Restaurant kitchen fires can lead to employee and customer injuries, total destruction of your building, and may place a significant financial burden on your business until operations are restored. From 2007 to 2011, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has reported 32,272 non-residential cooking equipment fires which have resulted in 21 fatalities, 428 injuries and $185 million in property damage. (more…)
Deep fryer safety is essential when deep fat frying in order to prevent serious burn injuries and fires. Deep-frying involves cooking foods in grease at a very high temperature, 400 degrees or higher. Foods commonly deep-fried during the holidays include turkey, chicken, duck, crab cakes, latkes, empanadas and more. While deep-fried food can be quite tasty, it’s important to practice deep fryer safety every time you drop those scrumptious holiday delights into hot oil. (more…)
Many workers commonly use non-powered hand tools on a daily basis. Examples of non-powered hand tools include hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, chisels and more. The hazards involved with these tools may be overlooked, but the misuse of hand tools in work settings can contribute to musculoskeletal disorders and cause injury. These injuries can be reduced by following these general safety tips. (more…)
Taking out the trash can be dangerous. It sounds crazy, but it’s true. And the numbers prove it.
Recent large losses among Society Insurance policyholders include the following claims:
What is especially interesting is that these claims have one thing in common. They all involve taking out the trash.
So, what can be done to reduce the danger and make trash removal safer? Start by controlling the hazards associated with these three simple areas: (more…)
As the cold weather moves in and the holiday season begins, it is time to bring out the lights and decorations to help celebrate the season. This is a time of excitement, so it can be easy to overlook the potential hazards of lights and decorations. The main areas of concern are fire and electric shock hazards from holiday lighting, and falls from ladders when putting up the decorations. Follow these tips to keep everyone safe this holiday season. (more…)
When you think about the most dangerous jobs, a non-CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) service or delivery driver does not usually come to mind. However, every year thousands of workers are injured or killed while performing a delivery. According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, there were over 100,000 injuries and 300,000 accidents involving delivery vehicles in 2012 and Time magazine ranked it number eight on its list of the 10 Most Dangerous Jobs in 2014.
Delivery driver dangers include vehicle accidents, injuries while performing the delivery such as back injuries and slips, trips and falls, or crime. Both employers and employees can take important steps to help reduce these hazards. (more…)
Let’s face it; working in construction is dangerous. In 2015, one in five worker fatalities occurred in construction. Is it any wonder why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted almost four times as many inspections and issued over twice as many penalties for the construction industry compared to the next closest industry classification? By the numbers, that’s 11,869 inspections, 29,777 citations and nearly $72 million in fines from October 2015 through September 2016. (more…)
“It sounded like a freight train.”
This is a common description from those who have experienced one of nature’s most violent phenomena: a tornado. Advances in research and technology have improved identification and measurement of critical elements of super cell storm systems, which makes predicting and identifying the development of a tornado far more effective. However, once the prediction is made or an actual tornado is identified, the responsibility falls on every individual to be prepared to respond appropriately for his or her own safety and well-being.
Is your business as well-protected as it should be? Do you really know what goes on when you’re not there to see it firsthand? As a business owner you want to ensure that your investment is protected against loss from the public or from your own employees.
Due to their early and late hours and sometimes short staffing, gas stations, convenience and liquor stores are often subject to more crime and violence, which is a growing concern among many of Society’s policyholders. Other businesses such as restaurants, taverns, and grocery stores experience increasing numbers of slips and falls. Having an effective video surveillance system will help deter shoplifting and employee theft, and it can also prove valuable when trying to document crimes and injury claims by customers or employees. Many of the newer digital systems allow you to review your footage from a smart phone, even if you are not onsite.
So, is video surveillance really necessary at your business? YES. Here’s why: (more…)
As a former robbery detective in the Chicago Police Department I can easily see why a business would be a target for a robbery or hold up. Now that my career is in insurance, I know how important it is for a business to keep a “low profile.” Here are a few things you can do to make the bad guys pick another business as their victim:
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