Securing your business, inside and out

You click to the local newscast on t.v., and just as you expected, the whole story is on. You’ve always thought some free publicity would be nice, but not this kind. First they show a shot of your business, then a close-up of you talking about the burglary of your business in disbelief. Lots of questions run through your mind, and one that keeps resurfacing is, "How could I have prevented this from happening?"

Unfortunately, every burglary or other crime isn’t completely preventable. They happen to the best of businesses, no matter where they are located, what size they are, or what product or service they sell. However, there are many things you can do to make your business more resistant to crime.

Inside Protection

Lights –  Bright indoor lighting enables police or others in the area to notice suspicious activity inside. With this in mind, try not to let window displays block the view from the street.
Strategic Placement of goods – To prevent a burglar from working efficiently, scatter valuable products or money around the office and keep them far away from exits.
Alarm system – It’s best to have a silent alarm that directly alerts the police station or private security agency. However, even an on-site alarm that rings aloud can scare off burglars or attract the attention of someone nearby.
Card access system – With this system, employees have cards that enable or restrict their access to various areas of the business. Card access, which is used mostly by large companies with many employees, can prevent both break-ins after hours and internal theft.
Video surveillance–While cameras may not succeed in preventing a burglary, they are useful in identifying and convicting criminals.

Outside Protection

Quality doors and locks –  The number one precaution is to have steel doors and deadbolt locks that resist kicking, drilling and beating.
Smart landscaping – To minimize easy hiding spots for burglars, try not to go overboard with trees and shrubs.
Lights – Make sure that lights (preferably mercury or metallic vapor lamps) illuminate each entrance, including windows and large vents. Protect the lights with plastic glass coverings and hook them up to an emergency power supply.
Alarm decals – Even if you don’t have an alarm, a sticker with the name of an alarm company may trick a burglar into believing you do.

All to often, it takes an actual burglary to spur business owners into crime-proofing action. Ideally, improving workplace security should take place before you find yourself on the nightly news. The same goes for obtaining the proper crime insurance coverage. For a review of the many options available, please stop by or call us. 

Employment-related lawsuits:
They could happen to you

In the last five years, 6 out of 10 companies have been defendants in at least one employment-related lawsuit, according to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). Nearly 50 percent of these lawsuits involved some type of a discrimination claim, 33 percent dealt with wrongful termination allegations, and 14 percent stemmed from sexual harassment claims.

These days, fewer and fewer businesses can say they haven’t faced a lawsuit pertaining to employment practices. Allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination, ADA violations, wrongful termination, and negligent hiring are increasingly putting businesses’ budgets and reputations on the line. Fortunately, there are ways you can help keep your business out of the statistics.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recovered $27.8 million in total monetary benefits for sexual harassment claimants in 1996

Good Employment Practices

1. Be cautious when hiring and firing.

When interviewing potential employees, avoid any inquiries into nationality, religion, age, martial status, disabilities, and other areas that do not directly pertain to the job. Be sure to document hiring decisions, employee accomplishments or shortcomings discussed during performance reviews, and termination decisions. When terminating an employee, always have a witness present to confirm what was said.

2. Establish policies.

Create written policies against discrimination and sexual harassment to discourage inappropriate behavior. Include specific examples of violations, and outline how to file a complaint so employees feel comfortable doing so if necessary. Be sure to disseminate the policies through your employee handbook, employee training, postings in notable locations, etc.

3. Put job descriptions in writing.

Written documentation of specific job criteria will help protect you against discrimination claims. If someone does not live up to your written
requirements, you are not obligated to hire or retain that person.

4. Educate your management team.

Your managers and supervisors should be trained to watch for and recognize troubling behavior. It is also their role to create a fair, non-hostile environment and to serve as an example to other employees.



Even if you feel you are doing everything right, there is still a chance you could get hit with a negligent employment practice lawsuit. Fortunately, employment practice liability (EPL) insurance has been developed in response to employment risks,. This insurance extends coverage beyond that of basic commercial policies, but EPL policies vary greatly. Please see us for more information on how you can protect yourself from employment liability.

Safety programs are a sight for sore eyes

Many workplaces have any of a number of common eye hazards, such as chemicals, dust, fumes, lasers, power and hand tools, and to some extent, even computer screens. Work-related eye damage can interfere with employees’ ability to operate certain equipment and vehicles, or even prevent them from working in their current positions altogether.

So, how big is this problem? The answer is a real eye-opener. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, eye injuries account for approximately 12 percent of all work-related injuries. These injuries cost an estimated $133 million a year in medical expenses, lost production, and workers compensation.

Look into an eye-safety program
Fortunately, eye injuries are preventable with the right precautions. Here are a few steps to include in your eye-safety program:

1. Check employees’ eye-related medical history.
Workers with past eye injuries may face a higher risk of future injuries.
Safety principles should apply not only to your employees, but to anyone who may enter a risky work area.
2. Screen employees’ vision annually.
Results will show if your workers can still meet the visual requirements of their jobs, or if they should be matched up with a different position.
3. Enforce the use of eye protection in risky tasks.
Proper safety glasses can drop the chances of eye injury by as much as 90 percent. Make sure employees know that normal corrective eyeglasses and sunglasses do not provide the level of impact resistance necessary.
4. Encourage regular eye exams by an ophthalmologist.
Serious eye damage may be preventable through early diagnosis and treatment of a problem.

Victims of eye damage can find themselves facing years of disability. With a good workplace safety program, you can help the people in your business avoid this terrible fate.

It’s a long road ahead without business auto risk management


At any given moment, fleets of trucks are probably hauling deliveries to their destinations. Sales personnel could be driving to an important meeting. Someone might be in his or her personal vehicle en route to the nearest office supplies store. The fact is that driving is a big part of the working world. Unfortunately, it’s also a big part of work-related fatalities. Motor vehicle accidents account for 30-40 percent of all job-related deaths each year.

It doesn’t matter whether your employees drive frequently or occasionally on the job. Any time one of them gets behind the wheel for a business reason, you are technically in the drivers’ seat. In other words, you could be held ultimately responsible for any accidents that may occur during their trip. To protect both your workers and your business, it’s essential to have a solid business auto risk management program in place.

What’s involved?
A business auto risk management program is based on preventative action. Here are some of the keys to an effective program:

Screen your job applicants.
Check prospective employees’ driving records for prior accidents and violations. In your evaluation, keep in mind that the applicant’s attitude will have a great deal of influence on how he or she operates a vehicle.

Purchase safe vehicles.
Whether you’re buying a fleet of trucks or just one company car for your employees to drive, take safety features into consideration. Air bags and anti-lock brakes have proven themselves in numerous studies.

Provide safety kits.
Make sure your drivers don’t leave without jumper cables, flashlights, cellular phones, reflective vests, etc.

Evaluate any accidents that occur.
Pinpoint where and why an accident happened so that similar accidents can possibly be avoided in the future. An accident analysis could also include feedback on how

Overcome disaster with business income insurance

Imagine trying to run your business without a source of income. Impossible, right? Yet this is exactly what some businesses face after a disaster forces them to suspend daily operations. While they struggle just to get back on their feet again, the bills continue to role in and pile up. Sometimes, these businesses are never able to open their doors again.

You can avoid an ugly situation like this with business income insurance. This policy helps you meet your expenses if a fire, natural disaster, or other covered peril shuts you down. It is designed to provide income that your business would have generated under normal circumstances, allowing you to meet your fixed expenses such as loans, payroll, etc. 

Does business income insurance cover extra expenses?
Extra expenses are those necessary to speed up your recovery after an insured loss, such as renting and moving to substitute facilities, hiring temporary assistance, and renting or purchasing new equipment. The Insurance Services Office (ISO) offers one business income form with extra expense coverage, and one without it. You may also purchase extra expense coverage separately.

What should you know about policy limits?
Most business income policies limit coverage to an interruption due to direct physical loss of, or damage to, property at the insured site. In addition, the wreckage or lose must have been caused by a covered peril. Keep in mind that you will need special coverage for boiler and machinery breakdowns or off-premises power failure.

 
Without business income insurance, how will you pay your bills and meet other fixed expenses if a disaster shuts you down?

It is also important to understand that business income insurance only pays for the length of time that it realistically should take to restore damaged property. Due to this time element, it’s wise to identify your exposures and plan ahead so that action can be taken immediately if a disaster occurs. Here are some suggestions:

Identify the machinery or equipment that is most vital to your operations, and arrange for backups.

Find alternative sources for the materials you need, just in case something should happen to your major supplier.

Create a list of all actions necessary to resume operations on a full or part-time basis after a disaster.

There are many things to consider when it comes to making sure your business can survive a crisis. We’re here to help you sort through it all and find the business income policy that best meets your needs.