How To Avoid Automotive and Equipment Electrical Fires

How to avoid large losses caused by automotive electrical fires. This video provides insurance risk management techniques for routing, guarding, and isolating electrical wiring powered by automotive batteries. Electrical hazards are not only confined to under the hood, they are also present in wires running throughout a vehicle. Implement these techniques to prevent common automotive fires that have proven to be costly to business owners.

https://youtu.be/CzG4kM1Fdwc

Understanding Acronyms 101

Have you recently been asked by a general contractor for your RIR, your DART, your LTIR or your EMR? Have you noticed an assessment on your workers’ compensation policy for OHSF? Do the requests seem a little bit jumbled and jived? Here is a brief explanation and referenced resources to assist you.

Your RIR is the Recordable Injury/Incident Rate. (Also referred to as TRIR for total). The RIR is formulated from the entries that are made on your OSHA Form 300 log (Appendix A). Recordable(R) work-related injury and illnesses are those that result is (1) death, (2) loss of consciousness, (3) days away form work, (4) restricted work activity or job transfer or, (5) medical treatment beyond first aid. Cumulatively, these five items are referred to as “Number of Cases” on the OSHA Form 300A (Appendix B).

R * 200,000 / number of hours worked by all of your employees ( F )= RIR

Your DART is the Days of Work Activity Restricted or Job Transfer cases. Cumulatively, these two items are referred to as “Number of Days” on the OSHA Form 300A (Appendix B). You take that sum value (A) multiply it by 200,000* divided by number of hours worked (F) by all of your employees equals your DART.

A * 200,000 / F   = DART

(*200,000 figure in the formula represents the number of hours 100 employees working 40 hours per week for 50 weeks per year would work, and provides the standard base for calculating incident rates.)

You may be asked for your LTIR which is Lost Time Injury/Incident Rate. This is total from column (K). For a 3 year total you have to refer to 3 year’s of logs.

Additional details can be located on www.asdawest.com under Knowledge Center, Resource Links: CAL/OSHA Publications /Recordkeeping: Once you are on the CAL/OSHA site, look for Recordkeeping and the  Form 300A which is calculated from your Cal/OSHA Form 300

Experience Modification is a very familiar workers’ compensation term.  This is most often referred to as your “ex-mod” or “x-mod”.  Some contracts may ask you for your EMR. Don’t fear; it is only your Experience Modification Rate.

Effective 2014 the dreaded TICF: Cal/OSHA’s “Targeted Inspection and Consultation Fund” has been replaced by the OHSF – Occupational Health Safety Fund.  This fund is the Cal/OSHA legal mandate for an assessment that is part of Workers’ Compensation reform. Previously, the TICF was assessed on insured’s individual policy when their experience mods were over 124%. Beginning in 2014, there is an assessment to ALL policyholders that contribute into the fund. The OHSF assessment is calculated based on payroll.

The fund monies that are assessed support the Cal/OSHA ‘High Hazard Employer Program –HHEP-another acronym-yikes! The HHEP provided consultative assistance, “free” of charge, (your “free” assessment!) to employers with high ex-mods to help them decrease their preventable work-related injuries and illnesses and their workers’ compensation losses.

There you have it Acronyms 101!

Premises Liability

Premises Liability can simply be defined as the legal responsibility of the property/building owner/tenant to exercise ordinary care to protect a “reasonable” party from bodily injury and/or property damage while on premises.

Premises Liability is inclusive of inside/outside building areas such as common areas, sidewalks, parking lots, grounds, stairs, ramps, etc.

Based on potential financial loss and to provide a successful risk control program, a client needs to perform a risk assessment for all applicable Premises Liability exposures and hazards.

Exposures to the public can include:

• Slips, Trips, and Falls
• Struck/hit
• Burns
• Cuts
• Food borne illness

Hazards to the public can include:

• Slippery/wet/greasy floors
• Uneven walking surfaces
• Chuckholes/potholes
• Broken/sharp beverage containers and plates
• Inadequately prepared and unprotected served food and beverage items
• Inadequate lighting

Pollution Liability

Pollution Insurance is intended to fill the gap in your Commercial General Liability policy that results from the Absolute Pollution Exclusion. Contractor’s Pollution Liability covers third party bodily injury, property damage, clean-up costs and defense costs from pollution exposures for the insured’s operations at sites where the insured, or the insured’s subcontractors, are working or have worked.

Examples of Common Pollution Exposures Faced by Contractors

• Development of mold or fungus from water intrusion due to incorrect installations, piping or HVAC errors, wet materials or improper sealing procedures.
• Disturbing unknown pre-existing contamination.
• Excavation through and spreading of unknown preexisting contaminated soil.
• Discarded woodwork and plaster from demolition or
  renovations may contain asbestos or lead-based paint.
• Vandalism or attempted theft can result in malicious or inadvertent releases of diesel fuel, gasoline, paints, lacquers, stains or adhesives.
• Incorrect storage and handling of chemicals

Benefits of Having Pollution Insurance

• Financial security in case of an accident
• Increased marketability by giving you an edge on the
  competition
• Shows your commitment to safety and environmental
  protection
• Valuable risk management protection for your business

Take a proactive, not a reactive approach to environmental issues.
Incorporate controls into your overall risk management. Ask owners if environmental studies were completed on project sites, demand clear and concise contracts, and educate your field personnel to identify potential environmental hazards.

Contact Greg Scoville and he will help you assess your exposures and offer effective solutions to protect you from devastating financial loss.

The application for this coverage can be found on the Risk Management Platform under Browse Resources for ASDAWEST Categories.

Disaster Recovery

To assist businesses in preparation and recovery for natural catastrophes and disasters, typical exposures and hazards need to be evaluated so an appropriate Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Program can be formalized and implemented.

Typical exposures can include the following:

• Employee/Public Sabotage
• Flood
• Terrorist Attack
• Explosion/Building Collapse
• Earthquake
• Hurricane
• Power Outage

Typical hazards can include the following:

• Building collapse resulting in loss of life, property damage, utilities, and business interruption
• Sabotage causing business and operating systems loss of revenue, customers, suppliers, and company “good will/reputation”
• Flood and hurricane resulting in environmental contamination, mold, loss of buildings, vehicles, contents, vital records, operations, etc.
• Terrorist attack causing economic loss, increased legal liability and insurance premiums, loss of key personnel and customers, etc.

Once your business exposures and hazards have been evaluated, your Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Program needs to be developed and implemented and include at least the following key elements:

• Top management commitment
• Formalized safety policy supported by top management
• Established planning committee
• Assignment of job duties and responsibilities
• Conduct comprehensive risk assessment
• Determine priorities for continued operations
• Establish recovery strategies
• Execute data collection
• Formalize and implement written plan

By evaluating your company’s exposures and hazards and implementing a formalized Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Program BEFORE an unplanned natural catastrophe or disaster should occur, significantly increases your business’s probability of continued operations and survival.