HR services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

HR services - Essay Example While there are a great variety of users of human resource services (HR services) within an organization, this essay will identify three key users, identify two key needs for each user, and explain how they can be prioritized One use of the human resource department is through the hiring and firing of employees. In these regards, all aspects of the organization rely on the human resource department to ensure that employees are screened properly and when there are significant disciplinary problems that they be released. In some regards, the human resource department can confronted with conflicting needs in this category; in these regards, it’s necessary for the department to attend to an urgent need, but in most instances handle these issues in the order they occurred. Another user of human resources is upper level management, through employee record keeping; within this service the primary needs are for the use of employee records, while keeping the records confidential from m embers of the organization that are not privy to them. In these regards, it’s necessary for HR services to keep stringent record keeping, but also to remain highly cognizant of which organizational members are privy to the specific recorded content. Other users of HR services within an organization are entry-level employees. These employees use HR services for both training programs and compensation and benefit management. In some regards, there may be a conflict of interest here, as the same individuals responsible for training the department are responsible for determining compensation bonuses. In these regards, it’s necessary to have an outside department, generally management, conduct reports that will factor into employee progress reports and ultimately bonuses. 2. Identify at least 3 methods of communication appropriate to employees at different levels ? Among the different methods of communication appropriate for employees at different levels, this essay will co nsider three main types (‘Workplace Communication’). The first type of communication is verbal communication. Verbal communication represents the most direct and perhaps effective form of communication. The drawback of verbal communication is that it does not leave a record of the conversation that took place, nor is it always possible for upper level management to verbally address all the concerns of entry level, or low-level employees. In these regards, another level of communication that is effective is written communication. Written communication functions to produce a clear and understandable message in a context that allows for the individuals implementing this communication process to ensure there is a record of their communication. In these regards, written communication is important in matters wherein the individual receiving the message is of high importance. It’s also effective when the message is complex and it would be useful to be able to review the message. The final type of communication that is considered is visual communication. Generally visually communication is implemented through presentations from upper level to lower level employees, but it can also be implemented in presentations that speak to upper level organizational members, as a means of informing them of status updates, or proposing potential changes. Ultimately, visual communication is most effective for speaking to larger audiences, or in terms of explicating difficult to comprehend material through chart forms; finally it can demonstrate business prototypes or models highly effectively that couldn’t otherwise be articulated through verbal or written communication methods. 3. Describes the key components of effective service delivery including: ? Service delivery has taken on a variety of contextual meanings, making clear and precise definition of the various aspects of the

Most Influential Socialist Thinkers Of Time

Most Influential Socialist Thinkers Of Time The philosopher, social scientist, historian and revolutionary, Karl Marx, is without a doubt the most influential socialist thinker to emerge in the 19th century. Although he was largely ignored by scholars in his own lifetime, his social, economic and political ideas gained rapid acceptance in the socialist movement after his death in 1883. Until quite recently almost half the population of the world lived under regimes that claim to be Marxist. This very success, however, has meant that the original ideas of Marx have often been modified and his meanings adapted to a great variety of political circumstances. In addition, the fact that Marx delayed publication of many of his writings meant that is been only recently that scholars had the opportunity to appreciate Marxs intellectual stature. It is difficult to know what effect this would have on his later philosophy, but we do know that Marx would be antithetical to religious belief, at one time pronouncing it, the opiate of the masses After schooling in Trier (1830-35), Marx entered Bonn University to study law. At university he spent much of his time socialising and running up large debts. His father was horrified when he discovered that Karl had been wounded in a duel. Heinrich Marx agreed to pay off his sons debts but insisted that he moved to the more sedate Berlin University. Educated in the best universities in Germany at Bonn, Berlin and Jena, he was greatly influenced by the most prominent scholar of the previous generation, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. As youth turned to middle age, Karl Marxs views became more radical and finally hardened into the body of thought we know today. His journey to this point took him out of Germany where the newspaper he edited, the Rheinische Zeitung, was suppressed by the Government. He moved to Paris in 1843 and later to Brussels in 1845. Marx himself considered his theory of surplus-value his most important contribution to the progress of economic analysis (Marx, letter to Engels of 24 August 1867). It is through this theory that the wide scope of his sociological and historical thought enables him simultaneously to place the capitalist mode of production in his historical context, and to find the root of its inner economic contradictions and its laws of motion in the specific relations of production on which it is based Marx was partial to Hegel and his theories and was influenced by Hegels views that history was a dialectical process. He did not adhere to Hegels spirituality . He was also influenced by Fuerbach, Saint-Simon, Proudhon and Bakunin. While living in Paris, he began to associate with the working clasas for the first time. He began to formulate his thought that revolution was the key to achieving balance between the upper class and the working class. He wrote and spoke on social change through revolution. He believed that there was great energy between proleterians and capitalists. Marx began to appeal to more of the common people during the early depression days. American educatin became aware of soviet education reforms during the 1920s and through George S. Counts who visited Russia and brought their educational system of reform to light in America. But only a mere 10 years later, American educators did not think societ education was good. The theory associated with Marxism was developed in mid-19th century Europe by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Although Marx and Engels did not write widely about education, they developed theoretical perspectives on modern societies that have been used to highlight the social functions of education and their concepts and methods have served to both theorize and criticize education in the reproduction of capitalist societies, and to support projects of alternative education. In this study, I will first briefly sketch the classical perspectives of Marx and Engels, highlighting the place of education in their work. Then, I lay out the way that Marxian perspectives on education were developed in the Frankfurt School critical theory, British cultural studies, and other neo- Marxian and post-Marxian approaches grouped under the label of critical pedagogy, that emerged from the work of Paulo Freire and is now global in scope. I argue that Marxism provides influential and robust perspectives on education, still of use, but that classical Marxism has certain omissions and limitations that contemporary theories of society and education need to overcome. The young Marx and Engels thus perceived that without education the working class was condemned to lives of drudgery and death, but that with education they had a chance to create a better life. In their famous 1848 Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels argued that growing economic crises would throw ever more segments of the middle classes, and the older peasant and artisan classes, into the impoverished situation of the proletariat and would thus produce a unified working class, at least one with interests in common. They declared that the bourgeois class is constantly battling against the older feudal powers, among its own segments, and against the foreign bourgeoisie, and thus enlists the proletariat as its ally. Consequently, the proletariat gains education and experience which it can use to fight the ruling class. The Marxist approach to education is broad constuctivist and emphasises activity, collaboration and critique, rather than passive absorption of knowledge, emulation of elders and conformism; it is student-centred rather than teacher centred, but recognises that education cannot transcend the problems and capabilities of the society in which it is located. The Soviet, Chinese, and other Communist states were at most only partly structured along Marxist classless lines, and while such Communist leaders as Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, Joseph Stalin, and Mao Zedong staunchly claimed Marxist orthodoxy for their pronouncements, they in fact greatly stretched the doctrine in attempting to mold it to their own uses. The evolution of varied forms of welfare capitalism, the improved condition of workers in industrial societies, and the recent demise of the Communist bloc in Eastern Europe and Central Asia have tended to discredit Marxs dire and deterministic economic predictions. The Soviet and Chinese Communist regimes did not result in the disappearance of the state, but in the erection of huge, monolithic, and largely inefficient state structures. In recent years, many Western intellectuals have championed Marxism and repudiated Communism, objecting to the manner in which the two terms are often used interchangeably. A number have turned to Marxs other writings and explored the present-day value of such Marxist concepts as alienation. Among prominent Western Marxists were the Hungarian philosopher Gyà ¶rgy Lukaisand the Italian political philosopher Antonio Gramsci, both of whom viewed Marxism as a liberation from the rule of political economy and believed in its relationship to the social consciousness. Marxisms influence can be found in disciplines as diverse as economics, history, art, literary criticism, and sociology. German sociologist Max Weber, Frankfurt school theorists such as Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer, British economist Joan Robinson, German dramatist Bertolt Brecht, British literary critic Frederic Jameson, and the French historians of the Annales school have all produced work drawn from Marxist perspectiv es.

The Presidential Debates :: Politics Political Science Essays

The Presidential Debates A picture is worth a thousand words. Get that picture played repeatedly over the news and it’s worth more than a thousand words; you gather the entire eyes, ears, and minds of a nation. The â€Å"great debate† of the Presidential Election for 2004 was well aware of the media power, understanding that there is a 24-news cycle available through TV, newspapers, and Internet. Those who wanted to remain ahead only had to use the media as their guinea pigs to twist out their favorable outcome. President Bush may be incumbent but his team behind the debate is not; John Kerry may be long-winded but his team behind the debate knows how to attract attention quickly. Both candidates may not have known what stage was being set October 4, 2004 but their campaign aids and analysts knew that in order to turn an American audience onto their side they knew manipulation of the media would turn into manipulation of the public. For those watching the first debate it was easy to see which candidate was better prepared and over-all more likeable. While John Kerry spoke on point, direct, and quickly, President Bush was defensive, angry, and often repetitive; idiotic remarks such as, ''Of course I know Osama bin Laden attacked us -- I know that,† stuck out like sore thumbs amidst a debate of intelligence, and cool comebacks (New York Times). The use of the split-screen by some cable networks such as Fox Network News, presented the debate with a split-screen allowing â€Å"... several shots of Bush grimacing and looking quite hostile during Kerry's criticisms of his Iraq actions† creating the effect that â€Å"Kerry was aware of the camera’s gaze and Bush perhaps did not† (The Los Angeles Times). The overall effect of the split-screen was favorable to Kerry and unfavorable to Bush, allowing for the Democratic and Republican parties to try and convey their opinions of whe ther this was fair. Kerry officials were ecstatic over the results, comparing the President to Al Gore’s reactions in the 2000 debate â€Å"memorable† and â€Å"counter productive† (The Los Angeles Times). While Kerry officials were gloating the Bush campaign tried to play if off coolly, acting as if the reactions of the President did nothing more than a man who showed his emotion and conviction last night in answering questions and listening to someone de-credit him in the American Public (The Los Angeles Times). The Presidential Debates :: Politics Political Science Essays The Presidential Debates A picture is worth a thousand words. Get that picture played repeatedly over the news and it’s worth more than a thousand words; you gather the entire eyes, ears, and minds of a nation. The â€Å"great debate† of the Presidential Election for 2004 was well aware of the media power, understanding that there is a 24-news cycle available through TV, newspapers, and Internet. Those who wanted to remain ahead only had to use the media as their guinea pigs to twist out their favorable outcome. President Bush may be incumbent but his team behind the debate is not; John Kerry may be long-winded but his team behind the debate knows how to attract attention quickly. Both candidates may not have known what stage was being set October 4, 2004 but their campaign aids and analysts knew that in order to turn an American audience onto their side they knew manipulation of the media would turn into manipulation of the public. For those watching the first debate it was easy to see which candidate was better prepared and over-all more likeable. While John Kerry spoke on point, direct, and quickly, President Bush was defensive, angry, and often repetitive; idiotic remarks such as, ''Of course I know Osama bin Laden attacked us -- I know that,† stuck out like sore thumbs amidst a debate of intelligence, and cool comebacks (New York Times). The use of the split-screen by some cable networks such as Fox Network News, presented the debate with a split-screen allowing â€Å"... several shots of Bush grimacing and looking quite hostile during Kerry's criticisms of his Iraq actions† creating the effect that â€Å"Kerry was aware of the camera’s gaze and Bush perhaps did not† (The Los Angeles Times). The overall effect of the split-screen was favorable to Kerry and unfavorable to Bush, allowing for the Democratic and Republican parties to try and convey their opinions of whe ther this was fair. Kerry officials were ecstatic over the results, comparing the President to Al Gore’s reactions in the 2000 debate â€Å"memorable† and â€Å"counter productive† (The Los Angeles Times). While Kerry officials were gloating the Bush campaign tried to play if off coolly, acting as if the reactions of the President did nothing more than a man who showed his emotion and conviction last night in answering questions and listening to someone de-credit him in the American Public (The Los Angeles Times).

High School and Exemption Forms

I am in the process of distributing Exemption Forms to students today. I wanted to go over a few things with you so that we are all on the same page. Exemptions were put into place to encourage and reward good attendance and behavior. This is not a privilege entitled to every student simply because they are enrolled in our school†¦ It is a REWARD. Please pass this on to your students. The rules are very simple†¦. If you have been in SIS, DEEP or if you have been suspended this semester, then you can't be exempt. The average that a student must have in your class in order to be exempt is based on he number of absences that he or she has in your class. A. If a student has 0-1 excused absence in your class, their semester average must be an 80 or above B. If a student has 2 excused absences in your class, their semester average must be an 85 or above C.If a student has 3 excused absences in your class, their semester average ,must be a 90 or above If a student has an unexcused absence in your class, they may not be exempt from your test. Notes for unexcused absences will not be accepted at this point. It is the students' responsibility to turn in notes within 5 days of returning to school after they eave been absent. Please do not give the student the attendance information that you see in your grade book as this includes extracurricular absences in the total number and those do not count.

Riba & Its Types

Riba' The word â€Å"Riba† means excess, increase or addition, which correctly interpreted according to Shariah terminology, implies any excess compensation without due consideration (consideration does not include time value of money). Types of Riba: 1. Riba' AnNisi'ah: This is the stipulated interest which the lender takes from the borrower in consideration of the time given to the borrower to pay back the capital. It is HARAM based on the Quran and the Sunnah and the consensus of Muslim scholars. . Riba' Al Fadl:   This applies to barter (exchanging one commodity for another), where   commodities of the same type are exchanged in unequal amounts, especially the exchange of precious metals and foodstuffs, it is HARAM, by the Sunnah and the concensus of scholars; as it paves the way for Riba' nNasi'ah. Numerous ahadith have demonstrated the prohibition with regard to gold, silver, wheat, barley, dates, and salt. The Prophet sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wa sellem said, â€Å"Gold for gold, and silver for silver, and wheat for wheat, and barley for barley, and dates for dates, and salt for salt, like for like, equal for equal, from hand to hand (the transaction must be completed before the two sides leave each other). But if the types are different then sell as you wish, as long as it is hand to hand. †Ã‚   (Muslim) The Prophet sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wa sellem also said, â€Å"Whoever gives more or asks for more (than what he gave) commits an act of Riba', the given and the taken are equivalent (in the sin). (Muslim) The Prophet sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wa sellem said, â€Å"Prohibited selling food (of the same variety) except equivalent in weight and hand to hand. † (Muslim) â€Å"Do not sell gold for gold unless equivalent in weight (and from hand to hand), and do not sell less amount for greater amount or vice versa, and do not sell silver for silver unless equivalent in we ight (and from hand to hand), and do not sell less amount for greater amount or vice versa and do not sell gold or silver that is not present at the moment of exchange for gold or silver that is present. †Ã‚   (agreed upon) To lend a bank money or borrow from it on the condition of a payment of a fixed annual or monthly percentage rate of interest, say 2%, or more or less, is a form of PROHIBITED RIBA'. â€Å"†¦ whereas Allah has permitted trading and forbidden Riba' (usury)†¦ †Ã‚   2:275 Poverty isn't an excuse for Riba'. Mudaraba: which is a form of partnership where one person invests money and the other invests his skill and effort, and they share the profit or loss of the enterprise, so Islam did not impose any hardship on the people (by prohibiting Riba') but rather it provided them with a viable alternative to it, among them are the following: . Qard Hasan (a beautiful loan): Istead of a Muslim loaning his money on interest which causes pollution and blight on all his property and oppresses the borrower, Islam encourages him to make the loan Qard Hasan, and promised him a gracious reward for it;   Allah said, â€Å"Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that Her ma y multiply it to him many times? †Ã‚   2:245 2. Giving an extension to a person who cannot repay the loan on time because of financial difficulty, until he gets back on his feet. And Islam encourages the lender to forgive the loan altogether in this circumstance;   Allah said, â€Å"And if the debtor is in a hard time (has no money), then grant him time till it is easy for him to repay, but if you remit it by way of charity, that is better for you if you did but know. † 2:280 3. Mutual Aid by all means: This encompasses mutual aid on a social level, in industry and in agriculture, and social security by financing farmers and industrialists and craftsmen in order to enable them to produce effectively. This returns a benefit to the whole Ummah. Also, opening schools and buidling hospitals and homes for the elderly and the incapacitated and all other items alike fall under the mutual aid mentioned in the verse†¦ â€Å"†¦ help you one another in Al Birr and atTaqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety);†¦ †Ã‚   5:2                    The society which realizes these means will proceed, in the shade of this comprehensive mutual aid, happily and far removed from the distress of Riba'. . We should not forget the payment of Zakat to those who deserve it. This will have a major impact on getting rid of Riba'. BEWARE:   from putting your money in a *nonIslamic bank*. Even if you don't take interest on it, the bank takes your money and loans it out to gain interest. So you are helping the Riba' system, and are indirectly responsible and beware from taking loans from those banks.

Steven King in class essays

Steven King in class essays There is no doubt that Stephen King is an incredibly popular author of horror stories and novels. People who have not read his novels have probably seen movies based on these novels or may have seen movies that he has written the screenplays for. Because of his popularity, having his stories as an assignment in a literary class will certainly appeal to even the most reluctant reader. Students will read and enjoy his work. Although most education professionals of literature recognize the motivational quality of King's work, many have not considered teaching any of his works in the classrooms. His often strong language, or the grossness of the horror in some of his stories, may have been a barrier in their consideration. Even though his style of writing may not be acceptable to some people, King has acquired his style from extensive reading of works from the great figures of literature. He is very concerned with incorporating the fundamentals of good writing in his works which means hi s stories are not only motivational, but worthy to study in the classroom. Because many students are already familiar with King's work and are intrigued by the genre of horror, the willingness of these students to analyze his stories will heighten their desire to learn more about literature. In order to study the fundamentals of writing, students have to be attracted to the works they are studying. When introduced as the readings in a unit of horror and suspense in literature, King's short stories can be an excellent springboard to the work of classic novelists. Novelists must use what are known as the elements of fiction in order to make sense of a story. These elements are fundamental parts of all storytelling, and they include: plot and structure, character, setting, point of view, style and language, and theme. While these elements may be discussed separately, they are always acting simultaneously in a s...

Storage of Combustible and Flammable Liquids

Storage of Combustible and Flammable Liquids Flammable liquids ignite easily. They are bound to catch fire when exposed to the slightest form of an igniting agent. A liquid is considered flammable if its flashpoint is above 100.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Storage of Combustible and Flammable Liquids specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although combustible liquids have an estimated flash point of 40, they are capable of catching fire. The ignition of a flammable or combustible fluid could cause a catastrophic fire. It is significantly important to prevent such fluids in tanks from catching fire. The solution to protecting these fluids from igniting is designing appropriate storage facilities. The major storage facilities for flammable liquids are tanks (Long 55). The design and installation of flammable fluids storage tanks is specifically meant to avert the fluids’ possibility of catching fire. In the US, the flammable and combustible liquids act was p assed in 1988. There exists two major forms of storage. These are the underground storage tanks and floating roof tanks. It has been noted that during incidences such as spills and overfills, a lot of unwanted and sometimes harmful content is released into the environment. In the past, many USTs were made of corrosive metals. Because of corrosion over time, several incidences of leakage occurred. Consequently, the government found it necessary to establish laws that would mitigate these challenges especially regarding underground spillage. The law mandated underground storage tanks’ owners to upgrade their storage tanks. In this regard, owners were required to replace their faulty corrosive tanks with non-corrosive tanks. The other form of flammable liquids storage is the floating roof tanks. These tanks satisfactorily handle the volatile and less dense liquids. In this regard, such tanks’ owners and operators must handle combustible and flammable liquids safely to pre vent environmental hazards. The observance of these measures helps to prevent the dire consequences of such liquids’ ignition.Advertising Looking for essay on engineering? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The floating roof tank is one of the main designs used for storage of flammable liquids. A specific floating roof tank has a special design and special installation procedures that cater for the safety of the stored liquids. For a tank to store a certain flammable liquid safely, the liquid is pressurized to the rating of the tank and as per the nature of the fluid. Furthermore, some special tanks are needed to store cryogenic liquids. A floating roof tank has a covering that is not fixed. In addition, since the tank cannot withstand much pressure, it has a conical or flat roof. The tank has a vent on top of the lid. The vent functions as an air outlet when the tank is filling to prevent the increasing pressure from lifting the lid off. Moreover, the vent is used for emergency purposes to keep the pressure constant in case of a rapid increase, which could damage the tank. A rapid increase in pressure may occur due the rise in temperature as in the case of an accidental fire. The liquids stored in a floating roof tank should have low volatile tendency to prevent gradual loss (Myers 104). Floating roof tanks do not have an airtight design that can hold back vapour in case of rapid evaporation. The vent used to release pressure during the filling process acts as a fireguard. It arrests the flame before it is sucked into the tank. The vent should be designed in such a way that it is not obstructed in times of an emergency. The vapour pressure in a floating roof tank is measured at the top of the tank where there is vapour space. This measure helps to avoid the inclusion of the liquid pressure when the measurement is taken at the bottom. Floating roof tanks are used to store liquids with high flash points to minimise their chances of igniting when there is an igniting agent in close proximity. Once ignited, the liquids could provide a lethal incendiary for a fire. Lubricating oil, among other petroleum products, is an example of the liquids that could be stored in a floating roof tank.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Storage of Combustible and Flammable Liquids specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More If the roof of the tank is rigid, the liquid stored should have a significantly high flash point. Furthermore, the liquid should have low volatility so that the vapour concentration remains below the ignition level. If the tank is exposed to extremely high temperatures, the liquid vaporises quickly and the pressure inside the tank rises rapidly. In case the vent designed for releasing the pressure fails, the resulting tension in the tank may cause an explosion. Such an explosion will damage the tank and spill out t he stored liquid, which may accelerate the fire further. In some other instances, an improperly fixed lid may expose the stored fluid to the danger of catching fire. In addition, the stored liquid could spill out and ignite a fire in close proximity. If a flame manages to ignite the fluid in the tank with the lid still in place, the tank may explode. Another precautionary measure observed when manufacturing tanks with fixed roofs is the deliberate alteration of the tanks roofs’ strength (Myers 254). A tank is constructed with a roof of medium strength and a seam that can be easily broken between the roof and vertical walls. This loosely bonded seam will unfold with the application of a sudden immense pressure such as the one that occurs on heating of the tank by a fire. In this regard, when the roof’s seam breaks during a fire, the pressure inside the tank cannot increase beyond the atmospheric pressure. Furthermore, the content of the tank remains intact and free form ignition if the heating effect acts from below. Since the contents of the tank do not splash during an explosion, the chances of extensive fire damage are minimised. The design of floating roof tanks does not involve any kind of a float chamber to cut out the liquid supply during the tank’s filling. In this regard, the tank has a plastic or rubber rim around the roof, which acts as a washer to prevent the liquid from overflowing through the rim onto the upper side of the tank’s lid.Advertising Looking for essay on engineering? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The most common fire accident in a floating roof tank is the lighting up of the roof rim, which is often smeared with the overflowing content of the tank. Vertical tanks are used to store less inflammable liquids such as naphtha while horizontal tanks are used for the storage of highly flammable liquids such as motor gas. These tanks are designed to hold liquids at low pressure. Thus, they are used for highly volatile gases. The design of a tank without a weak roof that can be blown away to release pressure makes the bottom of the tank vulnerable to pressure. The failure of the bottom seam may lead to a reaction that can cause the tank to be tossed away from the fire scene and cause fire elsewhere. Tanks situated above the ground are vulnerable to collapse since an intense fire may compromise the integrity of their stilts, which are made of steel. In this regard, the most appropriate measure is to install the tanks in an underground vault and covering it. For a tank installed in an underground location, corrosion of the tank’s material is inevitable. The tank can be protected through electrical means by attaching a charged cathode for deionisation purposes. In addition, a tank installed in an underground location is vulnerable to the accumulation of vapours. In this regard, some form of aeration is necessary in order to contain the contamination of the stored liquid by condensed water. Asphalt can be used for the construction of tanks because its flash point is above the ignition point of most of flammable materials. However, some asphalt tanks are reported to have ignited at temperatures significantly below asphalt’s flash point. This has been attributed to the combined effects of the asphalt material and the flammable liquid in the tank. In addition, the fireproof design of a floating roof tank may fail when an electrostatic charge triggers the ignition of the liquids stored in the tank. The electrostatic charge is generated during the tankâ₠¬â„¢s cleaning or when the process of filing the tank is not executed in an appropriate manner. Therefore, to avoid the electrostatic charges, proper installation is critical so that the charges do not cause an ignition. Nevertheless, the flashpoint could be analysed to determine the compatibility with the tank used for storage. The adoption of appropriate measures ensures that the storage of combustible and flammable liquids is handled properly with regard to the floating tank facilities. On this note, environmental hazards that result from spillage or ignition can be avoided. Another significant method of storage of combustible and flammable liquid is the use of Underground storage tanks (USTs). USTs have a combination of connected pipes and are occasionally designed to occupy 10% of their size. Contrary to the common notion, USTs do not include other small volume tanks used in the farms for fuel storage. USTs are utilized by numerous businesses. These tanks are usually used for t he storage of petroleum related products and other flammable substances like oxygen and hydrogen. Due to the explosive nature of the substances stored in these tanks, it is significantly important to observe their proper and standardized ways of installation and maintenance. Similarly, when transferring the content stored in these tanks, the appropriate precautionary mechanism should be employed to limit spillage. This ensures the safety of the operations (Long 224). In this regard, safety rules and storage tanks regulations have been developed to enhance secure storage and usage practices leading to economical and environmental benefits. During installation, several measures should be observed because the effective use of USTs relies heavily on their installation procedures. There are two methods of installation. These are existing new installation and new installation. An existing new installation entails the upgrading of earlier installations to ensure that the existing container s are in safe conditions and easy to monitor. Through these practices, tanks are upgraded enhancing corrosion protection, leak prevention and overfill detection. During the upgrading process, the internal section of the tank is inspected to ensure that it is mechanically sound and free of leak holes. If a period of ten years has passed since the tank’s initial installation, the tank should be monitored on a monthly basis. The presence of leakage holes in the tank can be established by using two procedures. The initial test is done before the lining of cathode elements while the second test is done five months afterwards. After the tests, the tank may be upgraded by combining two installation procedures of internal lining and cathode guarding. For a new installation, the owner should inform the local authorities 30 days prior the date of the installation. This enables the review of the owner’s installation plans to ascertain their validity and counterchecked if they com ply with the standards of the installation procedure. In the proposal, the owner should provide details regarding the sites electricity or telecommunication lines, security, neighbouring buildings and water bodies such as wells in the vicinity. Afterwards an approval may be offered to the owner if he or she complies with the regulation standards. USTs experts are then sent to the installation site for inspection purposes before the certificate of approval is awarded (Metelski 256). During installation, the owner is expected to obtain an insurance cover. Similarly, well-trained technicians should be employed to perform the installation. All the tanks and pipes should be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. In several countries, the standards of removal and disposal of USTs have been developed. Usually, the law requires all USTs owners to replace the tanks within a period of 10 years. In this undertaking, they are encouraged to use fibreglass tanks due to their ability to withstand corrosion. Similarly, modern tanks have been reinforced with double fibreglass walls significantly reducing the issue of leaks in tanks. The tank replacement process demands the replacement of old pipes with new ones, which are stronger. The new pipes have been reinforced with an additional double wall from a mixture of glass and plastic materials. During installation, tanks’ control systems are included to monitor and sense leaks. These measures are meant to observe and automatically report any leakages. Due to the numerous demands from regulators and environmentalist, many owners of USTs have resorted to other methods of storage like above-the-ground tanks to reduce costs and for monitoring purposes. However, some states do not permit this form of storage. In the U.S the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) policies regarding USTs have been very strict. As a result, numerous achievements have been realized. More than half of the tanks ’ owners have complied with the policies of upgrading their tanks and some have replaced theirs completely. Despite these dramatic changes, some leakage incidences from fuel tanks are still being reported. To countercheck such occurrences, the US government through the EPA has provided resources for cleanup and prevention programs. These resources are provided to tribes, territories and local authorities to aid them in implementing their clean up and prevention programs. Since the inception of the use of USTs, preventing leaks and spillages into the environment have always been a challenge. However, the EPA and other environmental organisations have significantly progressed in their bid to minimise and eventually halt the release of these substances into the environment. Nevertheless, there have been major setbacks encountered by these organisations concerning the operation and maintenance of these tanks. When leakage of USTs occurs, the owners and the operators are required by law to report the matter to the relevant authorities. Thereafter, clean up of the spillage is done before 24 hours elapse. In case of an underground leakage, operators should try as much as possible to minimise the contact between the tank’s contents and the air. This can be achieved by use of sorbents to limit the flow of the chemicals. In addition, an immediate excavation should be done. In some cases, the law mandates a secondary containment in cases of emergencies. The secondary containment is supposed to be used at all times whenever humans’ health is at risk. This containment should be well fabricated to prevent the stored substance from seeping down the water table. Furthermore, consideration of the volume of the containment is necessary. It must be stable enough to hold different pressures from different fluids. However, containments’ specifications vary from state to state and from one local authority to another. To avoid incidences of leaks, owners and operators are required by law to monitor the volume of the stored substances regularly. The volume capacity of the tank should always be greater than the transferring tank’s capacity. In this regard, owners should ensure that their operators comply with the required USTs protocols. All operations on corrosive substances should be maintained to sustain the corrosion caused by the metal components. Similarly, the USTs facilities should be protected by the use of cathode elements. Frequent monitoring by qualified experts in cathode protection is vital. Checkups and test should be carried out in a period of 5 months after installation and every 3 years thereafter. The criterion used by the cathode experts should be appropriate and up to date as per the regulations (Metelski 384). Thereafter, the USTs’ data regarding cathode protection should be stored in records for future reference. Moreover, the owners are supposed to ensure that their UST lining material is appropri ately matched with the storage substance hence avoiding cases of incompatibility (Long 384). In this regard, the repairs and maintenance practices should comply with the USTs protocols. Despite the numerous regulations in place, the minimization of UST leakages still poses a great challenge due to the dangers exposed to the environment. Therefore, we should contribute significantly towards the mitigation of such challenges. In the event of a spillage, the environment should be protected to reduce spillage hazards as stipulated by the law. In this regard, one is expected to put away all the flammable materials like cigarettes. The impacts of a fire outbreak are detrimental and sometimes fatal. For any form of combustible and flammable liquids storage facility chosen, the safety of the stored liquid is a vital consideration. Knowing that the liquids stored are highly flammable, any material capable of causing an ignition should be kept away. Nevertheless, these storage facilities shou ld be continuously upgraded to improve their performance in handling the liquid. The realization of the appropriate storage system is very significant towards the safe handling of the liquid. Moreover, the owners or operators should consider the advantages and risks that they face in handling the liquid. The location and the surrounding condition of the storage facility determine the choice of the storage facility. In this regard, underground storage tanks are viewed as less vulnerable to rampant fire risks than floating roof tanks. Although these storage facilities are the most commonly used, there exist others such as the above-the-ground storage tanks. Each storage tank therefore suits each specific flammable liquid depending on its characteristics. Lastly, any flammable liquid should be kept safely for its utilisation and protection of biodiversity. Long, Bob, and Bob Garner. Guide to storage tanks equipment: the practical  reference book and guide to storage tanks and ancil lary equipment with a  comprehensive buyers guide to worldwide manufacturers and suppliers. Bury St. Edmunds, U.K.: Professional Engineering, 2004. Print. Metelski, John J., and Myra R. Anderson. Managing underground storage tanks. New York, N.Y.: Executive Enterprises Publications Co., 1989. Print. Myers, Philip E.. Aboveground storage tank inspection guide. London: McGraw-Hill, 1999. Print.