| Protecting Financial Services staff from physical attacks
Exposing employees to violence may place an employer in breach of section 2 of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA). The HSWA obliges employers to take such steps as are "reasonably practicable" to ensure that the employee remains safe from "reasonably foreseeable dangers", and breach of these regulations can result in an employee claiming for damages.
All too often employers believe that giving their employees a mobile phone will help safeguard them outside their place of work. However, should a lone worker find themselves in a dangerous situation and attempt to use a mobile phone to summon help, they may find the aggressor becoming even more agitated which could exacerbate the situation and lead to aggression and even violence. Using a mobile phone in such a situation is often futile as it can be easily and quickly knocked to the ground.
TSX up as BCE ends speculation, says it's for sale;NY also up on data
TORONTO (CP) - The Toronto stock market moved higher Tuesday morning, lifted by shares in market heavyweight BCE Inc. (TSX:BCE) and other telecom companies after the Bell Canada parent giant announced that it's for sale. "If you strip that out, it would be almost a flat day today," observed Andrew Pyle at Scotia MacLeod in Peterborough, Ont. New York markets were up as economic data showed better than expected reports on inflation and housing. Toronto's S&P/TSX composite built on Monday's most recent record-high close, rising 42.26 points to 13,702.24. Shares in Bell Canada parent BCE moved up $2.39 or 6.6 per cent to $38.65, on top of Monday's four per cent pop, after the company said it's in discussions with a consortium of leading Canadian pension funds to explore the possibility of taking the company private.
Average Seattle worker can't afford to live here
Noam Gundle's income as a science teacher at Ballard High School is enough to buy less than half a typical house or three-quarters of a condo, based on last year's sales prices. But he earns too much money to qualify for programs that help low-income residents buy homes. "I will never be able to buy a home in the city of Seattle unless things change," said Gundle, 32, who rents, with roommates. Many agree that the time has come to do something about the fact those with decent Seattle jobs can't afford homes here. But proposed solutions vary, and some already are criticizing ones the city plans to release by midyear. .
Howzat Barbados!
BARBADOS names roundabouts after its famous cricketers. The trouble is, there just aren't enough of them - roundabouts, that is. The national hero is Sir Garfield Sobers. Drive around at weekends and you'll see cricket matches taking place in the streets, villages and industrial estates. Half the players are likely to be women, as cricket transcends gender, as well as age and income. It's the medium of communication. In Bridgetown, a poster depicts a batswoman holding up a small packet. "It's your wicket. Protect it. Wear a condom." Next to religion, which is big here - the churches of 150 Christian sects proliferate on an island 16 miles long and 14 wide - cricket is the sacred word. All hail the Cricket World Cup. .
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