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It’s hard to believe that the copy machine just recently celebrated its 50th birthday. There’s no question that these popular technological devices have proven to be worth their weight in gold for countless consumers and businesses. From copying to scanning and even e-mailing documents, copy machines are a must-have for most modern day companies. However, there’s a secret lurking inside the common copy machine that has identity thieves across the nation salivating. Nearly every copier that was built since 2002 includes a hard drive. This relatively small unit, hidden inside the copy machine, stores an image of every single document scanned or copied by the machine. An identity thief’s dream Most copiers store up to 20,000 document images, which might include Social Security numbers, birth certificates, bank records, income tax forms, medical records, and other valuable information. In other words, these hard drives contain the type of data that identity thieves are itching to get their hands on. Perhaps even more frightening is this fact: Anyone can easily buy used copiers from office supply vendors. Oftentimes, a used copier that initially cost thousands of dollars is sold for just $300 or less. Quite a few vendors sell these used copiers to overseas buyers. Most sellers do not erase the hard drive before selling a used copier. That means the buyer gains immediate access to all the invaluable information stored on the hard drive for just a few hundred bucks. With a special device, an identity thief can easily scan and download all the document images stored on this hard drive. However, an identity thief doesn’t even have to buy the copier to gain access to the profitable data inside. He could simply hack into the office copier’s hard drive to get his hands on the wealth of information stored there. Understanding the risks Unfortunately, most of the general public is completely unaware of the potential risks associated with copy machines. A recent study revealed that 60% of Americans do not even realize that copiers store images on a hard drive. Luckily, there are ways to combat the threat of identity thieves stealing data from copy machines. Some copy machine security companies have the ability to “scrub” or delete all of the info on copy machine hard drives before a business gets rid of the copier. Additionally, some new copy machine models include a feature allowing users to erase images from the copier’s hard drive automatically. This extra feature typically costs about $500. It could be worth the added expense. After all, this feature could end up saving you thousands of dollars in identity theft damages.

Riding ATVs with your buddies or family combines the thrill of the great outdoors with the power of a four wheeling machine. Insurance protects your investment if it's damaged or stolen, and some riding clubs require insurance before they'll allow you to join. Lower your ATV insurance premiums with seven tips. 1. Buy a utility model. Sporty models or ATVS with bells and whistles look and ride nice, but they may cost more to insure. Utility models are often economical to insure. Likewise, keep in mind that the ATV's mileage, condition and age also affect your premium. 2. Take a safety course. Most ATV dealers offer safety courses that include a book test and riding instruction. Your insurance company may reward you and anyone who shares your machine for knowing how to navigate your ATV safely in all terrains. 3. Maintain a clean driving record. Your insurance premium stays low when you operate the ATV safely and only on grounds where you have permission to ride legally.4. Store your ATV safely. Locking your toy in the garage and installing an anti-theft device on it can reduce your insurance costs.5. Compare policies. Different insurance companies offer different deductibles, coverage options and rates, so take your time and comparison shop.6. Use one company for all your insurance needs. Most companies give you a discount when you combine, home, auto and ATV insurance.7. File claims only when you have to. You pay for insurance so that you can file a claim if you have to, but don't file for every little damage or your premium will rise. If you love riding your ATV, make sure it's properly insured. Then, use these seven tips to obtain a lower premium. Call us today for additional information on how we can help you find the affordable ATV insurance coverage you need.

The growth rate of the rental equipment industry in the U.S. is skyrocketing by 24% a year, as more and more companies use the tax and other financial advantages of renting over purchasing. Renting also allows businesses to get the exact machine they need when they need it at a low cost, rather than spending a lot more to buy a device that would spend most of the time gathering dust. On the downside, if using a piece of equipment that you have rented causes damage or results in legal liability, you could be out thousands of dollars - unless you carry Rental Equipment insurance. This policy often costs less than similar coverage offered under your Business Owners Policy or standard Commercial Property insurance. Rental Equipment insurance gives you what you need, when you need it: you can match the length of coverage to the term of the rental, rather than that of your Property policy, allowing you to save money. In most cases, it also offers lower (or zero deductibles) than standard policies. The policy includes both Property coverage that protects the equipment from damage and Liability insurance to protect the renter from legal claims based on the use of the equipment. It also streamlines the process of providing the Certificate of Insurance that rental companies usually require before releasing their machines. To learn more about how Rental Equipment coverage can help you protect your business - and save money - just get in touch with the insurance professionals at our agency.

People are losing jobs to robots and technology at an accelerating rate. Have you used one of those self-serve checkout stands lately? One was installed at my local CVS only 3 months ago. Awkward at first but seems like old hat now. The manager there told me the new system allowed him to let two full time clerks go. Two jobs lost to robots and their technology that will never reappear. Here's just some of the other jobs that are suffering the same fate as retail clerks: Pharmacists Soldiers Reporters Drivers Fast food workers Assembly workers Bank tellers Secretaries Stock traders Warehouse workers …and there is more Technology alone changes the employment landscape. Objects like the iPhone have the consequence of laying off Kodak workers, as well as workers in the mapping, printing, alarm clock and record industry. I recently listened to an interesting podcast (all Radiolab podcasts are interesting!) about work in a shipping warehouse for online mega-providers, such as Amazon. If you thought stop watches were banned in the workplace at the beginning of the last century, guess what – they're back! Technology, along with its gamification, is reducing worker output to a competitive logarithm using the most minute of performance indicators. Years ago Buckminster Fuller (otherwise known as "Bucky") surmised that the rise of computers and technology would bring use to a place where it is inefficient to have full scale employment. It would actually be cheaper to pay people to stay at home.  And we are getting there. Even in a "good" economy we have 7% unemployment. And we are being asked to pay for those folks who have to stay at home…because there are no jobs. This has more to do with the macro-economics of production than it does anything a politician can influence. While Bucky believed that less is more, most folks don't think that way. In their idleness they will want to be serviced, entertained and otherwise cared for, by a growing service class economy. So the fantasy of growing the middle class back to where it was before all these technology changes is a pipe dream. A political football divorced from reality. There will be a continued division between highly paid knowledge workers and low paid service workers. Sooner or later we will end up paying service workers to stay home or do some form of public service. As we march forward you will either be a highly paid knowledge worker who cannot yet be replaced by a machine or a low paid service worker who cannot yet be replaced by a machine. That's true for your kids' future too! FYI – Looks like John Henry would be out of a job today. Now trains lay their own tracks http://www.wimp.com/traintrack/

Over 6.8 Million people break their bones every year...

A lack of maintenance or poor quality maintenance causes thousands of on-the-job accidents every year. What's more, maintenance workers face significant risks associated with their jobs. According to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics job fatality report, deaths due to poor maintenance rose 14%, year to year, in 2011, the highest level since 2006. Accidents from maintenance have a variety of causes: everything from falls caused by working heights, confined spaces or harsh environments associated with accessing equipment, and shocks and burns if power is not properly isolated, to injuries from moving machine parts, musculoskeletal problems caused by working in awkward spaces and exposure to asbestos and dangerous chemicals. There are three types of maintenance: Routine or preventive maintenance keeps equipment working - such as a scheduled overhaul or replacement. Corrective maintenance gets broken equipment up and running again. Predictive maintenance uses tests for maintenance that is or will soon be needed. To make your maintenance activities safer and more productive, follow these guidelines: Emphasize planning and scheduling on every maintenance task. Invest in affordable technology such as a thermographic camera (around $1,000) to detect variations of temperature that can reveal when a machine motor is not running properly. Make sure that supervisors convey the right message consistently. Employees need to be told that accidents happen as a result of short cuts, such as failing to lock out a piece of equipment before performing maintenance. Teach workers to intervene. If an employee walks by a piece of equipment that's making an unusual noise and doesn't tell their supervisor, it's the same as ignoring a co-worker who is working unsafely. Get employees engaged and accountable. This can lead to culture change which makes safety the responsibility of everyone - not just of the safety and maintenance department. For more information on maintaining your safety maintenance program, just get in touch with us.

Motorcycles might be small but are very complex machines and require frequent maintenance which is why motorcycle mechanics are so important. Most mechanics are also cyclists and are passionate about the sport themselves.

The health and fitness – exercise, circuit, personal training studio program is designed for U.S.-based owners and operators of exercise studios and circuit training facilities that offer personal/individual training and exercise in scheduled fitness/exercise programs that are under the direct supervision of a fitness professional such as a personal trainer or exercise instructor or in a structured/sequential order for an individual. Coverage provided includes important liability protection for the studio/facility, including its employees for liability claims arising out of the operations of the studio/facility at a designated location. Note: coverage does not extend to independent contractors unless the optional coverage available with this program is purchased.

...rsed by the National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA)....

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