In those moments, look at the upsides of vacations. They keep your staff refreshed and better able to produce. And being as liberal as you can with time off helps build staffer loyalty, something you’ll need as the job market gets better and many people start looking for new work.

If you’re hiring your first employee now, expect vacations to be part of the discussion you have before you close a deal. Even if you have long-time employees, you might want to revisit your vacation policy and see if it needs any changes, especially since the Memorial Day weekend will bring with it the start of summer vacations.

Check out these tips when deciding how many days or weeks off to give your staff:

—How much time off can you afford to give?

—What’s the norm at other companies in your industry and/or your town or city?

—Do you want to give everyone the same amount of vacation, or have employees earn it through seniority?

—How much vacation time have staffers had at previous jobs?

—What other benefits do you offer, including sick time?

If you need advice on how much vacation time to give staffers, talk to business associates. You may also want to consult a human resource specialist, who can help you find the balance between your productivity needs and staffers’ wishes.

It’s also important to have your plan in writing. Create a written policy outlining all employee expectations — that way, there’s always a reference to draw on for avoiding conflicts.

Thanks to our friends at Boston.com for providing the info for this article.

• Clean: Try cleaning your home with eco-friendly cleaning products before you leave. With other cleaners, noxious fumes can build up over time in a tightly-sealed home.
• Appliances: Appliances not in use but plugged in still use electricity. Unplug your television, computers and other costly appliances; this will also prevent any damage caused by power surges while you are away.
• AC/Heating: Keep the air conditioner or heater on, but adjust the thermostat so that it saves energy by not running as often. Shutting off the system entirely could do more harm than good in the long run.
• Security Light: Install a motion light near the exterior entrances to your home. Leave a light on in the house too, if possible.
• Keys: Leave a key to your front door and emergency numbers with a trusted neighbor or friend who is willing to watch your home and enter if needed.
• Indoor Plants: House plants can be useful for cleansing the air during stagnant absences. Make sure plants are watered well before leaving, or have a trusted friend come and water them.
• Phone: Mute the ringer on the phone so unanswered calls go unnoticed to others. If you have an answering machine, shut off the volume so no one can hear a caller leaving a message.
• Mail: make arrangements to have your newspaper and mail deliveries stopped or picked up by a trusted neighbor or friend.

Thanks to our friends at eHow for providing the info for this article.

• Keep medicines in their original containers, properly labeled, and store them appropriately.
• Have a working carbon monoxide detector in your office. The best places for a CO detector are near heavy electronics and close to furnaces.
• Keep electronics and appliances in good repair.
• Keep products in their original containers. Do not use food containers (such as cups or bottles) to store household cleaners and other chemicals or products.
• Keep antifreeze and all chemicals and household products in their original containers.
• Wash hands and counters before preparing all food.
• Store food at the proper temperatures. Refrigerated foods should not be left out at temperatures above 40 degrees F (5 degrees C).
• Use clean utensils for cooking and serving.
• Call the toll-free Poison Help line (1-800-222-1222), which connects you to your local poison center, if you suspect someone has been poisoned.

Thanks to our friends at Poison Help for providing the info for this article.

Some of the precautions you can take to avoid accidents are:

• Make sure that all spills and wet surfaces are cleaned up immediately. Do not allow liquid to sit on the ground and create a potentially dangerous residue.
• Make sure all walkways and hallways in the office are clutter-free.
• Make sure there is a step-stool available for any high areas that may need to be reached.
• Only carry loads that you know you can handle. If you are an employer, make sure that you have included a lifting clause in your job applications, informing the employee of their expected duties.
• Install and maintain good lighting systems around the workplace.
• Always wear quality footwear at work. Soft rubber shoes are good for dry surfaces. Crepe soles are best for rough concrete surfaces, dry or wet, and neoprene soles are good and safe on most wet or dry surfaces.

Thanks to our friends at Safety Ed for providing the info for this article.

Childproofing the Kitchen

• Install safety latches on cabinets and drawers to keep children from potentially poisonous household products.
• Use the stove’s back burners and turn pot handles toward the back of the stove to keep hot pots and pans out of reach of children.
• Keep kitchenware and appliances out of reach and away from the edge of counters and tables.

Childproofing the Bathroom

• Install safety latches on cabinets and drawers to keep children from potentially poisonous household products.
• Install toilet locks and keep toilet lids closed. Children are more top-heavy than adults and can lean and fall into a toilet quite easily. They can also drown in just one inch of water.
• Install anti-scalding devices on faucets and shower heads to prevent burns. Also set the water heater thermostat to 120 degrees. It takes just three seconds for a child to sustain a third-degree burn from water at 140 degrees.
• Unplug hair dryers and electric rollers after use to prevent electrocution from contact with water in the bathroom. Also keep them away from curious children to prevent burns.
• Cover unused electrical outlets with outlet protectors or safety caps. Make sure outlets in the bathroom and kitchen — or near any water source — are updated with ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), which turn off electricity if appliances fall into water. For outlets in use, especially those low to the ground, there are devices which make it difficult to pull out plugs.

Childproofing Around the House

• Use safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs and in the doorways of rooms with hazards.
• Use doorknob covers to keep children away from rooms and other areas with hazards, such as swimming pools. Be careful, though, that these devices are easy for adults to use in case of emergency.
• Put corner and edge bumpers on furniture and other items like a fireplace hearth to protect against injury.
• Place furniture away from high windows so children won’t climb onto windowsills. Screens aren’t strong enough to keep children from falling through windows.
• Make sure window blinds do not have looped cords — they can be strangulation hazards for children. Blinds, shades, and draperies purchased before 2001 should be repaired or replaced. Also, always lock blinds into position whether they are all the way up or down.
• Remove free-falling lids from toy chests, which should have a lid that stays open or a very light, removable one.
• Prevent furniture from tipping by securing bookcases, shelving, and heavy furniture to walls with brackets and anchors. When storing items, put heavier items on bottom shelves and in bottom drawers.

Thanks to our friends at WebMD for providing the information for this article.

• Install smoke detectors on every level of the building and replace batteries regularly.
• Keep several fire extinguishers on hand and know how to use them.
• When constructing or repairing a building, use fire-resistant materials like asphalt-fiberglass and masonry roofing; wood shingles and shakes burn easily.
• Create an evacuation plan and make it visible in common areas on every floor.
• Have all heating appliances checked annually by a professional — stoves, dryers, furnaces, etc.
• Try to keep extension cords and power strips to a minimum, and switch them off when you leave the house.
• Replace fuses correctly when necessary and consult an electrician with any questions you have.
• Take photographs around your home or business, and keep receipts for any major purchases – this can be essential for placing an insurance claim in the event of a fire.
• Sleep with the bedroom door closed – this can provide you with valuable protection from smoke exposure during the first crucial minutes of a disaster.

(Info provided by askmen.com)

• Access control: Many schools have replaced traditional key systems with electronic key card entry points in dorms and academic buildings. Many security companies can create student ids which double as entry cards. A good key fob system is essential for providing adequate student access to academic buildings while keeping out unwanted intruders.
• CCTV systems: Video monitoring systems are much more affordable than in years past. Installing a security camera system in your school allows you to monitor student behavior as well as possible threats after-hours.
• Alarm systems: A complete alarm system with glass break sensors, motion detectors and door alarms will secure your school after hours.
• Many schools have the benefit of employing their own police force. With live streaming video apps for mobile devices, police and administrators can monitor activity on campus from anywhere, 24/7. If a threat is spotted, police can also use their mobile app to arm the school’s alarm system.

If you are an Indiana school administrator interested in installing or updating your school’s security system, visit CSC’s commercial services page for more information.

Getting started:

• To begin preparing, you should build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.
• Learn the elevation level of your property and whether the land is flood-prone. This will help you know how your property will be affected when storm surge or tidal flooding are forecasted.
• Identify levees and dams in your area and determine whether they pose a hazard to you.
• Learn community evacuation routes and how to find higher ground. Determine where you would go and how you would get there if you needed to evacuate.

Immediately before the storm:

• Cover all of your home’s windows. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows.
• Be sure trees and shrubs around your home are well trimmed so they are more wind resistant.
• Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
• Reinforce your garage doors; if wind enters a garage it can cause dangerous and expensive structural damage.
• Plan to bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down.
• Install a generator for emergencies.
• If in a high-rise building, be prepared to take shelter on or below the 10th floor.

During the storm:

• Stay indoors during the storm and away from windows and glass doors.
• Close all interior doors – secure and brace external doors.
• Keep curtains and blinds closed. Do not be fooled if there is a lull; it could be the eye of the storm – winds will pick up again.
• Take refuge in a small interior room, closet or hallway on the lowest level.
• Lie on the floor under a table or another sturdy object.
• Avoid elevators.

(Info provided by ready.gov)

Before a Flood:

• Waterproof: It’s important to waterproof your home or business before a flood strikes. Have any basement areas inspected and waterproofed by a flood inspection service. Many security companies can also install water detection sensors, which can trigger an alarm or mobile alert in the event of a flood.
• Insurance: The cost of your flood insurance will depend on the flood risk in your area. To determine the risk in your area, you can view FEMA’s flood hazard maps.

During a Flood:

• Listen to the radio or television for information.
• Be aware that flash flooding can occur. If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move immediately to higher ground. Do not wait for instructions to move.
• Be aware of stream, drainage channels, canyons and other areas known to flood suddenly. Flash floods can occur in these areas with or without typical warnings such as rain clouds or heavy rain.
• Secure your home. If you have time, bring in outdoor furniture. Move essential items to an upper floor.
• Turn off utilities at the main switches or valves if instructed to do so. Disconnect electrical appliances. Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.
• Do not walk through moving water. Six inches of moving water can make you fall. If you have to walk in water, walk where the water is not moving. Use a stick to check the firmness of the ground in front of you.
• Do not drive into flooded areas. If flood waters rise around your car, abandon the car and move to higher ground if you can do so safely. You and the vehicle can be swept away quickly.

(Info provided by ready.gov)

• Require all guests to present a government-issued driver’s license upon check-in.
• Restrict hallway access to guests only by installing a keycard access system (key fob) on all secondary doors.
• Have at least one full-time security guard on duty.
• Install a closed-circuit television or video surveillance system in high-traffic areas and exterior entrances of the hotel. Remember, without placing someone in charge of monitoring your video camera system, your business’ security is still at risk.
• Install small safes in each room for the convenience of hotel guests.
• Regularly train hotel staff on how to use any alarm and video surveillance systems.
• Because most hotel lobbies are open 24/7, a traditional alarm system may not suffice. Instead, have your security company install more suitable devices such as glass breaking sensors, after-hours door alarms and company decals on exterior windows.
• Install a panic button behind the front desk in the event of a robbery.

CSC will gladly provide solutions for your hotel security system needs in Indianapolis and across the state. Visit our commercial services page for more info on our product offerings.

(Info provided by travelandleisure.com)