It may surprise you how much power your business uses every day. Energy consumption quickly adds up, which means higher utility bills. These can put a dent in your potential profits. Fortunately, there are several ways your business can reduce energy costs and still keep things running smoothly.

Changing the Lights to LEDs

If your workspace still uses incandescent lighting, you may be spending far more than necessary on power bills and maintenance to swap out lightbulbs. It may be time to swap to LED lights, which not only last a lot longer but consume far less energy, lowering the monthly cost of your utility bills. While there’s an initial investment in buying LED bulbs, many companies make their money back in savings within a couple of months, depending on the size of the operation.

Using a Three-Phase Power Supply

Depending on the type of equipment your business uses, you could save money by utilizing a three-phase power supply. There are several notable differences between a single- and three-phase power supply, and a single-phase may be costing your company money on energy costs. A three-phase power system allows you to use twice as much power with minimal increases to your consumption, giving you more in the long run.

Reducing Excess Energy

One of the most practical ways your business can reduce energy costs is to decrease the amount of “phantom power” you use throughout the day. Many electronic devices, from computers to coffee makers, may continue to use power when not in use and drive up your energy costs. Therefore, you may want to consider surge protectors connecting to a single power switch. This will enable you to shut down multiple devices simultaneously. Taking extra care to shut down devices at the end of the business day is a great step in keeping your utility costs low and helps many of your devices run longer.

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Any job comes with risks, but workers in the oil and gas industry endure some of the most dangerous conditions. Safety is a top priority for this industry. Below you’ll find tips to help keep workers safe on the job. Implement these best practices.

Ensure Open Communication With Workers

Creating a safe space for open dialogue will help you understand what the workers endure on a daily basis. It can help you gain insight into areas where employees feel unsafe or uncomfortable, then implement new protocols or solutions to resolve these hazards.

The employees are the people who understand the ins and outs best. When conducting health and safety inspections, allow the workers to come to you with any issues, then work together to find the best solution to the problem.

Monitor Employees’ Mental Health

Mental health is as important as physical health in any industry. Build a community where workers feel safe and heard. Let them drop the “tough guy” exterior. It makes it easier for them to come to you with problems, follow the rules, ask for advice, and admit mistakes. Creating a positive work environment will benefit the oil and gas industry.

Build a Relationship With Local Emergency Personnel

Accidents happen, and they can be deadly if you’re not careful. Building a relationship with local emergency personnel will help provide a safer work environment for employees. Everyone needs to work together to handle emergencies efficiently and effectively. It could mean the difference between life and death.

Provide Basic Safety Measures

Good housekeeping can prevent basic trips, slips, and falls. Ensure that workers keep the walkways clear of tools and other debris. Effectively communicate the expectations so that everyone has a clear understanding.

Make sure there is an adequate supply of PPE, or personal protective equipment, on the job site, along with safe work practices. These best practices can help avoid back and eye injuries on the job. Ensure there’s proper lighting available to avoid mistakes and accidents. It’s amazing how big of an impact lighting can have on a job site.

Utilize these tips to ensure the safety and well-being of employees in the oil and gas industry. The workers and their families will thank you.

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It can be very dangerous when heavy equipment fails unexpectedly. Although regular maintenance may be common, you may be putting yourself and others in danger if checking your battery isn’t part of it. To help keep you safe, here are the signs that mean you need to change your forklift battery.

Reduced Performance

Operators are familiar with the sounds and movements of the forklifts they operate. If you notice any odd sounds or slow or jerky movements, these symptoms together may indicate imminent battery failure. You may even notice flickering or dim displays. At times, the display lights won’t power on at all.

If this occurs, check that the battery and the forklift connection are clean and stable. In some cases, you may not need to change your battery at all if it’s merely a connection issue. But it’s best to check before your machinery shuts down in the middle of a job.

Acid Leaks and Damage

If your forklift battery fails, sulfuric acid can slosh around inside the battery and cause dangerous corrosion and leakage. You shouldn’t try and fix this on your own, as this poses a severe health risk for you and other employees. However, if you must remove it quickly, goggles, gloves, and other protective equipment are necessart.

However, a professional needs to inspect the battery for damage. While this level of damage is irreparable most of the time, it’s sometimes possible replace the acid and fix the battery. To circumvent major problems, you must do regular forklift battery maintenance.

Fast Battery Drainage

If your forklift can seem to hold a charge and drains faster than usual, the battery is the most likely culprit. While the manufacturer instructions indicate battery life, operators generally have the best sense of how long their machine will last. However, it’s best to log the length of use to manage any dips in power.

Additionally, you should charge a battery when it reaches no lower than 20 percent, as letting it drain can damage the battery’s charge capacity.

Now that you know the warning signs that mean you need to change your forklift battery, you can keep yourself and others safe. So if you notice any of these symptoms, don’t wait. Inspect your battery as soon as possible.

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While “sustainability” has become a popular term, it’s actually a widely encompassing concept that includes the way we think, learn, live, do business, and operate as a society. As a business start-up, sustainable operations can help ensure you save money, bolster your client base, and set yourself apart as a good corporate citizen.

Pre-Startup Needs

Before you launch your operation, you need to develop a comprehensive business plan. The plan will lay out all operational functions, including finances, marketing agenda, staffing needs, and efforts toward sustainable practices. You’ll also want to select a business entity. An LLC will protect you from some types of liability, give you flexibility for growth, and make it easier to file at tax time. You can do all of the legwork to file papers yourself, pay a pricey attorney to do it for you, or alternatively, use a formation company to ensure all details are handled quickly and efficiently. LLC formation requirements vary from one state to another, so learn yours in advance.

If you need funding for your business, you can look to outside investors. Keep in mind that if you’re searching for investors, a corporation may be a better choice for your business entity, as it allows you to transfer shares of your company to investors. You can also look for grants for eco-friendly businesses or take out a business loan. Before applying for a loan, it’s important to get familiar with your debt-to-income ratio, as lenders will look carefully at this number when determining whether to approve your application.

Operating in Sustainable Fashion

Running a sustainable company starts with a mindset, and with educating yourself about best sustainable practices in your industry. According to the Stanford Social Innovation Review, the overarching objective is to take into consideration ways in which you can cultivate a diverse staff, an ecologically sound, low carbon footprint base of physical operations, and develop a plan for having a positive impact on society. It takes an investment of time to dig into what it takes to operate sustainably, but this is a critical part of the process. Not only will you be well-informed on the topic, but you’ll also be well-positioned to communicate your efforts to a wider audience, including would-be consumers, about your position.

Incorporating Sustainable Measures

Most people are aware of basic sustainability practices that help reduce the negative impact on society, such as recycling, utilizing reusable products in manufacturing,  operations, and daily business life. Your overarching goal could also include things like allowing remote work to reduce carbon emissions, or potentially eliminate the need for physical workspace; patronizing local businesses; buying energy-efficient products and equipment; conducting regular energy audits; and striving for things like U.S. Green Building Council LEED-certified building projects. Supporting other sustainable businesses and industry initiatives is also critical, as is making it part of your corporate culture. Train employees on sustainable business practices and encourage ongoing participation and feedback.

Communicate Your Efforts

Publicizing your sustainability efforts isn’t just a way to pat yourself on the back for your good works. According to Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, it’s also a way to serve as an example of stewardship, and to encourage participation from others, all while educating people about the necessity for sustainable living. Will this also help you attract new business? Absolutely! Many individuals and companies want to align themselves with others making positive contributions to society. Share your best practices and note your achievements on your website, via social media channels, and highlight your efforts in all marketing and presentation materials. Include inspirational messaging about why you’ve chosen to operate in this way and serve as a model for others to emulate.

Many businesses shy away from large-scale sustainable practices fearing they will be expensive to implement and sustain, that they may need to charge higher rates to offset costs, and that customers will react unfavorably. However, done correctly, sustainable measures can have the opposite effect: reduced operational costs, competitive rates, and a new and expanding audience of consumers who support your efforts.

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Sustainability is at the forefront of most people’s minds these days. After all, these are global issues that impact everyone. Even companies across the world are making eco-friendly changes to reduce their carbon footprint. Here are some sustainable trends in business that everyone should know.

Renewable Energy

Coal, natural gas, and gasoline make up about 80% of the country’s energy usage. Although that number seems high, it has decreased within the last several years. So, are you wondering just how much energy is produced by alternative means? Through simple math, you could probably determine that number is around 20%. However, there are divisions within that 20% that are vital to know. For example, wind takes up 26% of the 21%, and solar energy uses 11%. The point is that businesses have plenty of options in terms of alternative energy. By making such a change, the company will help make the Earth a better place.

Sustainable Investments

Business owners should also begin thinking about sustainable investments. Here are a few tips to make that process easier:

• Research companies that are beginning to use alternative energy.
• Seek out businesses that practice green initiatives while looking to invest.
• Consider pulling money out of investments that are hurting the environment.

Eco-Friendly Products & Practices

Another sustainable trend in business that everyone should know is to use environmentally-friendly products. For example, offices across the world use more paper than is conceivable. Luckily, this is an easy fix. If they haven’t already, start digitizing everything so that less paper is used. Staff members should also think of ways to help the environment by showing employers where waste is accumulating. Finally, employers should use sustainable practices while at the office. For starters, they can develop a recycling program to ensure employees doesn’t waste recyclable goods. In addition, letting employees work from home can help keep the Earth clean.

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Wind power might have enjoyed a solid year in 2019, however, the coronavirus outbreak is casting a shadow across the industry that may impact the increase in the years ahead. Solar panels also had a great year in 2019 because of their many consumer benefits in this article from Zophra.com.

Released Wednesday, the GWEC’s report discovered that 60.4 GW of power has been set up in 2019, the 2nd most significant year for developments. The complete capacity currently stands at over 651 GW.

From the onshore industry, China and the U.S. continued to be the world’s top markets, accountable for over 60 percent of new capacity this past year. The offshore wind industry installed 6.1 GW of power in 2019, it’s very best season thus far.

While the amounts for 2019 really are a positive for the industry, the Coronavirus pandemic might have a substantial influence on things ahead.

On Tuesday, Dan Shreve, Wood Mackenzie’s head of global wind energy research, wrote the coronavirus would observe international breeze additions for 2020 fall by 4.9 GW in comparison with previous projections.

“The condition of this pandemic is growing on a hourly basis, leading to an extremely reactionary environment,” Shreve said.

“Industry stakeholders are always adapting business operations to equilibrium employee security with the requirements of their customers, while complying with lively government containment steps,” he added.

For its own part, the GWEC stated its forecast of continued expansion across the following five years — over 355 GW of developments — would”definitely be affected by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, because of disruptions to international supply chains and job implementation in 2020.”

It was, nevertheless,”too soon to forecast that the extent” of this coronavirus’ influence on both electricity markets and the broader international market, the GWEC added.

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