, and should be encouraged to provide input Feeling comfortable in reporting safety and health concerns Not fearing any retaliation when they raise any health and safety concerns, for example, when they report any near misses and/or work-related injuries Safety Training A key part of any health and safety program is the correct implementation of safety training.  It’s crucial to determine which areas of the manufacturing business require specialized training, and which ones can be integrated into annual general safety training and/or new employee onboarding classes.  Having a system in place to track employee’s involvement in safety training classes, as well as their current proficiency levels and when refresher classes must be delivered is also crucial, and this is also where a safety management software solution can help.  We can use various different approaches in implementing safety training: in formal classrooms, peer-to-peer training, on-the-job practical training, demonstrations, and so on. The goal of the safety training is to ensure the correct understanding of hazards and the control policies for each hazard to promote health and safety best practices for everyone.  Reporting System and Policies If you are a U.S.-based business, you are legally required to keep records of occupational injuries and illnesses in an OSHA 300 form. It’s crucial to encourage a workplace culture where reporting accident and incident is encouraged, and employees should always report:  Any work-related fatality Any work-related illnesses or injuries that result in restricted work, days unable of performing work, transfer to another job, and/or loss of consciousness Any work-related illnesses or injuries that require further medical treatment beyond first aid Any near-misses Any work-related diagnosed chronic irreversible diseases, fractured/cracked teeth and bones, punctured eardrums, and cancer If your manufacturing business has multiple establishments, then you are required to keep injury and illness records for each establishment.  Incident Investigation System The manufacturing business should implement an incident investigation system to thoroughly understand all factors that may cause an incident. While the actual process may vary, it typically includes: Gathering data and facts about the incident like visiting and observing the incident site, interviewing witnesses, analyzing logs, etc.  Developing a timeline of events leading to the incident based on the data gathered Causal analysis using the information collected above Determining corrective actions based on the causal factors determined in the previous step Communicating the knowledge gained from the investigation process to related workers and management

Buying property is an expensive business, whether you are looking for a family home or BTL investment. In addition to the purchase price, there’s stamp duty, legal fees, search fees, mortgage arrangement fees, valuation fees, surveyors’ fees and more. Not surprisingly, many would-be landlords looking to minimise expenditure are choosing not to bother with a property survey. Is this a risk worth taking? Let’s take a closer look. Buying a rental property  First off, there is a big difference between buying a home for yourself and a property for letting purposes. With the latter, you’re not looking for your dream home, you’re looking for a property that will generate the most profit. And this has a material effect on your purchase criteria. What’s your target market? Your preferred tenant type will have a bearing on what and where you choose to purchase. No point trying to attract students to cheap accommodation that’s nowhere near a university. Young professionals may have more money to spend on a better quality property, but they will also be looking for good commuting options and a choice of local bars and restaurants. Another major consideration is the potential for renovation. You could buy a cheaper property that is in need of updating, but unless you do actually refurbish it you are unlikely to attract quality tenants, which in turn will affect the rental income you can expect to achieve. On the other hand, renovation work takes time, meaning no rental income until the property has been done up. What about the survey? Mortgage companies are likely to insist on a valuation, which you may well have to pay for even though the assessment is entirely for the lender’s benefit. It’s worth emphasising that a mortgage valuation is not the same as a property survey, and often site visits are no more than quick tick-box exercises. Of course, there’s no legal requirement for any buyer to have a professional property survey carried out, but we would always recommend that you do so in order to help protect your investment. Here’s why: A professional property survey report will give you the facts about the building’s condition, so you know exactly what you’re buying. It could be that the property has structural problems, which you might not have any advance warning of in the absence of a survey. Armed with clear information about the building you are thinking of buying, you can make an informed decision about whether the property purchase is financially viable and whether/how to proceed. Use the survey findings as a basis for renegotiation, especially if serious issues are highlighted that may be expensive to remedy. Once contracts are exchanged, any problems become your responsibility, so now is your chance to get the best deal. If you are buying at auction, commissioning a full building survey should be non-negotiable. That way, you can factor the repair costs into the maximum price you are willing to pay. Finally, the findings also provide an indication of how long renovation works are likely to take. This can then be built into your financial plans, which is particularly important if you have mortgage payments to make while the property is unlet. Which survey to choose? The right survey for your BTL investment largely depends on the age and condition of the property. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) endorses three levels of home survey: the basic RICS Condition Report, mid-range RICS HomeBuyer Report and in-depth RICS Building Survey. There’s a handy comparison chart you can download here. For new or nearly new properties that are in excellent condition, a Condition Report should be adequate. This will give you a simple overview of the condition of the property and highlight urgent problems. A HomeBuyer Report is suitable for most modern properties that are in reasonable condition. It is detailed enough to flag up any serious issues including structural defects such as subsidence or damp, and gives a good general overview of the building’s state of repair. Some HomeBuyer Reports include an independent property valuation and a reinstatement figure, which can be hugely helpful for your financial planning. Older, larger or poorly maintained properties should always be investigated by way of a Building Survey, formerly known as a full structural survey. This is the most comprehensive property investigation available, with detailed advice given by a qualified Chartered Surveyor on any issues found including recommendation and costings for repairs that are likely to be needed.

ANPR or Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems were once only used by governmental agencies and police departments to identify and track down offenders. However, these days, as security concerns have increased in various ways, this technology is becoming increasingly popular with all kinds of organizations. ANPR has many benefits when used for tracking, identifying, and managing vehicles entering and leaving your site. If not implemented and managed properly, ANPR can present its share of problems too. Here are some of the most common issues you may face with your ANPR system, and what to do about them. Focus One major issue faced by organizations using ANPR is the image clarity of the number plate pictures. This problem usually arises when businesses use the same camera for their ANPR system as they use for the surveillance of their premises. Since these two purposes need different focus values, it is not a good idea to use the same camera for both. Instead, you should use separate, dedicated cameras and set the correct focus for each purpose. However, some manufacturers also produce units that have the two cameras in one assembly, allowing you to set different focus distances. Angle of View The angle at which the ANPR camera ‘looks’ at the number plate of a vehicle is also crucial to getting a clear image. Sometimes, it may not be possible to position your camera with a direct line of sight to vehicle movement; it could be set up in such a way that it captures a side view of the vehicle number plates. In such cases, it is important to check the results to make sure that the images captured are legible enough. Even when you set the camera up directly facing the vehicles’ number plates, you want to have the camera on a horizontal level with the vehicle, or as close as possible. You want to at least try to keep the camera angle to 30 degrees or less, which means the camera should not be positioned too high. Vehicle Speed In some cases, if you’re having issues with your ANPR system, the speed of the vehicle could be the problem. If your system tries to detect fast-moving vehicles, the chances are that you will get less clear images compared to dead slow ones moving through a typical parking area. Although most organizations don’t face this issue, some, such as security or law enforcement agencies that need to track speeding vehicles, may come up against this. You can resolve this issue by using a camera with more capability to handle fast-moving images. It will not be an issue if you plan your set up well. Today, there are even cameras that can detect number plates on vehicles going at speeds of up to 240 km/hour. Multi-lane Monitoring If your parking setup involves multiple vehicle lanes, a single camera will likely not be sufficient to handle everything. Again, this will be because of issues with focusing.  If your ANPR camera is not giving you high quality images, it is a good idea to start using separate cameras for each lane. That way, you get a focused view of each lane, and so clearer images of the number plates of all the vehicles that come through. Night Monitoring and Glare Some businesses only need their ANPR systems to operate in the daytime. However, organizations often need a system that will work at night time as well. A normal camera will only give you a blurred image of the vehicle in dim light without any clear view of the number on the license plate. This is where an infrared camera comes in handy, as it will give you a clear image of the number plates even in the dark because this kind of camera works with infrared rays instead of visible light. Even during day light, the glare of the sun can make number plate images illegible. In such cases, an infrared camera can be immensely helpful. Compressed Recording Sometimes, even when the camera takes clear images, they can become less clear during processing. This usually happens when you compress the image data using the system software for storage on the hard disk. Usually, you use image compression to save storage space, so that you can accommodate more images with your available memory. In other words, you can record for a longer with the same disk capacity. However, this can adversely affect the quality of the images. Therefore, it is important to always check the images after compression to make sure they look ok. You may need to invest more to increase storage capacity instead of compressing the images too much. The most common issues associated with ANPR systems are related to the quality of the images captured. The reasons for this problem can range from the camera angle to lighting and the wrong software. It is essential to identify and resolve each issue in turn, to ensure the effective functioning of the system.

Working in B2B electronics wholesale can be challenging, especially for wholesalers. Yet, it is a growing market. For instance, in 2019 the retail consumer electronics market expanded to $1 trillion. For the same period, the wholesale electronics market was valued at $301 billion. There are many opportunities in this space if electronics wholesalers can address obstacles around evolving customer demand, unpredictable supply chains, tight margins, and short product life cycles. Let’s discuss the consumer electronics market Undoubtedly, many electronics wholesalers and consumer electronics retailers are facing the swift transition from in-store to online sales. Therefore, many are migrating towards a complete digital transformation. In the digital age, it is crucial to adopt B2B eCommerce. Electronics wholesalers who have already digitized their sales channels are seeing a revenue growth of five times that of their competitors. What is holding other organizations back? Keep reading to learn more: Slower adoption Management may be comfortable with their current internal systems and have the mindset of “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” In some cases, electronics wholesalers still rely on Excel to manage their inventory and act as a protocol for a customer relationship management (CRM) system. It’s difficult to imagine how Excel can scale to meet fluctuating customer demands. As new products hit the market, the sales team may start pounding the phones, reading scripts and taking orders. Perhaps, the marketing team sends out email campaigns to take orders from customer inboxes. Is this reaching customers where they are, on their mobile phones playing with apps? Invariably, it’s challenging to maintain an ERP and WMS with complex pricing and product variation come into play. Further, creating an eCommerce site requires another investment, and the hope it will integrate with the existing tech stack. Nonetheless, when prices fall and overhead costs rise simultaneously, capital investments are placed on the backburner. Concerning external forces, many vendor-based eCommerce solutions are frequently refurbished B2C platforms that cannot handle the complex set of systems needed for a B2B outfit. Don’t use a B2C platform for a B2B business Unfortunately, many electronics wholesalers make the mistake of thinking a B2C eCommerce site has enough features to address the needs of their B2B customers. Well, they don’t. We’ll clarify below. 1. For starters, B2B sales can be a complex process. For instance, a B2B electronics wholesaler may manage 500 or more orders from varying brands simultaneously In addition, products housed under those 500 brands may include thousands of SKUs. Also, B2B customers may have varying pricing agreements and buy from specific product lines. One customer may purchase electronic games and toys while another wants electronic office equipment. Therefore, a B2C eCommerce platform designed to show the same products at the same price would not work for this shopping environment. 2. Next, there is the quoting process to consider. Most B2C eCommerce solutions do not offer quoting features and instead are quite static concerning pricing. Instead, electronics wholesalers need the option of digitizing the pricing request and availability process. Otherwise, they can’t benefit from automation and will have to continue processing quotes manually. In that case, what’s the point of eCommerce? 3. Frequently, B2B customers are companies. These companies often buy in bulk and require approvals before making purchases. They may make purchases at specific times of year. They may also have their preferred set of eProcurement tactics. Also, they might need more complex shipping options such as sending their products to different warehouses. As a result, B2C eCommerce solutions are equipped to manage unique B2B customer needs. 4. Now, think of net terms. A B2C eCommerce solution may only take payments in the form of standard credit cards or perhaps PayPal and crypto. Nonetheless, B2B clients often use net terms and even credit. A B2C eCommerce platform isn’t designed to accommodate net terms. Thus, electronics wholesalers would have to determine a workaround and go offline to provide purchasing options on terms. How to select the right B2B electronics wholesalers eCommerce solution Unquestionably, B2B electronics wholesalers deserve a customizable B2B eCommerce platform designed for how they do business. It should be scalable, flexible, and secure. What features should come with it? Check this list we’ve compiled: Personalized catalogs As an electronics wholesaler, you probably sell a wide variety of products from numerous brands. However, it’s critical to have the ability to personalize products and prices for each company. Moreover, it’s essential to offer a self-service customer portal with the pricing structure that has already been negotiated. Also, you should be able to customize cross-sell and upsell campaigns. For new visitors, all products should display at their MSRP pricing. Customer-based permissions and workflows Since B2B customers are often companies, the shopping process should align with their purchasing preferences. Choose a B2B eCommerce solution that enables end-users to determine approvals, permissions, and workflows. Thus, you make purchasing from your site easy. RFQ automation The primary reason for digital transformation is to reap the benefits of automation so employees can use their time more strategically. Thus, an automated RFQ workflow is a must for an electronics wholesaler’s eCommerce site. Further, integration with a robust pricing engine facilitates automated quotations. As a result, you can respond more rapidly to RFQs and RFPs. Another powerful feature is quoting workflow customization. Agile checkout processes The checkout process should be personalized for the client and customizable. Therefore, it’s crucial to select a platform with rich API’s that make reordering convenient. In addition, it should provide workflows with one-page checkouts. Remember, it’s about implementing a solution that makes sense for your customers. Forward-thinking electronics wholesalers have found success with B2B eCommerce There are electronics wholesalers who carry close to 1,000 brands and serve thousands of clients. Thus, organizations like these need B2B eCommerce platforms that can rapidly onboard new customers and automate marketing. To illustrate, customers can upload their CSV forms, use one-step order forms, or opt for the traditional shopping cart process. For accurate product information, it takes a PIM integration. It also helps to integrate

In running a manufacturing business, choosing the right equipment is key to success and helps you stay ahead of the competition in the market you belong in. However, most types of manufacturing equipment are said to be expensive, so it only makes sense to be careful when making your buying decisions to avoid any inconvenience or problems in the end. Luckily, there are many ways to select the right manufacturing equipment and these include the following: 1. Check The Production Output One of the things to consider when choosing the right equipment for your manufacturing business is the production output. Consider the equipment’s performance against the cost and figure out the utilities it needs. For example, there might be some machines that are nice to have, but then there’s going to be others that are basically a necessity and no other way around it, such as lifting equipment. At the end of the day, it’s all about what’s going to help the most with productivity. Evaluate if the equipment can offer maximum production output without high utility consumption or usage. You’d want to purchase the equipment that boosts your manufacturing activities and rate of production, not the utility cost and overhead. To ensure good production output and quality, try to use some workholding devices. These are used to allow any equipment to work at its fullest potential while consistently and efficiently producing quality results. 2. Evaluate The Power Requirement And Consumption Another factor to keep in mind when choosing manufacturing equipment is its power consumption. It’s said that this is because you can save more by investing in equipment that utilizes the domestic phase. Remember that it’s expensive and time-consuming to arrange your commercial power needs from the Electricity Board in your area. Therefore, it’s imperative to consider the power requirement and consumption of your preferred equipment. 3. Determine Whether To Avail New Or Used Equipment If you’re just getting started in the manufacturing industry, you might want to invest in used items for your business because it’s cheaper than the new ones. Choosing old equipment is also believed to be one of the best ways to lessen your capital investment. Since most used manufacturing equipment is usually cheaper than the price of new ones, your company is more likely to save on costs. But you must be careful when purchasing used equipment as not all of them are still in good condition. Some options are defective, and if you’re not careful enough during the buying process, you may end up wasting some money on useless equipment.  However, if you have the budget and you’re willing to spend as much as you can on the equipment you need for your manufacturing business, you can choose new ones. One of the benefits of considering newly made machinery is that it allows you to meet your changing business needs. Also, most new models of manufacturing equipment are designed with advanced technology and other components. So, investing in new equipment allows your business to be more responsive as your business needs change and enables you to be more agile as well to gain a competitive edge against rivals. Consequently, you can get the most out of your manufacturing equipment to enhance your production output and get the job done as quickly as possible. 4. Go Over The Warranty Period Before you finalize your purchasing decision, check the equipment’s warranty period. Make sure to check it in detail. For example, know what parts that have a warranty and determine the ones that don’t have. Moreover, check your supplier’s service fee structure when the warranty period ends since you’ll have to pay for the equipment’s service each time you encounter problems along the way. 5. Ensure Durability Equipment for manufacturing businesses is said to be expensive. That’s the reason why you should settle with those that are durable and can last a long time without any hiccups. You may get the most out of your investment by having durable manufacturing tools and machinery. When choosing the right equipment for your manufacturing business, always seek help from experts who can assist you in determining the machine that would serve your business’ purposes well. Generally, durability is more likely guaranteed if the manufacturing materials come from reliable service providers like Alroys Sheet Metal and Fabrication services. So, choose providers with trusted quality and decades of experience.  6. Look At The Equipment’s Space Requirement The space required by your chosen equipment for your manufacturing business must always be determined. Having an extra area in your workplace is needed for operational activities once the installation is completed. It means that you must determine the equipment’s space requirement before you place an order to your chosen company. If possible, check whether or not it’s possible to get the required space for the equipment from your supplier first before coming up with a decision. 7. Keep The Cost In Mind Whether you’re running a big or small manufacturing business, it’s always important to keep the cost in mind. Check your budget to avoid your company buying expensive equipment pieces that’ll hurt the business’ finances. Ensure that you remember to factor in all related costs such as the price to ship any heavy equipment.  Also, try to visit various suppliers to consider the varying prices for the same equipment. After your search, settle for the supplier that offers the best deal at a competitive price. 8. Know The Equipment’s Required Manpower Engagement Every type of manufacturing equipment requires different manpower engagement. With this in mind, you should know the number of people needed to operate the machine for you’ll be needing to allocate the necessary human resource that’ll care for the equipment. Cost factors are essential to determine your company’s long-term success. So, it’s crucial to figure out the amount of money that you’re going to pay for every piece of equipment’s production. For instance, semi-automatic equipment requires dedicated manpower compared to fully automatic ones. If you want to lessen manpower utilization

The construction industry is a sector where there’s huge demand and the growth is only going to continue to rise in the coming years. For this reason, employability is essential and many schools, colleges and global businesses are developing a range of initiatives to encourage people to either train for this industry or to retain employees already in the sector. Career counselling is one way of achieving this, helping people to manage the stresses of the job, achieve a fulfilling career and gain practical advice when they face challenges.  What does career counselling offer? Life coaches and career counsellors are trained to use specialist techniques to help you with all aspects of your personal or professional life, from building your confidence at work to improving your work-life balance and helping you to forge better relationships with your colleagues.  Whether you’re new to the workforce and trying to navigate job applications with minimal experience or you’re an established professional with many years of work experience, speaking to a trained counsellor can help you feel less bewildered by the industry and more supported when making decisions about your career. Just as you can gain clarity and overcome roadblocks in your personal life through counselling, a career counsellor can help you break down your larger goals into manageable steps and adopt strategies to tackle any problems you might face.  Understand your options There are many roles you can take on within the construction industry, and it can make developing your career difficult if you’re unsure which trajectory to take. When you seek out career coaching with a professional, you’re able to discuss the various options available to you to help you come to the best decision based on your experience, skill set and interests. With your coach, you’ll be able to understand which influencing factors might be swaying your decision and whether you need additional education or training to pursue your career goals. The need to gain qualifications or practical work experience can be a daunting prospect for some, so having a clear outline of what’s required can help minimise the worry and stress around this.  Determine your strengths and weaknesses Speaking to a career counsellor or life coach can help you determine what your strengths and weaknesses are, and this is essential in developing a career that is rewarding and utilises your skills to the best of your abilities. Even if your career is on the right track, there are likely to be areas where you want or need to improve, and speaking to a counsellor can help you identify these areas and help you learn how to improve. The right counsellor will help to broaden your perspective and build confidence, so you can strategize more effectively and achieve your career goals faster.  Better mental health and balance Mental health issues are highly prevalent in the construction industry, with many widespread concerns such as anxiety, substance abuse and depression. It’s only recently that this topic has begun to gain momentum with less stigma. As a male-dominated industry, along with the stressors and rigours of the sector, mental health problems are common. In fact, 40% of absences within this industry are due to poor mental health. This is one area of the industry that career counselling can help alleviate and reduce, from helping workers build self-confidence to perform better at work to learning how to deal with stress, improving the ability to manage teams more efficiently and helping employees to find balance between their professional and personal lives.  Final thoughts The construction industry is an area that many countries around the world are investing more money into in order to encourage people to join the sector and to help fill the huge quantity of vacancies that the construction industry has. Over the coming years, this demand is only going to increase and the industry will continue to grow.  But for those considering a career change, those currently in training for a construction role or professionals already in the industry, speaking to a career counsellor about their role, whether current or prospective, can be enormously beneficial. It’s always helpful to discuss issues you’re facing, but in talking to a professional who has experience in handling such topics, you can gain an objective perspective and additional knowledge to help you make the right choices.