Archived Entries
May 2011
- Home
- Blog
- Archived Entries
- May 2011
A Safer Site with Accident Preventing Signs
For many people, health and safety at work is a box-ticking exercise that they feel forced to undertake to make sure they don’t fall foul of the reams of legislation that appear to exist surrounding it. However, some may not consider just how dangerous their premises can be.
If you’re an employer, there is every chance you’ll need to consider improvements to your office or factory floor at some point. When a business is first getting used to a building, there may be changes that are needed to make the space work for you on a day-to-day basis, and if you’re lucky enough to be experiencing growth, you might feel your workplace needs to reflect this.
But an important thing to remember is that during this time there are further health and safety rules you must abide by, as any renovation projects that are taking place could make the area even more dangerous to staff members and visitors - making information and safety signs an absolute essential.
According to the annual Workplace Safety Index, there are many common injuries that can occur at work. These relate to the way in which people behave, but they also involve their surroundings and the layout of the premises. All offices and factory buildings are different and steps or raised floors are just one problem that can arise - especially if you have older staff members. So look for places where trip hazard signs would be useful and make sure these are particularly prevalent in areas around where building work is taking place.
If the project involves a new bathrooms or kitchen area, consider safety signs let people know the floor can be slippery, or there are loose tiles. Today’s modern glass and steel spaces might also have transparent doors, and while it may seem silly, these can cause real problems for some - so visibility stickers or warning signs can be essential.
What Economic Downturn?
Doineedplanningpermission.co.uk is pleased to announce that in its opinion the economy is looking up. We can confirm that as a business, we have never been busier and this is reflected in the number of visitors attracted to our website. When compared to the same period last year (16th April – 17th May), the number of absolutely unique visitors is up by 108%, we have experienced a 107% increase in visits and page views is also up by 102%. This is despite the Royal Wedding and Easter falling during this period when we normally expect traffic to decrease. For us, we see this as good news for both our advertisers and the construction industry alike.
If you are interested in taking advantage of our competitive and imaginative advertising packages, please contact our Business Development Director Oliver Henry on 0843 289 1968.
A Head Start When it comes to Working Out likely Alteration Costs
When it comes to adding an extension to our homes, do we really have any idea what the work is going to cost? In most cases, the traditional tried and tested route is to get a minimum of 3 quotes from local builders and compare quotes. Human nature will mean that we will tend to go with the cheapest or indeed the builder who we feel we can do business with. Certainly, there is no harm in this approach and one we all feel comfortable in using. However, before we even get to that stage, we need to have some idea as to likely costs, otherwise, we are raising our own hope value only to be dashed at the quotation stage when we find out that the extension is a project too far. In order to help get you started, we at Do I Need Planning Permission.co.uk have created an extension cost calculator. Whilst fairly crude, it will give you some kind of idea as to the potential costs of having that extension or alteration undertaken.
The calculator is extremely simple to use and all you need to know really is how big you wish the extension to be and whether you want to finish it with either a flat or pitched roof.
As you will appreciate, the costs do not include fitting out costs as ultimately, the decision as to specification boils down to individual taste. The calculation doesn’t include any likely fees and assumes that the extension is built on flat land and doesn’t include any potential ground remediation work and doesn’t allow for regional differences in cost.
We hope that you will find the calculator useful and look forward to hearing any comments you may have about it.
Protect Your Home against Credit Crunch Crime
For many of us, these are unsettling times with unemployment rising and consumer confidence waning. However, in times of economic downturn, one “business” that is on the rise is opportunist crime and recently published Home Office statistics bear this out.
So, what can we all do to ensure that our homes and possessions are adequately protected?
- Whilst stating the obvious, please make sure your home is properly secured when you leave it with all windows and doors closed and locked.
- When working around the house, don’t leave garage doors and side gates open.
- When working in the garden, try and lock the back door and take the key with you.
- Think beyond the house. If you have a side or rear gate, consider measures of securing these. For example, a sturdy padlock will provide a good deterrent and will also demonstrate to the opportunist that you are serious about home security. If the gate cannot be secured in this way, don’t simply ignore it but think about replacing the gate.
- Whilst most home insurance policies do not require the fitting of an alarm, how about investing in one? The fitting of an alarm can also reduce home insurance premiums but if you do have one installed, Please Use It. If you do not, your insurance company may insist that the policy is invalid in the case of a claim.
- Be proactive with your neighbours. If you are away, ask your neighbours to park a car on the drive for example to make the house looked lived in.
- Fit timer switches to light fittings and electrical devices such as radios.
- Invest in secure locks for your home – for example:
- Deadlocks for external doors
- Secure locks to windows
Yes, opportunist burglary is a concern but above all, we must not live in fear. By following some of the above steps, we can hopefully deter any potential crime and buck the statistical trend.
