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...because they have such large HRIS systems. However, most companies with less t...

... that each type offers: Low-tech systems can be effective, but have serious l... voice mail or text messaging, these systems are vulnerable to a general outag...

Our carrier's Environmental Consultants insurance product offers three mai...

Using our claim data, we have developed a list of the most common causes of fire-related losses as well as some things you can do to help prevent them. Faulty Wiring and Outlets Are One of the Top Causes of House Fires. Check the electrical cords throughout your home for signs of fraying, and replace all frayed wires. Do not pinch or cover electrical cords with items such as rugs. Be aware of the capacity of your home's electrical system. Do not overload your circuits. If you have questions about your home's electrical system, you may want to consult a licensed electrician. Understand the difference between surge protectors and power strips - both allow you to plug in multiple electronic devices, but only the surge protector will help protect these devices from a power spike. Use surge protectors to protect valuable electronic devices, such as computers and televisions. Carelessness in the Kitchen May Also Lead to a House Fire. Never leave your pots or pans unattended on your stove. Keep a kitchen fire extinguisher readily available and know how to use it. Keep your stove and oven clean. Built up food splatter or grease can later ignite when the stove or oven is turned on for cooking. Read more tips to help prevent cooking fires, and what to do if one occurs. Clothes Dryers are Another Common Source of House Fires. If you are installing your own dryer vent, follow the directions in the manufacturer’s installation instructions, using the recommended duct material. If you are unsure about how to properly install the vent, consider hiring a professional to do the installation. Clean out the dryer vent regularly. Clean out the lint filter after each load. Lint may also collect under and behind your dryer, so do not forget to clean these areas. Alternative Heating Sources May Also Create a Fire Hazard. Avoid using an older space heater, as it may not have adequate safety features compared to newer units. When purchasing a new space heater, ensure it is UL Listed and pay attention to the safety features. Do not place a space heater near furniture, curtains or other objects that could easily catch fire. If you plan to install an alternative heating system, such as a wood or pellet stove, follow the instructions. If you are unsure about how to properly install the system, consider hiring a professional to do the installation. Before installing a wood or pellet stove, check to ensure it complies with the laws of your state and municipality. Dirty Chimneys Also Pose a Fire Hazard. Have your chimney inspected annually by a Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA)-certified chimney sweep. Have a professional clean and repair the chimney as needed, especially before the cold months, when you will be using it frequently. Use seasoned wood only. Never burn green or damp wood. Never burn cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, trash or trees in your fireplace - these can all spark chimney fires.

...heating, plumbing, and electrical systems to reduce the risk of fire and water...and other monitoring stations. These systems are not inexpensive and not every...

No one expects the worst to happen, but sometimes it just does. Whether it is a complete power outage or a fire breaking out in your break room, preparing for the unexpected should be part of your overall safety program. While prevention should always be your first priority, preparedness may reduce the severity of the event and help maintain your employees' safety. Emergency Planning is Your Responsibility Every company should have a published, well-communicated and practiced emergency preparedness and life safety plan. The National Fire Protection Association and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) provide codes, regulations and guidance on emergency action and fire prevention plans, including minimum standards. OSHA, in fact, requires a written emergency action plan for workplaces with 10 or more employees. Employers with fewer than 10 employees must still have an emergency action plan, but they may communicate the plan orally to employees. Of course, a plan is only as good as its effectiveness, when put into action. How would your plan fare in a real emergency? Do your employees know what to do? These are questions to ask before an emergency happens. Communicating, training and drilling are all essential elements to include in your emergency action plan, and can help make the critical difference in life safety outcomes. Effective Planning Can Save Lives In the first critical minutes of an emergency, taking the right steps can help save lives. Planning ahead and maintaining a well-trained emergency team can help make the critical difference. Appoint, organize and train designated staff with their emergency response duties and responsibilities. Document and distribute emergency procedures, including how to notify the fire department, evacuate employees and provide accommodations for those with special assistance needs. Publish instructions for the use of emergency equipment, such as the voice communication system, the alarm system or emergency power supply system. Post procedures for confining, controlling and extinguishing fires. Post procedures for assisting the fire department in accessing and locating the fire. Communicate your evacuation plan to all employees, visitors, vendors and contractors. Distribute the plan to emergency personnel who will be responsible for taking actions to maximize the safety of building occupants, including the fire department and designated emergency management and supervisory staff. Post your evacuation/floor plan exit diagram in clearly visible locations. Assign locations away from the building or job site for employees to gather. Practice drills on a regular basis. Monitor and evaluate drill performance to consider improvements. Include full, partial and shelter-in-place evacuations, designed in cooperation with local authorities, to familiarize employees with procedures. Develop a roll call system to account for all persons and notifications to the fire department of any missing person. Travelers safety professionals see a broad spectrum of businesses and facilities and understand the plans used to ensure emergency preparedness. Every day, we share our insights with our customers to help keep their businesses, and most importantly, their people, safe.

...various criminal justice computer systems is with the officials working within...

There’s nothing like a celebration to bring co-workers together and make them feel as though they’re one unified work family. Although a celebratory meal or party can bring cohesiveness, employers should be careful not to let celebratory events become a liability. Of course, the entire point is to allow attendees to relax, have fun, and interact on a more personal level. But, the double-edge comes from attendees mistaking a relaxed atmosphere as leeway to behave in an inappropriate manner or attendees becoming so relaxed that they behave in a way that they normally wouldn’t. Out-of-bounds behavior should be of particular concern if there’s alcohol involved in the workplace celebration. In order to avoid lawsuits, there are several elements that employers should consider prior to any celebratory workplace event. Before the event, employers should make sure that they have informed the attendees of what will be considered improper behavior. It’s a good idea to remind and caution employees that even though the event is a party, it’s still a business event and that inappropriate touching, gifting, and off-color or offensive remarks are still considered inappropriate behaviors. Employers should be mindful that under Title VII, it only takes one inappropriate incident to bring about a timely and costly lawsuit. It might be helpful to have supervisors or managers go over the company policy with employees, especially the sexual harassment section. While going over the company policy, the supervisor or manager can also inform employees if there will be any exceptions to normal company policy made specifically for the party, such as attire varying from the normal dress code. In the event that clients will be attending a workplace party, employers might have additional concerns that should be addressed beforehand. For example, what should an employee do if a client is making inappropriate advances or conversation? It’s usually pretty clear to employees how to handle such a situation during normal workplace hours, but sometimes employees are specifically told to make sure clients have fun at a party. This can create a recipe for legal disaster if not addressed properly. Make sure to set up a way for any employee that’s been given such an assignment to exit the situation if it becomes uncomfortable for them. This can be accomplished by setting up a room as a coffee bar or lounge and ushering clients that become unruly to the room to calm down or sober up. It’s also a good idea to have a buddy system in place for all employees handling clients. If a client becomes unruly or inappropriate he/she can be passed off to their designated buddy. If alcohol is served, employers might consider having only a specific time frame for it. This can help to prevent party-goers from becoming intoxicated, belligerent, or driving home intoxicated. It’s also a good idea to have a transportation system, such as cabs or designated drivers, in place for party-goers that overdo it on alcohol. Although inappropriate behavior directed toward an employee’s guest or family member might not be considered workplace harassment, it can cause a great deal of unnecessary workplace conflict. It should be made clear that inappropriate behavior toward any guest will have disciplinary actions. One last concern is the first workday following the party. Everything that happened or didn’t happen will be discussed and scrutinized. Conversation and actions that might have been laughed at during the party or intended innocently might not always be so funny or acceptable by the next day. It’s important to encourage an open and honest dialogue about any gossip topics so that misconceptions and hard feelings can be prevented.

Once employees have gone through safety training, make sure that they use what they've learned. When every worker knows and chooses the safe way on a daily basis, you'll have a workplace with less chance of accidents and injuries. This four-step approach to job safety will pay dividends: Team up to solve problems and improve safety. Create employee teams in every department to gather information on potential hazards, analyze problems, develop and test solutions, and implement and monitor results. Being part of a team makes workers feel that they share responsibility, which keeps your safety message top of mind. Talk up safety every day. Update employees on information that affects their safety. Provide ongoing feedback, praising safe performance, correcting unsafe behavior, and pointing out areas for improvement. Make sure that communication flows both ways. Urge workers to offer suggestions, identify problems, and pose questions - for example, through a safety suggestion system. Encourage employees to become hazard detectives — and reporters. Make every worker responsible for finding hazards. Create an effective system for reporting problems, and respond promptly to correct hazards that employees identify. This is harder than it sounds because it means that management has to listen when workers discuss safety concerns. Create a "want-to" safety culture. Encourage your workers to do the safe thing, not because they have to, but because they want to avoid injuries. Remind them of how many safety-related decisions they make every day - and how one bad decision is all it takes to get hurt. For professional advice on creating or updating your workplace safety program, just give us a call.

Across the nation, utility lines, tunnels, and structures run under our feet, Each year, excavators strike approximately 700,000 of these underground lines, often triggering potentially fatal accident (from steam, gas, propane, or electricity). A single strike might easily cost a contractor hundreds of thousands, or millions, if the accident leads to an interruption of service that shuts down a factory, hospital, telecommunication lines– even a missile silo. In most cases, insurance will not cover these losses. To deal with this threat, the Common Ground Alliance coordinates 811 --Call before You Dig, a nationwide phone and online system that contractors can use to notify local utilities so they can "mark out" their facilities before excavation of anything from to a sewer to a subway. These markouts are required under state law. When you use the call 811.com system, bear in mind that: It doesn't matter where you are - downtown, in the middle of a suburban street, or building a private home. Call even if you're confident that you know where something is buried (for example, if you installed the line); many contractors dig up lines that have just put in. Instead of marking the area with wooden stakes - which are all too easy to drive through gas lines - use white paint or "feathers;" even the most shallow excavation can be hazardous. Remember, failing to contact 811.com before every excavation violates the law - and leaves you wide open to huge liability losses. Don't take a chance your odds of losing in the Underground Damage Casino! To learn more, just get in touch with the Construction Insurance Specialists at our agency.