hit-toques.com

By Nick Jervis

A former motor worker for Fords Motor Company Ltd has received 8,500 in compensation after his hands were left permanently damaged from using vibrating tools at work. The man worked as a toolmaker for over 30 years for the company and as a result of continued use of power tools developed the condition known as Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). This condition, also known as Vibration White Finger, is classed as an industrial injury that affects people operating hand-held vibrating power tools over a prolonged period such as power drills, chainsaws and pneumatic drills. The injury leads to nerve damage, resulting in poor circulation that compounds the damage to small nerves and blood vessels in the extremities and can eventually lead to loss of function.

Under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, employers are required to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk to health and safety to their employees arising from the prolonged use of power tools. One in ten people who regularly use power tools are at risk of developing the condition. The man, who retired nine years ago from the company, said that he had never been told of the potential dangers by his employers. However, up until the introduction of the Regulations in 2005, employers took a rather lax attitude to the condition, seeing it as just one of those hazards that all workers could be vulnerable to. The implementation of the Regulations brought much-needed attention to the condition, which can have a lifelong effect on those suffering from HAVS.

Since the Regulations were brought into effect, far more research has been carried out into the effects of Vibration White Finger and HAVS and it has been recognised as a serious and debilitating condition. Again, the effects have always been known, but it took legislation for employers to take their responsibilities towards their workforce more seriously rather than just treating VWF as an occupational hazard. The victim in this claim was still working in an environment where the condition was perhaps known about, but not officially recognised as a work-place injury. Today, things are very different and repeated campaigns by the Health and Safety Executive highlighting the effects of VWF have made employers far more aware of their responsibilities to both inform and protect their workforce against the effects of the condition. An increase in the number of Vibration White Finger Claims has also seen an increase in safety.

Although not a life-threatening condition, HAVS is now classed as an industrial injury and those suffering from its effects do have the right to claim compensation if they feel that they have been unnecessarily exposed to the dangers of prolonged use of tools that can cause the condition. It is a preventable condition, although in an engineering or heavy industry environment, there will always be risks. It is up to the employers to take their duty of care towards their employees seriously and to do everything that they can to reduce the risks involved, particularly when using heavy machinery. The classification of VWF and HAVS as an industrial injury is an important step in enforcing that duty of care responsibility in any environment and highlighting the situation through compensation claims not only ensures that those who have been effected receive the compensation they deserve, but will also prevent others from suffering the same fate in future.

About the Author: We deal in a range of claims, including

personal injury claims

and compensation. Please visit http://www.1stclaims.co.uk for further information.

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Submitted by: Elizabeth Newberry

Automobile insurance is expensive and as the price of new cars continues to skyrocket, the price of auto insurance is not likely to come down anytime in the near future. If anything, look for auto insurance rates to continue their upward spiral.

So what can you, as a good Oregon driver do to keep your automobile insurance rates affordable? Actually there are quite a few things.

If you are under 25 your rates will be among the highest in the state however, if you are in school and maintaining good grades, many insurance companies will give you a Good Student Discount.

If you own a home and have homeowner s insurance or you have a life insurance policy check with your insurance company to see if you qualify for a multi-policy discount.

If your car has an anti-theft device, or if you add one to your car you may be entitled to a discount on your insurance. Likewise, if you pass an advanced driving safety course you may qualify for still further discounts.

If you car is being financed, your financial institution will probably require you to carry full insurance coverage, but if you own your vehicle outright there is nothing to stop you from buying only the minimum insurance required by the state of Oregon which can save you a considerable amount of money.

In fact, depending on the age of your vehicle, you could forego buying Comprehensive insurance on your vehicle at all comprehensive pays for your vehicle if it is damaged by hitting an animal, or if it is damaged by an Act of God, such as fire, flood, wind or hail.

Another way many people help control the cost of their automobile insurance in Oregon is by raising their deductible. Your deductible is the money you must pay out of your own pocket for an accident before your insurance pays for the rest. The higher your deductible the lower your monthly insurance payments.

So while automobile insurance is expensive here in Oregon, there are many steps you can take to keep your costs as low as possible. By putting as many into practice as you can, you should be able to find affordable automobile insurance in Oregon.

About the Author:

Affordable Auot Insurance Quotes in OregonCombine Your Car and Home Insurance Here

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Not all hospitals are created equal. Most people don’t really thing about the selection of a hospital. When they need a procedure done they often times go to the hospital the doctor doing the surgery is affiliated with. In emergency situations, people are either taken to a hospital where the ambulance takes them or go to the nearest hospital from where they presently are. People often do not even know if they are being medically cared for by a reputable hospital.If you want to locate the best hospitals in your area you can do some simple research. There usually is rating information on the hospitals in your area. Good hospitals are often nominated for excellence in certain categories. You may not be fortunate to live near a top rated hospital. IF you feel you need to be treated in one that has received top ratings, you may find yourself traveling outside of your general vicinity or even your state. It is important to make sure you have extra costs due to traveling that your insurance company won’t pick up.For the most part health insurance is regional and while some plans will pick up additional expenses for outside providers they usually do so at a much greater out of pocket expense to the patient. It is for this reason that many individuals are limited to receiving less then top notch care at their local hospital instead of seeing the top specialists at a top ranked facility.If you know you are going to need a lifesaving medical procedure you may want to check U.S. News to find the top ranked hospitals and doctors who specialize in the procedure you need done. This list will also provide a list of those regional facilities in your area that are rated better than others. Then the next step is to contact your insurance company.All in all there are many reasons to seek out a hospital that has an excellent reputation and offers the best possible care with the primary reason being of course your safety. Not all health care facilities put the patient’s needs first but there are many good institutions out there so be sure to keep looking until you find the best one available in your area.

By Sue Young

Reduce debt, how can you possibly do that? Well one of the keys to reducing debt is to pay it off. Sounds obvious doesn’t it, but in reality this cunning debt reduction technique is hardly used. Now you’re probably thinking – ‘what the heck are you talking about?’ Well let me explain by telling a story, but this time we’ll get an imaginary person to be the poor sap in the story instead of having me – again. So meet Mary, a nice, hard working, average lady with a husband and two children.

Reduce Debt – Reduce Debt – Am I making My Point

So here’s Mary, does she have any debts, yes she does. She has a $2000 credit card with a balance of $1000, she has some other debts but we won’t worry about them right now. Mary is very uncomfortable with the debt she has and would love to reduce that debt as quickly as possible. The payments eat her income and keep her awake with worry at the end of every month. How can she possibly think about reducing her debts with all of this worry going on?

Let’s switch gears here for a moment and take a closer look at one of these debts, Mary’s’ credit card. What is it exactly? Is it money? No it isn’t. Is it cash in Mary’s pocket? No it isn’t. Is it a free loan that Mary never has to pay back? No it isn’t? Are we agreed on all the no’s? If we are agreed, the question remains, what is it?

Redue Debt – Reduce Debt – I’m Trying Again

Well the answer is quite simple. A credit card is a loan that attracts interest (and boy does it do that) and it must be paid back. It lures Mary into spending money that she doesn’t have, the buy now and pay later plan. Mary could avoid the interest on her loan as long as she pays the total outstanding amount each month, but does she. No she doesn’t, it’s way too much for her to afford to pay in one lump – so why the heck did she spend it in the first place?? Because it’s so easy that’s why, and because there are so many shops, and so much pressure to have this, that and the other thing, but that’s another story, this is about Mary reducing her debts by using something right under her nose.

So how has she got into this mess. Is she some kind of obsessive shopper who can’t stop herself? Does she have an alcohol habit she is feeding. No, none of that, she’s just a regular wife and mother doing her best. Unfortunately she has picked up some bad habits along the way and the credit card is one of them.

The fact is, the banks want Mary to use the card, they want her to take it out to the maximum limit and then make the minimum payment, which will be 3-5% of the balance. And they want her to roll the rest over to the next month. That’s how they make their profits, and fair enough, they need to make a profit to stay in business. But Mary needs to be smart and keep herself in profit, not the bank.

But it’s not the interest that I want to focus on, although that can be a considerable saving when trying to reduce debt. There’s a bigger fish to hook here and it’s simply this. Reduce debt by not creating any more. That’s right, stop using that darned card. Those credit cards are not money. Every time Mary gets it out of her purse to use it, she is spending money she doesn’t have. She is living beyond her means, and she is potentially creating a debt that could take her years to pay off. Those purchases of $100 here and there which attract on average 20% interest and are rolled over month after month, and added to month after month, grow and grow. Debt reduction doesn’t even get a look in.

Let’s get back to Mary. She like many of us, has been lured into thinking that she needs a credit card to manage, but she doesn’t. These cards haven’t been around forever and people managed very well without them way back when. I think they used something called ‘cash’. They spent money they had, not money they were going to get. Of course there has always been time payment, but the proliferation of credit cards has exploded the misery of debt world wide. Mary is part of this misery and it’s up to her to stop using her credit card, her store card and any other type of card she might have. Are you listening Mary?

So back to my original point. One of the ways to reduce debt is to pay it off. You bet, by throwing the card away you will stop creating more debt and will actually be able to pay it off. Mary sincerely wants to reduce debt but has internalized the habit of seeing her credit card as a necessity, it is not a necessity. Reducing debt is a necessity.

So to summarize this long tale of Mary and her debt reduction plans, Mary needs to stop using her cards to live on, live within her means, and pay down the outstanding balance as fast as she can. How cunning is that? Give it some thought. Good Luck.

About the Author: Sue Young of income-while-you-sleep.com has coached many people in the skills of ‘How To Reduce Debt’, she knows that increasing income packs a powerful punch in this process. To learn how you can earn 5 separate income streams visit

Income While You Sleep

, and to find out more about debt free living visit

Kill Debt Now

.

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Re-visiting the primary functions of Health Insurance Exchanges navigators

by

Shandra

Accessibility and affordability constitute two of the top healthcare insurance concerns that consumers cite as obstacles to getting insured. The Affordable Care Act that was proposed to tackle these two chief problems, made provisions in the health insurance exchanges to help individuals gain insurance easily. Through a network of exchange navigators, brokers and agents, community outreach managers, the health insurance exchange administrators can assist health insurance consumers access accurate and relevant health coverage related information and enroll in the best fit health insurance plan.

Health insurance exchange navigators can be a team or network of qualified agents, brokers, and community workers, etc., who would be responsible for providing technical support and guidance to exchange consumers to ensure a smooth insurance enrollment experience to these customers. The Exchange navigators would be responsible for carrying out several important tasks

Individuals, employers and employees looking to participate in the health insurance exchange or SHOP exchange would need to ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria for participating in the insurance exchanges and health plans. Navigators would be responsible for submitting eligibility determination forms and initiating exchange enrollment process, as applicable, on behalf of the exchange applicants. They would also be responsible for providing all the supporting exchange qualification documents on behalf of the applicants

If it so happens that the individual or employer is dissatisfied with the Exchange eligibility criteria, individuals or employers can appeal again for reconsideration. Navigators would be responsible for initiating these eligibility appeals

Navigators would also be responsible for providing accurate, necessary and relevant information to candidates to help them enroll in the best fit health plan or service. The health insurance exchange navigators would be responsible for providing all necessary information on behalf of the consumers as may be required for completing plan enrollment for a consumer

Once enrolled, a navigator may be responsible for updating all consumers exchange profile in case of the event of important life changing events or other changes

The navigator would also be responsible for managing the consumers application and inform both the Exchange and the health plan in case a consumer opts to dis-enroll from a plan. Navigators would be responsible for any renewals or plan upgrades requests that the consumers submit.

For any other requests, such as, applying for exemption from individual responsibility requirements etc., consumers can interact with navigators and seek their help and guidance.

A health exchange navigator would serve as an intermediary between the Exchange and the health insurance exchange consumers. With a strong, reliable and expansive navigator network, health insurance exchange managers can help make health insurance application process easier for consumers and help increase accessibility to health insurance for millions of uninsured health consumers.

Author is a well known authority on health care provider solutions in the US. He is currently looking to expand his expertise in

exchange integration

and

insurance quoting

available.

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com

Submitted by: Jim Bassett

Just because you have signed up for your car surety plan over the web does not mean that you are going to be lenient when it comes to complying with the necessary procedures. If anything, you have to be even more attentive considering how you are actually processing a virtual transaction. Bear in mind that from this transaction, you need to get a proof of auto insurance online.

You must first start by searching for the right providers and insuring firms who can easily offer you the coverage that you require. According to the experts, it is better if customers will only start looking for these providers once they have successfully identified what are their actual need. This will help save them ample time from having to search for the right right insurer.

It’s quite essential that one will first be aware about what his state requires him to have as far as a surety plan is concerned. It is very common in many states to require their motorists to be carriers of these vehicle surety packages that have a liability provision. This is to ensure that they will have financial backup against any compensation they may need to pay for damages they have caused in any accidents.

However, just because it is only the liability coverage that is being mandated does not mean that people will only restrict themselves from getting other packages. There are other features like a comprehensive coverage and a collisions plan that will allow a person to get better and more extensive coverage. If people have the cash to pay for such packages, then they should add them up.

Once you have decide what surety plan you would like to get, you have to ensure that you get to refer only to those firms that can offer the most reliable assistance as well. Though your goal is to get a proof of auto insurance online in the end, this still means that you will do your homework properly so in the end, you get the right insurers to help you out.

In case you don’t have ideas about who are the better providers around, you can always ask others for help. Inputs, suggestions, referrals and recommendations from other people, especially those who are surety policyholders as well should help you a ton in determining who are the better firms that you should be getting help from.

Don’t forget to assess how good are the assistance offered by these providers. It will do you good if you will take time to review the years that they are offering their services around. In case you are not that sure with the kind of information that you were able to gather, you may always refer to agencies like the Better Business Bureau for better information.

Once you have successfully chosen a surety provider and have filled out the applications forms and all such other important documents, make sure that you will request a proof of auto insurance online. This way, you will have a document that you can hold on to which will prove that you indeed hold a surety package, in case the authorities may require to see the document.

About the Author: You can find tips on how to get

proof of auto insurance online

and a summary of the reasons why you should perform an

auto insurance quotes online comparison

, now.

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