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Safety is IMPORTANT!

At CSS Office Solutions, safety is part of our everyday practices and routines.  Literally!

When our workers are kept safe and hazards are identified and controlled, everyone goes home safely at the end of the day.

In fact, the cover page of our comprehensive safety manual reads:  When everyone makes it home safely at the end of the workday, this is always a good day!  We stand by this through and through as our work family’s safety is of the highest priority.

It is our responsibility as a company, to ensure that all of our workers are safe, performing their job duties safely and are aware of their rights as they relate to workers’ safety.

Do you know the rights of workers as per the CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)?

As a worker you have three rights that are fundamental under the OHS law:

  • The right to know.
  • The right to participate.
  • The right to refuse dangerous work.

It is also good to know that as an employee, you are expected to work in ways that ensure your own health and safety, plus the health and safety of others.  At CSS, we always evaluate a workers’ awareness and how cognizant of the surrounding they are when it comes to safety protocols. Think of all those split-second decisions that are made, and then something catastrophic happens because someone didn’t take a moment to ask: is this safe, what should I be doing, or asking for, to make this safer for me and everyone else?

Awareness and openness are critical components of a safety program.  It is one thing for your workers to be aware, but it takes it one step further when a company can create an open, non-judgmental environment when it comes to safety practices.  As in life, and as in safety, there are never stupid questions!

Including safety practices and protocols as part of our business operations is crucial to keeping our workers safe.  In fact, there are a number of inclusions, practices and policies that are mandatory if operating a business in the province of Alberta.

At CSS, we have a couple of practices that have become second nature for our staff.

One of the first items we require before any worker can step foot on a CSS worksite (aside from all the on-boarding stuff in the background), is STEEL TOED FOOTWEAR.  This seems like a no-brainer, our staff are working with heavy items, are moving items that have multiple pieces and chances are high that something could drop and land on your foot.  We actually had a worker many years ago, while carrying a safe with other workers, have the safe drop on his foot…holding your breath?  You can breathe knowing that because this worker had steel toed footwear on, his foot was saved from intense damage!  The footwear had to be replaced as the steel was literally crushed inwards!  But his foot was safe, the worker had no lost time, and now we have a real-life story to share about the absolute importance of wearing the proper equipment.  For our workers that includes mandatory steel-toed footwear, no exceptions!  If a worker shows up to work, and isn’t properly outfitted with the necessities, we send them home to get what they should have arrived with.

You would think that workers in our industry wearing steel toed footwear would be a standard, right?  Well, think again.  Sadly, having workers in this industry wear steel toed footwear is not always the norm!  When we see other companies performing work like we perform, and their staff are wearing running shoes…we’re absolutely in shock and it should raise a red flag to have you ask, does that company really care about their workers’ safety?  What happens if…?

If a company can take little steps and create simple rules and regulations to maintain workers’ safety, then it should be undeniably implemented.

We have a policy at CSS, that if we’re working under a desk and are drilling into the underneath of the desk surface, we have a mandatory rule that eye protection of some kind must be worn!  Why all the time?  Why is this mandatory?  Because many years back we had a staff member that did not wear safety glasses while drilling a hole for an install on the under part of the desk surface, low and behold shavings from the desk landed in his eye – OUCH!  This equated to a time-lost claim as the employee had to be off for a couple of days to ensure his eye would heal properly from the scratched eyeball, not pleasant, right?  So, now we have a mandatory rule because we have learned that reviewing incidents and implementing steps to avoid potential hazards is paramount to our safety program.

We know some accidents cannot be avoided, but accidents can be analyzed and evaluated for proactive solutions that can prevent them from happening again.  Obviously, we know this isn’t always the case, but doing the analysis post-incident, is just as important as conducting the hazard assessment before beginning any work.

Safety matters to not only us, but to our clients as well.  It isn’t out of the realm to be asked to produce our safety stats and information about our internal safety program.  At CSS, we’ve always had an excellent safety rating with the Workers’ Compensation Board – Alberta.  For the 2022 reporting year (which includes the three years’ incidents/claims from 2020, 2019 and 2018) our Safety Experience Ratio was 86.66% lower than our industry average!  Breaking it down, that means that CSS experienced 86.66% lesser claims than our counterparts in the same industry.  That’s pretty darn incredible in our view and an indicator that we’re doing the right things in the awareness and training of our staff.

Safety needs to remain a priority, especially in our industry of office moving, furniture installation, warehouse storage, etc.  If you’re hiring a company, don’t be shy to ask them about their safety program and safety statistics.  And pay attention to how equipped the workers are.  Are they wearing steel toed footwear, and is their company educating them on the employee’s rights when it comes to safety?

Keeping safe and aware allows CSS to keep on doing what we’re doing in offering the very best in office services and moves.  We’re proud of our safety statistics and are always happy to educate and inform our staff working in this industry.

If you’re wanting to know more about what CSS offers, or learn more about our safety program, please don’t hesitate to call or email our office!

No Nightmare Office Moves Here!

You found out your office is moving, exciting news!


At least those were your initial thoughts until your agenda and checklists keep filling up and you haven’t even hired a mover yet!  Never fear!  Not only because I’m here to help you look like the professional, but because using these introductory straightforward tips when orchestrating an office move will aid in making your office move as smooth and efficient as possible!

My suggestion is simple: find a moving company that offers comprehensive move management services!  You’ll be laughing with joy throughout the entire move process, and well beyond move-in day!

Moving forward using these tips as a starting point will help alleviate undue stress and potential wasted energy when hunting for a competent mover.

  • Let’s Talk Insurance – Your mover should be able to meet, if not exceed, your building(s)’s minimum requirements; make sure of this even before asking for an estimate!  RUN, far and fast, if your mover cannot produce a current Certificate of Insurance listing required coverage amounts.  Also make sure your moving company has the ability to add, not only your company, but the building ownership entities as additional insured on the certificate.
  • Safety #1 – Obtaining a Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) Clearance Letter from your mover will identify if the company (a) has a valid WCB account, (b) whether it is in good standing with the WCB, which includes (c) having their premiums paid to-date.

WOWZER FACT: did you know that if you hire a company, moving or otherwise operating within your workplace, and their premiums are not paid up-to-date, the possibility exists to hold YOUR company liable for not only the owed premiums, but also the associated claim costs should an injury occur on your site!  The WCB even suggests requesting another Clearance Letter prior to releasing final payment!

Thoroughly check your vendors’ references and credentials.

  • Full-service moving company or just the movers?  Hiring a company that performs more than just the physical moving of your office furnishings is crucial!  For instance, levelling the file cabinets, bookcases and desks when moved, more often than not is completely overlooked by “just movers”.  Any uneven furnishing can be a safety hazard!  And omitting this step can actually cause permanent damage to your furnishings!  It will also lead to reduced drawer functionality over time, lock mechanism wear, etc.

Also consider this, does the moving company provide after-move services, such as hanging artwork, adjusting keyboard trays and work surface heights to each worker’s preference?  Do they move file rooms including the shelving too?

  • Furnished?  Move with Furniture?  Do you move with your office furniture, get new furniture, or are you moving into a space already furnished?  Your moving company should be able to provide you with pricing options for all scenarios to help give you a realistic perspective on the decision at hand.
  • Got supplies?  Plastic moving bins/lids with security ties, labels, computer or map bags, packing materials, bubble wrap covers for monitors, various sized cardboard boxes, Masonite to protect the flooring, walls and door trim – your moving company should be able to supply all of these materials and so much more!  What about the moving company’s equipment they’re going to be using – are they stocked well enough for your move and is it maintained in a respectable, safe condition?  Are their trucks up to date with the annual inspections as part of Alberta’s CVIP (Commercial Vehicle Inspection Program)?

Plan ahead whenever and wherever possible!  For instance, booking of the elevators and loading docks can get very sparse depending on what else is happening in your office building.  As soon as you know anticipated dates, lock of the elevators and book the
loading dock at all required buildings (or if you have an awesome full-service moving company like CSS, we’ll take care of this entirely for you).

Bottom line is this: ensure you’re hiring a full-service moving company offering comprehensive move services, a company that know what they’re doing with your office furniture, files and assets.  These are important to you and your company and should be even more of a priority when being relocated by your movers!

These tips are merely tiny specks of sand out of the entire desert on guidelines to coordinate a streamlined office move.  I could write a book on tips on how to properly choose an office mover, so please feel free to contact CSS Office Solutions by phone or email to speak with one of our Account Managers directly if you have any questions regarding your office move.

Digitally Moving Forward with Jobber

Advancing and innovating is what we’re striving for!

Image indicates CSS is using Jobber to track employees timesheets

One thing I have noticed in my years of business, either in the position I’m in now or when I worked in retail customer service many moons ago, innovation stops for no one!  Not one single person can stop innovation and the incredibleness that can come from it!  And that means WE can’t stop innovating.  At CSS, we cannot stop looking for ways to be better, how to do the work better and smarter while still delivering the same level of customer service we’re known for.

I’m sure you’ve all heard the saying: if you stop innovating, you die (from a company perspective anyways, don’t get all morbid on me).  If you know me, then you know I’m a think-tank of ideas and my hamster wheel is constantly spinning and thinking of betterment and the “what if’s”.

CSS as a business has overcome challenges of change and adaptation as we’ve seen our industry evolve and holding on to what the Calgary economy has thrown us in the last 10+ years.  Some of our competitors have updated their ways from past outdated practices, while others haven’t, plus the everchanging compliance and regulatory requirements we need to meet.  Considering all this, and knowing innovation doesn’t slow, at CSS we’re constantly looking at ways to make doing business with us easier, better and more efficient for everyone!

In the last year, we’ve changed drastically internally even though it may look the same on the outside.  All the changes have been for the good, and all targeted around ensuring we’re delivering the best customer service experience.  CSS is known for the amazing customer experience we already deliver, so as we constantly innovate and change for the better, it can only improve from here!

One of the biggest improvements our clients will interact with and experience firsthand is our transition to an online scheduling and booking software!  After much research and deliberation, we were happy to choose a company based out of Edmonton: Jobber; that meets the majority of our business operating needs within one software platform.  Our official debut for accessing the online platform and having it connect with our website, etc. is January 2022.

Utilizing Jobber allows CSS the opportunity to receive scheduling requests or jobs to book from new or existing clients, all through an enticingly accessible web link.  We’re managing our employees’ timesheets, daily schedules and receiving real-time updates from our sites, all within one platform.  We’re also able to send quotes directly through Jobber, have clients request changes if needed and send the approval all with the click of a button!  This, plus so much more is happening within this platform behind the scenes – we’re so thrilled to be able to advance CSS in this direction!  We’re happy for our clients who are along for the exhilarating ride and especially the ones who’ve provided feedback during our experimental stage to direct us appropriately to meet their needs more effectively.  We’re also able to use this software to keep detailed, digitally accessible records of site visits, pictures taken specific to each project, and organize notes made by all staff while they’re on-site.  If you’re a client, you may have already received a copy of a customized report we created, aptly named an Action Report.  With being able to customize and add forms to different areas of the platform, we can truly create a superior customer service experience all while observing any possible touchpoints and data gathered.

Have we mentioned how many buildings may have to access on any one day?  Or how many of our clients have multiple properties?  Another bonus of using Jobber is the ability to add as much detail as needed for each property and connect it with the specific client.  Items such as security check-in procedures, or where to obtain access cards if not obvious, etc.  This has been a helpful for our staff from an efficiency standpoint and created peace of mind for our clients to know we always have up-to-date building protocol information immediately accessible.

That’s likely enough about me geeking out on the coolness of this platform, let’s get down to the real fun, right?!  How do you access this incredible platform?  It is super-duper easy!

If you’re an existing client of CSS, you can use your email address to login to the Client Portal, using this link: EXISTING CLIENT LOGIN

If you’re a new client, and don’t yet have an associated email address with CSS, then you get to use this amazing link that will bring you right to our NEW CLIENT REQUEST FORM – just take a few moment to complete the details and you’re automatically entered into our queue.  We receive an instant notification and assign your request to the appropriate staff member who will get in contact with you shortly using your preferred method of contact.  Once your email address is registered, you now also have access to the CSS Client Portal.

It is just that simple for you, as a client or new potential customer to submit a move request, enter information about furniture needed or a repair you’re looking to schedule.  It can all be done online using either of the above links.

You’ll also find these handy links that connect to our online service request system on our website and our social media platforms. 

Always know, if you’re interested to learn more about the Jobber platform, the transition we experienced and our overall innovation in this department, don’t be shy to reach out.  I’m always happy to talk about reinventing and revolutionizing the world of office furniture services!

Let CSS show you the way of making doing business with us easier and transform the way you request work with us!  Contact us today to experience the real CSS customer difference!

We've Moved!

Our new address is:

2620 – 61 Avenue SE,

Calgary, AB T2C 4V2

Moving forward, all pickups and drop-offs will be at our new location. 

We’re excited to serve you at our new home!