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What Are The Warning Signs of a Gas Leak?

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A gas leak is a very serious problem that requires immediate attention. If left unchecked, this may lead to serious consequences. For one, inhaling high concentrations from a natural gas leak can cause asphyxia (when you don’t get enough oxygen).

This then can lead to death. Aside from that, a gas leak may also cause a fire or an explosion. So if you notice a gas leak, it is important to act and call for help immediately.

If you feel you have a gas emergency, you must leave the premises immediately, turn your gas supply off, if it is safe to do so. Once you have done this, you can call a gas fitting Sydney plumber to help you repair the cause of the leak.

Here are the gas leak warning signs you should look out for:

1. Rotten egg smell

The first and most common sign you will notice when there’s a gas leak is a horrid smell. Initially, natural gas in its pure form is colourless and odourless. But since this makes it difficult to notice, experts added a chemical called mercaptan to make it easier to detect whenever it starts leaking. So while this rotten egg smell may be awful, it can save your life.

2. Hissing noise

When you hear a hissing or whistling sound near your gas line or around your yard, make the call. This may just be the sound of gas escaping through a crack or a leak in the pipe. 

3. Mist or cloud

Another warning sign to take note of is a mist or cloud. This is usually caused by a tear or a rupture on a gas line. If you reside in Sydney, make sure to contact a gas fitting Sydney professional once you see this white fog or cloud.

4. Dead or unhealthy plants

If you notice that the grass, plants, or vegetation in your yard is unhealthy, dead, or discoloured, there might be a bigger problem than just forgetting to water them. See, gas lines can leak even under the soil. When this happens, it restricts oxygen from the plants.

Additionally, a gas leak can also cause bubbles in still water or blow dirt around your yard. So you see, never ignore little things.

5. Physical symptoms

When the amount of oxygen in the air is reduced, you may feel some of the physical symptoms of a gas leak. These can include any of the following:

· Dizziness

· Fatigue or drowsiness

· Headache

· Difficulty in breathing

· Flu-like symptoms

· Chest pain

· Loss of appetite

· Blistering (when in direct contact with gas)

· Nausea

· Nosebleed

· Eyes and throat irritation

If you have pets, they might also experience some physical symptoms caused by a gas leak. These are symptoms you should watch out for in your pet:

· Difficulty in breathing

· Lethargy

· Watering or red eyes

· Vomiting

· Change in mood or behaviour

· Loss of appetite

· Sore throat

For very high levels of gas, your pet may become unconscious or may even die.

6. Higher than your normal gas bill

If you notice a big change in your gas bill, call your local gas fitting Sydney service provider as this can be an indication that gas is leaking through your pipes or lines. Have them check and inspect your systems to see what’s causing the sudden rise in your bill. Also, this way, they will be able to find the faults and risks and prevent them from causing any more problems in the future.

5 Tips on Handling Disputes with Your Business Partner

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Starting a partnership is a delighting time, filled with celebrations of successes, shared vision, and new challenges. During the great times, especially when the business is really booming, keeping a close relationship on the ground while still running a business is so easy. However, what do you do when you don’t agree with your business partner and the honeymoon is over?

The one certainty with close relationships is that disagreements may arise. At the time, it can be easy to lose sight of the bigger picture, and get emotional, particularly when money is on the line and stakes are high.

Partnership disputes don’t have to throw the business into a tailspin. In this piece, we have outlined five tips that will help you contain disagreements, find a resolution, which leaves your business, and partnership, safety intact.

1. Plan ahead

Consider getting a formal partnership agreement, if you don’t have one, and review it. It should include:

• Guidance to follow when dissolving the partnership.

• The process of handling cash.

• Responsibilities and roles of each partner.

• A dispute resolution terms and procedures or clauses to follow when you are not in agreement.

Additionally, try to cut topics that you know will likely lead to conflict down the road.

2. Have a listening session

This is where each individual agrees to sit and keenly listen to the other’s opinion and position, without reacting or speaking, for a set time – normally around three to five minutes. It is a useful tool for giving each side insight into the other partner’s position and cooling tempers.

In a business partnership, all that matters is how each partner feels once the dispute is resolved and not who wins. If there is a side that feels resentful and marginalized, that result can likely poison the business, and the partnership, over time. It is remarkably useful to practice active listening as it can ease an ongoing tension and make every side feel heard.

3. Do not rush to judgement

For many Operators and owners of a small company, each decision can seem deeply personal, and large. When your business partner disagrees with you on a problem that is essential to you, it can be easy to switch into a battle mode.

Always remember the larger picture; you both entered into this business partnership because you shared a vision. If you genuinely value your business partner, you have to appreciate his viewpoint on the issue at hand, even if you do not agree with it.

4. Don’t be afraid to get help

A neutral third party can really help warring partners find a solution to their disputes. Meditators are usually trained to handle conflicts of all kinds, meaning that using one can result in a faster resolution and cleaner dispute. A mediator will also ensure that none of you is feeling ripped off when leaving the negotiating room or table.

Sometimes, hiring a professional business lawyer or mediator may not sound appealing. If that’s the case, consider using a colleague or friend, though the individual you choose should be trained in handling conflicts, and fully neutral.

5. Get legal advice

Consider getting legal advice, if resolving partnership disputes with an external mediator or on your own doesn’t seem to work. A commercial litigation lawyer in Sydney like Streeter Law Firm will set out your obligations and rights in the conflict and can aid avoid you having to take your issue to court.

Conclusion

Disputes are a given, but you cannot lose sight of the bigger goal or objective: to resolve partnership disputes as amicably and effectively as possible, for you and your business partner to keep running a growing and healthy business. The above tips on handling disputes with your partner will definitely help you both to work together towards your goal of finding success.

Streamlined Systems – 5 Ways to Improve Office Efficiency

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It’s getting hard and harder to make a dollar. Living costs are rising, but wages are not keeping pace. What’s more, most business’ profit margins seem to get narrower by the day. Rather than make drastic changes that could impact those around you, it’s time to turn your office into one of efficiency to benefit your bottom line. Here’s how to do it:

Update Your Communication Methods

If you haven’t heard of cloud unified communications, then you’re missing out on dramatic savings that could have a positive impact on your business. Unified communications are an advanced phone, video, email and messaging system that merges all these different communication methods into one.

You can make and receive phone calls from anywhere in the world on your official business number, use instant messaging and group chat, and even utilize voice and video calling. Even more eye-opening is the price tag. Unlike traditional phone systems which are complex to maintain and expensive to upgrade, modern methods such as unified communications are scalable and affordable.

Time Tracking Technology

Did you know that over 30 percent of employees waste at least half an hour of work time every day? That might not seem like a lot, but that equates to around four hours every week, per worker. It can make you wonder whether your team’s roles as are streamlined as they could be.

Time tracking technology can help you to establish how much time a particular task takes. While some staff may see it as a privacy invasion, that’s not its purpose. Once you know how long a job takes to complete, you can find out whether some staff can take on more work, or if others need a helping hand.

Team Project Management Applications

Remember in school when everyone had a job to do on a team project, but something always went wrong? Crucial data fell through the cracks, someone didn’t pull their weight, or people forgot which job was theirs.

The workplace can be a lot like that without appropriate project management applications in place. Time equals money, and if you can save time with streamlined project management applications, why wouldn’t you? Such apps have digital paper trails, task allocation, and instant messaging so that everyone knows where they are.

Integrated Workplace Management Systems

When you’re trying to make your workplace more efficient to boost profitability, the last thing you want to do is spend more money. However, that’s often the answer. If you’re going to spend it anywhere, invest in integrated workplace management systems.

Such software can spell the end of most of your everyday programs, transforming them into one easy-to-manage system. In the long-run, you’ll save time, cut down on expensive fees, and make your workers’ days a little bit easier.

Give Your Workers Freedom

While offering your staff freedom doesn’t sound like efficiency, it can have more of an impact than you think. Give your team the freedom to turn their office space into a place for them, and productivity will follow.

Studies show that 17 percent of those with custom workspaces were more enriched and empowered than workers without anything to call theirs. Even a family photo and a few knick-knacks can make all the difference.

Cutting costs isn’t always about redundancies, downsizing, and cutting back on stationery purchases. It can be as easy as focusing on efficiency and productivity to save time. Time is money; let’s not forget. Find out whether your workers’ roles are at full capacity, and invest in beneficial technology to make their lives easier. The financial rewards will follow.

How to Choose the Right Commercial Air Conditioning Unit for Your Business

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When choosing quality air conditioning for your business, it’s best to go for a custom-tailored solution for your commercial installation. You want your employees to be comfortable as overbearing heat can have a large impact on productivity. You’ll want to seek expert advice on your air conditioning installation so you can get the right fit for your business.

One of the biggest mistakes made by businesses, is choosing the wrong air conditioning unit. Anyone considering a commercial air conditioning should get in touch with an air conditioning designer who can tailor the solution specifically for you. These quality air conditioning professionals understand how everything needs to work together and what features you’ll need to get the maximum benefit from your units.

Read on for a rundown on what you should be considering when installing quality air conditioning for your business or commercial property.

Size and Scope

Size is the most important factor to consider before your commercial installation. Each space in your office or building should be treated individually. The air conditioning requirements of an industrial plant will be vastly different to those in a small office. Always choose an air conditioning system that compliments your intended environment.

One of the major decisions will be whether you’re after a single thermostat or if you’ll need to split the system up into different zones. A single thermostat is exactly how it sounds. A unit that is controlled from one spot with that temperature being consistent in the affected area. This is perfect for a smaller area that is self-contained. Businesses such as small restaurants or offices would benefit the most from this solution.

Breaking them up into zones however is the best option for large commercial properties or offices that are divided by lots of individual rooms. These systems have quality air conditioning that can be tailored to each specific room. Your large break room can have its unit working harder to cool the larger, traffic heavy space, whilst the unit in your office with be operating at the lower end as it doesn’t have to affect a larger space.

Not all quality air conditioning units are created equal. Make sure to choose an air conditioner unit with all the features you need that’s within your budget. Your chosen specialist will work with you to design a system that’ll work for you.

Power Usage

The power usage of your air conditioning unit will be an on-going cost you’ll want to consider before your commercial installation. If you end up with a system that isn’t energy efficient it could end up costing you a huge amount of money in the long run. This is of paramount importance for those businesses that will have their air conditioning units running 24/7.

To make sure you get an energy efficient air conditioning unit you may need to pay a bit more money upfront. Don’t worry though, as this will save you big bucks in the long run by way of reducing operating costs. A little immediate pain for some huge long-term gains.

Air Filtering

A little-known benefit of a quality air conditioning unit is its air filtering ability. Air conditioning systems are very effective at removing dust, spores, mold and additional unhygienic particles in your commercial business environment. Removing these ‘baddies’ from the air will create a healthier workplace for you and your staff. Reduce those total sick days with a quality air conditioning unit.

If you’re considering investing in a commercial installation of a quality air conditioning system, always hire the services of the experts such as the team over at https://toshiba-aircon.com.au/. They’ll help you organise the type of system that your business requires. Remember these points when choosing your quality air conditioning and you’ll have a system that benefits you, your employees and your business.

What can You Expect from a top Commercial Cleaning Company

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Choosing a cleaning company that can meet all your commercial cleaning requirements is not easy. The reason for this is that every commercial establishment has its own specific needs.

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For example cleaning of an auto workshop will be completely different to that of an office and that of a restaurant will be not be similar to that of an industrial complex. This is why you can be sure that a firm offering comprehensive commercial cleaning services will have the required expertise to tackle any related activity and has definitely acquired a high degree of specialization and professionalism in this field.

When choosing a cleaning company carry out some research and look for companies that have made a name for themselves in this specific type of work. The Internet has made the task easy for you. Instead of going through the yellow pages and calling companies without knowing about the quality of services offered by them, pick a few companies operating in your area from the local online listings. Browse their websites, get a detailed idea about their infrastructure and their capabilities, know their top clients and most importantly, read the testimonials of some of their previous and present customers. This exercise will make your task of choosing a reliable company that much easier and you can be sure that you are hiring one of the best.

What does a top commercial cleaning company have to offer and what are the points that you should emphasize before hiring one. The most important of course concerns the security and safety of your establishment. Select a company that is fully insured, bonded and licensed so that any liability or claims made by you will be taken care of. Pick a cleaning company that has the antecedents of the cleaners verified by the police before taking them on board. This is an extra protection especially for the non domestic sector as any office or similar organisations have trade secrets to protect.

The second item to be ticked off on your priority list concerns the cleaning solutions used. In today’s business environment there is a growing awareness about the need to protect the health of the workers to prevent absenteeism and downtime. Use of conventional cleaning products that have harmful, toxic and harsh abrasive chemicals should definitely be avoided as it can adversely affect the health of your employees. The company you hire must use only natural, mild and safe products for their cleaning activities.

A unique trait of commercial establishments is that most do not have fixed timings. Consider an industrial complex that works in shifts. The cleaning task has to be finished in the time one section of the workers leave and another set arrives so as not to get in their way. Top cleaning companies will be able to structure their cleaning routines in a manner that ensures that the work is finished without causing any inconvenience, whatever may be the time of the day or night. If you run a similar establishment, this is another aspect that you should make sure of before signing on the dotted line.

Once you have selected a top of the line commercial and office cleaning company to take care of your cleaning requirements, always offer them a long term maintenance contract. Your safety is assured as almost the same set of people will be attending to your job every day. You can also work out a discount on the rates generally charged by them.