Contractors, Check This Out!
If you’re a contractor, here’s some important new information you need to know.
The Massachusetts Division of Occupational Safety (DOS), with regards to lead paint, has adopted new safety standards that apply to the renovation, repair, and painting (RRP) regulations. These amendments, effective July 9, 2010, apply to work in which more than 6 sq. feet of painted surface per room inside, or more than 20 sq. feet of painted surface outside, or window replacements where lead paint will be disturbed in target housing* or child-occupied facilities**, built before 1978.
Contractors who work in facilities under these criteria must be licensed as “Lead-Safe Renovation Contractors” by the Division of Occupational Safety. A person who has taken a “Lead-Safe Renovator-Supervisor” or “Certified Renovator” course and is in possession of a current certificate of training, must be on site and in control of the work at all times. Workers on site must be trained by the certified supervisor or a licensed training provider.
The work completed must be according to the work practice requirements in 454 CMR 22.00, as well as, testing of materials, work area isolation, exclusion of personnel, covering of objects, work methods, and cleanup. Record keeping and notification requirements are also included.
If the renovation work you are completing is subject to these terms, your business must become licensed, supervisors trained and certified, and workers trained. Failure to comply with these regulations may be subject to penalties.
*Target housing is defined as any residence built before 1978, with the exception of housing for elderly or persons with disabilities (unless a child under the age of 6 resides or is expected to reside), and zero-bedroom dwellings.
**A Child-Occupied Facility is defined as a building or portion of a building (built before 1978) that is visited by the same child of less than 6 yrs of age, for at least three hours a day, at least twice a week, for a combined weekly visit of at least six hours or 60 hours annually. These facilities may be located in target housing, or in public or commercial buildings. Any building that contains a child-occupied facility and has a common area that is routinely used by a child under the age of 6 yrs, is related. The external part of the building that is adjacent to the child-occupied facility is also encompassed by the child-occupied facility.
Before You Hit ‘Send’, Stop & Think…
Myth: All emails and texts are safe and private.
Fact: They are no longer private if a work-provided device is being used.
On June 17th, the Supreme Court ruled that public employers now have the right to view messages being sent via a work-provided device, if there is suspicion that work rules are being violated. It is not a violation of constitutional rights. After a related suit in the state of California had been taken to the Supreme Court, the justices said that the law tilts the balance in favor of the employer, not the employee. “Because the search was motivated by a legitimate work-related purpose and because it was not excessive in scope, the search was reasonable,” said Justice Anthony M. Kennedy in City of Ontario v. Quon. As a result, employees need to take heed and anticipate that their information is being viewed at all times.
So, where does this leave you, the private business owner? Well, remember that this involves public employers, not private. Essentially, this doesn’t apply to you. However, all employers should adopt and distribute policies that clearly state that employees should have no expectation of privacy while using employer-owned equipment, nor should they expect communications they make using employer-provided equipment and systems, such as email, text messages, cell phones, social media, and other avenues of technology, to be private. (Stoel Rives, Oregon law firm)
If it’s not necessary for the employee to use a device to complete their work, it is suggested that they not be provided with a company-owned device. In the case that an employee does need to use a device, try to regulate what is being viewed/sent on the phone. It may prove helpful to use a plan that provides only a limited amount of texts, minutes, or internet service. Personal information should be relegated to privately-owned equipment and systems. This will help avoid embarassment and potential legal issues for all parties involved.
Prepare Now To Avoid a Data Disaster
Computer- $600; Anti-virus software- $100; Backup software and equipment- time & money; Twenty years of pictures- priceless.
For some reason we tend to trust our computers way too much with our priceless information. We load pictures, music, bank records, personal information, etc onto the machines thinking it’s all in safe keeping. Unfortunately, we forget that they are only machines and that they can get sick, stolen, ruined, and even crash without any warning. Isn’t it worth the time and money it takes to ensure the safety of your priceless information?
When you “back up” your computer, it means that you make a copy of the data to use if your files get lost and or destroyed AND that you can restore the data using these backed up files. Many of us perform the backup activity. (If you are still one of few out there who still doesn’t backup your data, please… DO IT! It’s easier than you think!) However, most of us wonder if we needed to actually restore our data from the backup copy, would it be there on the disk or drive like you thought it would be?
There are four basic options when it comes to deciding what medium to use to store your backup data. Each option has pros and cons and you need to decide what best suits your personality type and usage needs best.
- Removable Hardware- is a writable CD or DVD, flash drive, or USB storage. Writable CDs and DVDs allow you to be able to store data on a disc and then read it on any compatible computer. DVDs do hold more data than a CD, but both are good for a medium amount of data (music, videos, etc). Flash drives and USB storage components are good for transferring data from one computer to another, are portable, and easy to use. They, however, hold only small amounts of data.
- Software- where you can install it and “set it and forget it”. The good part is that you don’t need to think about backing up again until your storage runs out of room. The bad part is that you may need to dish out another penny or two to buy an external hard drive for more storage.
- Online Services- is done through online companies that keep your files protected in the “outer space” of the internet. This is a good because it keeps them safe from physical harm (fire, theft, flood), and also makes it so that you can access the files from any computer. Online backup is usually used in conjunction with backup software.
- External Drives- are small equipment ‘boxes’ that seem to be the solution of choice since they have such a large memory, are relatively cheap, and are portable. Essentially, all you have to do is plug it into a USB port, drag the files to the drive, and let it go to work.
Now for the “hard part”: You must remember to perform the backup! Some software programs can be set to remind you automatically, but you must do it when reminded, not just click ‘remind me later’!! Actually schedule a time once a week to perform that back up! And ‘just do it’!
Finally, you want to perform a check to make sure that a recovery will actually recover what you are expecting to recover. You can do this periodically. One of our clients uses Seagate (an excellent backup software and hardware), but keeps getting an error message that says something is not working correctly! Ignoring this message will jeopardize her files, and probably make her ‘restoration’ of files incomplete. We all know, if one file doesn’t get backed up properly, it’s probably the one that we really needed most! And, with any backup solution that you choose, remember to make an extra copy and it off-site, somewhere where it will be safe in case something happens to the original backup. (We keep our work backups out of the office in a fire proof and water proof safe.)
If you are interested in finding out information about specific products and pricing and reviews, go to www.cnet.com and type in the key word ‘backup software’. If you are interested in free backup software (many are very good even though they are free) type in the keyword ‘free’.
Here’s a staggering statistic- 4 out of 5 people have lost files on their computers, yet 64% only back up their hard drives every 2-3 months or less, according to the disaster recovery firm, Acronis. The reason for this is mainly because it used to be complicated and take up a lot of time. Now, however, there’s no excuse- it’s quick, painless, and simple. Stay tuned… more about data recovery and back up coming next week!
Small business owners: Did you get a postcard from the IRS that you probably threw out?
You know that you may be eligible to claim a new credit on your 2010 tax return?
Beginning the week of April 19th, small businesses should receive a postcard from the IRS. If you don’t get a postcard, check go to IRS.gov . This tax credit is designed to help small business owners like you be able to afford health care coverage for your valuable workers. If you pay employee health insurance premiums in 2010, you may be able to claim this new credit.
In order to be eligible, you must provide health care coverage to your workers, have less than twenty five full-time workers, and pay wages less than $50,000 annually. (Taxable and tax-exempt firms both qualify.) The amount of credit could be worth up to 35% of premiums paid in 2010. Read more »
Five tips to NOT losing control of your mind.
Have you ever thought to yourself, “Man, I wish I were better at multitasking! I’d get so much more accomplished.”? That seems to be the going thought these days. But with so many electronic intrusions, it’s not unreasonable to not be able to hold a thought in your head. Neuroscientist Robert Desimone, PhD. says that “the brain isn’t wired to process everything simultaneously. It has to choose which signal gets top priority.” And usually, the loudest, brightest, sharpest, or smelliest wins.
Is that what you find happens in your business? Are you always fighting fires or starting to work on something only to find something else really needs your attention? As a business owner, we must create space and systems to help stay focused on the one thing that is the best use of our time at the moment. We also have to honor the schedule, plan, or commitments we have made to help us stay focused (my personal challenge!). Although the tips listed below are ‘simple’, you might find they are not easy to do at first. Try them out… stick with them. Remember, it takes at least 21 times (or more than 30 days) to change a new practice into a habit. It may take a few months to notice the change! Read more »
Get Un-Stuck
We tend to get in our own way. We struggle, get exhausted, and give up. ‘I don’t know what to do with my boss’, ‘I can’t hit my sales number’, or ‘I’m drowning in debt’. These are all phrases of someone who needs to be empowered. Falling into chaos and feeling stuck is similar to falling into quicksand. Quicksand is an extremely saturated mixture of sand and water which can no longer support weight, and we can’t get any traction in it. Although quicksand seems to suck its victims down and hold them there, it is not a living creature or a bottomless pit. In fact, quicksand is rarely deeper than a few feet and can occur almost anywhere if the right conditions exist. Quicksand is not the all-powerful force of nature that it appears to be on the big screen; however, it is an excellent metaphor for our life circumstances.
In the movies, we watch our hero being sucked down into a pit of quicksand. Just before going under, he reaches out and grabs a tree branch or a rope from a friend to pull himself out! When we fall into uncertainty, oftentimes our rope, the structure we need to help us out of our rut, is just beyond our reach. It seems like the more we try, the harder we commit, the more the goal evades us, and the right choices become less apparent. As with quicksand, the more you struggle, the faster you sink. Fear and doubt creep in. They cripple you, preventing you from pursuing your goal, no matter how badly you want it. During these times, we need to reach for a structure to help pull us out of our stuck place.
Read more »
What Matters in Business Partnerships?
Step 3 of Becoming Partners is evaluating your values and how you handle conflict. Ask yourself these questions before you sign the lease and the partnership agreement! (Not in this order, please…)
How similar are your values?
Yes, yes, we know. You bring different things to the table, and what you are good at, your partner is not. Yes, I know you both work hard and respect people. But what about the ‘rest of the values’ that are core to who you each are? Before you jump into the partnership, can you accurately evaluate where you and your partners are the same and where you are different? Do those areas ‘matter’? Read more »
So, you’ve Decided You Need A Business Partner?
Ok, good, you’ve made it this far and could answer the questions in Part 1 (Do you need a Business Partner?) and decided “Yes” I want to be a partner. Now we get to the good stuff… “The Rest of the Story”.
We suggest that each of the potential partners answer these questions in writing.
Why in writing, you ask? Any of us can do hand-waiving and make it sound good, and even convince ourselves. However, hand-waiving will not put food on the table or keep you out of court. Read more »
You Don’t Need a Partner Until You Need a Partner
Do you need a Business Partner?
3 Basic Questions to ask Before Incorporating
Everyone wants a partner in business. Why? It seems like it could be more fun, easier, and that partners could fill the gap in skills that you don’t have. These are valid reasons. However, in the last 12 years of working with Entrepreneurs, we find most who want partners can’t articulate why. Here are three basic questions to ask yourself, and your potential partners, before spending money on a lawyer to incorporate your business together. Read more »
Business of the Business
Business Concepts is proud to join the culturally relevant masses and finally have a business blog.
This blog is going to be very specific around the topics that business owners and CEOs care about. I’ll apologize up front…there won’t be any cute discussions about our dogs or our employees’ kids. No, there is only one point of this blog, just as there is only one point of our business: We are on a mission to empower entrepreneurs to build bold and fulfilling companies and keep more of the money they make. As such, each of our posts or discussion threads will be focused on the things that are top of mind to the CEO and help them gain clients and make money… Hence the name of the blog: The CEO’s Agenda. Read more »