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MySafeWorkplace 6.0 to Debut on May 1
 MySafeWorkplace® and MySafeCampus®, the fastest, most efficient, user friendly anonymous incident reporting tools in the world, are about to launch their most anticipated upgrade to date.
On May 1, 2006, MySafeWorkplace® and MySafeCampus® Version 6.0 will be rolled out to customers to culminate the largest enhancement to the product in their respective histories. Version 6.0 is the result of a partnership between Business Controls, Microsoft, and Fujitsu Consulting, and represents the highest achievement in functionality that can be found in anonymous incident reporting tools. Among the new features available: the ability to reassign incidents across multiple user groups, incident types, locations, and subsidiaries; a new spell-check features for reports and message boards; the ability to establish a robust organizational hierarchy for more efficient distribution of incidents (to include a subsidiary feature); and MySafeDashboard, the premier statistical analysis tool in the market today.
Business Controls is pleased to present MySafeWorkplace® and MySafeCampus® Version 6.0 to the public. To learn more about the new features and functionality of MySafeWorkplace® or MySafeCampus®, please call 800.650.7005 or visit us on the web.
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Selecting the Right Investigator – Part II
 This article is a continuation from last month’s article concerning the selection of an investigator by an organization.
We’ve already covered five areas that are indicators on how to choose an investigator that will help make your process successful. Here are some more important issues to consider:
- Reports – Your investigator should provide a detailed report of their investigative efforts, which should also be complete, concise, and correct. The report should be professional looking and delivered on time. Furthermore, an investigator should be able to provide a sample report for you to scrutinize.
- Insurance – All quality agencies carry general liability and errors and omissions insurance. Most states that require licensure also require insurance. To be covered for most any investigatory blunder, ensure that the investigator’s coverage is occurrence and not claims-made. Claims-made coverage concludes upon the expiration of the policy; occurrence provides far more protection (and is accordingly more expensive).
- Willingness to Involve Police – Employee prosecution is not necessary, as it is often merely more complicated and expensive. However, a good investigator knows when to involve the police. A case involving illegal drugs, for example, warrants the inclusion of the police. Ask the agency you are considering to provide police references.
- Attorney Involvement – Sophisticated agencies insist on the involvement of at least one of their client’s attorneys. Attorneys typically contribute to the smooth running of an investigation as it protects the interests of the client.
- Type of Invoice – The invoice of any firm will actually tell you a lot about their level of sophistication. See if the firm lists its federal tax number (or owner’s Social Security Number) on the invoice; also, three or four-part preprinted invoices with details about rates and hours worked is more promising of an upstanding, sophisticated firm than one that issues typed or word-processed invoices on plain paper with scant billing information.
Focusing on these areas (and those from Part I of this article) will greatly assist your organization in selecting the right investigator.
Adapted from Investigations in the Workplace by Eugene Ferraro, Auerbach Publications, 2006.
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Recent studies suggest that a significant number of laptops are left vulnerable to attackers through their wireless connections. The default settings created by Microsoft are configured to link to common service set identifiers (SSIDs). When a common network is unavailable, laptops will create a wireless network using one of the common SSID names and inadvertently link multiple computers via their wireless connections, without the knowledge of the owners. These connections allow hackers to access the user’s home networks and emails, where confidential information often is disclosed. What can you do to protect yourself?
- Turn off your laptop’s wireless connection when you are not using it.
- Ensure that when your laptop cannot find an Ethernet connection that it is not defaulting to wireless.
- Disable peer-to-peer networking sharing by changing the setting on your control panel to Access point (infrastructure) networks only.
Source: Lemos, Robert (2006). The Wireless Snare. PC Magazine, 4/11/06.
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Quote: "Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people."
-Hyman Rickover
Pending Legislation Could Permit Guns in Your Workplace
 The hotly debated topic of guns in the workplace is heating up once again as California, Utah, Missouri, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Virginia and New Hampshire have proposed legislation that would permit guns in the workplace. Oklahoma already has similar legislation in effect, which was passed in May 2005 with the support from the National Rifle Association (NRA). Known as the “forced-entry law,” it prohibits and furthermore makes it a crime for anyone (including a business entity) to bar any person, except a convicted felon, from bringing a gun to the workplace as long as it is kept in a locked vehicle. Included in the list of properties in which individuals can bring a gun onto include all businesses, schools and libraries, day-care centers, chemical plants, nuclear facilities, courts, and prisons. Moreover, the Oklahoma forced-entry statue permits individuals to sue persons, property owners, tenants, employers or businesses to force them to accept guns on their property.
Recently, state legislature in Florida turned down controversial bill HB 129, which would have made it a felony for businesses in Florida to ban guns from the workplace. Similar legislation has been proposed in Georgia, and if passed, would permit licensed gun owners to legally store weapons in their vehicles while parked on company property. Any existing policies organizations may have in place that do not allow weapons on property would hence be overturned. Not surprisingly, there are many concerns that surround such legislation including but not limited to:
- Loss of power and control by employers and businesses to protect their employees by enforcing policies.
- Diminished safety for employees and the workplace overall.
- Increased potential for employee-on-employee violence.
- Increased potential for more lethal results when such violence occurs.
- Greater legal liability exposure of organizations.
- Such legislation would violate the Occupational Safety and Health Act’s General Duty Clause, which requires employers to provide a safe workplace. (Employers can be cited under OSHA if violence is a recognized hazard in their establishment and they do nothing to prevent it).
To learn more about this highly debated topic of guns in the workplace, visit http://www.nra.org and visit http://www.bradycampaign.org/action/workplace.
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Want a Customized Electronic Newsletter for Your Organization?
 Now you can market your products, services and ideas with a customized professional electronic newsletter just like this one. The means to affordably communicate with your customers, clients or team members has never been easier. Our IT and design team will help you select a design and color scheme that suits your needs. Your customized monthly newsletter will display your organization's name, logo, address and phone number. Each issue will contain at least five topical articles professionally written by our editors. We can even add articles, messages and news releases contributed by you or your organization. Hyperlinks to your Website and automated subscribe and unsubscribe feature are included. We will even distribute the newsletter for you to your list of subscribers. To receive your own customized electronic newsletter, call Brad Mathers at 800.650.7005 or visit www.SecurityNewsletters.com today!
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