Bryan McDonalds Insurance Blog

To Prevent HAVS in the workplace, an employer can train their employees to:

• replace older tools with minimal to no vibration
• use tools that are ergonomically designed, anti-vibration isolators, or tools with vibration-dampening handles
• Take a break from use of vibrating tools every hour, or rotate between vibrating and non-vibrating tools
• Keep tools sharpened and in good working condition
• Don't grasp tools tightly
• Wear tight fitting, padded gloves. Invest in specially designed gloves that absorb shock and dampen vibration
• In cold and wet weather, keep clothing dry and warm

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You may be asking yourself right now, "What is HAVS?". For those of you that have repeated exposure to vibrating hand-held or stationary tools during the course of a work day HAVS is important to know about and understand in prevention of workplace health risks.

HAVS, or Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome, is a potentially debilitating health condition caused by repeated exposure to vibrating hand tools. Symptoms of HAVS can affect the circulatory and nervous systems and may include, numbness, pain, white fingers, and loss of dexterity. More severe symptoms of HAVS include, crippling, bone disease or gangrene.

HAVS is reversible in its early stages, however, continued exposure can lead to the loss of effective hand function or the death of a finger. To learn more about how employers can train vibration tool operators in the prevention of HAVS, access our site for tomorrow's blog, "Prevention of HAVS in the Workplace".

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Supplemental insurance are additional insurance policies you can purchase beyond types of basic insurance that provide specific coverage for a variety of business situations.

As your business changes, consider the following supplemental insurance types:

• Vehicle or fleet insurance - this is usually needed if you have purchased vehicles for use in business operations.
• Directors and officers insurance- this is a good idea if your business has grown and protects the personal assets of a businesses officers and board of directors from lawsuits.
• Crime insurance- this type of insurance covers business losses resulting from employee theft, forgery, embezzlement, blackmail,etc.
• Product liability- usually advised if you are in the business of making complex or potentially harmful products. 

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California Property insurance  covers the loss or damage to real estate or personal property, resulting from fire, lighting, or other covered perils.

Casualty insurance covers almost everything that isn't covered by fire or marine insurance, such as automobile insurance, general liability, burglary and theft, worker's compensation, and miscellaneous lines.

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Pr0perty and casualty insurance is usually classified by the following major lines:

• Fire and allied lines
• Marine
• Casualty
• Multiple line insurance
• Fidelity and surety bonds

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1. Look up your license number at www.cslb.ca.gov. Write down the number, year licensed, and license classification.

2. Make a list of ALL your operations (plumbing, electrical, painting, remodling, etc.)

3. Determine what percentage of work is residential, commercial, or industrial.

4. Determine what percentage is new construction and which is existing.

5. Determine estimated gross sales, payroll, and subcosts for upcoming year.

6. Prepare loss runs if you are a large contractor with current insurance and are paying more than $7500/year in liability premium.

7. Ask a broker if you need an additional insured endorsement before buying a policy.

8. Call an experienced broker for a quote.

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1. Comparison shop both offline and online.

2. Understand the fine print of a policy completely.

3. Install safety and anti-theft devices on all vehicles to help reduce costs.

4. Make sure all who drive vehicles have good driving records and have taken defensive driving courses.

5. Consider aspects such as higher deductibles and higher liability limits. The higher the deductible, the lower the premium.

6. Make sure all autos are listed in the policy and are properly maintained at all times.

7. Park all autos in a secure area, such as an indoor parking garage or secure parking lot.

8. Include permanently attached items such as winches, storage units, or generators in the auto insurance coverage.

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Making sure your insurance company will do what you expect it to do if you suffer a covered loss is vital in a homeowner's insurance policy. The most important thing an insured can do is verify that their homeowner's insurance policy is covering their personal property for "Replacement Value" and not just the actual cash value of the property. Doing this can save the insured headache and loss in the future.

For example, if you have an actual cash value policy and your laptop, which was purchased in 2008, is stolen, you will be insured for the value of a 2008 laptop minus the depreciation for the 2 years you had the laptop. If you had a replacement cost policy you would be covered for a new laptop to replace the stolen one.

Check with your insurance agent if you are unsure as to whether your homeowner's policy does this, or if you have any further questions.

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Musculoskeletal disorder is the number 1 cause of workers' compensation claims for roofers. Knowing the typical symptoms can help employers prepare workers to avoid effects of the disorder. Symptoms of MSD may include:

• continual deep fatigue
• poor sleep habits
• deteriorating normal endurance levels for age
• frequently cold fingers/hands in mild temperatures
• changes in skin color  over joints (inflamed or pale)
• prolonged swelling of soft tissues
• slight numbness to total loos of tactile sensation
• transient tingling sensations
• sudden, peculiar weakness in a limb
• diminished response in time or strength to a demand
• aching, throbbing, burning or shooting pains

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Umbrella liability insurance provides an extra cushion of protection above and beyond the limits of your auto or home insurance policies. This type of liability covers damage claims that you or your dependents may cause.

This type of insurance is relatively inexpensive due to the fact that the majority of claim risk is paid by your primary auto or home policies. A $1 million umbrella policy can be purchased for about $150 to $300 per year. The next million will cost around $75, and around $50 for every million after that.

 Contact an insurance agent for more information or to purchase umbrella liability insurance.

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