ETIOWO BLOG: 2016

Friday, 16 December 2016

TIPS FOR HITCH FREE FLIGHTS

TIPS FOR HITCH-FREE FLIGHTS

The Christmas season is here again and very many will travel. To make your journey easier I have put together a few tips to enhance your journey this festive season.

Pre-Book an Airport lounge: If you are travelling long haul by air, pre-book yourself into an airport lounge. It provides better environment with complimentary food, drinks, magazines, newspapers and Wi-Fi with very comfortable seating. Pre-book has a fee but it is a cost effective and refreshing way to make your budget trip with its long lay-overs a pleasure.

Travel Light: Travelling with just a piece of luggage should be your target; preferably a hand luggage. You do not need that Iron and so many pairs of shoes. Take less and you will surely travel faster as you do not have to wait for your bags and is cheaper in places where you have to pay for check-in of luggage.

What to Wear: Dress smart for your trip. Avoid expensive jewelries and voluminous clothes, it attracts unnecessary attention. Do not wear sandals on a flight. In

the unlikely event of an emergency, it is best to have on a good pair of sturdy cover shoes that will protect your feet from heat, cold or puncture.

You might need eye blinds and ear plugs for long haul flights. Do not underestimate the benefit of being able to sleep while travelling by air. Be sure you read the safety hand book in the aircraft.

Have a safe and pleasant trip.

Friday, 30 September 2016

ASSUMED ATM SECURITY FEATURE: THIS IS NOT TRUE

ASSUMED ATM SECURITY FEATURE: THIS IS NOT TRUE

Have you ever read the message below in your mail or Whats App?

“WHEN A THIEF FORCES YOU TO TAKE MONEY FROM THE ATM, DO NOT ARGUE OR RESIST, YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT HE OR SHE MIGHT DO TO YOU. WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IS TO PUNCH YOUR PIN IN THE REVERSE, I..E IF YOUR PIN IS 1254, YOU PUNCH 4521.

THE MOMENT YOU PUNCH IN THE REVERSE, THE MONEY WILL COME OUT BUT WILL BE STUCK INTO THE MACHINE HALF WAY OUT AND IT WILL ALERT THE POLICE WITHOUT THE NOTICE OF THE THIEF. EVERY ATM HAS IT; IT IS SPECIALLY MADE TO SIGNIFY DANGER AND HELP. NOT EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THIS.

FORWARD THIS TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND THOSE YOU CARE”

This message started making rounds by E-mail in December 2008 and is still running in Whats App. I am calling the attention of my readers to this false claim. DO NOT BUY IT

Entering your PIN in reverse at any ATM will not summon the police;

Personal Security-Part 4--ATM and INTERNET SECURITY-

ATM and INTERNET SECURITY

You are using either a credit card or a debit card. That takes you to the ATM if you must spend money. Reports in the press show that Crime is rife around the ATMs.

Every so often people walk into” social engineers” by asking for help from people you do not know. It is reported that some bad people hang around the ATMs to offer “help” to unsuspecting people who do not want to operate the machine even though the machine are user friendly.

A woman in Lagos lost over a million in a weekend. She was helped by another lady who in the process noted her Pin, and also swapped her card. The crook went to work over the weekend when the victim could not report to her bank. She only kept seeing alert! The criminal withdrew the maximum possible and transferred the rest to some foolish friends account. Foolish because one of the friends was caught but the lead criminal is at large.

Sometimes the fraudsters come by funny SMS that seems to come from your bank. Some send mails that your account will be blocked by CBN. They demand you click a link or supply some information. Please do not respond to them, if you do, they would collect your data and later clean out your account.

Please be aware that fraudsters have developed new software & devised a new means of defrauding people, as the former trick of sending an SMS telling you that your ATM has been deactivated due to system upgrade or BVN issues, is no longer working well for them. This trick has gone public.

Personal Security -part 3

PERSONAL SECURITY WHILE TRAVELING AND WHILE IN HOTELS

I once attended a conference at one of the West African countries and I had all my money and credit / debit cards in my wallet. I was quite conscious of the wallet all through the meeting, but at lunch break time, as we were leaving the hall; there was an unnecessary struggle and traffic jam at the exit. The struggle at the gate was by design, it was a deliberate confusion. In that maze my pocket was picked and I was without any money in a strange land.

One of my friends lost his travel documents (Passport & Flight tickets) in an airport in Europe. When he narrated the troubles he passed through thereafter all who listened appreciated the need for personal security while travelling.

Once on a return trip to Nigeria from Seoul. The stopover was at Paris and we were checked into an international hotel at about midnight. The flight from Seoul had lasted eleven hours, I was tired so immediately I entered my room;I fell asleep. By 2.00 am, I was awake as that was my prayer hour. I reluctantly stood up, paced around as I was praying in tongues. To my greatest surprise, my hotel room door was opened, but the crooks were stopped by the chain, that gave me chance to shout and they disappeared before security came. ALWAYS use the door chain or bolt lock whenever you are in your room.

I will just share some tips for personal security while travelling and while in Hotels.

WHILE TRAVELLING:

· Don't publicize your travel or vacation plans.

PERSONAL SECURITY -2

CARJACKING

Last night along the street where I live, a Carjacking took place at about 10.00 pm. The driver was returning home and was followed by these criminals and he did not observe that he was followed. On arrival at his gate, he waited inside the car to make a phone call. As the call was going on the criminals descended on him, beat him up ,disposed him of his car and all the contents at gun point.

Last week a Lady had a flat tire in the parking lot of a shopping mall. As she was changing the tire, a handsome and well-dressed man offered to help. After changing the tire, he asked for a lift which the lady would reasonably oblige, but the lady observed that the man had put his brief case in the boot of her car along with the flat tire. She thought very fast and asked him to wait such that she could pick-up one item which she forgot to buy from the shop. She later returned with Security men only to find out that the man had gone. On opening the brief case it was clear that the guy was a kidnapper because the content of the Case were ropes and wide band tapes. It was further discovered that the tire was deliberately deflated by the criminal as there was no puncture.

In times like this these are a very common occurrence and keeping to some of the tips given below might save you agony or loss:

When in your car, always keep the doors locked and wound up.

PERSONAL SECURITY

IN TIMES LIKE THIS TAKE YOUR PERSONAL SECURITY SERIOUSLY--At Home, On the Street, While Traveling

Introduction

Crime is on the increase throughout Nigeria. Kidnapping, violent assault, armed robbery, banditry, rape, and carjacking are prevalent across Nigeria. You should pay more serious attention to your personal safety and security at all times.

Our attitude of complacency or fatalism is the most serious obstacle to personal safety. "It can't happen to me" and "if it's going to happen, it's going to happen" these are dangerous and careless thinking. You made to rule and dominate the earth, which includes bad situations like crime.

The only guarantee for safety is the Lord. Psalm. 4:8 says “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone o! Lord will keep me safe”(NLT) Psalm 33:17-18 says “ A horse is a vain thing for safety; neither shall he deliver any by his great strength; but the Lord watches over those who fear Him; those who rely on His unfailing love”. The more intimate you are with the Lord the higher your confidence in His provision of total protection. You do not have to deliberately or carelessly walk into danger.

A criminal attack against you or your family can take place at any place, as can a fire or other disaster. However, you can influence what happens to you by assuming more responsibility for your own security.

Crime increases at night in most areas, particularly on highways. I strongly advise you not to travel after dark. The number of authorized and unauthorized checkpoints in city centers also increases at night and requests to pay on-the-spot (unofficial) fines are not uncommon.

The information presented here is general. Not all the information applies to all places or people. I will take them is sections like Residential Security, Personal Security while travelling. While in a hotel; Home Security while you are away, Internet security and any other area we can touch.

Security awareness is the knowledge and attitude people possess regarding the protection of their physical, material, people and information assets.

Recognizing what types of security issues and incidents may arise

Knowing what to do in the event of a security breach.

} You need to be prepared to: Detect Protect React

HOT WATER HEATER ACCIDENTS

In the last one month I have heard of two electrocutions connected with the hot water heater. Last week a lady just a few days to her 50^th birthday got electrocuted and died as a result while having a bath in Lagos. Last month in Port Harcourt the wife of a Reverend Gentleman died under similar circumstances. These are just the few that people write about. How many of our people are being destroyed because of lack of knowledge?

Particular attention should be given to use of water heater facilities in your house or during short stay at Hotels, friends or relations lodge. With our kind of maintenance culture, it is better to switch off the water heater before you step into the bath or shower.

PERMIT TO WORK SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION:

On July 6, 1988, 167 men lost their lives as a result of an explosion and fire on board the Piper Alpha platform of the Occidental Oil Company in the North sea. UK. A public inquiry was set up, headed by Lord Collen to investigate the causes of the accident and make recommendations to prevent a repeat of such in the future. Lord Cullen concluded with 106 recommendations and located that the failure of proper management of the Permit To Work (PTW) was a major cause of the disaster.

The Petroleum Industry and many Chemical industries handle large quantities of flammable and toxic materials, so they have very high potential for serious accidents. Safe system of work must then be in place.

Permit To Work (PTW) system is not simply permission to carry out a dangerous job; it is part of as system which determines how a job should be done safely. A part of the HSE management system.

DEFINITION:

WHAT ARE PERMITS-TO-WORK?

A permit-to-work system is a formal written system used to control certain types of work that are potentially hazardous.

A permit-to-work is a document which specifies the work to be done and the precautions to be taken. Permits-to-work form an essential part of safe systems of work for many maintenance activities.

They allow work to start only after safe procedures have been defined and they provide a clear record that all foreseeable hazards have been considered.

PTW gives a clear indication of who may authorize particular jobs, the limit of their authority, and who is responsible for specifying the necessary precautions.

It covers training and instructions in the issue and use of permits

It also incorporates monitoring and auditing to ensure the system works as intended.

It ensures that there are clear identification of who is responsible for specifying the necessary precautions (eg isolation, emergency arrangements, etc.)?

A permit is needed when maintenance work can only be carried out if normal safeguards are dropped or when new hazards are introduced by the work. Examples are entry into vessels, hot work and pipeline breaking (like hot tap).