Business

Safer Places Inc Launches Transportation Division

Safer Places Inc., a firm providing pre-employment screening, tenant screening and security consulting, today announced the launch of a transportation division. With this division, Safer Places will provide additional resources for public and private sector companies in the recruitment and hiring of drivers.

“With the current supply chain issues, finding qualified drivers is paramount for many organizations. As much as companies want to hire drivers, a bad hire has an even bigger impact on an organization,” said David Sawyer, president of Safer Places, Inc. “With this special division, we can customize a background check—including drug testing and social media screening/monitoring—that provides companies the needed data to make an informed hire.”

The new transportation division is also better able to assist companies with government contracts. The federal government now requires that opioids be included in US Department of Transportation (DOT) mandated drug tests. In recognition of this requirement and the expanded drug use during Covid-19, Safer Places, Inc. has expanded customized drug testing services. Previous tests (DOT. or other) already included heroin, but didn’t include semi-synthetic opioids such as hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone and oxymorphone, more commonly known as Vicodin, OxyContin, Lortab, Norco, Percocet and Dilaudid—those are now included.

“Driving a truck is both physically demanding and mentally taxing. Many drivers work long hours and are away from their families for extended time,” commented Sawyer. “Better drug testing can avert disaster and also help an individual get the help they need before trauma occurs.”

Safer Places also offers a host of other background check services. Those services include social media screening and monitoring services in deference to the greater concern in the business community regarding the social media posting practices of job applicants and current employees.

According to a survey by CareerBuilder, 70 percent of all employers use social media to screen their candidates. Additionally, of those employers, more than 50 percent said they found something that made the employer not hire the candidate (other studies on this topic put this percentage closer to 69 percent).

“Most employers review job candidates’ online profiles and postings to make sure there is no hate speech, bullying or any other type of objectionable behavior. This approach can create a slew of legal issues and put your company at risk of violating EEOC protected class information as well as FCRA rules,” said David Sawyer, president of Safer Places, Inc. “That’s why more and more employers outsource social media screening to companies like Safer Places, Inc. With our enhanced social media screening and monitoring services, we screen candidates and employees and provide a report that redacts extraneous information such as religious affiliation, sexual orientation, military status, and other information that should not and cannot be considered when making a hiring decision. By shielding an employer from information they would see if they did this on their own, they are less likely to encounter a lawsuit for discriminatory practices against a protected class.”

For more information about Safer Places’ transportation division—including customized screening and drug testing--visit www.saferplacesinc.com or call 508-947-0600.

About Safer Places, Inc:
Safer Places, Inc. is a full-service firm that provides pre-employment screening, security consulting, tenant screening, and additional verification services for schools, private and public companies, property managers, property owners and anyone seeking to research an individual’s background.

Since the events of September 11, 2001, the importance of background checks has taken on increased prominence, and Safer Places, Inc. has undertaken a number of educational initiatives for the public, including a monthly videocast and SAFERupdates. SAFER provides ongoing information for those looking to learn more about background verifications, drug testing and other related topics in a series of short, live videocasts, recordings of which can be found on Safer Places, Inc.’s YouTube channel.

Elements of a background check can include Social Security trace, criminal history search, education verification, checking with sex offender registries, drug testing, driving record/license verification, employment verification/references, terrorist watch lists, and credentials verification/history. Increasingly, companies are using background checks as a condition of continued employment, particularly when an individual is being considered for a new position or promotion.

Safer Places, Inc. maintains offices at 25 Wareham Street, Suites 2-26, Middleboro, MA 02346. Its principals are board certified in security management, holding the CPP (Certified Protection Professionals) designation from ASIS International and they maintain memberships in a number of organizations including the Professional Background Screeners Association (PBSA) and ASIS International. For additional information, please visit https://www.saferplacesinc.com or call (508) 947-0600.

Smart Virtual Assistant Offers Vital Outsourcing Staff Solutions For Businesses

Broadbeach QLD – For the best in offshore staffing solutions, Smart Virtual Assistant can assemble the ideal team of assistants, so that businesses, large and small, can focus more on their core activities.

The Broadbeach QLD company was created to assist businesses to outsource many of their back end, repetitive computer-based tasks. It enables business owners to scale their organizations quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively with dedicated remote staff.

The benefits to businesses of hiring a team of virtual assistants will enable owners to streamline costs, increase productivity, enhance work quality, offer greater business flexibility and scale their businesses faster with less risk.

Smart Virtual Assistant specializes in the recruitment of highly qualified technical staff across a wide range of skills and competencies, including real estate virtual assistant, data entry, social media marketing, back-office admin, email marketing, accounting, bookkeeping, customer support, graphic design, telemarketing, copywriting, SEO and web and software development.

With offices based in the Philippines, Smart Virtual Assistant has adopted a three-step process for staff selection. Tell them what you need and they will begin the recruitment process by matching the required skills to their extensive database of candidates and vast network of virtual assistants in the Philippines.

Each candidate will be panel-accessed, tested and verified before being recommended to you. A business owner can then choose the right candidate to guarantee the virtual assistants are 100% committed.

“They will report to you directly from our office in the Philippines, so think of our virtual assistants as an extension of your local team,” said business owner Brett Russo.

The Smart Virtual Assistant’s business offices are spacious and supported by an advanced network infrastructure, high-speed internet connectivity, the latest technology and top-of-the-line software programs.

“Our focus is to build a client’s team for the long-term, and we will accomplish this by providing HR services, organizing exciting corporate events and introducing career path and succession planning incentives to our people,” Russo added.

Smart Virtual Assistant has the option of providing clients part-time home-based virtual assistants, right through to full-time office-based teams. They also pride themselves on providing an enjoyable work environment with comfortable surroundings, competitive salaries, paid holidays, health care, self-improvement training and team bonding social activities.

To ensure security of client operations, Smart Virtual Assistant closely monitors staff with electronic key tags to enter and exit the workplace, and all the USB ports are disabled. They also can offer clients their dedicated workspaces with security cameras.

For more information about Smart Virtual Assistant, contact 1300 082 400 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Alternatively, go to their website https://smartvirtualassistant.com.au/ for their full scope of services.

SGS Alerts Businesses to Proposed Changes to California Proposition 65 Warnings

SGS has published a summary with examples of the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) proposals to revise short form ‘clear and reasonable’ warnings under California Proposition 65 (Prop 65).

The OEHHA published a notice of modification on December 13, 2021, which, if accepted, will revise Prop 65 Article 6 ‘Clear and Reasonable Warnings – Short Form.’ These changes were first announced in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) issued in January 2021 and, after an extended period of public comment, the OEHHA proposed several important updates to the NPR. The intention of the revisions is to improve the short form warning by providing consumers with more specific information and also to limit the use of the safe harbor version of the warning to only small products.

The proposal:

Increases the maximum label size of the short-form warnings from 5 square inches (5 inches²) to 12 square inches (12 inches²). Short-form warnings may only be used if the total surface area of the label available for consumer information is less than or equal to 12 square inches, and the package shape or size cannot accommodate the full-length warning under Section 25603(a)
Allows the use of the short-form warning on the internet or in catalogs where the short-form warning is used on the product label
Provides two additional signal word options ‘CA WARNING’ or ‘CALIFORNIA WARNING’ to allow businesses to make clear that the warning is being given pursuant to California law. These are in addition to the word ‘WARNING’
Provides additional warning language options that more directly address exposure to carcinogens or reproductive toxicants to provide an additional safe harbor warning that can be used on the product label
Removes the word ‘product’ from the proposed term ‘product label’ as that phrase was undefined and misleading. Instead, simply the term “label” is now being proposed

To see examples of the new short form warning labels, read SGS’s original Safeguard 169/21.

Comments on these proposed changes are being accepted until January 14, 2022, and the amendments should become operative one year after the effective date.

SGS Prop 65 Services

With a global network of laboratories, SGS can offer comprehensive testing, product assessment and consultancy services related to California Proposition 65. SGS can assist your risk management strategy in consumer goods, such as DIYs, electrical and electronics, hardgoods products, juvenile products, and textile & toy products. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS’s Prop 65 Services.

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full California Proposition 65: OEHHA Consults Over Proposed Revisions to Short Form Warnings SafeGuardS.

Subscribe here to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Dr. HingWo Tsang

Global Information and Innovation Manager

Tel: (+852) 2774 7420

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines

LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

About SGS

We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. Our 93,000 employees operate a network of 2,600 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world.

NFT Gaming Marketplace

What Does NFT mean in Gaming?

The global gaming industry is divided into three segments: PCs, Consoles, and Mobile Gaming. The flow of money in every medium is unidirectional, benefiting solely the game developers and perpetuating. Gamers in traditional gaming institutions are more likely to spend a lot of money yet have little or no opportunity to earn value for themselves. They begin by purchasing expensive gaming devices such as consoles. They must then spend money to gain access to in-game material and exclusive features after accessing the gaming surroundings.

Another advantage of NFTs is that they can be constructed to retain their worth after the game has ended. NFTs can be used in a variety of gaming scenarios since they are unique, verifiable, and immutable. As a result, NFTs have the potential to significantly expand gaming economies and lead to the development of new games and the establishment of new game categories.

NFTs’ Importance in the Gaming Industry:

Verify the authenticity of the original in-game asset.
Validate the uniqueness of an in-game asset.
Keep track of the asset’s ownership and prove it.
Tokenize the in-game asset so that it may be traded.

How Can NFTs Be Incorporated Into Games?

It is reasonable to assume that in the future, gamers would avoid games that do not provide digital assets in the form of NFTs. Who wants to rent when they have the option to buy?

The dilemma is how to integrate NFTs into games, as NFTs are likely to alter the gaming business. Gaming NFT Marketplace is the answer.

If NFT is the gaming industry’s future, you can be a part of it by starting your own Gaming NFT Marketplace. The incorporation of a Gaming NFT Marketplace into a game concept allows users to mint, purchase, and sell in-game collectibles in the form of NFTs, giving them a realistic gaming experience. They can collect and trade NFTs of in-game accessories, weapons, characters, and other collectibles, as well as gain awards, sell their tokens for profit, and cash them out on decentralized exchanges.

What is the NFT Marketplace for Gaming?

The NFT gaming marketplace is a blockchain-based platform that allows players to purchase, sell, and trade NFT. NFT marketplaces are used in two ways in Blockchain Games. Some blockchain games work with NFT gaming marketplaces to allow in-game assets to be tokenized into game NFTs. Then there are the NFT marketplace games, which are based only on the concept of marketable collectibles. Traditional games such as football, racing, strategy, arcade, and even virtual worlds are modeled around these gAll forms of gaming assets, such as tracks, vehicles, costumes, racers, tyres, player cards, manager packs, jerseys, weapons, warriors, and virtual lands, can be minted and traded on the NFT Gaming marketplace. NFT Gaming marketplaces can make playing a game more enjoyable by facilitating NFT minting for unique collectibles, especially when players get to purchase and keep these collectibles, unlike traditional games where the game developers own these collectibles.

SGS Complimentary Webinar for Durability is the New Fashion

SGS presents a complimentary webinar, ‘Durability is the New Fashion’ on Wednesday, January 26, 2022.

In response to consumer demand, markets around the world are increasingly looking at demonstrating a circular economy for the goods they produce. For businesses supplying more than one market or region, it can be difficult to keep up with differing regulations aimed at ensuring the sustainability of products.

This webinar from SGS experts Boris Pidgeon and Sravanth Kanukuntla takes an in-depth look at legislation in France and the EU, and how these areas vary in their regulatory frameworks. There will also be a Q&A opportunity. The webinar is suitable for all brands concerned with environmental labeling and durability.