All employers have a responsibility for the health and safety of their employees within the workplace. Statistics suggest that 200 people lose their lives every year due to work related accidents and a staggering 2 million people suffer illnesses as a result of their work. Ensuring measures are in place to prevent these cases from happening is a legal requirement, put in place to avoid the distress of accidents and illnesses, as well as the financial implications they create.

It is important to know how to identify hazards in the workplace and control any possible risks. Companies who employ new managers and supervisors must make sure they receive some health and safety training as they then become responsible for the health and safety of their new employees. It’s important they are taught the company’s health and safety policy, where they fit in, and how the company wants their health and safety managed. Managers and supervisors may also need to be trained in some specific hazards and how to control potential risks.

It will then be down to the managers to make sure their employees understand the policies they have been introduced to, including fire exits and first aid, and how to raise any health and safety concerns with their manager.

The first step to providing health and safety training is to consider the type of training you want to introduce to your workplace. To do this, you need to consider the skills and knowledge required to be able to carry out the job in a safe and healthy fashion. Then, compare these against your employee’s current skills and identify the gaps.

You will also need to review your history of previous work related injuries, near misses or cases of ill health. Take a look at your risk assessments to see where information and/or training have been identified as factors in controlling risks and then consult employees for their views.

Managers will need to check if the law requires them to carry out specific training. If work carries a risk of serious harm or where there are large quantities of staff, training may need to be more advanced.

Deciding upon the style to adopt for your health and safety training will require a few considerations. Depending on the nature of your business, is likely to depend on the kind of training you require. Can it be conducted on-site or will you need to transport employees off site? Do you want to do a formal classroom session or a more relaxed method? Do you want to train employees in a group together or individually? Will it be computer based or interactive learning?

Only you know your company and its requirements so the decision of what type of health and safety training to provide will depend on what will best suit your employees. The important thing to remember is to make sure the information provided is delivered in an easy to understand format that delivers your key messages to all involved. If something goes wrong on the premises and an employee suffers an accident, you need to feel confident that all measures were taken to avoid the accident occurring in the first place.

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in Business Training Find out more about health and safety training and why it is an essential part of every new employees induction.

Facials and massages designed for men as well as hair removal, waxing and skin peels are all now widely available in most towns and cities. Even minor surgical procedures are no longer considered taboo subjects for men. Botox injections and the odd nip or tuck, it seems, are as commonplace as a moisturizing.

But in the midst of all these new ideas and processes there is one particular problem that men have been trying to find a solution to for as long as they’ve been looking in the mirror; hair loss. Hair transplant, hair replacement and hair restoration have all received more interest in the last few years as the male grooming industry has grown.

Recently the embarrassment and ridicule surrounding hair replacement has been largely extinguished. In part this is down to the industry making leaps and bounds in the science and technology behind any surgical procedures. The hair replacement operation is now safer and more successful than it has ever been. Having famous names openly admit to the procedure has also had a positive impact.

When John Cleese recently appeared on a TV chat show and admitted to having hair replacement treatment he joined a growing list of well known men who are turning to surgery rather than reluctantly sit back and let nature do its worst.

Sir Elton John, the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, the magician Paul Daniels cricketers Graham Gooch and Shane Warne have all openly admitted to having hair replacement treatment.

Hair replacement surgery is performed for all sorts of reasons and on both men and women. It can be used for eyebrows and facial hair but it’s the condition of male baldness that is creating the most demand. It’s the option favoured by men who have exhausted every other avenue.

The hair replacement procedure starts with an initial consultation where the doctor or surgeon examines the scalp to verify whether the treatment is in fact suitable for the patient. At this point expectations will also be discussed. If everything is satisfactory at this point the surgery can go ahead.

It is important that the patient is fit and healthy. If they are not the hair loss may be down to something more serious than just the ageing process. The consultation should flag up any problems like this. Before the surgery the patient must not drink alcohol or be on medication for any other problems. This cuts down any risk and improves the surgery’s chances of being a success.

Usually the hair replacement surgery is performed under mild sedation and the patient is well enough to leave the clinic or hospital shortly after the surgery is over.

The surgeon will typically take a strip of skin from the back of the scalp where there is healthy hair and harvest the good follicles from this. He will then use a fine needle to puncture the area where the follicles are to be planted. How the follicles are positioned and placed will already have been discussed and will determine what the new hair will look like when it is finally established.

Although the hair that is transplanted will fall out shortly after the surgery there is nothing to worry about. If the hair replacement procedure is successful and the post operative care has been good then the hair will grow back shortly afterwards.

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the medical industry.
Find out more about hair replacement and the problems surrounding it.

Although there are many factors which can assist in the development of hair loss such as illness, malnutrition and stress, new developments in research have pointed to a genetic deficiency. The androgen hormone which is responsible for pre-birth and infant sexual development has been proven to be deficient in many cases of male pattern baldness. The hereditary nature of androgenetic alopecia is seen to be passed down on the mothers side however it is believed that there are also other unidentified genetic combinations responsible.

The prominent nature of male pattern baldness is due to certain areas of the scalp being genetically susceptible to the hormonal deficiency which creates a receding hairline with balding crown area of the scalp, sometimes leading to complete hair loss in those areas. There are certain treatments that can be undertaken which have varying degrees of effectiveness in tackling male pattern baldness. Hair transplant therapy or hair replacement therapy is proven to be most successful.

Other treatments such as medication, hair pieces or wigs can help however do not have the same longevity as hair transplant surgery. The process is performed in a series of surgeries under local anaesthetic. The number of the surgeries depends on the hair transplant surgeon’s recommendations, the patient’s requirements and budget. The procedure is simple and the patient can be back to work in as little as 48 hours.

Hair transplant surgery revolves around the transference of genetically sound hair follicles into areas of the scalp that were previously genetically deficient. After local anaesthetic is administered hair is taken from a discreet location called the donor area. This is usually around the back of the head or neck area and the hair is removed in sections of follicles, usually numbering between 4 to 12 follicles, which contains adequate genetic information.
These hair follicles are then surgically transplanted into the recipient area of the scalp with follicles intact. The genetic information of the donor area is then transferred to the recipient area which will then proceed to grow providing aftercare guidelines are followed. The length of hair transplant surgery depends on various factors however many patients are discharged within 2 hours of the procedure being completed.

Hair transplant surgery is most effective when combined with medication. On their own, medications can go some way to stemming hair loss and have some effect on the re-growth of hair however greatest benefits come when hair replacement therapy is combined with the correct medication. The prescribed medication must be taken for the procedure to be effective and stopping the medication can result in the hair returning to the pre-surgical levels of receding.

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in hair transplant surgery and all cosmetic surgery procedures.

If you are reading this and over the age of 30, then you will recall that during you childhood, there was freedom to roam without fear. As children, this generation, and the ones before them would play out in the streets, the woodlands, fields and beaches for hours on end, unsupervised and without any communication. The children in today’s society, although equipped to the max with high tech gadgets, rarely go beyond the threshold of the computer room. The provisions on offer with the four walls of the family home are a much more attractive option than anything on the outside; and the parents appear to be happy with that too, at least they know the kids are safe.

The trouble is that this lifestyle has created generation after generation of kids that have not experienced the freedom of play we enjoyed as children. Play equipment in public parks has made a comeback since the days of the That’s Life team and the horror stories surrounding the playground equipment of the time and the injuries they caused. Despite this, parents want to know where children are and that translates as a preference for Playstation over playground.

Although this is an understandable stance, it is not a healthy one. It is the responsibility of the parents to provide adequate play for children; much the same as you wouldn’t own a hamster and not have a ball. Childhood obesity is a serious issue, and with technology in schools advancing, replacing one screen with another is potentially damaging in more ways than one. Repetitive strain injury from using consoles, eye strain and migraine from visual display units and the general inactivity associated with technological ‘toys’ are damaging our children, and it is up to the guardians and carers of these kids to provide a positive solution.

In an era where property improvement is a hot topic, we should embrace change and reclaim the garden. Scrap the herbaceous border and invest in residential play equipment that will provide the precious playtime that children so desperately need. Swings, slides and trampolines provide hours of fun for children from five to fifteen. If space permits, a climbing tower will not only exercise the brain by encourage imaginative play, it will exercise every muscle in the body too.

By providing residential play equipment, the battle of Playstation vs playground is a fairer one. The opportunity for outdoor play is rarely turned down when children have the freedom to choose, especially if it involves playing with other children too. Just as a hamster will run from a cage given the chance, children will flock to a climbing frame and not necessarily the computer.

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in playground design.
Find out more about Residential play equipment and the types of playframes available for domestic and commercial purposes from Timberline.

There are economic consequences involving taxes and interest rates and there is also an increased demand for products and services that a younger population does not have to consider. The biggest demand from an aging population is of course health care. Health care encompasses many different products and services including medicine, nursing care and care homes.

In the UK, with the increase of the elderly population, the need for care homes has increased in demand and as such has gone through significant changes in recent years. The system in the UK is means tested and as a result many people are finding that they have to pay for all or part of their care themselves rather than rely on the government. As many as 70,000 people a year fall into this category and it is set to rise.

This increased demand has meant more choice for people seeking a care home and consequently with more choice has come competition. The knock on effect of competition has been that standards have improved and facilities have become better and more relevant. With such improved standards and the wide choice now available it is always worth considering taking independent advice or certainly looking at several options before making a choice.

Perhaps the biggest change in thinking regarding care homes in the last few years has been the attitude that rather than you having to fit in with what is available you should be able to get the correct care no matter what that involves. Rather than you having to go where the care you require is, it should be delivered to you.

The government’s ‘White Paper’, Caring for People, outlines this in detail. Whatever your needs regarding old age, mental illness, learning disabilities or physical disabilities your individual needs should be met whether that is at home or in residential care homes. It also states that any information regarding services, support and the options available should be communicated to both the person being cared for and the care home employees at all levels.

The preferred option for anyone in the later years of their life would be to stay at home and receive their care there. Unfortunately this is not always possible due to a variety of circumstances including illness and disability. Other factors can also play a part. Your surrounding may no longer be suited to your needs or you may require around the clock care. The alternative then is to opt for a place in a care home.

There are many advantages to living in a care home. A care home is a place which provides accommodation, including board and lodgings, and either personal care or nursing care. The severity of any illness or disability that you may have will determine whether you opt for personal or nursing care and it is one of the most important aspects to consider.

Some care homes will offer both types of care and it should be easy to find out which are on offer. Each care home must register the type of care they offer and they may break down the care they offer into further categories such as respite, where the care provided is for a set time or palliative which is for the terminally ill. Whatever your needs it is worth spending some time looking at what is available before making any decision.

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in health care.
Find out more about different types of care homes and health care.

Water makes up about sixty percent of the human body and is essential for every system in our bodies. Our brains are made up of eighty five percent water, so even if we lose just one to two percent of body water, then this vital organ immediately suffers. This can have detrimental effects on our behaviour and well-being.

Dehydration naturally occurs when the body is lacking the fluids it requires. This causes blood to become thicker making the body work much harder to cause it to circulate, draining us of energy, making us tired, suffer with headaches and dizziness and even arthritis later in life. Once these symptoms occur, we have already become dehydrated.

To ensure this doesn’t occur, it is important to constantly replenish the body with water, to strip nasty toxins from our vital organs and help to carry nutrients to our cells, preventing us from becoming dehydrated.

Purified water, free of contaminants, helps our gut to work more efficiently, preventing constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and other related diseases. Unknown to many, water also hydrates our skin and can combat skin disorders such as eczema, dry skin, wrinkles and spots and can even help maintain our weight. Many people confuse feeling thirsty with feeling hungry. Drinking more water will reduce appetite and make us feel more alert.

It is essential however that the water we drink has been purified, to ensure harmful microorganisms have been removed, such as bacteria, algae, viruses, fungi, calcium, lead, copper and minerals to name but a few. Without modern purification methods, drinking contaminated water can lead to illness and even death.

This is sadly a reality for many around the world who don’t have access to these modern methods of water purification. Statistics from the 2007 World Health Organization report suggests an incredible 1.1 billion people throughout the world do not have access to an improved supply of purified drinking water and eighty eight percent of the four billion annual cases of diarrheal disease are attributed to drinking unsafe water and inadequate sanitation and hygiene.

Even in communities where the water has been purified, there are still further measures we can take in our own homes for treating water and preventing illness, such as filters, chlorination and solar disinfection. Experts suggest we drink two litres or eight pints of purified water each day to maintain a healthy body and a healthy mind.

We are more and more often being encouraged to replace chocolates with muesli bars and fruit and fast food burgers with healthy sandwiches or salads. So while we consciously make these replacements in our diet, it’s also worthwhile considering swapping full fat fizzy drinks for a healthy glass of purified water.

The benefits speak for themselves. We certainly are what we drink.

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in water purification technologies and the health benefits of consuming water.

As longevity has increased, so has the need for retirement or care homes for those that don’t wish to live alone. The days where many generations of a family would live together under one roof have dissipated due to work commitments and relocation. The new generation of care for the elderly is through the provision of care homes that provide a happy and homely environment. A care home today will provide entertainment and activities that span sports, music, art and comedy amongst other things.

The bad press that is afforded to care homes by what some people term the media circus has led to a somewhat jaded view of the entire care industry. Reports of mistreatment and neglect have featured heavily in the tabloid press and horror stories have been bandied about in an unbalanced system of reportage. Rarely do we read stories of the successes and good work carried out in residential homes in the UK. If the media is not reporting allegations of abuse and misconduct then they are often reporting the many closures that have been forced by the government in recent years.

This is a very unfortunate and yet very real problem. Changes in legislation have made it increasingly difficult for older care homes to remain open. However, this has seen an increase in the availability of more modern types of care home. Many people associate residential homes with the elderly and incapacitated, but as life expectancy increases, the vitality of certain age groups increase too. Care homes are not just about elderly residents making a new life; they also function as a place to take a break and meet new people.

It is becoming common for residential homes to offer accommodation for short stays. This allows an elderly person to gradually become accustomed to the environment of a residential care home, or to take a break from living by themselves for a while. Being able to visit on open days or enjoy the activities on offer enable a person to integrate with others of their own age group and have a sense of solidarity and understanding amongst their peers.

Opting to move into a care home is opting for a new life of freedom. Without having to fight to do the daily chores involved with running a home, there is a chance to live a life that has time for fun and interaction. Care homes today offer a social networking opportunity that reflects the nature of the residents. A long life can be a happy life when there are other people around to enjoy your time with.

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the care homes industry.
Find out more about care homes and how the new generation of elderly people are enjoying a fabulous future at Healthcare Homes.

Teeth whitening is still the biggest money spinner to many dental practitioners across the UK so it was much to their dismay when teeth whitening sets began to appear on the local market. They were so unhappy that a mysterious rumour appeared stating that home teeth whitening sets could cause cancer. This was disproved by a study rather briskly however the dentists believe that the procedure should be left to medical professionals.

This has not stopped dentists moving into the cosmetic surgery market, despite the fact they have not been trained in the procedures and there is currently no self-regulation of dentists performing procedures they have not had training for. They are adamant however that teeth whitening should remain exclusively within the realms of dental practice, the fact that they charge anything from around 150-200 GBP of course has no influence on their moral standpoint.

Teeth whitening sets can be purchased from chemists and online and it is advised that if you have any specific dental problems you do consult your dentist before using them. Teeth whitening kits cannot contain the same concentration of the active whitening agent as the dental profession can use, so in this respect the dentists have won a battle. The teeth whitening kit cost one eight of what a dentist whitening treatment will cost you so the kits have it on price.

Surely the point has to be made that with the introduction of Botox and chin tucks as an optional extra with your fillings, the dentists are being blatantly hypocritical. They might have general medical training however so have the professionals who have produced, tested and approved the teeth whitening kits. Can dentists provide the necessary aftercare and provisions for complications not uncommon when dealing with cosmetic surgery?

Is that any safer than giving a home whitening kit to a relatively competent individual with simple instructions of use? Millions of people each year use teeth whitening kits so the answer is the consumer do not think so and with the dentists claiming annual salaries in the hundreds of thousands of pounds annually, no one has brought out the violin for them just yet.

The truth is that the results from the dental treatment will get you results faster but will cost 150-200GBP per session hence could end up costing something in region of 800-1000GBP, breast augmentation not included. The teeth whitening kits will take longer and cost 25GBP per kit with refills costing a fraction of that. The teeth whitening kits are perfectly safe albeit the same results might not be achieved.

Dominic Donaldson is an expert on teeth whitening kits and on all dental hygiene.

Recent research has shown that the condition is a genetic defect that is affected by the formation of defective androgen receptors which is the hormones that deal with pre-birth and infancy sexual development. The most common symptoms of the disorder occur around the crown of the scalp and the fore brow where a receding hairline occurs. The genetic disorder of pattern baldness occurs mainly in males however is sometimes apparent in females.

The symptoms in women are different to the male ones, as a less distinctive thinning of the hair occurs as opposed to the complete hair loss males experience in certain areas of the scalp. There is no physically debilitating symptoms however patient can experience serious self esteem issues leading to depression, anxiety and other associated psychological problems. There is no evidence that male pattern baldness affects any area of sexual potency.

This issue is why many men choose hair transplant options and the procedure is completely safe and bears very low risk. As the balding occurs only in certain parts of the scalp which possess the genetically deficient coding, other parts of the scalp will still continue to grow. Hair transplant procedures work on this basis and the donor area’s genetic coding is transferred to the recipient area and continues to grow.

A small incision is made in a discreet place, usually above the back of the head, then the donor hair is removed in clumps of certain follicles, the number of follicles contained in any cluster depends on the individual surgeon’s preference. These transplants are then inserted into the recipient area with the follicles intact and this procedure is carried out under local anaesthetic. The genetic information from the donor area will be transferred causing hair to grow.

After a number of weeks the transplanted hair will fall out and providing the patient continues to take medication, after a number of months the new genetic information will begin new hair growth. It has been proven that medication must be taken to maintain the new hair growth otherwise the hair will go back to the pre transplant state.

Dominic Donaldson is an expert on hair transplant procedures and contributes to trade publications on the subject.

Cosmetic enhancement has gained in popularity in recent years with little tweaks and small procedures becoming run of the mill procedures. It is common for banks to give loans for boob jobs and lunchtime Botox sessions to be popped on a credit card. Shopping for makeup has been notched up a step or two; women are now shopping for a new way to wake up. It isn’t just the ladies either; men are becoming major targets of cosmetics campaigns. The metro-sexual man wants a buff body and white teeth, just like the men that adorn the magazine covers in WH Smith.

Without going too near the surgeon’s knife, there are simple yet effective ways of improving your appearance. Most can be done in a lunch hour, all are temporary and you are more or less guaranteed never to come away looking like Pete Burns, the one-man walking warning against permanent cosmetic ‘enhancement’. Exercise caution however, as bodily modifications are well known for being addictive. It may start off with a Saint Tropez tan, and end up with liposuction! In my opinion, one of the first ports of call is to get a gleaming smile. The procedures involved can involve as little as using a tooth whitening kit and a good mouthwash through to low invasive tooth implant surgery.

Tooth whitening can be done by a dental surgeon or at home using a specialized kit with a whitening gel, an applicator and gum shield. The procedure uses a form of bleaching agent called peroxide and comes in a variety of strengths. The stronger the solution the shorter the time it takes to bring your pearly whites to perfection. Be warned however that if you have exceptionally porous or sensitive teeth, the weaker solution is recommended. The bleaching treatment takes around 15 to 35 minutes and should be repeated daily if it is a home treatment for a few days until the desired results are achieved. After this, the kit only needs to be used as an ‘as and when’ top up treatment.

If you opt to get the treatment done at a dental surgery, the process is a little different. The orthodontist uses a high strength solution that is painted on in a very thin layer. This allows for a precise application and a short application time. Surgeries use a protective light-cured solution to minimize the risk of chemical burn to the gums as the surgical strengths are far greater than the ones in a home kit. Once you’ve successfully bleached the smile back on to your face, you’ll need to try your best to keep it that way.

The major causes of stained teeth are tobacco, coffee, tea, red wine and some foods. If you don’t fancy giving up the dental demons, adopting a sensible tooth care routine will keep your pearlies pearlescent. Regular brushing combined with flossing and mouthwash will prevent bacteria causing a buildup of plaque and keep those pegs-a-gleaming. Who needs to be a perfect 10 when you’ve got a smile that dazzles so bright they won’t be able to see if your bum looks big in that dress or not!

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in dentistry and the orthodontist industry.
Find out more about teeth whitening kits and how it to get a radiant smile from home at Naturally Bright.