Businesses Polluting In a Third World Country Essay

Businesses Polluting In a Third World Country - Essay Example This paper illustrates that businesses might choose to obey the rules that regulate pollution or risk the chance of being penalized for not obeying the pollution rules. Considering the financial requirement of the penalty in comparison to fixing the problem, most businesses would rather pay the ‘smaller’ penalty, than fix the problem. This is usually exacerbated by the fact that majority of most environmental problems are not addressed by the government. The existing regulations are neither implemented fully nor the penalties punitive enough. For instance, an American Company established in an African country would find it easy to pay fines imposed on them as the exchange rate favors them. Equally, the cost of ‘fixing’ the problem, such as moving a factory from a populated mining area is too high compared to the fine imposed on the same. Thirdly, businesses in the third world find it easy to pollute because their ‘home’ environment is not affect ed. This is usually the case chiefly because the existing regulations and repercussions are inferior to those in their ‘home’ country. The third world governments are also to blame for the increase in such activities because with poorly implemented rules and regulations, the majority of authorities are easily compromised can accept bribes. Some companies bent on polluting the environment and failing to take responsibility opts to entice the local authorities through bribery and ‘sweet’ deals that they cannot refuse. As a result, the regulations are imposed unfairly; hence exposing the country to ultimate disintegration. Third World countries (also known as the least developed countries), in addition to their poor economic conditions also suffer from the effects of extremely poor environmental conditions. As governments strive to address the most basic of their fundamental needs (food, clean water, and healthcare), pollution and other countless environmental problems are neglected; with pollution primarily remaining unrestricted.

Case Discussions Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Discussions - Statistics Project Example Although Primus has excess capacity and is able to spare enough recourses for the job without closing other businesses and hiring additional staff means that the opportunity cost of Primus is zero Qualitative Factors that should be considered before making a decision on the job are The financial stability of the firm, these determine whether the firm will adopt a decision and remain financially stable. Consumers the target group in firms output, competitors this is the same firms in the market that produce the same product, this helps the firm determine its branding; and marketing techniques. Optimum profit and a breakeven point of the firm in order to reduce unnecessary losses (Nahmias, & Olsen, 2015). Case 2 a) The firm should identify its key the operations and quantify it in terms cost and time. Average time and cost of production of a product should be reflected in the profit of a particular product. The demand for the products in the market also should be taken into consideration as far as the profit and production are concerned. It is ideal for the company to identify less profitable and least demanded products them in the market and scrub in order to increase workforce per unit of production. This will lead to increased supply to counteract the demand in the market. The company should establish a way of minimizing the defectives as a way of making production effective minimizing time, labor, and cost incurred in the production of defective products; this will optimize the output of the products.

Impact of PSD2 on the Banking and Payment Industry

Impact of PSD2 on the Banking and Payment Industry Critically evaluate PSD2[1] and its potential impact upon the payments industry, the Banks and the UK customer. Is PSD2 likely to achieve its aims? PSD2 is the second payment directive that came into force in January 2016, as a fundamental piece of payments legislation within Europe, and the first European Law to affect sterling payments.ÂÂ   It is the artefact of an appraisal of the inventive of Payment Services Directive, which requires PSPs (payment service providers) to make significant number of changes to existing operations. On October 8, 2015, the European Parliament received the changed order on Payment Services (PSD2). It requires Europes banks to offer TTP more prominent access to client information and instalment foundation, and gives banks until 2018 to follow its mandates. Depending on how banks react, the new order can be either an impetus for kicking off the advancement of important new plans of action or a risk that will generate genuine focused difficulties. The Directive entails that all Members states contrivance these guidelines as a state law by the year 2018 on the 13th of January. The European Commission used determination to regularly integrate appraisal targets into the Directives, to ensure that the directions endure to be for the specific aim. With the reception of the Payment Services Directive (PSD2), an irreversible move to open managing an account in Europe has turned out to be unavoidable. Europes banks cant bear to sit tight for the authority PSD2 execution date in 2018 to define a key reaction. The primary charge services Directive (PSD) was carried out in the United Kingdom through the bills services guidelines in 2009. It turned into designed to establish a European wide felony framework for price offerings by using placing the data requirements and the respective rights and obligations of price service customers and vendors. It also introduced a new class of PSP, specifically, charge establishments, example: providers of price offerings unconnected to the taking of deposits or the issuing of digital cash, with the aid of laying down the authorisation necessities. European Directives set a EU wide guidelines on market practice, which all the Member States are required to put into effect a rule modifications by a certain date (the transposition cut-off date). In the United Kingdom, the rules are normally carried out by means of Statutory units and from time to time, through Parliamentary Acts. In 2012, the European Commission revised the Payments Services Directives and found that, the legislation had obligated several benefits. Such benefits included a prime enabling of market entrance and, an upsurge in competition for structured payment institutions. The Payment Services Directives provided the groundwork for the effective execution for the SEPA (the Single Euro Payments Area), which went on to greatly enhance the economies. The point of open banking in Europe has been set, which provides standardised access to customer data and banking set-up. The fences for access to third party providers and financial technology companies, are lowered due to the Payments Services Directive by motivating the growth of innovative corporate models and an extensive variety of novel banking amenities. This allows the Payments Services Directive to be a key substance of the commotion and tactical restitution in the banking economies within Europe. The trades within Europe have underway started to hold the varieties of facilities, as well as the corporations that will likely substitute the Payment Services Directive (PSD2). A PwC Strategy consider on PSD2, directed in the primary quarter of 2016, recommends that 88 percent of buyers utilise TTP for online instalments, which demonstrates that there is an expansive, prepared base of clients for other advanced managing an account administrations. All things considered, the gene ral reaction of Europes financiers to Payment Service Directive is one of instability. Although 68 percent of brokers dread that PSD2 will make them lose control of the customer interface, large portions of them stay uncertain how to react to the new order. Subsequently, they are embracing a cautious, keep a watch out position that is hazard disinclined. Interestingly, there are a couple banks and more TTP, that are grasping the potential outcomes of open managing an account also, seeking after methodologies went for winning a main part in the future. Third Party Providers is viewed as a huge change brought by PSD2. It in a general sense changes our association with the bank. This is the first run through keeps money with their client assent will permit TTP access to accounts. By permitting access to accounts, PSD2 makes two noteworthy parts for TTP to play. The European Parliament embraced PSD2 to make it less demanding, quicker, and less costly for customers to pay for products and enterprises, by advancing advancement improving instalment security, and institutionalising instalment frameworks crosswise over Europe. The Payment Services Directive utilises three instruments to accomplish this. The First is, it extends the administrative domain of the European Union to incorporate new sorts of suppliers, for example, instalment start and record data administrations. The Second is, it forces restrictions on exchange charges and stricter guidelines on discounts to lower exchange costs for shoppers. And lastly, the most troublesome that requires European banks to open their instalment foundation and client information to TTP of money related administrations. Imbursement start administration will give another option to card expenses, by moving cash from payer records to traders specifically. This will surely hit card organisation incomes, at any rate in Europe. Even though the specialised subtle elements of the Payment Services Directive have not been completely indicated yet, banks will undoubtedly need to utilise application programming interfaces, such as the Advance Passenger Information System (APIs). These institutionalised interfaces are intense facilitators and drivers of computerised businesses has passed their utilisation in the trading of information, APIs permit organisations to receive a secluded approach for rapidly and cost-successfully making and scaling new organisations. Therefore, the pace of API advancement and utilise is quickening in various enterprises. An example will be Uber for instance, rapidly developed from a little start up to a worldwide organisation by incorporating accomplice abilities by means of APIs. It utilises the Google Maps API to find clients and track drivers, Googles Cloud Messaging API for texting, and PayPals Braintree API for instalment. Notwithstanding utilising APIs, Uber additionally has built up its own API and gave it to different organisations to augment the span of its administrations. For example, Openable, the online reservation organises joins Ubers API in its application to permit clients to orchestrate go to and from eateries when they reserve a spot. Organisations, for example, Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Salesforce, and Twitter additionally have effectively utilised APIs to reinforce their capacities and fabricate their organisations. Presently, European banks must open their information and framework to satisfy administrative necessities. Even though the pronounced concentration of PSD2 is on instalments and access to records, its consequences reach out a long way past that restricted zone. Notwithstanding utilising APIs to accomplish compliance. Europes banks and TTP will have the capacity to utilise them significantly more deliberately. They could add outsider abilities to their centre business offerings through APIs, along these lines making and testing new models and ideas quicker and driving down their cost of development. They could support their cross-offering endeavours and develop their venture into new markets by giving their APIs to TTP. Whats more, they could utilise the shopper conduct and inclination information that collect from these exercises to build up the bits of knowledge expected to make extra new purchaser items and administrations. How much traders can profit by this abnormal state of trust in their instalment administrations will be a vital figure deciding the aggressive danger they posture to banks. On the off chance that they can join high trust levels with exclusive purchaser conduct and inclination information, traders could make a strong establishment for growing past instalments into different administrations, for example, account checking and individual money related administration, that banks have conventionally marketed. The control of the Payment Services Directive has been envisioned as problematic. On one hand, it prepared for new contestant in a range which for quite a long time worked in close fences. Then again it challenges places of existent players by empowering straightforwardness. There were uncommon open doors for new companies, however the greater part of that is going to change as regardless of its disturbance, for those of us in the UK the entire PSD2 brings up new issues about its pertinence after Brexit. For those organisations who stay inside the EU, they will keep on receiving the advantages of instalment information sharing through the mix of PSD2 and SEPA. UK based FinTech organisations outside the European Union might be enticed to migrate into the European Union. An Account Information Service which is also known as AIS, is characterised in Article 4(16) as an online service to provide consolidated information on one or more payment accounts held by the payment service user with either another payment service provider or with more than one payment service provider. PSD2 presents the Account Information Service Providers, AIPs whom are regularly alluded to as TTP, who are permitted to give an accumulated perspective of the client(s) records. The PSD2 content makes it clear that clients have a privilege to utilise PIS and AIS where that beneath PSD2, this information cannot be given out and such information can only be done, with the full consent from the client. That implies faster, more straightforward administrations, access to cash and computerised applications, which gives combined perspectives of accounts and in addition more oversee assets. For instance, if you have accounts in numerous Banks, you regularly have admittance to accounts through every Bank stage, the record data administrations API urge TTP to give a merged perspective of all the accounts. It is discernible that PSD2 wont permit banks to separate diversely to payments started utilising TTP, compared to that of the one started through their own system. It is evident that such access of records and payment start opportunity fuelled development, by permitting innovation new businesses to work into a region which was not accessible before. This implies a level playing field for new participant and occupant cultivates rivalry, development, and controlled situations. These progressions mirror the market development in E-Commerce business exercises and utilisation of web and portable payments and in addition, the ascent of new mechanical improvements and a pattern towards clients having associations with different record suppliers. Advance clarity with regards to the degree, is relied upon to develop amid the transposition stage. Notwithstanding, commonly, a dealer may incorporate a start to benefit given by a PISP into its online checkout procedure, to empower it to offer the choice of online acknowledge exchanges as another option to use another than to pay with Debit or Credit card. PIS could likewise be offered nearby AIS to move cash starting with one paying account then onto the next, considering the data accumulated. AIS permit purchasers and organisations to acquire a merged perspective of their records and to utilise instruments to investigate their exchanges and going through examples with at least one PSPs. Managers are very much aware of security concerns raised because of incorporation of TTP in the region which was beforehand accessible just to bank-particular channels. The Payment Service Directive has considered how important this matter is, and has set down new security necessities for other methods and ways to start payments and ease of convenience. PSD2 brings the idea of SCA, which is a more secure verification instrument that goes past two element validation, with the first validation being that, something a client knows, such as, a password or a memorable answer to a security question. The second validation is that, is prove ownership by stating a memorable passcode number(s). SCA presents a third measurement alluded as inherence recognises that client(s), can have access the option of fingerprints or voice biometrics. The exchange is an expression that rose out of the first PSD, which alludes to the exchanges where payers or beneficiaries are based outside of the European Union. In the first PSD, the exchanges were out of degree. It was the main European Union monetary forms that were initially focused on. PSD2 expanded the extent of the first PSD. Exchanges in any coin where both the payers and beneficiaries pay specialist cooperation that is situated in the European Union go under PSD2 transmit. Exchanges in any money where either the PSP or the beneficiarys PSP is situated in the European Union, regardless of different PSPs situated outside the European Union, go under the PSD2 dispatch. PSD2 presented more positive discount open doors for direct charge. Sitting aside the definitive expected and hopeful result of PSD2, there are absolutely some critical breakthroughs still to be accomplished if the venture is to stay on focus for conveyance in mid 2018. While the banks have regularly commenced consistence extends, and have gained ground to more prominent or lesser degrees, they are sitting tight for some basic additional data from the European Banking Authority, to which the Commission has appointed duty regarding the production of the Regulatory Technical Standards required for PSD2 usage. These specialized guidelines will go some approach to characterizing how banks will be required to give access to record data to outsiders, for instance by means of an API. They will likewise cover how the solid (two element) validation PSD2 presents, to expand the security of electronic payments, should be actualised. The specialised principles wont be accessible in draft shape for conference until the end of 2016, and they wont be finished for y ear and a half after that, which implies that associations need to arrange their systems in view of the data as of now accessible, and arrangements considering set up specialised models ought to give adaptability if any change is required when the specialised rules are settled. Work Cited https://www.finextra.com/blogposting/12833/does-psd2-still-matter-to-uk-after-brexit https://www.strategyand.pwc.com/media/file/Catalyst-or-threat.pdf http://www.paymentsuk.org.uk/sites/default/files/PSD2%20report%20June%202016.pdf https://www.ingwb.com/media/1609662/preparing-for-psd2_vroegh.pdf [1] DIRECTIVE (EU) 2015/2366 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 25 November 2015 on payment services in the internal market, amending Directives 2002/65/EC, 2009/110/EC and 2013/36/EU and Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010, and repealing Directive 2007/64/EC

Free Speech, Censorship, and Self Determination Issues in Protests against the Chinese Government :: China Government Research Politics Papers

Free Speech, Censorship, and Self Determination Issues in Protests against the Chinese Government Introduction As a Chinese American, I have long admired the African American culture that spawned the civil rights movement. Here was a people buffeted by a history of discrimination that asserted its equal rights as men and women. Whether advocating nonviolence and integration or separation and violence if necessary, these men and women used and asserted their freedom of speech on the streets, in writings, and on the airwaves. Today we see China growing rapidly in economic power yet shaken by protests by workers displaced by the closings of state owned enterprises and migrant workers treated as second class citizens. We see organizations, from the Chinese Democratic Foundation to the Falun Gong, advocating and asserting human rights. The Chinese government has been relentless in "nip(ing) those factors that undermine social stability in the bud, no matter where they come from."(7) Many human rights organizations and dissident organizations have turned to the Internet to protest these government actions and to communicate, inform, and advocate their message to both the Chinese people and to the rest of the world. As a believer in protests and freedom of speech and someone who wants Chinese culture to grow, I should be a staunch supporter of these organizations and their actions. Yet, I am torn. What's Happening In China China is undergoing rapid and violent change. China has the fastest growing economy in the world, growing at 9.1% clip in 2003. SFGate recently reported on Shanghai novelist Mian Mian whose tale exposing an underground of rock, drugs, and promiscuity is reminiscent of America in the 60's. The number of Chinese Internet users is estimated at close to 80 million. A new generation of artists have appeared on the scene, wryly commenting on China's rapid change. China, nominally communist, seems freer than ever before and its future looks bright. Yet, you also hear reports of corruption, of large and growing underclass, and renewed repression. It seems that partly fueling China's engine of growth is a near inexhaustible supply of cheap and desperate labor spawned by the closing of state owned enterprises (S.O.E.s) and an impoverished rural population. These hardships have spawned a migrant labor population, estimated to swell to 100 million this year, that has flooded urban centers looking for work. These workers are denied education, medical care, pensions, are locked out of most jobs, and are vulnerable to labor abuses.

Bishoy Fanous Writing 102 Professor Riveland

Bishoy Fanous Writing 102 Professor Riveland 9 February 2013 The Meaning of Work When one thinks of meaningful work, generally they think of labor that accomplishes a certain goal. They think of a prestigious job or occupation that has meaning to it. But meaningful work can mean a lot more than just a prestigious job or having meaning to something you do. Meaningful work can be as simple as feeding the birds in the park on a Saturday morning. It can be helping someone out or looking out for someone in need.Meaningful work can be defined as enjoyment of the worker, dedication of the worker to the job, and involvement that the worker shows toward his job. When students start to think of jobs, they try to think of something that they would love doing for the rest of their lives. But instead they end up running after well-paying jobs and prestigious jobs. They feel that society would judge them in a way that would put them at the bottom of the job spectrum. So they end up going for a top of the line jobs that give good salaries but at the same time are boring or not meaningful to them.Therefore, when it comes to jobs you want something you will enjoy doing for the rest of your life. You want something that you will satisfy you in life rather then depress you. According to Epstein in the section Work and its Contents from his book he says, â€Å"The most fortunate people of all, though, are those for whom the line between work and play gets rubbed out, for whom work is pleasure and pleasure is in work† (Epstein, 31). In other words, Epstein believes that your job should be close if not the same as your play time or the time you spend doing what pleases you.This can conclude my point that work that is not enjoyable to the person who is doing it gives it no meaning. It does not matter how prestigious or high paying the job is, if it’s not enjoyable, then it will not be meaningful to the person doing it. Also we notice in Epstein’s quote the part w here he says that the line between work and play is rubbed out (Epstein). Basically what he means by that is when you go on with your life doing your hobbies they should be similar, if not close to, what you do as a job for a living.If that’s not so, then the work you are doing is not meaningful to you. When it comes to meaningful work, dedication should be at the top of list. Dedication to work is more of a life style, like for example a doctor’s life style is a lot different from an engineer’s life style. A doctor might see something in a medical way while an engineer might see the same thing in a physical or a mechanical way. A doctor see’s things in a certain way because he dedicated most of his time and effort to this form of life style and in the end he uses it to go through everyday life.The same applies to an engineer and every other profession out there. The profession a person chooses is based on the amount of time and dedication they put in to that field. Dedication can be seen through many people in everyday life. We see it in famous football athletes, movie stars, and even teachers. As the prominent philosopher Malcolm Gla dwell’s talks about The Beatles and Bill Gates as a little kid and how they were dedicated to what they did before they even got paid for it or it was even their job yet.He mentions how The Beatles when they first started performing it was in a strip club and they would perform for long hours every night together without complaining (Gladwell). Many might disagree and say that dedication should be put in everything you do even your job. But the truth is that many people do their job and then they go on living a different life from what they do at work. They show no form of dedication to what they do in their job at home or when they go out with friends or family. If they show no form of dedication then how is it meaningful work to them?It’s not, it just another thing they do throughout t he day like brushing their teeth or showering just because they have to do it and because it’s a daily routine. Many people might say that they are dedicated to their job and they enjoy doing what they do for a living, but that does not necessarily mean that their job is meaningful to them. In order for work to be a hundred percent meaningful to the worker he has to be involved in it. Some might ask how can someone enjoy their job and be dedicated to their job but not be involved? The answer is that think of a football player in the National Football League.He might be dedicated to going to every practice and he might enjoy playing football for a living, but when it comes to game time he ends up not playing and sitting on the bench most of the season. In order for a job to be meaningful to the worker he has to get involved in some way shape or form. Likewise, the football player being benched for most of the season has to find a way to get better. But while he is getting bett er, he has to be involved in other things on the bench, like studying different plays in the play book or following different skills or techniques of other players on the team.This way he will be bumped up to playing more games in the season and end up getting involved in his job. In Thomas Sowell’s magazine, Meaningful Work, he talks about acquiring skills, he says that â€Å"Those relatively few statistics that follow actual flesh-and-blood individuals over time show them moving massively from one income bracket to another over time, starting at the bottom and moving up as they acquire skills and experience† (Sowell, 2). In making this comment, Sowell urges us to work our way up.He urges us to get involved in what we do in order for us to get the skills we need and move up in our work field. Further more going back to involvement, Sowell talks about how statistics show that some people start off with no skills or experiences. But over time through involvement in thei r field of work or study, they gain the skills or experiences they need to move up in their job or their income. This shows that without involvement in what you do for a living you can not have meaningful work or work that gives meaning to what you do.After reading this people might say that enjoyment, dedication, and involvement are not the only things that make work meaningful. But that living up to your goals is what defines meaningful work. I would answer and say that even though that could be a way to define meaningful work it has to involve one of these three topics because a person’s goal will never be to live miserable, but it would be to enjoy life. This can show that my definition of meaningful work is valid because whatever other way a person might want to define meaningful work. They will end up having to satisfy one f these three topics in their definition of meaningful work in order for it to be a valid and acceptable definition. In conclusion, meaningful work c an not just be work that you do for a salary or prestigious. But it has to be work that you enjoy doing everyday. It has to be work that you are dedicated to doing even if the job has a risk to it. Last but not least it has to be work that involves you in some way, not just a job that you go to, to get paid from. If the job you do does not involve one of these three things, then it can not be meaningful to you as a worker.It would be better off for you to not go through the struggle of getting that job, then getting to that job and noticing that it gave no meaning to your life in the sense of working. Work Cited Epstein, Joseph. â€Å"Work and It Contents. †Ã‚  Once More Around the Block. New York: Norton, 1987. Print. Meaningful Work Comes from Passion, Not Genius. Perf. Malcolm Gladwell. Meaningful Work Comes from Passion, Not Genius. Bnet. com, 29 Nov. 2008. Web. 18 Feb. 2013. Sowell, Thomas. â€Å"Meaningful Work. †Ã‚  NationalReview. com  29 May 2012: Web.

Understand the Principles and Requirements of Assessment

LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATION IN ASSESSING VOCATIONAL COMPETENCE LED BY CAROL SMOUT LESSON 1 26TH SEPT 2011 THE ROLE OF AN ASSESSOR ASSESSING PERFORMANCEGIVING FEEDBACK CONTRIBUTE TO A PAPER TRAIL ROLE OF AN ASSESSOR ROLE OF AN ASSESSOR WRITE EFFECTIVE ASSESSMENT PLANS 1. ASSESSING PERFORMANCE = A range of assessments, I am making a judgement on 2. GIVING FEEDBACK = Verbal feedback, Written Feedback. {Try to be positive, Don’t be negative candidates find this demoralising} 3. CONTRIBUTE TO a PAPER TRAIL = I have to write on a least 3 pieces of paper all of which are auditable Assessment plans. I need to contribute to a paper trail. As an Assessor I assess a Candidate/Student then someone {IV OR EV} then checks my assessment decision. This is called THE QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM. When I am audited as an experienced Assessor I need to be able to demonstrate that I understand Quality Assurance. I have to be able to write effective assessment plans. 4. WRITE EFFECTIVE ASSESSMENT PLANS= Example: â€Å" I have met with blah blah blah and she/he has said she/he wants to do a shampoo & blow dry & a semi-permanent next week. â€Å"We plan to do this in this time on this date with this candidate & I am going to orally question her/him to check her/his underpinning knowledge. THIS EQUALS A PLAN !!! LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATION IN ASSESSING VOCATIONAL COMPETENCE LED BY CAROL SMOUT LESSON 2 3RD OCTOBER 2011 STAGES OF THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS PLANNING. STAGES OF THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS STAGES OF THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS REVIEWING JUDGING RECORDING QUALITY ASSURANCE 1. PLANNING = Assessment plannin g sheets & Consultation Sheets. 2. REVIEWING. Straight from SCHOOL TO COLLEGE no work base knowledge. First meeting with my candidate check if the candidate has any prior learning (APL= ACCREDITATION FOR PRIOR LEARNING) â€Å"What qualifications do you currently have† Do they relate to what they are currently doing now. I may find that some elements of the assessment may have already been done. When a candidate joins the college straight from school they still may have some prior learning. Some schools send their students to college to learn about hairdressing as part of their learning at school, some of this learning can be taken into consideration as prior learning. REVIEWING WORK BASE. If the candidate is joining college and is work based and is now coming to college for apprentership they may have been shampooing for 3 years so will not need to do their level one because of their prior learning they can go straight on to level 2. It would be unfair to make them do it all over again; they don’t need to be taught again. It’s all about taking the candidate forward. 3. JUDGING STAGE. This stage is the most difficult. Assessors find it most difficult as to â€Å"Am I Judging this right? † â€Å"Am I being really harsh or am I being a lenient? † So I have to follow 6 steps to ensure that I am doing this correctly. I have to check the Assessment by: IS THE ASSESSMENT 1. VALID Can be done using the Methods of Assessment. OBSERVATION, I can Observe it’s valid I can see it being done by that candidate. ORAL/VERBAL, I can ask questions and check their underpinning knowledge and check its validity EXAMS. Exams are obviously valid as there done under strict conditions, examiners are present their not allowed to talk etc. PROFESSIONAL DISCUSSION I Can talk to them in a professional capacity to check validity PROJECTS & ASSIGNEMENTS Are valid make sure signed dated good way at checking their knowledge. Although could have been done by someone else again ask oral questions and ask them to reference and put in a bibliography for me to refer and check if I feel not valid WITNESS STATEMENTS. An employer can provide a witness statement that a candidate has competently passed an assessment. It Valid if signed by their employer but still need to check validity could discuss how they achieved this pass what did they do how did they do it. PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE Valid I can see the photographic evidence try to get the candidates to get a picture that shows them doing the work. Still a little grey though as someone else could have done the work but just taken a photograph of the candidate with the client doesn’t mean necessarily that they have done the work. IS THE ASSESSMENT 2 RELIABLE. How sure am I that the above are reliable, how do I know for sure that the work I am assessing is that candidates own work, some are obviously reliable e. g. observation because I can see it being done. IS THE ASSESSMENT 3 SUFFICIENT. Has the candidate done enough to pass all elements of the unit being assessed. For example the candidate is being assessed to shampoo and condition a client’s hair and to sell a product. She/he may well have used all the correct products and massage movements but during the assessment She/he may not have been given the opportunity to sell a product in which case the candidate will have passed some elements of the unit chosen but because she couldn’t sell a product that part of the unit will have to be referred to another assessment but the candidate will have passed the other two elements of the unit. ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE CANDIDATE READS THROUGH THEIR PC’s (Performance Criteria’s) WHICH IS IN THEIR LOG BOOKS FOR EACH UNIT THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF THAT UNIT THAT THEY HAVE TO PASS TO ACHIEVE A FULL PASS IN THAT UNIT !!! IS THE ASSESSMENT 4. AUTHENTIC I have to know that every assessment they are doing is that candidates. How do know that that assessment is that authentic and reliable ? The best way to find out if not observed by me is to orally question them. IS THE ASSESSMENT 5. CURRENT Is the candidate demonstrating up to date skills? Is the candidate using up to date equipment? Example if the candidate is doing a colour & we haven’t got a roller ball or a climazon & they have to place the client under a hood dryer with a cap on the clients head. The service with that equipment is NOT CURRENT to industry. IS THE ASSESSMENT 6. SAFE Is the assessment taking place safe for all Are they working safely. I can stop an assessment at any time if there is a danger to the client, to anybody else in the room or to the candidate themselves. RECORDING STAGE Recording takes place in the log books for hairdressing. I record assessment decisions on consultation sheets. Also recording takes place for an assessment if it’s on a written paper on a marking front sheet. The awarding body gives us these marking sheets and it is my job to make sure that the candidate signs it & that I sign it & I put their marks on it. It is the evidence as to whether the candidate is competent on that written paper. There will be a written paper from C. H. E. A. T. When I mark assignments there will also be an assignment front sheet that I would record their feedback on. Whether it is passed or referred the candidate would sign it and date it, I would sign and date it to validate that assessment { THESE PAPER FORMS ARE VITAL FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO DO MY ROLE AS AN ASSESSOR FORMS ARE AVAILABLE FROM CAROLE AND VIA KERRY I NEED THESE FORMS AS SOON AS I START TO SHADOW} QUALITY ASSURANCE When I assess a candidate and I have already recorded it all on the previous documents. I also have to track a student candidate throughout their qualification, so if they have completed one whole unit I would need to sign off the tracking document, this document forms part of the tracking paper trail for Quality Assurance I also need to attend Standardisation Meetings. Usually done twice a year at the beginning and the end of a course. At these standardisation meetings I have to interact and share my views and contribute to these meetings. When we attend the meeting we all should bring along one or two units that we have marked, we can then shuffle them around between each other and look at them to make sure that the students are all being marked equally and that we haven’t been too harsh on them with a marking or too lenient on them. We all need to be marking to the same standard. This is what standardisation is all about & that forms part of this Quality Assurance Process. External verification officers come in they check and look at our tracking, they look at all our minutes and meetings, they come and look at the candidates log books, they look at their consultation sheets, they look at all their written papers & their assignments. They are checking that there was some sort of assessment in place & then they are making sure that I as an assessor planned the assessment. Health & Safety Legislation Sourced from HSE The Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2006 The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 Disability Discrimination Act 1995 The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 The Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 The main piece of legislation affecting the management of health and safety in educational establishments across all sectors is the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 (HSWA). This Act provides a framework for ensuring the health and safety of all employees in any work activity. It also provides for the health and safety of anyone who may be affected by work activities in eg pupils/students and visitors to educational sites, including parents and contractors. In Northern Ireland, similar provisions are made by the Health and Safety at Work (NI) Order 1978. Employers and employees (as well as manufacturers, suppliers and the self-employed) must comply with the duties set out in the Act, which are summarised as follows. * Section 2 places a duty on employers to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees as far as is reasonably practicable. It also requires employers to consult with trade union safety representatives on matters affecting health and safety in the workplace. Moreover, employers of more than five people must prepare a written health and safety policy and bring it to the attention of employees. Section 3 requires employers to ensure that non-employees (eg pupils/students) who may be affected by work activities are not exposed to risks to their health and safety. Where young or vulnerable persons may be affected, the duty of care is greater. * Section 4 places a duty on anyone responsible for the workplace to ensure that the premises, plant and machinery do not endanger the people using them. * Section 5 requires emplo yers to prevent and control harmful, noxious or offensive emissions into the atmosphere. Section 6 places duties on designers, manufacturers and suppliers to ensure that articles and substances are safe for use. * Section 7 states that it is the duty of every employee while at work to take reasonable care of him or herself and of any other person who may be affected by his or her actions. This section also requires employees to cooperate with their employer in relation to health and safety issues. * Section 8 requires employees not to interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interest of health and safety. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 The main requirement of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations is that employers must carry out risk assessments to eliminate or reduce risks. Employers with five or more employees need to record the significant findings of a risk assessment – it is not necessary to record risk assessments for trivial or insignificant risks. In addition, employers also need to: * make arrangements for implementing the health and safety measures identified as necessary by risk assessments * monitor and review those arrangements appoint people with sufficient knowledge, skills, experience and training to help them to implement these arrangements * set up emergency procedures and provide information about them to employees * provide clear information, supervision and training for employees and ensure that suitably competent people are appointed who are capable of carrying out the tasks entrusted to them * work together with any other employer(s) operating from the same workplace, sharing information on the risks that other staff may be exposed to, eg cleaning, catering or maintenance contractors * take particular account of risks to new and expectant mothers. A risk assessment is a careful examination of the work activities that could, whether on or off site, cause harm to people so that your employer can weigh up whether they have taken adequate precautions or should do more to prevent harm. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess the risks arising from work activities to both employees and non-employees (eg students, visiting parents). Employees have a right to see the results of risk assessments. Who can do risk assessments? Employers are responsible for ensuring that risk assessments are carried out by competent people (ie those who have sufficient knowledge, skills, experience and aptitude). These people may be current employees, provided they have been suitably trained, or external health and safety professionals. Safety reps have a legal right to be consulted and can assist on risk assessments. However, the risk assessment remains the legal obligation of the employer and therefore should be signed by the employer once complete. Activities that should be assessed All work activities that could present a potential hazard should be risk assessed. ‘Hazard' means something with the potential to cause harm, including ill health as well as injury. ‘Risk' is the likelihood of that hazard actually causing harm during the course of work activities. In an education setting, there are particular situations that typically require risk assessments: * the work activities of all new and expectant mothers require a specific risk assessment under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, with any necessary adjustments made to their working conditions a risk assessment should be conducted before taking students off site * workplace stress and stressors should also be included within risk assessments The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 These regulations set out minimum health and safety standards for all maintained schools in England and Wales, covering issues such as temperature, toilet facilities for pupils, ventilation and lighting. Some of the standards also have to be met by non-maintained special schools and independent schools. The regulations operate in conjunction with the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations, as outlined below. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 These regulations deal with physical conditions in the workplace and require employers to meet minimum standards in relation to a wide range of matters, which include: * maintenance of buildings and equipment * lighting * provision of drinking water * temperature * rest facilities * ventilation * toilet facilities * first aid. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 These regulations require employers to minimise the health risks associated with manual handling, a term used to describe activities which involve lifting, carrying, moving, holding, pushing, lowering, pulling or restraining an object, person or animal. Employers should: * avoid the need to lift, carry, push, pull, lower or support loads wherever possible * mechanise tasks where they cannot be avoided by the use of trolleys, barrows, lifts or hoists * carry out risk assessments, which take into account the work task, the activity involved, individual capacity, working environment and other factors. The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2006 The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations place specific duties on employers, owners and those in control of buildings to manage the risks from asbestos fibres that may be released when building or maintenance work takes place. The regulations require the following steps to be taken to manage the risk: * find out if there is asbestos on the premises, its amount and what condition it is in * presume materials contain asbestos, unless there is evidence that they do not * make and keep up to date a record of the location and condition of the materials containing asbestos or which are presumed to contain asbestos * carry out a risk assessment on materials containing asbestos * prepare and implement a plan that sets out in detail how the risk from this material is going to be managed * review and monitor the plan and the arrangements provide information on the location and condition of the material to anyone who is liable to work on or disturb it (including staff). Specialist help is ge nerally required to determine the presence of materials containing asbestos and to remove asbestos. The HSE advises that if asbestos is in good condition and is not likely to be disturbed or damaged, it is usually safer to leave it in place and manage it. The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 These regulations oblige employers to assess the workstations of staff who use display screen equipment (DSE). The workstation is the equipment itself, its accessories and the surrounding work environment. The minimum requirements of employers are to: * identify â€Å"users† of display screen equipment, ie those who habitually use DSE as a significant part of their normal work * assess workstations to ensure that they meet minimum standards * provide information, instruction and training on the potential hazards of using DSE equipment * offer free eyesight tests to users of DSE equipment at regular intervals and to pay for spectacles that are required for the work * review assessments. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 These place a duty on employers to assess all foreseeable risks associated with work activities involving electricity. Employers are required to install safe systems of working, with well-maintained equipment, covering everything from power lines to kettles. All installation and repairs should be undertaken by a qualified electrician or those who have appropriate technical knowledge, though some minor repairs, inspections, fitting of plugs, etc may be under taken by suitably trained staff. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations R. I. D. D. O. R 1995 Under these regulations (often referred to as RIDDOR), certain work-related accidents are reportable by law to the Health and Safety Executive or the local authority. The following must be reported: * death of any person * a ‘major injury' to any person at work * hospital treatment of any person who is not at work (eg pupil/student) * an accident which results in a person at work being incapacitated for more than three consecutive days (excluding the day of the accident) * specified dangerous occurrences, eg building collapse * specified work-related diseases, eg mesothelioma and hepatitis. Educational establishments should have clear guidelines on incident reporting and this should be conveyed to staff on the first day of their employment. Accident reporting An accident is an unplanned event that results in injury, damage to property or some other loss. The law requires that certain work-related accidents are reported to the local authority or the Health and Safety Executive. All accidents to employees, however minor, should be recorded. This is a requirement under social security legislation. As a result of a workplace injury an employee may need to claim for benefits in the future, and the relevant checks will be made to confirm that the accident occurred at work. Reporting and recording procedures vary. Employers need to be sure that they satisfy all legal reporting requirements for employees and non-employees, and take measures to monitor accidents. As part of the reactive monitoring process, accident records are needed to assess whether the existing controls are adequate or to identify if trends are developing and to implement new procedures. Records may also have to be produced for the Health and Safety Executive, to parents/guardians, or in the course of civil proceedings if a claim is brought following an incident. How to report an accident All accidents can be reported to the Incident Contact Centre (ICC), Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG. Alternatively, call on tel: 0845 300 9923 on Mondays to Fridays between 8. 30am and 5. 30pm, email  [email  protected] om  or report via the internet at  www. riddor. gov. uk. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 These regulations (often known as the COSHH regulations) require employers to asses s and prevent (or at least adequately control) the risks to health from the use of any hazardous substances used in the workplace. A hazardous substance is one which has, by law, to be labelled as ‘very toxic', ‘toxic', ‘harmful', ‘irritant' or ‘corrosive'. It therefore includes many chemical substances such as paints and cleaning materials, as well as wood dust. The obligations to employers are to: * assess the risks * decide what precautions are needed take steps to reduce or adequately control exposure to hazardous substances * ensure that control measures are utilised and maintained * monitor exposure * carry out health surveillance of employees who have been or are likely to be exposed * have in place emergency procedures to deal with accidents/incidents * ensure that employees are properly informed, trained and supervised. Educational establishments must have in place appropriate measures to ensure that the risks to the health and safety of pupils /students from exposure to hazardous substances are minimised. COSHH and hairdressers – key messages * Frequent contact with water and shampoo can irritate the skin leading to dermatitis. Some hairdressing and cleaning products can cause dermatitis and skin allergies. * Some dusty products like persulphates and henna can cause asthma. * Some hair sprays can make asthma worse. There are simple things you can do to prevent dermatitis and asthma: * Keep the workplace well ventilated. * Wear disposable non-latex gloves for shampooing, colouring and bleaching. * Dry your hands thoroughly after washing with a soft towel. * Moisturise your hands as often as possible. * Change your gloves between clients. * Check your skin regularly for early signs of skin problems. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 These regulations set out minimum standards for the use of equipment at work. The main requirements are for employers to: * take account of working conditions and hazards when selecting equipment * provide work equipment which conforms to relevant safety standards * ensure that the work equipment is suitable for its intended purpose and used only for that purpose * maintain and keep the equipment in good working order * ensure that appropriate safety devices are available, if required * issue staff with appropriate instructions, training and supervision to use the work equipment safely * make sure that equipment is inspected after installation or after assembly at a new location. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 These regulations cover the planning and management of construction projects. An essential part of a project's development is health and safety. Consequently, there is a duty on those involved in a construction project, such as the controller of buildings (ie the LA/governing body/headteacher/principal), contractors and designers to cooperate with each other to identify risks early on, and to report matters that are likely to endanger health and safety. There is also a duty to take appropriate measures to prevent the risk of injury to any person during the construction, which would include staff, pupils/students and visitors to the premises. Disability Discrimination Act 1995 The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 defines a disability as a â€Å"physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities†. To be substantial, the disability must last or be expected to last for at least 12 months. However, those with cancer, MS or who are HIV positive are deemed to be disabled from the point of diagnosis. The act requires employers to ensure that disabled persons have safe access to premises and safe egress in the event of evacuation. They must also make any reasonable changes to the physical features of premises, hours of work, etc that may be necessary to accommodate the needs of disabled employees. Disability discrimination The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 requires employers to make ‘reasonable adjustments' to premises or working practices to ensure that employees are not disadvantaged because of their disability. In order to have rights under the Disability Discrimination Act, an employee must show they are defined as disabled under the act. This means suffering from a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Any adverse effects must last for at least a year to be considered ‘long-term'. Impairments must affect at least one of the following: * mobility * manual dexterity * physical coordination * continence ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects * speech * hearing * eyesight * memory or ability to concentrate, learn or understand * perception of risk of physical danger. Under the act, people with cancer, MS and those who are HIV positive are deemed to be disab led from the point of diagnosis. Other impairments that employment tribunals have considered a disability include depression, epilepsy, ME and asthma. This does not mean, however, that all people who suffer from these impairments are disabled under the act – much depends on their ability to carry out at least one of the day-to-day activities listed above. Duty to implement reasonable adjustments Employers are obliged to make reasonable adjustments to premises or working arrangements to prevent a disabled person from being placed at a substantial disadvantage compared with persons who are not disabled. In educational establishments, adjustment to premises can include the following: * providing wheelchair-accessible toilets, ramps and automatic opening doors * allocating classrooms on ground floors * providing a designated car-parking space * widening doorways and re-arranging furniture to allow wheelchair-users to move around * providing ergonomically designed chairs or adapted keyboards * acquiring specialist equipment with magnifying facilities. Changes to working arrangements may be made by: employing an assistant to undertake administrative tasks * providing a reader or signer for a visually impaired person * adjusting the timetable or allowing extra non-contact time * allocating some duties to another employee * altering working hours to allow part-time work or job-shari ng * providing additional training. While the potential cost of adjustments often concern educational establishments, many are relatively inexpensive. Moreover, under the Employment Service's Access to Work Scheme, funding is available for human support and adaptations to premises and equipment. Disability employment advisors in Jobcentres offer free independent advice on adjustments to the workplace. Many LAs also employ disability officers. Other forms of discrimination under the Act Failure to make reasonable adjustments is one of the five ways in which an employer can discriminate on the grounds of disability. The others are: Direct discrimination: this occurs where a person discriminates against a disabled person if, on the ground of that person's disability, he or she is treated less favourably than a person not having that particular disability has been or would have been treated. There is no justification defence to a claim for direct discrimination. Disability-related discrimination: this occurs where the employer, for reasons relating to a person's disability, treats that employee less favourably than the employer treats or would treat others to whom that reason does not apply, and that treatment is not justified. Harassment: occurs where the disabled person is subjected to unwanted conduct which has the purpose or effect of violating his or her dignity or creating an intimidating, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for him or her. Victimisation: essentially occurs where the disabled person is treated less favourably because he or she has commenced a claim under the Disability Discrimination Act; or has given evidence/information in proceedings brought by someone else; or has alleged that a person has contravened the act. A claim for disability discrimination must be presented to the Employment Tribunal within three months beginning with the date of the act of which complaint is made. The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 These regulations require employers to provide: * adequate and appropriate first-aid equipment and facilities * an adequate number of qualified first aiders * an ‘appointed person', if a first aider is absent, to take charge of first-aid arrangements, including looking after the equipment and calling the emergency services. The Approved Code of Practice to the regulations stresses that the employer must make an assessment of first-aid needs. Educational establishments should therefore take account of risks to pupils/students on and off site when considering their provisions for first aid. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 Under this order, the ‘responsible person' in the workplace (ie the employer/owner/person in control) is required to take general fire safety precautions to ensure the health and safety of staff and others, such as pupils/students. These precautions include: * assessing the risk of fire, paying particular attention to those who may be especially vulnerable, eg children * ensuring that there are effective means of escape * making sure the workplace is well-equipped with appropriate fire-fighting equipment/detectors/alarms * adopting appropriate fire-fighting measures * nominating an adequate number of suitably trained and equipped competent persons to implement these measures. The order contains duties relating to safety drills and emergency routes/exits, which employees must be made aware of at their induction. Fire risk assessment Risk assessment is at the heart of fire safety management. A fire risk assessment follows the same principles as any risk assessment: * Step one: Identify the fire hazards, eg what could start a fire, combustible materials, etc. * Step two: Identify people at risk (look at numbers of people, vulnerable groups and the likelihood of the fire spreading). * Step three: Evaluate the risks and implement control measures to remove or reduce the risk. * Step four: Record the findings and inform staff and safety reps. Step five: Review and revise the plan as and when there are changes in work activities, the use of the building, etc. Safety representatives should request a copy of the school or college fire risk assessments. Further guidance on fire risk assessments and precautions is available from the Department for Communities and Lo cal Government at:  www. firesafetyguides. communities. gov. uk What every staff member should know Fire safety procedures should be a part of induction for every new member of staff. In particular, staff should be informed of the following: * the fire risk * what to do if they discover a fire * raising the alarm * recognising the fire alarm and acting on it * calling the fire brigade. Discovering a fire If a fire is discovered, the first action is to raise the alarm so the occupants of the building know there is a fire and that they must leave. This is usually done by locating the ‘break glass' call point. There are many types of fire extinguishers used in schools and colleges. Staff that are not trained to use fire-fighting equipment should not waste time trying to make them work. Those who have been trained and nominated to use the equipment should not attempt to put out large fires. If a fire cannot be put out, the door should be closed and the building evacuated RECOGNISE GOOD PRACTICE IN ASSESSING CANDIDATES IN RELATION TO ASSESSMENT. As Assessors we should be demonstrating good practice in relation to equality and diversity ; equal opportunities Equality = Treating everyone as an individual, not the same as everyone else, we are not all the same, we are all very different individuals. Eg there may be limitations to someone with a disability. They cannot be treated the same as myself as her/his disability may limit them in what they can do, so they need to be treated individually. Diversity. Is about the diverse nature of the industry. The clients, different hair types, textures etc. Diversity means all different sizes, shapes, ages, dark hair, light hair, black, white. It is good practice to ensure Health ; Safety to make sure that we adapt working environments for different clients, different candidates, and different students. It is good practice to encourage our candidates and students to use technology, encourage them to use computers, internet, submit assignments electronically etc. We have to be seen to be embracing this in our assessment processes. Reflective Practice Demonstrate a proactive approach to self-reflection, â€Å"How do I feel I am doing? † C. P. D {Continual Professional Development} is key to good practice. I need to keep myself up to date with my skills. I need to keep up to date with new equipment being introduced to the industry. I should always be in-front of my candidates/students, I should never be in a situation where a student is telling me about new trends, new equipment that I have never heard of. It is good practice that I am always seen to be keeping ahead in the industry that I am assessing. It is not good practice if I do not know what is going on in the industry I am assessing I should get feedback from others too on how I am doing. Each year I have to obtain 30 hours of evidence of hands on C. P. D. This is achieved {if I am working for the college} in July C. P. D week it may be that the college sets up 2 days where a company comes into the salon and demonstrates new equipment trains us on up to date styles. They will also open up a commercial salon so that we can work commercially for a day. The college may also send us out for training for instance to Saks. I have to upload all of my work to I. F. L to ensure my C. P. D.

Brown Recluse Spider,What You Should Know

Brown Recluse Spider,What You Should Know The brown recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa, has a bad and largely undeserved reputation. Across the U.S., people fear the bite of this spider, believing it is an aggressive attacker and certain to cause devastating necrotic wounds. Research on brown recluse spiders has proven these assertions to be false. Description The best-known feature of the brown recluse spider is the fiddle-shaped marking on the cephalothorax. The neck of the dark brown fiddle points toward the abdomen. Other than this marking, the brown recluse is a uniformly-colored light brown, with no stripes, spots, or bands of contrasting color. The violin marking is not a reliable identifying characteristic. Young L. recluses may lack the mark, and other Loxosceles species also display the fiddleback detail. Along with other Loxosceles species, brown recluses have six eyes, arranged in a semi-circle pattern of three pairs. This feature distinguishes Loxosceles spiders from most others, which commonly have eight eyes. The brown recluse lacks any stiff spines on its body but is covered with fine hairs. The only definitive way to identify the brown recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa, is to examine the genitalia. With a body size of just a quarter inch long, this requires a high magnification microscope. Suspected brown recluse spiders should be brought to your county extension agent for expert identification. Dietrs The brown recluse spider feeds at night, leaving the security of its web to search for food. Current research reveals the brown recluse is primarily a scavenger, feeding on dead insects it finds. The spider will also kill live prey when needed. Life Cycle Brown recluse spiders live about two years. The female lays up to 50 eggs at a time, encasing them in a silken sac. Most egg production occurs between May and July, and a single female may lay five times within a year. When the spiderlings hatch, they remain with the mother in her web until they have molted a few times. Over the first year of life, the spiderlings will molt up to seven times before reaching adulthood. Special Adaptations and Defenses Brown recluse spiders use short fangs to inject a cytotoxic venom into prey. When provoked, a brown recluse spider will bite, and this venom may cause necrotic wounds to the person or animal that has been bitten. Venom is not the brown recluses primary defense, however. As the name recluse suggests, this spider is quite timid and spends the daylight hours in retreat, usually in its web. By remaining inactive during the day, the brown recluse limits its exposure to possible threats. Habitat Brown recluses prefer dark, undisturbed areas with low moisture. In homes, the spiders find shelter in basements, storage closets, garages, and sheds. During the day, they may hide in cardboard boxes, folded clothing, or even shoes. Outdoors, brown recluse spiders are found beneath logs, in wood and lumber piles, or under loose rocks. Range The established range of the brown recluse spider is limited to U.S. states in the central Midwest, southward to the Gulf of Mexico. Rare and isolated encounters with brown recluse in areas outside of this range are attributed to interstate commerce. Brown recluse spiders may seek shelter in cardboard boxes, and make their way to places outside their known range in shipments of goods.