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January 2015

Jan 06
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Fight of Flee?

By Workplace Safety

There is a simple test to determine if your business needs an emergency evacuation plan EAP. If your business has fire extinguishers on site, and if anyone needs evacuation when there is a fire or another emergency plan, then under OSHA’s 29 CFR 1910.157 you need an emergency evacuation plan.

Who Needs an Evacuation Plan?

There is one exception to this rule as well, if your business has its own firefighting team where all employees are taught, trained, and has the proper equipment for fighting fires, then no evacuation plan is needed as everyone is fighting the fire.

Nevertheless, most times, immediate evacuation is the safest policy. This is especially true when professional firefighter services are nearby and can be rapidly deployed. Still, there may be times where the employee fire brigade should be deployed. Reasons for this include:

  • Giving fellow employees time for escaping
  • Prevent danger to others if the fire spreads
  • Protect the community from an explosion or another catastrophe

In any event, the employer must have an EAP to safely evacuate those not fighting the fire.

The Fight or Flee Conundrum

The major reason for a small or medium business evacuation is fire, and business owners need a plan for this event. On one hand, a well-trained employee with a portable fire extinguisher. On the other hand, if you decide to have trained employees using small extinguishers fight the fire while others flee, the plan is far more complicated and employee training must be at a higher level – making things more complicated.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, run by the United States Department of Labor offers the following chart to help with decision making.

Should employees evacuate or be prepared to fight a small fire?

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Option 4

Total evacuation of employees from the workplace immediately when alarm sounds. No one is authorized to use available portable fire extinguishers.

Designated employees are authorized to use portable fire extinguishers to fight fires. All other employees must evacuate workplace immediately when alarm sounds.

All employees are authorized to use portable fire extinguishers to fight fires.

Extinguishers are provided but not intended for employee use.
Requirement Requirement Requirement Requirement

Establish an emergency action plan, fire prevention plan and train employees accordingly. Extinguishers are not existing and not required[29 CFR 1910.157(b)(1)].

Establish an emergency action plan and train employees accordingly. Meet all general fire extinguisher requirements plus annually train designated employees to use fire extinguishers. Fire extinguishers in the workplace must be inspected, tested, and maintained [29 CFR 1910.157(b)(2)].

If any employees will be evacuating, establish an emergency action plan and train employees accordingly. Meet all general fire extinguisher requirements plus annually train all employees to use fire extinguishers. Fire extinguishers in the workplace must be inspected, tested, maintained [29 CFR 1910.157(b)(2)].

Establish an emergency action plan, fire prevention plan and train employees accordingly. If fire extinguishers are left in the workplace, they must be inspected, tested, and maintained. Extinguishers are provided but not intended for employee use [29 CFR 1910.157(a)].

Prior to fighting any fire with a portable fire extinguisher you must perform a risk assessment that evaluates the fire size, the firefighters evacuation path, and the atmosphere in the vicinity of the fire.

Small contained fires and other fires that are easy to extinguish without putting employees in danger can have an employee put it out. However, business owners must tell employees that when in doubt, get out!

Business owners have a responsibility to evacuate all visitors without delay, as well as any employee not assigned firefighting assignments. Safety is a huge issue, your insurance carrier may provide on-site safety training for your staff. Speak to your insurance advisor today.

Jan 06
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Safety for Employees and Visitors During Office/Store Renovation

By Workplace Safety

Most business owners know how important a well-furnished, well-lit business space. Shops that have not had a face-lift since they opened fifteen years ago look shopworn. A shabby rundown business space does not instill faith in your business. Renovations are as simple as new flooring and furniture to a total facelift including the previous two items and new lighting, new workspace layouts, new display areas and more.

 

Many stores and office based businesses choose to stay open during renovations to keep cash flow streaming in, however, doing renovations while open presents new temporary hazards to workers and visitors. To prevent accidents design a safety plan for the renovation.

 

Safety Plan

The safety plan must include, and the business must enforce, that the renovation team follows OSHA and other regulatory body standards. The safety plan needs completion before construction begins along with the choice of the people who check it, the project owner, general contractor or a third-party firm.

 

Even when following regulatory rules and guidelines most construction work taking place in occupied areas creates debris, dust and odors that affect workers, and customers or clients in a negative and disruptive way. Write into your contract for construction that barriers and other measures will go into place that cuts these noxious odors and dust that can cause illness or aggravate chronic health problems such as asthma or contact dermatitis. The plan needs to recognize that even work done while the business is not open has an effect on the indoor air quality (AIQ).

 

Making Room

One of the first steps to take is to get rid of clutter and only have things close by that are indispensable. For many businesses, the first step is the hardest. Store rooms are already overcrowded and jamming them full of stuff workers need on a daily basis is a hardship. Stacking things high up on shelves and having cluttered aisles can lead to accidents, such as injuries from falling items or slip and fall accidents occurring from aisles that are not easily maneuvered through.

 

The good news is that you have the opportunity to fix this temporary storage problem and the “keep it, it might be useful someday” syndrome simultaneously.

 

You need two things to do these tasks. A storage pod available from many moving companies and a dumpster large enough to haul your waste to the local garbage recycling plant. As you make room for the stuff your employees use daily, take the things out of the storeroom that you seasonally, or records you need to keep for a certain number of years. Anything you haven’t used for a predetermined number of years, say three, automatically gets trashed. Other items (things used at least once in three years) managers decide what goes and what stays.

 

Depending on the size of your land, many pod companies rent temporary workspace from small two-room office pods to full-size modular temporary business space.

 

Plan Safety Standards

Safety Plans are usually nothing more than guides, an effective plan needs safety standards written into them or attached to them as part of the plan. Items you include are:

 

  • Posted layouts or plan-o-grams in each section need upgrading including an evacuation route.
  • Communicate renovation dates and plans with merchandise vendors reminding them to work safely and neatly.
  • Make sure that new fixtures and display are on site and ready for installing in each section per your planogram or reset guide – if possible preinstall them.
  • Floor sweeps – every hour during renovation
  • Minimize the use of extension cords stretched across the sales floor or office doorways and aisles.
  • Close aisles being renovated as well as aisles where merchandise moves in and out of the aisle is taking place
  • Provide protective items for use by your employees or reset team.
  • Remember customers/clients are at risk for three primary reasons
  • Customers/clients include more vulnerable groups of people – children and the elderly.
  • Customers/clients expect your place of business is, warning signs help alert them to hazards.
  • Customers/clients, unlike employees, have a low safety awareness and do not receive any safety training that employees do get.

 

Create and follow a comprehensive safety plan and clients, customers and employees can transition to the construction period and thereafter.

 

Jan 06
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Getting Ready for Cold Weather

By Workplace Safety

Cold, wet weather makes for seasonal safety hazards for employees and customers of many business types. Most people usually assume that folks in the building trades are the primary workers and job site visitors subject to cold exposure injury. Other industries such as frozen food facilities, butchering operations and cold storage facilities have year-round exposure to injuries caused by damp and cold.

 

Outdoor Cold Climate Injury

 

When the Polar Express speeds through your area it leaves an indelible detrimental incident to your business in its wake. Workers and clients or customers cannot reach your place of business. When your area finally digs out, be alert to slippery sidewalks and parking lots and take the right precautions.

 

Cold Related Injuries and Illnesses

 

But there is more to employee protection than keeping them safe from slips and falls. Continued exposure to coldness contributes to several kinds of Cold Stress. These illnesses include hypothermia, Cold Water Immersion, Trench Foot, Frostbite, and Chilblains.

 

Hypothermia

 

Hypothermia comes from prolonged exposure to cold. Long exposure to cold results in an abnormally low body temperature. When hypothermia attacks, the brain is one of the first major organs affected and causes the person to think unclearly and move in a lumbering way. This illness is exceptionally dangerous as the lack of clear thinking allows a person to enter a dangerous situation, not know it is happening and ultimately unable to take precautionary measures. Some people suffer severe injuries or even die as a result of hypothermia.

 

Symptoms of Hypothermia

 

Early Symptoms of Hypothermia

 

  • Fatigue
  • Shivering
  • Confusion and disorientation
  • Loss of coordination

 

Late Symptoms

 

  • Shivering stops
  • Dilated pupils
  • Slowed breathing and pulse
  • Blue Skin
  • Loss of consciousness

 

Hypothermia First Aid

 

When a worker displays symptoms of hypothermia, follow these steps:

 

  1. Alert the supervisor and call for medical help.
  2. Move the victim into a warm room or shelter
  3. Take off wet clothing
  4. Using an electric blanket warm the body as follows: chest, neck, head, and groin. If no blanket is available use skin-to-skin contact under loose dry layers of clothing, blankets, sheets, or towels.
  5. One the body temperature has risen, keep the victim dry and wrapped in blankets.
  6. Should the victim not have a pulse, start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

 

Chilblains

 

Surprisingly, chilblains occurs in temperatures ranging from a little above freezing to about 60 degrees F. Chilblains happens when skin is repeatedly exposed to this temperature range. The unrelenting exposure to cold causes the capillary beds (groups of small blood vessels) just beneath the skin to become damaged. Chilblains damage is permanent and with skin exposure to similar conditions occur redness and itching returns especially to the ears, fingers, toes, and cheeks.

 

Symptoms of Chilblains

 

  • Inflammation
  • Itching
  • Redness
  • Possible blistering
  • Possible ulceration in severe cases

 

Chilblains First Aid

 

People falling victim to chilblains should take the following steps:

 

  1. Slowly warm the skin
  2. Use corticosteroid creams to relieve itching and swelling
  3. Keep blisters and ulcers clean and covered
  4. Never Scratch

 

Trench Foot

 

This disease is the illness the military suffered from prolonged exposure to cold and dampness while wearing constraining boots or shoes in the trenches during WWI. If often occurs in temperatures above freezing all the way to about 60 degrees F. Trench foot can develop quickly with only 13 hours exposure to harsh elements.

 

Trench Foot Symptoms

 

In most case, victims complain of:

 

  • Tingling in the feet
  • Foot itching
  • Burning pain in feet
  • Swollen feet
  • Blisters and infection can happen in advanced cases that have not had treatment.

 

Prevention and Treatment

 

Keeping feet warm and try is the best prevention measure against trench foot. Most cases respond well to moving the victim to a warm place, soak the victims feet in tepid water and then wrap the feet in dry toweling.

 

Frost Bite

 

When temperatures drop to freezing (32 degrees F) human bodies begin to constrict blood vessels nearest the skin and skin begins constricting. In extreme cold, or if the body exposure to mild to moderate cold continues for too long, the protective constriction of skin and closing of blood vessels reduces blood flow to some body parts to levels that are dangerously low. The result is freezing and the eventual death of these blood vessels. There are four degrees of frostbite and each has its own pain level.

 

Frostbite Treatment

 

Whether a person has first degree frostbite or fourth degree, the treatment is the same. Follow these treatment steps:

 

  1. Move the victim to a warm place
  2. If the feet are frostbitten do not allow the injured person to walk as frostbitten toes and/or feet suffer more damage.
  3. Use warm – not hot water for immersion of the affected area.
  4. Avoid massaging or rubbing the affected area as added damage is likely.
  5. Use only the water to warm the skin. Affected areas are numb and using any electrical device to warm the skin can lead to further burns.
Jan 06
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Protecting Your Business From Losses Due to Earthquakes

By Business Protection Bulletin

It is interesting, that unlike most other natural disasters, earthquakes are sneaky and come absent a warning – they creep up on us and then without warning the ground begins gyrating and buildings and people are victims of violent and frightening shaking, Standing in line behind most moderate to severe earthquakes, waiting for their chance for causing havoc are avalanches, landslides, flash floods and more. This chain of events makes earthquakes the most feared natural disaster as well as the most costly natural disaster.

 

Amazingly, in California, where 99 percent of homes face earthquake threats, only 12 percent have earthquake insurance. Countless businesses in California, including startups and fledgling small businesses run from homes. Be aware, your standard homeowner’s insurance does not cover earthquake damage neither does a standard BOP insurance or business property insurance.

 

In 1994, an earthquake centered around Los Angeles lasted no more than 20 seconds and was felt as far as Las Vegas. Fifty-seven people died due to the earthquake and there were at least 5,000 fatalities. There really is no way to value 57 fatalities or five-thousand injuries. But property damage totaled more than $20 billion. It was one of the most expensive natural disaster in the history of the United States.

 

In addition, often there are aftershocks following a large earthquake. On their own, they cause much damage, and they can last for months.

 

Protecting Your Business From Losses Due to Earthquakes

The Earthquake Endorsement

Since standard business insurance policies do not cover earthquake losses, there are two ways to get coverage.

 

The first is an endorsement to your business policy, and the second is to buy a separate Earthquake Loss insurance policy.

 

Endorsements must come from the business insurer. Though in California businesses can use the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) for coverage. The state created the CEA as the insurance companies were reluctant, after the 1994 California Northridge earthquake, to continue writing the insurance. Their cause of the reluctance was the increasing population of CA. More people mean more infrastructure, more homes, building. and businesses. The risk was too great so the government stepped up and filled the void.

 

Additional Separate Policy

Purchasing a separate policy makes sense for larger companies. It is a good strategy for keeping the overall insurance premium low. Yet, having policies with multiple insurance companies may prove difficult for small and new businesses.

 

The best way to get the best policy for your premium dollar is to meet with your independent business insurance advisor. He or she will go over the options available to you, the cost per $1,000 of property insurance and more. Be sure and discuss the pros and cons of the CEA. Your independent business insurance agent has your best interests foremost in dealing with you.

Jan 06
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Protect Your Business Data

By Business Protection Bulletin

More than anything else, data drives business in America. Some business data is proprietary such as customer lists, patents in progress, the recipe for the secret sauce, and the like. If this data is lost, stolen or destroyed it can cause great damage to the company. While many businesses carry data protection insurance, the cash payout to a pharmacy company cannot replace years of research and the recording of irrecoverable data.

 

Other sensitive information attaches to your clients and customer records. This information has data such as: Employer Tax ID numbers, Social Security Numbers, banking information, credit card information, patient medical records and more. Compromising this data leads to nothing good, at best your customers and clients are upset with your company, at worst you face either multiple lawsuits or a class action lawsuit. Again, there is insurance that covers you for these types of mishaps, but do nothing to save your business’s reputation and regain your client and customer trust.

 

Finally, with the advent of Internet connections to workplace data, the problems about safe data storage grow exponentially. Some portable devices are keys to your data, or worse have confidential company or customer information on them, including medical records.

 

Seven Steps for Data Safekeeping

Every computer or mobile device that accesses your company data is the first line of defense in protecting the company data. Every device and computer must have anti-malware software to guard your system from invaders and hacking.

 

Spyware and dangerous viruses are easy to attach to legitimate looking files. These malicious files compromise computer and server performance, corrupt files or destroy data. Run proper antivirus and anti-spyware safety software on every computer and device.

 

Firewalls are an important part of the software team that protects computers from unwanted and dangerous viruses, programs, or spyware that breach your computer. There are a number of software firewalls available, but the best protection is from hardware-based firewalls.

 

Educate employees to never open attachments from unknown senders and never open attachments from senders that are not among contacts.

 

Never allow employees to use business computers to visit sites that are for adults over 21 only. The sites tend to harbor launch software for mischief-making programs such as spyware.

 

When critical security updates arrive from Microsoft or Apple install them. This keeps your operating system protected from recently discovered security gaps that are a hacker’s dream to exploit.

 

Establish a policy that laptops and tablets have all protective software, have no stored usernames or passwords for accessing the company data. Another policy is for devices that leave the premises be locked in car trunks and removed from the car when the employee gets home.

 

Resources (cash and time) are limited. Involve IT professionals in choosing the hardware and software used to make sure it addresses critical problems.

Jan 06
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Managing Business Risk

By Business Protection Bulletin
Everyday companies deal with risk ranging from a slip and fall incident to the theft of company trade secrets.
By managing risk, a company succeeds in keeping insurance premiums low. Companies that manage risk poorly, have higher premiums. Companies that manage risk well also gain by having an organized and productive workplace.
Managing Risks
Risk management is the way companies identify, quantify and control the variety of risks associated with their operations.
How Can Your Business Manage Risk?
Risks are the consequences of events, circumstances, or situations in your business. Negative consequences of any of these things hurt your business in some way. Some consequences your company can insure against, others – not so much. Your risk management plan allows you to deal with risk in a manner that reduces uncertainty and cuts exposure to negative consequences; companies need a plan to identify, rate, prevent, or correct the risk.
When finished you can classify the risk using the following matrix by Biz Guides.
Risk Analysis Matrix
Likelihood  Rare  Unlikely  Moderate  Likely  Certain 
The event may occur in exceptional circumstances. Less than once in 2 years The event could occur at some time. At least once per year. The event will probably occur at some time. At least once in 6 months. The event will occur in most circumstances. At least once per month. The event is expected to occur in all circumstances. At least once per week.
Consequence  Level 1  2  3  4  5 
Negligible
No injuries. Low financial loss.		 0  0  0  0  0  0 
Minor
First-aid treatment. Moderate financial loss.		 1  1  2  3  4  5 
Serious
Medical treatment required. High financial loss. Moderate environmental implications. Moderate loss of reputation. Moderate business interruption.		 2  2  4  6  8  10 
Major
Excessive, multiple long term injuries. Major financial loss. High environmental implications. Major loss of reputation. Major business interruption.		 3  3  6  9  12  15 
Fatality
Single death		 4  4  8  12  16  20 
Multiple Fatalities
Multiple deaths and serious long-term injuries.		 5  5  10  15  20  25 
Once you have assigned a rating to each risk you can easily prioritize it as follows.
Risk Rating Risk Priority  Description 
0  N No Risk: The costs to treat the risk are disproportionately high compared to the negligible consequences.
1-3 L Low Risk: May require consideration in any future changes to the work area or processes, or can be fixed immediately
4 – 6  M  Moderate: May require corrective action through planning and budgeting process.
8 – 12  H  High: Requires immediate corrective action.
15 – 25  E  Extreme:Requires immediate prohibition of the work process and immediate corrective action.
Once you have rated and prioritized your risks it is time to meet with your business insurance advisor and review the list with him or her. Decisions about corrective action and insurance protection are in order for any identified risk with a rating of 4 and over.
Jan 06
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Can Your Business Be Liable for Internet Defamation?

By Business Protection Bulletin

Social media is a great way build your business’s reputation. Interactivity between merchants and customers has helped many unheard of boutique shops become Internet darlings with maxed out sales. However, fostering social media on your website or participating in social media on another’s blog is dangerous.

 

The danger is Internet Defamation.

 

What is Internet Defamation?

Defamation is when a person makes false statements about your business such as you use discriminatory practices in hiring, or you use dishonest practices dealing with your customers. Making statements like these and putting them on the Internet for anyone and everyone to see is libel. There are important elements for a statement on the Internet to earn the label of a defamatory.

 

  • The person who published the statement was not the person defamed
  • The statement is a false statement of fact
  • The false statement was understood to be:
  • About the plaintiff and
  • Designed to harm the reputation of the plaintiff
  • Should the plaintiff be a public figure he or she must also prove malice.

 

Businesses with a presence on the Internet, especially if the Internet site encourages comments and dialogs among visitors need to be especially vigilant monitoring about what other users post on their site. There is a powerful federal law known as Section 230 of Title 47 of the United States Code (47 USC § 230). This federal law is part of the Communication Decency Act of 1996. This law has precedence over any local or state laws and protects owners of interactive computer service providers from claims of defamation from postings made through reader’s comments, entries of guest bloggers if you support a business blog site. In other words, this law gives you as a web host protection from claims made from hosting information written by third parties.

 

Then why should a business watch what third parties say on their site? is a valid question. You want your site and blogs to promote your brand, not distract from that purpose by allowing a “flame war” on your sites.

 

Allowing an offensive statement to stay on your site, even when written by a third-party is off-putting to potential clients and customers,

 

Your own employee gives in to baiting into a discussion and trying to defend your business engages in Internet Defamation costing you customers and even cash if a lawsuit against you goes to court.

 

Insurance for Internet Defamation

Even though the Section 230 language and the truth – if what you said is true it is not libel – help keep the threat of you being successfully sued for Internet Defamation lower, it is a risk that your insurance advisor can cover through your BOP policy, your General Liability Insurance, or an Umbrella Policy.

 

Talk with your advisor to understand your risk and the best way to cover it with insurance.

Jan 06
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Cold Weather Work Habits and Personal Protection Equipment

By Construction Insurance Bulletin

Most of us have heard of cold-related illnesses such as frostbite, hypothermia, chilblains, and trench foot. All are illnesses related to cold stress. But the cold is insidious and works its way deep into the body where it indirectly causes cold-related problems.

Workers with chronic diseases such as asthma or arthritis are more likely to suffer flare-ups in cold weather.

Cold stress also decreases the worker’s dexterity, coordination, mental skills, and causes an overall decline in performance that negatively affects worker safety. Workers are more prone to accidents.

Also, working in the cold increases the likelihood of employee sprains and strains. This turns up as a health issue such as a low back strain. However, all muscles and tendons have less resistance to harm when exposed to cold weather.

What is Cold Stress?

Cold stress is the way your body responds cold temperatures stemming from heat escaping from part of your body, such as hands, limbs, feet, and/or head. When the body has prolonged contact with cold, lengthy exposure is a physical and mental challenge to your body.

Humans lose heat four ways:

•Radiation

•Convection

•Conduction

•Evaporation

The best way to avoid cold weather stress leading to cold weather illness or injury involves changing work habits and wearing the right clothing.

Changing Work Habits

How long an employee works in cold weather depends on wind and air temperature. The colder the temperature and the stronger the wind, the shorter work periods are. The following table, adopted by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) as Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for cold stress is an excellent guide for management in establishing the length of a work period.

*Source: Adapted from Threshold Limit Values (TLV) and Biological Exposure Indices (BEI)

booklet: published by ACGIH, Cincinnati, Ohio, 2008.

When workers are continuously exposed to below freezing temperatures shelters for warming such as heated tents, trailers or restrooms are in order for management to offer.

Personal Protective Equipment and Cold Weather Gear
Small things go a long way for you and your employee’s comfort. For instance, covering metal tool handles with thermal insulating tape is a way to help employees lessen cold stress.
Choose your clothing according to the weather (temperature, wind speed, rain or snow). Pace your work so that you generate (and lose) less heat through sweating (a form of evaporation). Excessive sweating cause clothing failure as instead of wicking sweat away it will absorb your sweat and become wet and lose insulating value.
Here are a few tips on dressing for cold weather:
•Layer your clothing for better protection than one single heavy garment.
•Wear thermal underwear made of polyester or polypropylene to wick away sweat.
•The layers over the thermals should give you adequate insulation for the weather you are working in and be easily removed if you begin sweating too much. Your outer jacket should have a way to seal off the cuffs, waist, and neck. These seals should open easily if you become warm.
•If there is rain or snow, make sure your outerwear is waterproof
•Make sure to wear a watch cap or full ski mask – 50 percent of body heat is lost from your head.
•Keep clothing clean since dirt infiltrates clothing fibers and ruins its ability to insulate.
•Cover your hands with waterproof covering if the weather is wet. For very cold weather consider mittens.
•Footwear made with rubber bottoms, leather uppers, and removable felt insoles are best for working in cold weather. Layer your socks using one pair of thin socks as the inner layer made of nylon, thin wool, or silk. Avoid cotton as it absorbs more water and does not wick away sweat. For the top layer wear a thicker sock. Bring several pairs of socks with you while working in the cold.
•If you need face or eye protection make sure that the eye protection is separate from the nose and mouth protection. A single unit will cause the protection to fog us and blind you temporarily.
Follow these tips and your company and employees will enjoy added protection from cold injuries and illnesses.

 

Jan 06
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Why Construction Companies Need a Safety Committee

By Construction Insurance Bulletin

Construction is the industry with the most injuries and fatalities in the United States. To make the industry safer and cut the number of employee injuries and fatalities, the federal government, state governments and even local government passed laws mandating safety committees, their make-up, and even meeting content. Nevertheless, there are many reasons why construction companies should embrace safety committees.

 

How Safety Committees Benefit Construction Companies

Talk to a safety professional and you soon realize that the most effective committees are committees that involve members from every level of the company or a company facility or job site.

 

When company executives and laborers and everyone between them participate, safety committees help prevent unsafe work practices and environments. Committees also cut employee exposure work-related injuries and illnesses. These accomplishments spur other employees to get involved in the company’s workplace injury and illness programs.

 

An active safety committee shows employees that the company care about employee health and safety; itself a motivator that improves productivity.

 

Another bottom line enhancer is that a strong safety record cuts workman’s compensation claims and in turn, reduces workman’s comp premiums.

 

When safety records are impressive, construction job sites are safer and accidents to visitors and passersby go down. In turn, premiums for commercial general contractor policies may plateau or even go down.

 

Moreover, a safe workplace record impresses project owners and makes a construction company a more attractive candidate for selection.

 

Measuring Safety Committee Value

 

Many companies mistakenly undervalue the value of environmental health and safety programs (EHS). Companies usually do not measure EHS correctly if at all. But, by using standard tools in the toolbox of business managers and in a way that executives understand company financial statements. Results of EHS can integrate and display as part of the overall EHS business strategy. Some popular tools used by EHS professionals to measure the return on investment (ROI) of EHS include:

 

Six Sigma

EMS/ISO 1400

Baldwin Measurement

 

OSHA offers a tool called Safety Pays that helps figure out the ROI for a company’s safety program.

 

No matter what tool a company uses, construction companies that are committed to safety almost always sees a higher ROI for its efforts when compared to companies for which the safety committee is simply a means for compliance.

Jan 06
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Fleet Safety Management is Mort than Insurance

By Construction Insurance Bulletin
Small and medium-sized construction companies often have their own fleet of motor vehicles ranging from small vans to large rigs that can move heavy equipment. These fleets have insurance under the company’s business auto policy and perhaps some special insurance for heavy trucks. But, fleet insurance is the last piece of fleet safety. Safety begins with driver background checks, continues with safety training, and includes ongoing safety.
Driver Background Check
Any employee that drives a company vehicle should have a motor vehicle record (MVR) free of DUI, DWI, or other similar kinds of alcohol or drug related violation within the past five years. Additional serious driving infractions on an MVR that occurred within the last five years include:
•Chemical test refusal
•Reckless driving
•Careless driving
•Leaving the scene of an accident
•Fleeing or eluding a police officer
•Speeding greater than 20 mph over the limit
•Passing a stopped school bus
•Driving after suspension or revocation of their license
The following chart helps decide which employees are suitable for driving company fleet vehicles based on the shorter time frame of three years.
Three Year MVR 
Number of Preventable Accidents 
Number of Violations 0 1 2 3
0 Acceptable Borderline  Poor
1 Acceptable Acceptable Borderline  Poor
2 Acceptable Acceptable Borderline  Poor
3 Poor Borderline  Poor Poor
4 Poor Poor Poor Poor

 

Driver’s with “Borderline” records call for a review no less than every six months. Construction companies are smart if they create, and enforce the consequences for fleet drivers whose MVR is poor. Any serious infraction automatically places a driver in the “poor” category.
Fleet Management
The fleet manager or a designated employee ensures that all company vehicles have scheduled maintenance that equals or exceeds the manufacturer’s specifications. When a vehicle needs repair the fleet manager has it done as soon as possible after the defect has been reported. Fleet vehicles that have a “donut” spare immediately have the original tire repaired or replaced should be part of the policy. Written fleet maintenance policies should state that the removal of a vehicle from service occurs when the safety of any vehicle is compromised.
The fleet manager also should do a walk-around inspection on each vehicle daily checking for any obvious safety defects or serious damage.
With a driver hiring policy and fleet management policy done, it is time to visit your insurance advisor and make sure you have the correct insurance for your fleet.

 

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