Protect Your Warehouse Staff with These Cold Weather Tips

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Winter Tips

Over the last couple of years, many parts of the country have experienced historically severe winter weather. Are you and your warehouse staff prepared for the next few months? Use these helpful cold weather tips to keep employees safe and comfortable during frigid conditions:

• Proper clothing is the first line of defense against cold weather. All employees should be outfitted with thick socks, non-slip boots and insulated gloves as well as snug hats. Dressing in layers is suggested for increased warmth, but make sure that clothes are not so baggy that they pose a safety hazard.

• Employees should take regular breaks in warm areas. You might want to provide a supply of hot beverages for the break room.

• Institute a buddy system so employees can watch each other for signs of distress.

• Add supplemental heating where space permits. Never use carbon monoxide-emitting heaters in closed areas or places with no circulation.

• Remind employees to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids. They should also eat nutritious, high-calorie foods to maintain strength and energy.

• Hypothermia, which can occur when body temperature drops below 95 degrees, affects people both mentally and physically. If an employee begins experiencing shivering, confusion and slowed breathing, move the person to a warm area and seek immediate medical attention. Warm them gradually to prevent shock from setting in.

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When Nurses Go On Strike Hospital Administrators Fear the Worst

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When Nurses Go on Strike

Does your hospital have a contingency plan in place in case of a nurses’ strike? Such an event could end up costing dearly in terms of both money and patient care.

Can You Afford to Survive a Strike?

Consider the case of Washington (D.C.) Hospital Center, which experienced a brief labor dispute in 2011. Staff nurses held a one-day strike that was followed by a five-day lockout, and for that short period the hospital spent $6 million in temporary staffing and other related costs.

You and other administrators should develop a Plan B before any contract negotiations begin, even if it appears they will be amicable. If you end up getting caught unawares by a strike, it could force your hand and result in an unsatisfactory settlement.

Planning Ahead

So how do you craft an emergency plan for work stoppages? Curt Kirschner Jr., a San Francisco-based attorney who provides legal counsel on labor issues for the American Hospital Association, suggests that you predetermine the answers to these questions:

• Should patient services be reduced? If so, how far?

• How many non-union staff members could step in on an emergency basis?

• How many patients could reasonably be released to outside options like home care?

No matter how difficult negotiations get, always take the high road regarding unionized employees. They are the public face of your hospital, and speaking ill of them ultimately does more harm than good.

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