Fast food giant McDonalds has paid out more than £20,000 after one of its employees was partially blinded by an acid-based cleaner.

And according to Wandsworth Council, the court fine was the result of the first successful prosecution against McDonalds in the UK over an accident in the workplace.

The burger chain was taken to court by the council under safety at work laws after a member of staff suffered burns to his face and eyes that has left him with only around 55 per cent vision in his left eye.

The injuries were caused when the man, who was working as a maintenance operative at the company’s Wandsworth Bridge drive-thru restaurant, used an acid-based drain cleaner to unblock a waste pipe.

Last month, South Western magistrates court heard that on June 23, 2008, the employee, with the full knowledge of his manager, bought a corrosive chemical drain cleaner from a nearby DIY store.

The first attempt at using the sulphuric acid-based cleaner did not work and so the employee was given money by a manager to buy a second bottle.

More at source: Your Local Guardian

Palermo, 7 Dec. (AKI) - Police from the city of Syracuse on the southern island of Sicily on Tuesday seized 124 religious objects suspected of being stolen by the former cleaner of a church. Among the items were statues, 17th and 18th century paintings and candle sticks.

Paramilitary police responsible for protecting Italy's art found the allegedly stolen items hidden in the suspect's home.

Investigators say it was the the biggest bust in Sicily of stolen church objects in the last ten years.

Source Andronkos

You can get up to $175 if you bought, used, or suffered property damage from using Clorox Automatic Toilet Bowl cleaners, thanks to a class action settlement.

The lawsuit claims that while the package says the cleaner "does not harm plumbing," the tablets cause the rubber and plastic parts in the tank to corrode. Eventually the tank could fail or the seals aren't tight anymore, according to the suit. Clorox denies these claims and says the tablets are safe when used properly, but has settled to end the legal battle.

You're eligible to file for a piece of the settlement if you used the tablets between Dec 13, 2002, to Sep 15, 2010. There are two payout classes: you can claim less than $30 of damage, or you can get up to $175 if you provide explanation and proof of the damage.

The filing deadline is Jan. 28, 2011. Claim forms and more info are available at CATBCsettlement.com.

The efforts of Molly Maid of Rutherford County, a local cleaning service in Smyrna, have resulted in more than just a spotless shine. The business recently raised thousands of dollars for a worthy cause that is close to many of the employees' hearts.

Molly Maid family customers, cleaning franchise owners and housekeeping personnel banded together to provide greater awareness and support for abused women and children through the Ms. Molly Foundation, which has continually instilled hope in communities by supporting education and fundraising events for hundreds of local safe houses and shelters.

"When the Ms. Molly Foundation was created, we asked, what can we do that is a natural fit with what our business is about," said Bill Foley, owner of Molly Maid of Rutherford County and a member of the board for the Ms. Molly Foundation.

"It's a natural fit. We clean homes and make them a comfortable space. The home should be a safe place," he added. "We see abuse in homes."

For the last several years Molly Maid of Rutherford County has raised money for the local Domestic Violence Program every October, designated as Domestic Violence Awareness month.

For every $25 donated to the cause by clients, Molly Maid employees returned the generosity and as a thank you donated their time and labor

More at source: DNJ.com

Cutler's Supply, Inc., a 2nd generation family business, celebrates its Golden Anniversary. They ship pheasant, poultry and beekeeping supplies all over the US and Canada. In addition to "the birds and the bees" part of their business, they deliver industrial products to businesses, both large and small, throughout St. Clair and Sanilac Counties.

Cutler's Supply was founded in 1985 by Ray and Kay Cutler of Port Sanilac. They raised exotic pheasants and had trouble getting supplies to care for their "pets," so they decided to become a distributor for the 2 or 3 manufacturers of poultry supplies. To supplement this seasonal business/hobby Ray and Kay decided to also become a distributor of industrial products, from janitorial needs to safety products. In the last year Cutler's Supply, Inc. has branched out to carrying beekeeping supplies.

The message is out -save the planet, save the water, save our ecosystems and save energy. Most of us are responsible, environmentally conscious citizens. We recycle, we tote around with our reusable shopping bags, we've switched to using energy saving incandescent light bulbs and when possible, we buy local. So what else can we do?

Each week, we flush and rinse chemicals down our pipes just to clean our home. The reality is, we don't have to. There are effective alternatives to traditional cleaners. White vinegar works wonders cleaning a variety of household surfaces, as does a box of baking soda. Both are safe for the environment, family and pets. Here are a few tips on how to green clean your home

More at the source:St Catherine Standard

Coleytown Middle School student Noah Pines, who attends Temple Israel and will soon be celebrating his Bar Mitzvah, which calls on young Jewish men to help repair the world through good deeds.

He's on a roll, as he's looking to sell 250 rolls of toilet paper -- and collect $2,500 -- to help Habitat for Humanity install a full bathroom in one of its homes.

Noah, 13, has already volunteered after school at Long Lots -- assisting the Sports and Homework Club -- but he wanted to make a difference beyond familiar stomping grounds.

More at the source: Westport News

BELROSE, NSW, AUSTRALIA, December 2, 2010 /Stanford Who's Who/ -- Diana C. Wilson has been accepted among the prestigious ranks of Stanford Who's Who as a result of her outstanding work in the Cleaning Services Industry. As a Franchise Manager for Bebrite, as well as throughout her incredible 15 years in the business, Diana has routinely exhibited the passion, vision and dedication necessary to be considered among the best.

Bebrite is a residential and commercial cleaning services franchise. They use all natural, environmentally friendly products in providing homes, offices and apartments with cleaning services. Bebrite is the preferred cleaners for The Biggest Loser television program. They clean windows, carpets and hard surfaces for their clients.

Diana is responsible for managing 200 network franchises. She possesses particular expertise in marketing, advertising, retail, and franchise expansion. Her success stems from her ethical approach to business, empathy for franchisees, determination, team work, strategic plan implementation and the support of her husband who is a partner in the business.

During her educational career, she attended Presbyterian Ladies College and she...

More at the source EIN News

Autonomy is the ability to make decisions on your own with­out having to go through endless red tape. Remember Chris at Best Buy? One of the reasons she loves working at Best Buy is her freedom to make appropriate decisions in her job. Research by Hackman and Oldham (1976) shows that when people have autonomy in their work, the job's motivating potential improves, which in turn impacts productivity and customer service. One of the great benefits of self-directed work teams is that individ­uals and teams take on decisions that supervisors would have made. This in turn frees up supervisors to actually lead.

Read More At The Souce:1to1 Media

GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan undefined A plan to sell off Flint's Michigan School for the Deaf campus from the state to a private developer includes axing 13 unionized maintenance and janitorial workers, a state employees union said.

The Michigan State Employees Association is calling legislation that would approve the sale a "murky deal," comparing it to the arrangement for a new State Police headquarters that was dogged by controversy.

The state House is expected to vote on the bill tonight. A spokeswoman for Gov. Jennifer Granholm's said the administration supports the legislation.

MSEA president Ken Moore said his members working at the Miller Road campus were told this fall of the sale and that, along with that arrangement, the maintenance union at the campus would no longer exist.

Source: Michigan Live