Pens and Personalities

Not exactly a novel by Jane Austen, this passage is about the instrument known as the pen. Often used to write, sometimes borrowed, frequently lost, sometimes pilfered:  The Pen.

It’s my long held opinion that every pen has a definite personality all its own. The way it writes, feels, and looks all contribute to that personality. Although it’s a very common everyday item, the pen is a very uncommon possession, because its personal to the writer.

The ink pen has always been an intimate item for the user. From ancient Egyptian Reed Pens to the first ball points of 1938, all the way to the felt tips of the 1960’s, users have developed their unwavering preferences for the writing implement they favor. Don’t believe me? Go “borrow” your office mate or a co-workers favorite pen without telling them, and let me know how that works out for you.

The funny thing about pens is people have real trouble articulating why they like them. Just ask any scribbler who has a favorite tool. They will tell you that the pen of their choice became the favorite because?

Although it’s simply my humble opinion and personal preference, I select a pen model as my favorite or one of my favorites based on factors like:

• The tactile feel of the pen in my hand. I’m a stickler for comfort so it absolutely has to be comfortable in my hand.
• The ink should never skip. I already have terrible handwriting so using a pen that skips just makes it even more unreadable.
• I prefer an even flow of ink letter to letter with some room for errors in the event I lift the pen off the paper.

From the inexpensive stic pen to the stately gold filled Cross professional pen, a pen should fit your needs and personality. Even in this e-mailing and texting culture, there is no written expression that conveys our humanity more than a hand written note or letter.

Whether it’s Medium, Bold, Fine or Extra Fine tips, the ink pen defines the message we are trying to convey. And the design of ink pens vary almost as much as the diverse messages for which they are intended.

So, if you are ready to begin your search for a pen that is right for you, Here is a good place to start.

Workplace First Aid Kits

First aid supplies in the workplace are one of those items that you never really think about until you need it. As a matter of fact, OHSA has reported that as many of 32% of eligible businesses and companies in the U.S. don’t have an up to date first aid kit onsite.

When stocking your workplace first aid supplies, it’s a good idea to follow the recommendations by OSHA.  (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3317first-aid.pdf

OHSA recommends employer’s either give or assign a specific person in the organization the responsibility for choosing the types and amounts of first-aid supplies and for maintaining these supplies. The supplies must be adequate, should reflect the kinds of injuries that occur, and must be stored in an area where they are readily available for emergency access.

In addition to the standard first aid supplies, OHSA is also now suggesting that companies consider having an automated external defibrillator (AED) on site along with a percentage of the employees or staff with training on how to use it.

In addition to the suggested supplies for first aid, OHSA has added ten items that are listed as required supplies. The new standard also calls for the kits to be labeled with specific wordage.

The first 10 items below are considered required now:
1. Gauze pads (at least 4 x 4 inches).
2. Two large gauze pads (at least 8 x 10 inches).
3. Box adhesive bandages (band-aids).
4. One package gauze roller bandage at least 2 inches wide.
5. Two triangular bandages.
6. Wound cleaning agent such as sealed moistened towelettes.
7. Scissors.
8. At least one blanket.
9. Tweezers.
10. Adhesive tape.
11. Latex gloves.
12. Resuscitation equipment such as resuscitation bag, airway, or
pocket mask.
13. Two elastic wraps.
14. Splint.
15. Directions for requesting emergency assistance.

If you happen to be responsible for the first aid kit in your office, you have two choices:

• Create the kit by purchasing supplies individually
• Purchase a pre-prepared kit

The pre-prepared kits are the most popular option, and the model that we carry can be seen here. For larger operations, employers or management should determine how many first-aid kits are needed, and if it is appropriate to augment the kits with additional first-aid equipment and supplies. Employers who have unique or changing first-aid needs should consider upgrading their first-aid kits.

If you aren’t sure or are confused about the content of a first aid kit, consider consulting with the local fire and rescue service or emergency medical professionals.

By assessing the specific needs of their workplaces, employers can ensure the availability of adequate first-aid supplies.

The Story Behind Out of Stock Calendars

Have you ever gone to buy a calendar for the current year, only to find that it’s completely out of stock everywhere? It seems illogical, but here’s a little background information on how and why that happens.

Each year calendar manufacturers produce a certain number of calendars for the upcoming year. That number is determined by factors like past sales, market research, and projected sales. Since calendars are basically a seasonal item, most calendar sales occur a the very end of December or the beginning of January. Once the stock pile of calendars for the year are shipped to office supply vendors, which is usually completed by March, the calendar manufacturers begin working on next years models.

When the existing stock is sold, no more are produced so office supply stores are truly “out of stock” on the calendars for that year. Most calendar makers would rather estimate low on the production for the upcoming year and actually have demand exceed supply versus over estimating and having surplus calendars that equal lost revenue.

The moral of this story: Don’t wait to stock up on your calendars and calendar refills as they will be gone before you know it.

First Aid – Choking in the Workplace

As we’ve had a couple of situations here where the Heimlich Maneuver has potentially saved a life in our office, it made sense to re-visit it as topic.

It starts out as a coughing sound. First softly then louder. Then gasps for air.

Your  co-worker is choking. They need assistance fast. What do you do?

If the person can cough or make sounds, let them cough to attempt to get the object of the obstructed pathway.

At the same time If you are worried about the person’s breathing have someone else in the office call 911 .

If the person can’t breathe, cough, or make sounds, then:

• Stand or kneel behind the person and wrap your arms around their waist. If the person is standing, place one of your legs between his or her legs so you can support the person if he or she begins to faint or black out.

• Make a fist with your dominant hand. If you are right handed, for example, place the thumb side of your “right” fist against the person’s belly, just above the belly button but well below the breastbone (  at the diaphragm ).

• Grasp your fist with the other hand. Give a quick upward thrust into the belly. This may cause the object to pop out. You may need to use more force for a large person.

• Be persistent, repeating thrusts until the object pops out or the person faints.

This procedure commonly known as the Heimlich Maneuver works in most cases but in the event that you cannot dislodge the object from the victim’s airway.

It is imperative that Emergency 911 has been called at the outset of the situation as choking can result in unconsciousness and cardiopulmonary arrest.

Choking caused by foreign body airway obstruction accounts for about 3,000 deaths each year.

In most cases, quick action and a cool head can save a life.

How Many Sheets of Paper Will A Binder Hold?

In an effort to provide the best possible information and content to our readers/customers, we are trying to answer some of the questions that are most commonly asked of our customer service team. Well, here’s a great one:

“How many sheets of paper will a 2″ (or any other size) binder hold?

Great question, and here’s the answer:

The amount of paper that a particular binder will hold is dependent on the type and size of the ring inside the binder. For the most part, the ring in the binder is the same size as the binder spine, so a 2″ binder will have a 2″ ring. The two most common types of rings are O ring and D ring.

O Ring – O rings are the most popular type of ring, and generally come in diameters ranging from 1/2 an inch up to 4 inches. With O rings, the diameter of the ring will determine how much paper the binder can hold.

D ring – D rings get their name because they are somewhat shaped like a D. With D ring binders, the amount of paper that the binder will hold is dependent on the length of the straight portion of the D ring. For most D ring binders, the diameter of the D ring itself is really the length of the straight portion of the ring. A 3 inch D ring binder will have a straight shank that is very close to 3″ long.

Some data floating around the internet, indicates that a 1/2 binder will hold approximately 100 sheets of paper so a 1″ binder will hold 200 sheets, while a 2″ binder should hold 400 sheets. Unfortunately, this data isn’t exactly correct.

The data below comes from our friends at Binders, inc., who are recognized experts at all things binder. These numbers are based on the assumption that standard 20 lb paper is being used. For thicker paper, these numbers will need to be adjusted down.

Hopefully this information will be useful the next time you get ready to purchase a binder.