User:Mxheil/sandbox
| Industry | Office Services |
|---|---|
| Founded | Portland, Oregon, United States (2003) |
| Headquarters | 1331 NW Lovejoy St, Portland, Oregon, United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Jill Nelson (Founder & CEO) |
| Services | Receptionist Service |
| Website | CallRuby.com |
Ruby Receptionists is a virtual receptionist service based in Portland, Oregon. As of 2015, Updata Partners holds a majority share in the company.
Ruby Receptionists was founded as Worksource Inc. by Jill Nelson in 2003. In 2005, they changed their name to Ruby Receptionists. In 2011 Ruby moved to its current headquarters in Portland, and in 2013 opened its second office, in Beaverton, Oregon.[1] In January 2015, Updata Partners invested $38.8 million in Ruby Receptionists, acquiring a majority share in the company.[2]
From 2008 through 2013, the Portland Business Journal listed Ruby Receptionists among the 100 Fastest Growing Companies in Oregon.[1] In 2012, Ruby Receptionists topped Fortune Magazine's list of the best small companies to work for in the United States.[3] The company has also garnered accolades for its service, based in large part on its reputation for friendly, helpful service.[4]
Common workplace hazards[edit]
Physical and mechanical hazards[edit]
Physical hazards are a common source of injuries in many industries. They are perhaps unavoidable in many industries such as construction and mining, but over time people have developed safety methods and procedures to manage the risks of physical danger in the workplace.
Falls are a common cause of occupational injuries and fatalities, especially in construction, extraction, transportation, healthcare, and building cleaning and maintenance.[5]
Machines are commonplace in many industries, including manufacturing, mining, construction and agriculture, and can be dangerous to workers. Many machines involve moving parts, sharp edges, hot surfaces and other hazards with the potential to crush, burn, cut, shear, stab or otherwise strike or wound workers if used unsafely.[6] Various safety measures exist to minimize these hazards, including lockout-tagout procedures for machine maintenance and roll over protection systems for vehicles.[6] According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, machine-related injuries were responsible for 64,170 cases that required days away from work in 2008. More than a quarter of these cases required more than 31 days spent away from work. That same year, machines were the primary or secondary source of over 600 work-related fatalities.[7] Machines are also often involved indirectly in worker deaths and injuries, such as in cases in which a worker slips and falls, possibly upon a sharp or pointed object.
Confined spaces also present a work hazard. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health defines "confined space" as having limited openings for entry and exit and unfavorable natural ventilation, and which is not intended for continuous employee occupancy. These kind of spaces can include storage tanks, ship compartments, sewers, and pipelines. [8] Confined spaces can pose a hazard not just to workers, but also to people who try to rescue them.
Noise also presents a fairly common workplace hazard: occupational hearing loss is the most common work-related injury in the United States, with 22 million workers exposed to hazardous noise levels at work and an estimated $242 million spent annually on worker's compensation for hearing loss disability.[9] Noise is not the only source of occupational hearing loss; exposure to chemicals such as aromatic solvents and metals including lead, arsenic, and mercury can also cause hearing loss.[10]
Temperature extremes can also pose a danger to workers. Heat stress can cause heat stroke, exhaustion, cramps, and rashes. Heat can also fog up safety glasses or cause sweaty palms or dizziness, all of which increase the risk of other injuries. Workers near hot surfaces or steam also are at risk for burns.[11] Dehydration may also result from overexposure to heat. Cold stress also poses a danger to many workers. Overexposure to cold conditions or extreme cold can lead to hypothermia, frostbite, trench foot, or chilblains.[12]
Electricity poses a danger to many workers. Electrical injuries can be divided into four types: fatal electrocution, electric shock, burns, and falls caused by contact with electric energy.[13]
Vibrating machinery, lighting, and air pressure can also cause work-related illness and injury. Asphyxiation is another potential work hazard in certain situations.
Biological and chemical hazards[edit]
Biological hazards[edit]
Chemical hazards[edit]
- Acids
- Bases
- Heavy metals
- Solvents
- Particulates
- Fumes (noxious gases/vapors)
- Highly-reactive chemicals
- Fire, conflagration and explosion hazards:
Psychological and social issues[edit]
- Work-related stress, whose causal factors include excessive working time and overwork
- Violence from outside the organisation
- Bullying, which may include emotional and verbal abuse
- Sexual harassment
- Mobbing
- Burnout
- Exposure to unhealthy elements during meetings with business associates, e.g. tobacco, uncontrolled alcohol
Common workplace hazard groups[edit]
|
Mechanical hazards
Physical hazards
|
Chemical hazards
Psychosocial issues
Musculoskeletal disorders are avoided by the employment of good ergonomic design and the reduction of repeated strenuous movements or lifts
|
Fire prevention (fire protection/fire safety) often comes within the remit of health and safety professionals as well.
References[edit]
- ^ a b "History & Milestones, Ruby Receptionists". Ruby Receptionists. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ "Updata Partners invests in Ruby Receptionists". Updata Partners. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ Akhtar, Omar. "The 25 best small companies to work for". Fortune Magazine. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ Marsan, Jeremy. "Best Answering Service". Fit Small Business. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ "Fall Injuries Prevention in the Workplace". NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Retrieved July 12, 2012.
- ^ a b "Machine Safety". NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topics. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
- ^ Harris, James R. and Richard S. Current. "Machine Safety: New & Updated Consensus Standards". Prof Saf 2012 May; 57(5):50-57. http://www.asse.org/professionalsafety/pastissues/057/05/F1Har_0512.pdf
- ^ "Confined Spaces". Workplace Safety & Health Topics. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
- ^ "Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention". Workplace Safety & Health Topics. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
- ^ "Preventing Occupational Hearing Loss: A Practical Guide" (PDF). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. June 1996. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "Heat Stress". NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topics. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ "Cold Stress". NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topics. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
- ^ "Electrical Safety". NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topics. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. Retrieved 7 August 2012.