Lawn and Lanscaping Safety Tips from Huff Insurance

Let’s Keep Our Lawns – and Ourselves – Safe in Pasadena, Maryland

For many of our neighbors in Pasadena, MD, SumHuff Insurance, Landscaping Blog, Yard Work Blog, Pasadena, MDmer means more than sunshine and vacations. It also means working in the yard – often with tools that can be dangerous if not used properly. So please take the time to learn the proper handling and operation of any tool that you will be using.

Each year about 400,000 people are treated for injuries from lawn and garden tools, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). It only takes a second for a devastating accident to happen, so don’t let your landscaping efforts land you in the hospital, or worse!

Follow these handy safety tips.

Tool safety tips from the U.S. CPSC

Dress appropriately. To protect yourself from debris when using lawn tools, wear eye protection, long pants, long-sleeved shirts, close-fitting clothes and no jewelry. Sturdy shoes are recommended, and ear plugs may be appropriate depending on how loud the device is.
Before starting, remove objects from your work area that could cause injury or damage, such as sticks, glass or stones.
Keep children indoors and supervised at all times when any outdoor power equipment is being used. Never let a child ride or operate a garden tractor or riding mower, even if the child is supervised. And never assume children will remain where you last saw them.
Use extreme caution when backing up or approaching corners, shrubs and trees.
Teenagers using power equipment should always be supervised by an adult.
Handle gasoline carefully. Never fill tanks while machinery is on or when equipment is still hot. Of course, you should never smoke or use any type of flame around gasoline or any gasoline-powered equipment.
Do not work with electric power tools in wet or damp conditions. For protection against electrocution, use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).
Be sure that extension cords are in good condition, are rated for outdoor use, and are the proper gauge for the electrical current capacity of the tool.

Lawn Chemical Safety Tips from Texas A&M University

If you use chemicals to control weeds or pests in your lawn, read the product label carefully so you understand the potential effects on humans, animals and the environment. Follow all instructions.
Keep children and animals away from the application area, and protect your skin, eyes and nose during and after application.
Remember, use only the recommended amount. Using more of the chemical will not do a better job.
Ask yourself if you truly need to use a general pesticide. Is there a product that will specifically treat only the problem you need to solve?

From all of us at Huff Insurance here’s to keeping both you and your lawn healthy this summer!

Huff Insurance is a full service Independent Insurance Agent We have been dedicated to Protecting Lifestyles™ since 1960. We offer a full array of Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance and Life Insurance products. Call us at 410-647-1111

Fire Safety and preparation Commercial building on fire for use in the workplace blog by Huff Insurance

Fire Safety and Preparation for the Workplace.

Is your workplace prepared in the event of a fire?

What would you say is the biggest cause of workplace fires? It’s not equipment failure. It’s not electrical faults. It’s not storms or natural disasters. It’s people and carelessness.

Every year, in more than 70,000 workplace fires across North America, an average 200 people die, thousands are injured and many firms are either put out of business or severely disrupted.

October is Fire Protection Month in the US and Canada, so now is a good time to review and remind employees of safety rules. A few simple steps will help identify and reduce risks.

Things like:

Assessing your buildings for risks — I’d make that a visual inspection tour
Reducing clutter and keeping escape routes clear
Storing flammable chemicals under lock and key
Locating heat-producing equipment, even coffee-makers, away from flammable material
Checking building security to prevent possible arson fires
Enforcing no-smoking or designated area rules
Checking fire extinguisher service and replacement dates
Ensuring employees know how to operate extinguishers
Enforcing rules for the use of spark – and fire-producing equipment
Conducting permitted, controlled burning/fires a safe distance from buildings
Checking operation of fire and smoke alarms

It’s even more important that employees know what to do if fire does break out, an issue I touched on earlier this year. Check out our blog “Fire Safety – The Escape Plan”.

Even if it’s not mandatory, you should have a written emergency action plan. The plan should include details of evacuation routes, location of assembly points, procedures for raising the alarm and, if appropriate, a written list of individuals and their responsibilities.

As much as everyone loathes them, evacuations should be practiced at least once a year. It’s a good idea to alert employees of an intention to have a practice drill but not to tell them exactly when it will happen.

And if you’d like to know more about Fire Safety Week or get other information about fire safety, visit the National Fire Protection Association, a US-based global organization, at www.nfpa.org

Finally, please make sure you have adequate insurance in place, not just against property damage and liability arising from fires but also coverage to protect you against income losses arising from business disruption.

Insurance is an effective mitigation against fire risk. If you want to be sure you’re properly protected, please get in touch.

Why do sports organizations need an accident insurance policy?

Why is general liability insurance not enough for sports organizations?

In order for most youth sports organizations to play on county or state owned fields they have to provide the municipality proof of general liability insurance coverage. If that is all that t they need to use the field, why are some agents or insurance companies requiring them to also carry an accident insurance policy? Generally, the general liability coverage is going to exclude coverage to the players themselves. So for example, a fly ball hits a mom sitting in the stands at a baseball game, this would be covered, but the player gets hit by a pitch, this would not be covered. The accident insurance policy fills in this gap and covers the player, if they are hurt while participating.

Accident Liability Insurance for Youth Football, Huff Insurance

Concussions, which is a brain injury caused by a sudden blow to the head or body, has caused a lot of security in the youth sports world, bringing to light lifelong injuries these players could endure. There are some sports like football, lacrosse, rugby, ice hockey and wrestling and soccer where the ones deemed to be the most susceptible. But now, cheer leading, baseball and basketball are on the list. High-profile concussion settlements, such as those in the National Football League have brought concussions to light and caused people to be more focused on the potential liability that could arise out of the youth sports.

I had a friend’s daughter that was a great athlete; she played soccer, basketball and lacrosse. One day at her high school basketball game, she took an elbow to the back of her head. Her parents were in the stands, but did not think much of it. Until their daughter started running back to the basket and collapsed and blacked out mid court. They got the daughter off the court and by the time she was on the bench, she did not know her name, who her parents were or where she was. After numerous doctor visits, it was determined that she had multiple concussions over the years that had gone undetected and untreated and this just happened to be the event that caused serious injury. It took her well over a year to regain 90% of her memory back.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention; about 30 million Us Children and teen participate in some form of organized sports each year and one child visits the emergency room every 24 seconds due to a sports accident. Kids getting injured in the course of playing sports is common, and in order for the youth sports league to have the protection they need to have both general liability and sports accident policy. In addition, to having the proper coverage you also need to have the proper procedures in place to help prevent diagnosis and remove kids from sports that have had a concussion. Many of the carriers, will not only provide the insurance coverage to you, but will help you by providing additional loss prevention measures, and concussion plans and training for coaches and volunteers. Having the right insurance is one piece of the puzzle but as important is to make sure that you have the training of the coaches and volunteers of the signs of a concussion and how to respond.

Nancy Nicklow, Huff Insurance

Blog by Nancy Nicklow from Huff Insurance in Pasadena Maryland

What are the insurance implications of a home based business?

Do You Have The Proper Home Based Business Insurance?

Have a Home Based Business?

It seems like everyone has a home based business these days. From LuLaRoe, Tastefully Simply, Pampered Chef, Avon and making crafts or jewelry. Now that you have this home based business you need to think about how it will affect your insurance coverage.

You have a homeowner’s insurance policy, so you are good right?

No, a homeowner’s insurance policy is not designed to cover business activity. Home insurance policies have specific exclusions that pertain to businesses.

In most cases, the home insurance policy uses $2,000 of income (not profit) in determining if an activity is a hobby or a business. You could exceed $2,000 just from having a yard sale at your home.

The homeowner’s insurance policy has generally made available coverage for volunteer activities or for typically teenager jobs, such as babysitting or newspaper delivery. But generally speaking your home insurance policy is not providing any liability insurance coverage for your home based business.

Doesn’t the business franchisor provide the business insurance?

I commonly hear from people, that the franchisor is providing the home based business insurance coverage. Well, that is somewhat correct. Usually the franchise is picking up the product liability insurance .

For example, if you sell Mary Kay and the client uses the Mary Kay product and has a reaction and sues you and Mary Kay. May Kay will defend you as well as them.

However, if you are at the customer’s home doing a demonstration and you knock over a vase, or spill water all over their hard wood floors while giving a pedicure, that would not be covered by the franchise.

You may assume that you are not covered off premises for the business, but at your home, you would be covered by the homeowners insurance. Not true for liability. If I come to your home to pick up my “Scentsy” order and fall down the ice covered steps, there is no coverage under a typical homeowner’s insurance policy because I was there for business.

Did you know there are business property limitations and/or exclusions on a homeowners insurance policy?

If you are using another structure on the property to store merchandise, or to run your pop up store or to manufacturer your crafts, not only is there no liability coverage AND the other structure itself is not covered by the homeowner’s policy since it is being used in whole or part for business. Your stock, inventory and equipment are typically insured for $2,500 on premises and $250 off premises.

Say you have a computer that you use at your home, to play games on, pay household bills, and then also use it to conduct the business for your online Etsy store. Since this computer is sometimes used for business, it would be adjusted as business personal property at the time of a loss. Any item, that is used even partially for business is automatically considered business personal property.

So what do you do if you have a part time home based business?

You can purchase an in-home business insurance policy to give you the broadest coverage.

The home based business insurance policy can give you coverage you need for:

Business personal property
Other structure liability insurance coverage both at the home and off premises. Like customer’s homes, or trade shows, and will even give provide
Business income coverage. In the event there was a covered loss at your home, like a fire, and you could not operate your business

There are some endorsements that can be added to the homeowner’s insurance policy. But generally speaking for the $150-200 a year the in-home business policy is the most economical and broadest coverage that you can purchase.

Contact Huff Insurance Today

Nancy Nicklow is the owner President of Huff Insurance,a full service Independent Insurance Agent. We have been dedicated to Protecting Lifestyles™ since 1960. We offer a full array of Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance and Life Insurance products. Call us at 410-647-1111

**Insurance coverage varies by company and by state. To understand the coverage for your specific insurance policy, please review your policy with your insurance agent or insurance company. Also check with your state’s insurance department to discuss any regulations that may affect your situation.

What is Excess Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage?

Excess Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage

Umbrella Insurance, Huff Insurance

You have an umbrella insurance policy; therefore you understand the importance of protecting your assets. An umbrella insurance policy is still the most affordable coverage, dollar for dollar that the insurance industry offers. But, recently the insurance carriers have started making the coverage even better, by offering excess uninsured motorist insurance coverage on the umbrella. Why is this important?

In Maryland, uninsured motorist insurance also includes underinsured motorist insurance coverage. Uninsured motorist are those drivers on the roadways that do not have any liability insurance at all on their vehicle. Yes, I know that the law requires them to have insurance coverage to get their tags, but there is still more motorist then any of us would like that are driving with no insurance coverage. A recent study showed that about 14% of all vehicles on the roads in Maryland are not insured. Underinsured motorists are those that have at least the state minimum requirements of $30,000 per person/$60,000 per accident and $15,000 property damage but carry less liability then you do.

Let me give you an example of how this coverage works:

Let’s say that you have $250,000 liability per person/$500,000 per accident and $100,000 property damage on your personal auto insurance policy and the uninsured motorist coverage is the same limits. Then you have a standard $1,000,000 umbrella policy.

Let’s say, you are like my friend Jane, and you are hit by a motorist that is carrying $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident and $25,000 property damage. This person is not uninsured, but they would be considered underinsured in this case since their limits are lower than your limits.

If the other driver caused you injuries and loss wages that exceed the $50,000 under their policy, you would then be able to collect under your policy up to your $250,000 limit. Even though you have an umbrella policy, your umbrella policy would not pay anything to you since you cannot be liable to yourself and your umbrella policy is a standard unendorsed umbrella insurance policy.

If you have uninsured motorist insurance coverage on your umbrella insurance policy, you would be entitled to collect up to $1,000,000 over the $250,000 limit from your auto insurance policy for you injuries.

Since, you already have an umbrella insurance policy, you have assets to protect and you understand the importance of this coverage. Why would you want to give someone else more protection than you give yourself and your family? Do you want to lose your assets because of someone else negligence? Do you want to put faith in the “other guy” having the right protection, or do you want to rest assured that you will have the appropriate coverage if something happens?

The cost for this coverage varies by carrier but it is roughly $75 a year per vehicle. Very inexpensive for $1,000,000 of additional coverage and peace of mind that it provides.

My friend Jane, that I mentioned earlier, she was T-boned by a guy with $50,000/$100,000 limits. It was her and the two boys in the car. Luckily the 2 boys escaped with scrapes, but Jane broke her right ankle and her left wrist. She was taken to Shock trauma for surgery on her ankle and spent a few days there and then rehabilitation for a few weeks. When she got home, they had to install a ramp because she could not walk on the ankle and with her wrist broken, crutches were out of picture. She then had weeks of rehab and could not drive. She was out of work for 5 months. The “other guys” $50,000 coverage was exhausted by the time she left Shock trauma.

You know what that could do to you financially, which is why you carry high liability limits like Jane. Six months after her accident her carrier began offering uninsured motorist coverage on the umbrella policy, Jane was one of the first clients to buy this coverage. She knew first hand, if this accident would have been worse what it could have done to her savings and her family’s financial well being.

Don’t have this happen to you and not have uninsured motorist coverage on your umbrella insurance policy. Call us today to add this coverage. For 2 vehicles, it is about $150 a year for $1,000,000 of protection.

Nancy Nicklow is the owner President of Huff Insurance,a full service Independent Insurance Agent We have been dedicated to Protecting Lifestyles™ since 1960. We offer a full array of Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance and Life Insurance products. Call us at 410-647-1111

Nancy Nicklow, Huff Insurance

Does your business need Care Custody & Control Insurance or Voluntary Property Damage Insurance Coverage?

Why do I need Care Custody & Control Insurance or Voluntary Property Damage Insurance Coverage?

General Liability Insurance coverage is very broad, in fact it covers your premises, your products, your operation and your personal and advertising injury. But it still does not cover everything.

There are two types of claims that most of our clients assume are covered by a basic general liability insurance policy which are not covered. Care, custody & control and Voluntary property damage coverage are not covered by unendorsed general liability insurance policy. The names of these coverages seem difficult to understand. So I’ll explain why your business needs these coverages.

A general liability insurance policy excludes personal property that is in your care, custody and control, including something that you are working on. In insurance this issue of care, custody & control frequently arises. Let’s examine what these terms mean. Care generally means to have “temporary charge of”, custody means “to keep or guard” and control means that it is “within your power to manage, or oversee”. For those that have large exposures; you may need items like Bailee coverage or warehouseman’s liability or garage keeper’s coverage. But, if the care, custody & control exposure is incidental to your business it can generally be purchased as an additional coverage to the liability insurance policy. One limitation of the care, custody & control coverage on the general liability policy is that you must be legally liable should you cause damage to personal property.

Let me give you some examples on how care, custody and control could apply to your business:

Janitorial Company: You are cleaning your customer’s home and you are dusting the 60” television that is hung on the wall. In doing so it moves and comes of the bracket, falls to the floor and breaks. This would not be covered without care, custody & control endorsement.
Contractor: While coming out to the client’s home to paint or do contracting work, they left a table in the way of your work area. You pick the table up to move it and in doing so you break a leg off the table. The damage to the table would not be covered without care, custody & control coverage.
IT Firm: You are at the client’s business and you are working on their laptop. You get up and the cord is caught and the laptop crashes to the floor and is damaged. The damage to the laptop would not be covered without care, custody & control coverage.

Generally care, custody and control coverage is limited to a specific dollar amount, so talk to us to determine which coverage amount would be appropriate for you.

The second coverage that I would like to discuss is voluntary property damage or some carriers will refer to it as extended property damage or real property damage.

This is similar to care, custody & control but rather than paying for damage to personal property, voluntary property damage applies to damage to real property. This coverage provides unintentional damage to the real property of others.

Let me explain to you how this coverage could apply:

Power washing company: You are hired to wash the exterior of an office building. In the progress of washing the building the nozzle comes lose and goes through the building window.. The glass damage would not be covered unless you have voluntary property damage coverage
HVAC Contractor: You are drilling holes in the hardwood floor to install a new HVAC system, the drill slips and damages the hardwood floor. The damage to the hardwood floor would not be covered unless you have voluntary property damage coverage.
Janitorial Company: You have been hired to clean the client’s home and in doing so your vacuum cleaner scratches their hardwood floors. Since you were hired to clean the floors this would not be covered unless you had voluntary property damage.
Painting Contractor: You were hired to paint a wall and in doing so your ladder damages the wall. This would not be covered without voluntary property damage.

Just like with the care, custody & control insurance coverage there is a limit of coverage provided with the endorsement. It is always best to discuss with us what limit would be the most appropriate for your business. Another way to get broader voluntary property coverage is to purchase contractor’s errors and omissions insurance coverage. This is designed to cover your work.

Give us a call to discuss how this coverage could work for you.

Many times claims are paid or denied because of the existence or non-existence of these important coverages. The cost for these coverages is only a few hundred dollars per year. But without them you are leaving huge holes in your liability insurance protection

Contact Huff Insurance

Give us a call to discuss your business. Andt we can put together a comprehensive plan for you and your business.

Huff Insurance is a full service Independent Insurance Agent We have been dedicated to Protecting Lifestyles™ since 1960. We offer a full array of Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance and Life Insurance & Health Insurance products. Call us at 410-647-111

Spring Home Safety Checklist

Spring is here!

The time of year when birds start singing, flowers poke their heads up and trees start getting their leaves. It’s also the time of year when people start clearing out the accumulation of winter clutter

As you go about your spring cleaning chores, take the opportunity to make sure your home is safe and secure as well.

Use the following Spring Home Safety Checklist as a guide.

Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Many people change the batteries in their carbon monoxide and smoke detectors when they set their clocks ahead for Daylight Savings. But, if you’re not one of them, now is a good time to get it done.
Flashlight batteries. In many areas springtime means thunderstorms. Make sure all your flashlights have fresh batteries in case the power goes out.
Fire extinguishers. It’s recommended that be inspected every 30 days. So, if it’s been more than 30 days since you inspected the fire extinguishers in your home, now’s a good time to do it. There are 3 questions you should ask yourself during your inspection. 1) Is the extinguisher in the correct location? 2) Is it visible and accessible? 3) Is the gauge or pressure indicator in the green zone?
Light bulbs. Make sure all your light bulbs are the correct wattage for the lamp or socket they’re in. Florescent light bulbs can help save money on your power bill, consider making the switch if you aren’t already using them.
Electrical outlets. You can do an initial inspection yourself by checking for loose fitting outlets. But, you’ll want to have a licensed electrician check for any loose wiring inside the outlets that might pose a fire hazard.
Household chemicals. Go through your cleaning supplies and other household chemicals to check for leaking containers and things you no longer use or need. Be sure to dispose of these hazardous chemicals properly according to the recommendations of your state and/or county.
Medicine cabinets. Take stock of everything in your medicine cabinets and properly dispose of any outdated prescriptions and over-the-counter medications.
First aid kits. While you’re checking your medicine cabinets, go a step further and examine your first aid kits. Properly dispose of anything that is outdated and restock things that are running low or depleted.
Child safety locks. Check any existing child safety locks to be sure they’re functioning properly. You may also want to consider other places where they should be installed.
Family emergency plan. Every household should have a family emergency plan in place. Review your plan and rehearse it together at least once a year.
Washer and Dryer. Pull your washer and dryer out and clean underneath each. Check the hoses on your washer for any leaks. Check and clean the dryer hose and exhaust duct, removing any lint, dust and other material.
Major Appliances. Pull other major appliances out as well and clean underneath and behind them. Be sure to clear away any lint or debris from ventilation areas before you return them to their space.
Fireplaces and Wood Stoves. Spring is a great time to clean your stove pipes and get them ready for next winter’s use. This way, you’re ready whenever cold weather strikes.
Furnace. Check and replace furnace filters so they’re ready to go next fall as well.
Air Conditioner/Swamp Cooler. Time to maintain that air conditioner or swamp cooler. Check your user’s manual for the proper maintenance procedure for your specific unit.
Windows and Doors. As you’re cleaning your windows, check the locks and screens to make sure they’re in proper working order. Check the locks on all exterior doors as well.
Decks and Patios. Inspect your decks and patios for loose railings and boards as well as raised nails or screws.
Barbecue grill. While you’re on the patio, check the condition of your barbecue grill. If you have a gas grill be sure to check all hoses and connections to make sure there are no leaks. Also make sure the handle on the lid is secure and that the igniter works.
Recreational equipment. Make sure all playground equipment, bikes, skateboards, etc. are in safe working condition before you or your family use them.
Roof and Gutters. Inspect your roof to make sure that it’s in good repair and will stand up against wind and rain. Replace or have a professional replace any parts that are leaking or loose. Check and clean your rain gutters and downspouts as well to keep them in good working condition so when the rain does come, they can do their job.

Many of the things on this list can be performed by the knowledgeable homeowner. However, there are some tasks on this list that should be done by a professional – such as a licensed electrician to inspect your electrical outlets.

Going through this checklist as you’re doing your spring cleaning chores will help you ensure that you and your family enjoy a safe and happy summer.

Huff Insurance is a full service Independent Insurance Agent

We have been dedicated to Protecting Lifestyles™ since 1960. We offer a full array of Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance and Life Insurance products. Call us at 410-647-1111

Don’t Let A Bite By Your Dog Destroy Your Finances

Is it just me or are we seeing more reports in the media these days about dogs biting or attacking people?

It can be traumatic for the owner as well as the victim. For instance, I read last week about a case in California in which a lawsuit resulted in a payout of more than $1 million for a youngster attacked by a dog. That is a lot of money, so you need to make sure that you are properly insured.

It turns out that around 1,000 bite victims end up in emergency rooms throughout North America everyday and there are close on 5 million bites in a single year.

Huff Insurance Dogs

I am a dog lover, we have a Yorkie and a Golden Doodle at home. You may have also seen them on our Facebook page. My daughter and I love to pet any dog that we see. But, we know that not all dogs like to be approached, especially by someone that they don’t know.

If you’re a dog owner, or you know someone who is, or you’re about to become an owner, here’s some useful information to help wise-up to the risks:

Some breeds are more inclined to bite than others – and they’re not always the ones you expect. See this list: https://tinyurl.com/aggressive-dogs
Most bite victims are children, so you should be extra vigilant when kids are around.
Common advance warning signs of a bite attack include pinned-back ears, back fur standing up, unusually visible whites of the eyes, yawning to show teeth, a freezing response to touch, and intense eye contact.
Dog aggression may be driven by a sense of possessiveness – for property or individuals – fear and pain. If your dog exhibits these symptoms, seek professional help.
If you dog is inclined to nip or to be aggressive, don’t leave it unattended with others, and muzzle it.

If your dog bites someone, constrain it immediately and, if appropriate, seek medical help for the victim. Don’t admit liability but do provide the victim with information about the animal’s most recent rabies shot.

Most home insurance policies provide coverage against injuries caused by pets but if you’re not sure on this, just ask your agent to check. Insurance Companies have started to exclude specific breeds from being covered by the home insurance liability coverage, so please double check with your specific policy to make sure your dog breed is covered. The last thing you want is to find out that your dog is not covered after there is an incident.

You may also need to consider whether your coverage ceiling is adequate. This is where an umbrella insurance policy can provide valuable protection for you.

On a different but related matter, healthcare costs for animals are rising quickly these days – for example, up to $25,000* for cancer treatment. Not surprisingly, over the past few years I’ve seen a steady increase in pet insurance inquiries from owners.

Right now, the market for pet medical insurance is extremely competitive so rates are good. If you’d like to talk about your options on this, please get in touch.

Nancy Nicklow, Huff Insurance

What Information Should You Include In An Employee Handbook?

Employee handbooks – what a yawn?

Employee Handbook, Huff Insurance Yes, they can be, both for employees and the souls who have to produce them. But if you don’t have one, you could be leaving yourself open to liability lawsuits (often with higher damages awards as a result) and a greater risk of workplace mishaps.

And, you know, employee handbooks don’t have to boring, if they’re written succinctly and perhaps include illustrations. Nor do they need to be huge undertakings.

They mainly need to encapsulate regulatory requirements and a guide to “how we do business around here” — in other words:

Hiring policies and equal opportunities
Hours of work and, if appropriate, flexible working
Wages including information about overtime and advances
An outline of any employee benefits you offer
Use of company property such as equipment, cars and phones
Vacations and other types of leave
Workplace behavior
Health and safety
Privacy and confidentiality
Computer usage, Internet access and emailing
Discrimination
The complaints process

These headings summarize chapters in the recently published, latest edition of Create Your Own Employee Handbook by Lisa Guerin and Amy DelPo (published by NOLO).

I really recommend this book because it includes some useful downloadable forms that will save you a lot of time both in writing or reviewing a handbook.

It may be too detailed for your needs but it’s a useful reference to keep in your business and a source of language and ideas for shaping your own company policies — perhaps covering some issues you haven’t thought about or dealt with previously.

However, even with the best will in the world and the most comprehensive employee handbook, there may still be times when you run into problems or potential conflict with employees.

It’s then that you’ll want to feel secure in the knowledge that you’re adequately protected by employment practices liability insurance (EPLI). So, as part of your employee handbook review, why not add in a quick discussion with me to make sure that protection is in place?

Are There Insurance Implications to Having Solar Panels on Your Roof?

How can Solar Panels affect my insurance coverage?

Solar panels are a great way to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels as well as a way to reduce your energy bill.
Solar Panels On Roof Top, Huff Insurance

However, before you install solar panels there are some issues that deserve your consideration.

Businesses are turning to alternative power sources and there are risks associated with these emerging technologies and the exposures they create.

Whether you are installing a solar panel array, leasing space to a contractor installing an array for another customer, or already have an array, it is important to understand the risk exposure.

The top 5 risk exposures from roof mounted Photo Voltaic (PV) systems are:

The blind spot
Roof loading
Severe weather
Wind
Fire hazards

The blind spot is where a ground fault to the grounded current-carrying conductor occurs undetected. This then causes a second ground fault in the panel array and the ground fault detector/interrupter can not de-energize. This can cause serious electrical shock and a fire.

Roof Loading: A roof is designed to accommodate a predetermined load; if the road can not support the solar panels, it could lead to structural degradation or collapse over time.

Severe Weather: The weight of snow or ice on to of the load of the solar panels may be more than anticipated also it could crack the panels’ protective coating, exposing live electrical components.

Wind can cause damage to space below the panels can cause pressurization that cam damage the roof.

Fire: Whenever you have electrical components exposed to the elements, there is a chance that the components can become worn or deteriorated. When this happens, there is an increased chance of a fire. So please have your systems inspected on a regular basis.

Prior to installation of the solar panels, make sure to work with your insurance agent to discuss the risks and how you can minimize or mitigate these risks.

Consider installing the system on another structure or platform, rather than your roof. If you have to install on the roof, create and maintain clear exits and paths on the roof for maintenance.

Have a professional engineer evaluate the structural integrity and load on the roof to ensure it can not only sustain the solar panel array but also the added weight of a snow load.

Be sure that you hire fully qualified, experienced and insured solar panel contractors and make sure the panels are Underwriters Laboratories approved.

During the installation process make sure of the following:

Have expansion joints are used on all long runs of conduit.
Have disconnects for both the DC and AC sides of the panel array.
Use correct installation techniques and wire management.
Make sure to use additional ground-fault and PV array isolation sensing device
Provide sufficient ventilation so air can circulate.
Make sure that the panels are installed to minimize wind uplift
Make sure that ground protection devices to de-energize the system when there’s a ground fault.

There are a number of challenges associated with installing solar panel arrays on your roof One is hindering firefighting. Regardless of where the fire breaks out in the building the PV arrays increases the risk of electrocutions, slips and falls and other serious injury. If the fire is on the roof, the concealed spaces between the panels make it very difficult to have them extinguished. Also, there is no way to turn off a single PV panel or array. Solar panels are always live and contact with them with them can cause shock or electrocution. And in some cases the entire roof can be electrified..

Damage to the solar panels due to weather could cause your business to be interrupted or if a fire is more severe because of the panels it may mean a longer downtime for your business to regain operations.

Some businesses may lease their roof space to contractors to install solar panels for others. Under this situation, there needs to be contracts and agreements in place regarding the following:

Who is responsible for the maintenance of the panel
Who is insuring the panels
Who is responsible, and liable for damages, if a fire breaks out because of the panels

It is best to make sure that an attorney reviews these contracts and agreements before you sign and enter into them.

Solar panels are a relatively new technology. So who knows exactly how long the panels will last. More importantly will the contractor, manufacturer or vendor be around if they fail in a few years. It is very important that you make sure that everyone in the chain of providing these items is reputable and has been in business for a number of years.

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