Author: Lawley

Buffalo, NY | On December 6th, Lawley was pleased to announce that Brooke Smith, CHST has completed all requirements for a Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) certification. This highly respected certification is awarded by BCSP to individuals who meet eligibility and experience criteria in the safety, health, and environmental (SH&E) discipline and have passed a rigorous examination. Certificants must also recertify every five years to maintain certification, ensuring they remain knowledgeable in their practice.

Safety issues have become more complex, and today’s safety professional must continuously become better qualified. BCSP credential holders are among the most highly trained, educated, and experienced individuals in the safety field. Having achieved a BCSP certification shows that the individual has mastered the core competency required for professional safety practice. BCSP’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Treasa Turnbeaugh, CSP, ASP, CET, CAE comments that “It is critical to maintain competent individuals within the SH&E industry because of the impact they have on the safety of workers and the public.”

“Lawley is pleased to have their associates obtain such high designations within the safety field. As our motto goes, ‘Safety Always’ and Brooke embodies that saying everyday,” says Robert Overhoff, Jr., Lawley’s Loss Control Consultant/Team Leader.

At Lawley, Brooke is on the Safety & Loss Control Team that conducts risk management for clients to ensure safety across their organizations. If you want to learn more about how our Loss Control team can help you, click here.

ABOUT BCSP
BCSP is recognized as a leader in high-quality credentialing for safety, health, and environmental practitioners (SH&E). BCSP establishes standards for and verifies competency in professional safety practice and evaluates certificants for compliance with recertification requirements. All certifications are accredited or in the process of becoming accredited. BCSP maintains the highest accreditations for its certifications, proving their value through independent, third-party evaluations. Since 1969, over 68,000 individuals have achieved the CSP, ASP, SMS, OHST, CHST, STS, STSC, or CET credential. BCSP is a not-for-profit corporation with headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.

ABOUT LAWLEY

Lawley is a privately-owned, independent regional insurance firm specializing in property, casualty and personal insurance, employee benefits and risk management consulting and ranked among the 100 Largest Insurance Brokers in the U.S., according to Business Insurance magazine.

For over 60 years, Lawley’s team of more than 400 associates have developed customized property, casualty, surety and benefits insurance programs for businesses and municipalities of all sizes along with personalized protection for individuals and their families. Lawley is consistently recognized as one of the Best Places to Work by Buffalo Business First.

Headquartered in Buffalo, NY, Lawley has branch offices across New York in Amherst, Batavia, Dunkirk, Jamestown, Mahopac, Plainview, Purchase and Rochester along with Darien, Connecticut and Florham Park, New Jersey. To find out more, visit lawleyinsurance.com.

Quick and efficient snow removal is essential for businesses, as snow buildup can present a hazard to both drivers and pedestrians.

When using a truck-mounted plow to clear snow from private property, it is important for you to pay attention to your surroundings and not to sacrifice safety for speed.

Before You Begin
Preempt problems by taking some time to check these important details before you plow:

• Before the first snowfall, check out the areas you will be plowing. Look for objects that could be easily hidden by snow. Make notes of things like curbs, speed bumps and other things that could damage the plow.
• Before using the plow for the first time, familiarize yourself with the owner’s manual.
• Check all lights to make sure they are working properly. This includes both the lights on the vehicle and the lights on the blade.
• For good traction, make sure the truck’s weight is balanced. If necessary, add weight to the back of the truck, past the rear axle, to balance out the weight of the plow.
• Check all connections between the truck and plow.
• Check the plow itself for any signs of damage, such as cracked welds or hydraulic fuel leaks.
• Check the cutting edge to make sure it is not worn down to the point where the ground may come in contact with the main portion of the blade.
• Get adequate rest so you are not drowsy or inattentive while behind the wheel.

Transporting a Plow
While driving on public roads with a plow attached to your vehicle, remember to:

• Keep the plow as far off the ground as you can without blocking the headlights or your vision.
• Always drive with the blade angled to the right. This will prevent it from accidentally catching on the curb.
• Do not drive faster than 40 miles per hour.

While Plowing

• When beginning a pass, always start moving and then drop the blade.
• Begin to stop as you approach the end of your pass. Do not let the plow slam full speed into already piled snow.
• Raise the blade before moving into position to make another pass.
• Always wear your seatbelt no matter where you are plowing. Hidden objects could cause your vehicle to stop suddenly.
• Always turn around and look while driving in reverse. Do not rely on vehicle mirrors alone.
• Make sure you know where you are going to pile the snow before you start.
• Never pile snow near mailboxes, fire hydrants, electrical boxes or dumpsters.
• If there is traffic in the area, be especially careful of people and other vehicles.
• Check with local regulations before moving snow across a roadway. It may be illegal to do so in some areas.

Hotels are unique properties that need many different types of coverage in order to protect them properly. Here is a list of common insurance coverages that can be applied to a hotel. Is your broker providing these options?

Hotels are lodging facilities designed to provide lodging, eating and other recreational services to patrons. Many hotels also offer meeting facilities for seminars and conferences.

1. Property exposures: The cooking exposure is a standard part of most hotels. Is appropriate safety equipment in place and inspected regularly? Are alarms in all rooms? Is smoking restricted? Are flammables stored properly? Is wiring up to code?
2. Crime exposure: This includes employee dishonesty, money and securities, and lock box. What procedures does the risk have in place to prevent employee theft of employer’s property, money, checks or other goods? Are references required? Are references and background checks done? What procedures are followed if an employee does commit theft? Money should be deposited regularly. Guest Property is a coverage that most hotels will purchase. Coverage is provided for each room and for items in lock deposit box. How is theft prevented? What controls are in place for rooms and boxes?
3. Inland marine exposure: This comes from accounts receivables, computers and valuable papers (guest records). Duplicates must be made and stored off site for easy restoration. Additional exposures are present depending on the hotel. There may be Contractors’ Equipment for exterior maintenance; Commercial Articles Floater for cameras, audio visual equipment and musical instruments; Fine Arts for paintings, antiques or sculptures; or a special floater for items that go off site and then return.
4. Premises liability: Are adequate exits available? Are stairways, railings, elevators, and floor coverings in good condition, meeting all life safety regulations and concerns? How good is the overall care and maintenance of the premises? Are rooms re-keyed after each use? Are master keys kept secure and accounted for at all times? What services and recreational facilities are offered to patrons? Some of the most frequent areas to evaluate are exercise rooms, swimming pools, laundry facilities, gift shops, barber, beauty and other personal services. Each will have its own set of exposures to review.
5. Automobile liability: Due to pickup and delivery of customers, this is a major exposure for many hotels. What service is provided? What type of vehicle is used? Drivers must have acceptable MVRs that are checked on a regular basis. All vehicles must be well maintained with the records kept on file at a central location. Valet services, limo services and procedures must be reviewed.
6. Workers compensation exposure: Cleaning and maintenance operations can cause workers to experience lung, eye or skin irritations and reactions. Slip and falls, as well as lifting, back injury, hernia, sprain and strain, are all common occurrences. In addition there are the kitchen injury exposures plus the difficulty of handling rowdy customers.
7. Minimum recommended coverage: Building, business personal property, business income, employee dishonesty, money and securities, guest property coverage, accounts receivable, computers, valuable papers, general liability, employee benefits, liquor liability, umbrella, business auto liability and physical damage, hired and non-ownership auto, workers compensation
8. Other coverages to consider: Commercial articles floater, contractor’ equipment, fine arts, special floater, forgery, computer fraud, employment related practices, garage keepers

Contact Lawley today. With a wealth of industry-specific knowledge and experience, one of our specialized teams will really get to know your organization, your business insurance needs and goals.

Since your employees work almost exclusively outdoors, the weather plays a large role in their daily working conditions. Sometimes, working in rainy, cold or snowy conditions is simply unavoidable, so it is important that your employees are prepared and educated on handling the conditions safely. Inclement weather can also impact other responsibilities as an employer, so you need to be prepared as well.

Cold Weather Risks

Working in the extreme cold can be dangerous for employees, and precipitation and wind exacerbate that danger. OSHA has issued guidelines offering precautionary measures to prevent cold stress, which can lead to tissue damage, hypothermia, frostbite and trench foot—conditions that can cause serious injury or death. Factors that contribute to cold stress are cold air temperatures, high velocity air movement, dampness of the air and contact with cold water or surfaces. Therefore, it is important to remember that even temperatures of 50 degrees, with enough rain and wind, can cause cold stress.

Safety in the Cold

There are several precautions that employees should take while working in cold or dangerous weather:

• Take breaks to get warm
• Drink plenty of liquids, but avoid caffeine and alcohol
• Avoid smoking, which constricts blood flow to skin
• Be aware of any cold weather related side-effects that their medication may have
• Know and understand symptoms of cold-related illnesses and injuries
• Stretch before physical work to prevent muscle pulls and injuries

Inclement weather poses serious safety and health risks for your employees, so make sure they are prepared to handle the cold, rain and snow.

Wear protective clothing when it does not interfere with personal protective gear and equipment:

• At least three layers: something close to the skin to wick moisture away, an insulation layer and an outer wind and waterproof layer
• Outer layers should be loose to allow ventilation and prevent overheating
• Hat or hood when not wearing a hard hat, or under the hard hat when necessary
• Insulated boots
• Gloves—not only can the cold cause injuries to exposed skin, but cold hands also make workers more prone to injury when handling machinery or other objects

(Note: In general, OSHA requires employers to pay only for protective gear that is out of the ordinary; employees are responsible for everyday clothing, defined as items that can, and regularly are, worn away from the workplace.)

Employee Training

Cold, rainy or snowy weather can cause unusual conditions and higher risks, so it is important to train employees on safety procedures. They should understand the dangers of exposed skin, insufficient protective wear and cold, wet or slippery equipment. Employees also should be trained to recognize and treat cold-weather illnesses and injuries.

Driving Company Vehicles

Another concern regarding inclement weather is employees who drive a company vehicle as part of their workday. Driving in severe weather can be extremely dangerous, so it is important to take precautions. All vehicles should be given a safety check by a mechanic before the bad weather hits, and they should also be equipped with emergency materials such as a snow scraper, blanket, first aid kit and flashlight.

In order to protect your company against liability, any employees who may drive in bad weather on company time, regardless of whether they drive a company or personal vehicle, should be trained in safe, cautious driving techniques and what to do in case of an accident.

All of these cold and inclement weather provisions should be included in your safety plan and discussed before and during the onset of such weather.

Communication Channels

Whether your employees come in to work on a given day may depend on the weather conditions. In uncertain weather conditions, you may not know until the night before or morning of if your employees will be working that day. As such, it is essential that you have communication channels in place to inform your employees, including a backup method if they cannot be reached on their phone.

Be Prepared

Before bad weather hits, you should be prepared, and your employees should be informed of all relevant safety rules and policies to keep in mind. If you are proactive in tackling bad weather conditions, you can minimize the impact on your business and employees as much as possible.