Archive for March, 2009

Shocking Facts on Electrical Safety

When it comes to electrical safety, many people in commercial, service and light industrial sectors view their workplaces as low risk environments where their safety is not at risk. Unfortunately, electrical shock accidents in the workplace are increasingly common in all work environments; not just in construction and heavy industrial settings. In fact, between 1997 and 2003 the workplace became the primary environment for electrical shock accidents!

Identifying electrical hazards and effectively addressing them to prevent accidents that could cause injuries and/or property damage is essential. You may have even noticed some of the most commonly occurring electrical hazards in your workplace without recognizing them as such. For example, lights that flicker, switches or receptacles that are warm to the touch, extension cords not rated for the equipment to which they’re connected, frayed or cracked wires, a slight burning odor coming from panels or transformers or equipment such as computers and photocopiers left on for extended periods of time when not in use.

Though these conditions seem relatively harmless, the fact is that they represent a serious risk of electrical shock or fire; a risk that can and should be prevented. How? By taking a common sense approach that includes:

1. Employee Training

Ensure all employees have taken the appropriate safety training relative to the work that they do; a wide range of training in electrical safety is available through the Electrical Safety Authority and other sources.

2. Awareness

In Ontario, any electrical product sold, displayed, or connected to a source of power must be approved by a recognized certification agency. Any electrical product that is not approved by such an agency may be unsafe and could pose a serious electrical shock and/or fire hazard. Inexpensive extension cords are a primary example; many imported items such as these are not certified to Canadian safety standards and should not be used.

3. Inspections

Electrical Inspections are required for all new electrical equipment installations and for the electrical maintenance of existing electrical installations. Ensure that all work is performed by a licensed electrician as mandated by the Ontario Ministry of Labor.

4. Planned Maintenance

Stop trouble before it starts! Plan electrical maintenance checks for all systems including production, HVAC and others; this not only helps to minimize risk it can also minimize costs by reducing emergency electrical services, electrical maintenance requirements and expensive, avoidable repairs.

Kitchen Improvements

Painting Kitchen Cabinet – Remodel, Reface or Paint your Kitchen Cabinets?

You kitchen cabinets take everything from grimy hands to cooking grease to messy spills. They really take a beating. If your kitchen cabinets need eventual remodeling, but you are short on money right now, painting kitchen cabinet may be a cheap and easy solution.

You will spend far less than you would for replacement or even refacing. And, if you plan on painting kitchen cabinet yourself, you can expect to save even more money. For even the cheapest cabinets for a 10X12 foot kitchen can easily run over $5000 and this doesn’t include the cost of putting them in or new countertops. You may find that your new cabinets don’t have the same high quality as your old cabinets either.

Even refacing, which is the process of veneering your existing cabinet boxes, and replacing old drawers and doors can cost about $3500. When you decide to on painting kitchen cabinet, the cost of materials like brushes, primer and paint will cost you a low price of about $200. If you have a professional do the job of painting kitchen cabinet, expect to pay about $1000 more.

But, even painting kitchen cabinet cant help if you have a poor kitchen design or any fundamental structure flaws. When you have cheap cabinets, they grow old and feeble just like people with age. When you have thin sides and backs, they are often veneered with vinyl paper and they can peel. An undersized particleboard cabinet bottom or the shelf can sometimes sag or even break. Rails that hang, especially on the upper cabinets, can begin to come loose as well.

You can replace doors and drawers easily, but if you have structural problems, then the cabinets are not a good bet for refinishing or much of anything else. You are better off just replacing them. But, if the damage is only limited to worn surfaces, nicks and cuts and little dings, a new coat of paint can work miracles on those old cabinets. When you decide that painting kitchen cabinet is the way to go for you, dont forget to replace your old kitchen hardware with some new, so that the kitchen will have a bright and fresh look all over.
Kitchen Improvements