Housekeeping Makes for a Safer Workplace

Posted on August 26, 2021August 27, 2021 by BGESGroup

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Housekeeping Makes for a Safer Workplace

One of the best ways to avoid workplace injuries is through regular housekeeping and tidying up.

Though businesses are not required to have written housekeeping procedures, keeping a tidy and organized workplace makes the job of safety compliance easier.

Orderliness minimizes obstacles and potential safety and health threats such as spills and trip hazards. Here’s how to get started on a housekeeping program for your printing facility or warehouse.

Your written program should set standard procedures for daily, weekly, monthly and even annual clean-up procedures.

You should develop specific tasks and expectations for each different work area. For example, office housekeeping procedures would differ drastically from housekeeping concerns in the warehouse, and loading dock areas may have different needs than production or distribution.

Here’s what your policy should cover:

Cleaning and organization — Cleaning and organization must be performed throughout the day, not just at the end of the shift. Integrating housekeeping into jobs can help ensure this is done. A good housekeeping program identifies and assigns responsibilities for the following:

Clean-up during the shift
Day-to-day clean-up
Waste disposal
Removal of unused materials
Inspection to ensure clean-up is complete. This also allows you to identify deficiencies in the program so you can make changes.

Maintenance — You should schedule regular maintenance of buildings, equipment and machinery to ensure they are in safe, efficient working order and in good repair. It includes maintaining sanitary facilities and regularly painting and cleaning walls.

It also means fixing broken fixtures, defective plumbing and broken walking surfaces, all of which can result in injury to your workers.

Dust and dirt removal — Regularly sweep, mop or vacuum all areas of your facilities. You may need a regular vacuum cleaner for offices and carpeting, industrial models for warehouses and production areas, and special-purpose vacuums for removing hazardous products.

Surfaces — Poor floor conditions are a leading cause of incidents, so cleaning up spilled oil and other liquids at once is important.

Allowing chips, shavings and dust to accumulate can also cause incidents. Trap them before they reach the floor or clean them up regularly to prevent accumulation.

Areas that cannot be cleaned continuously, such as entrance ways, should have anti-slip flooring. Keeping floors in good order also means replacing any worn, ripped or damaged flooring that poses a tripping hazard.

Light fixtures — Dirty light fixtures reduce essential light levels. Clean light fixtures can improve lighting efficiency significantly.

Aisles and stairways — Keep aisles and stairways clear by removing any items that impede or prohibit movement.

Spill control —When spills do occur, it is important to clean them up immediately. Absorbent materials are useful for wiping up grease, oil or other liquid spills. Used absorbents must be disposed of properly and safely.

Tools and equipment —Tools require suitable fixtures with marked locations to provide an orderly arrangement. Returning tools promptly after use reduces the chance of them being misplaced or lost. Any stray tools not in use should be put in their proper place.

Workers should regularly inspect, clean and repair all tools and take any damaged or worn ones out of service.

Waste disposal — Waste should be disposed of on a daily basis, and not be allowed to accumulate in work areas where it can pose a tripping or slipping hazard.

Place containers near to where waste is produced.

Storage — Inventory, parts, supplies and other inputs (like paper in a printing facility) need to be stored in a manner that does not cause a danger to employees. Stockpiles should not interfere with work.

Stored materials should not obstruct aisles, stairs, exits, fire equipment, emergency eyewash fountains, emergency showers or first aid stations. All storage areas should be clearly marked.

The last word

Housekeeping procedures demand input from all employees if they are to be specific to each area. Have the people who work in each area identify the main housekeeping issues for you.

Once you have received the input from employees, you can draft final copies of the housekeeping procedures and distribute for final approval or for actual use. You should hold a safety meeting with staff in each department, so workers know what their housekeeping duties are.

BGES Group’s office, located in Larchmont, NY is a full service insurance agency offering, Property, Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Bid & Performance Bonds, Inland Marine, Worker’s Compensation, New York State Disability, Group Health, Life insurance, Personal lines and Identity Theft.

Special Contractor Insurance Programs (NY, NJ, CT) – We we have 60+ insurance companies to market your general liability, umbrella liability, business auto, workers compensation, bid & performance bonds and group health coverages. We help contractors set up proper risk transfer. If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs.

BGES Group are Worker’s Compensation Specialists for the States of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut – Issues we address: 1) Lowering pricing – we have specialty programs that can save you up to 40%; 2) Finding a new company; 3) Replacing policies that are being cancelled or non renewed; 4) Audit disputes; 5) Company creating fictitious payroll at audit time; 6) Lowering high experience modifications factors; 7) Misclassification of payrolls; 8) Lowering or eliminating renewal deposits; 9) Getting coverage when you’ve been without for a few months; 10) Covering multiple states under one policy; 11) Eliminating 10% service or policy fees; 12) Timely issuance of certificates; 13) Always being able to get someone on the phone or by email when you need to.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

Protecting Your Firm as an Additional Insured

Posted on August 24, 2021August 27, 2021 by BGESGroup

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In the course of doing business, you may sometimes find yourself entering into contracts requiring that your business be named as an additional insured on another party’s insurance policies.

This is often done to make sure that your own insurance is not depleted by defense and indemnification costs for losses for which you may be legally liable as a result of the business relationship you have with the other party, and that are not due to your own firm’s direct negligence.

An additional insured is defined as an individual or entity that is not automatically included as an insured under the policy of another, but for whom the named insured’s policy provides a certain degree of protection.

When to opt for additional insured status
There are many instances when you may want your firm included as an additional insured on another’s policy. Here are just a few examples:

If you are a building owner, you want to be an additional insured on the property and general liability insurance of your tenants in case one of them damages your building or in the event that a visitor to the property is injured.
If you are the owner or a contractor on a construction project, you want to be an additional insured on the general liability insurance of your contractors and subcontractors in case there is an injury to one of their employees.
If you are a distributor or a retailer, you may want to be an additional insured on the insurance programs of the manufacturers of the products that you sell.
If a contractor comes onto your property to perform work of any type, including erecting displays or other maintenance or structural work, you will want to be named as an additional insured on their policy in case the display falls on someone, or someone is injured due to the work they are performing. You don’t want to be held responsible for any dangers or injuries created by the contractor’s work.

If you are to become an additional insured on another company’s policy, you need to confirm that the other party has indeed named your company as an additional insured with its insurance company. Their word alone is not good enough.

You should demand a copy of the policy that explicitly lists your company as such. You want to see a copy of the policy and not the certificate of insurance, which is not sufficient proof that your company has been added.

Additional insured status is effectively conferred through an additional insured endorsement to the other party’s original insurance policy. An endorsement essentially serves as an amendment to the terms of an insurance policy that is incorporated into the relevant insurance policy.

These amendments can take the form of an endorsement that specifically names a particular additional insured, or a general endorsement that identifies some class of parties as additional insureds.

But, if there is ever a dispute about your company’s status as an additional insured, you will want to have in hand not only the other party’s certificate of insurance, but also a copy of the policy itself and the endorsement that makes your company an additional insured.

Ensuring your status is properly secured

There are a few best practices that you can implement to help make certain your firm’s status as an additional insured has been properly secured:

At a minimum, always insist on receiving a copy of the relevant additional insured endorsement, as this is the instrument that establishes additional insured status;
An additional insured endorsement does not, however, state an insurance policy’s terms and conditions. In order to avoid being surprised by unexpected policy terms (such as strict notice requirement or unfavorable notice of cancellation provisions), you should ask for and receive a copy of the entire insurance policy under which you are an additional insured, and be sure to read it; and
Retain additional insured endorsements and the relevant insurance policies for as long as there is any potential that claims triggering those policies might be made.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

Understanding Waivers of Subrogation

Posted on August 24, 2021August 27, 2021 by BGESGroup

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Suppose an air conditioning contractor, while installing a system for a new industrial building, has an accident. Another contractor’s employee on the job site suffers injuries when the AC contractor’s scaffolding collapses and falls on top of him. The injured worker sues the AC contractor and the project owner. The project’s contract included a requirement that the contractor assume the owner’s liability for any accidents arising out of the contractor’s work. Consequently, the contractor’s general liability insurance company pays the injured worker for both the contractor and owner’s shares of the damages. The insurance company, however, has determined that the owner was twenty percent responsible for the accident. It files a claim with the owner demanding some of its money back.

The insurance company’s action is entirely legal. Many project owners and general contractors, wanting to avoid this situation, insist that their subcontractors agree to a waiver of subrogation.

Subrogation is a legal principle in which a person who has paid another’s expenses or debt assumes the other’s rights to recover from the person responsible for the expenses or debt. For example, if someone hits your car in a parking lot and causes significant damage, your insurance company will pay you for the damage (assuming you bought collision insurance,) then recover the amount of its payment (subrogate) from the other driver (or, more commonly, from the driver’s insurance company.) Subrogation holds ultimately responsible the person who should pay for the damage.

Owners and general contractors want to transfer their liability to subcontractors, to the extent that they can. Therefore, contracts often include a waiver of subrogation agreement. In such an agreement, the subcontractor promises not to pursue recovery from the other party. That agreement might bind the subcontractor’s insurance company, depending on the type of policy and its terms.

A standard commercial general liability policy forbids the policyholder from doing anything to impair the insurance company’s rights after the loss occurs. This implies that a waiver of subrogation agreed to before a loss binds the company. Also, the sub’s policy may protect the other party if it names him as an additional insured. Under common law, an insurance company may not subrogate against its own insured. To remove any doubt, the sub should ask the company to add an endorsement applying a waiver of subrogation to the person or organization named in it. Insurance companies vary on the amount of premium they charge for this; some make no charge at all.

The standard business auto insurance policy has language similar to the general liability policy. Unlike GL insurance, there is no standard waiver of subrogation endorsement for auto insurance. Some insurance companies may offer their own versions of such an endorsement. Again, premium charges will vary.

Workers’ compensation policies require an endorsement whenever a waiver of subrogation is desired. This endorsement may apply on a blanket basis to all parties with whom the insured has written contracts requiring waivers. Alternatively, it can apply only to the party listed on its schedule. The insurance company may charge up to two percent of the policy premium for blanket coverage or two to five percent of the project’s premium for individual coverage.

Commercial property and inland marine insurance policies vary as to whether they permit waivers of subrogation even before a loss.

In all cases, a contractor or building tenant who is required by contract to provide such a waiver should check the relevant insurance policies. Policy changes should be requested if it is unclear whether they permit pre-loss waivers. The firm should consult with an insurance agent on all insurance-related contractual matters to ensure that the proper coverage is in place.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

As Home Value Rises, So Does Coverage Complexity

Posted on August 18, 2021August 27, 2021 by BGESGroup

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As Home Value Rises, So Does Coverage Complexity

The more your home is worth, the trickier it is to make sure that it and all of its contents are covered properly and that you are not paying too much premium.

If you have a high-value estate you will need specialized insurance to cover your property and assets, as well as your higher liability risks.

In some cases, you may need multiple policies to fully cover all facets of the home – structure and contents.

The coverage

High-value home insurance has broader coverage and higher limits than normal homeowner’s insurance policies can offer.

It is designed for homes that are worth millions of dollars and typically contain state-of-the-art media equipment and technology, costly appointments and furnishings, extensive collections of art and many other luxurious items of great value.

Coverage options

High-value home insurance companies will often work with you to tailor your policy to your needs. With this bespoke approach, you can add certain coverages that would not normally be available on a typical homeowner’s policy, such as:

Better dwelling coverage — These policies will reimburse you for home repairs that are above the listed amount on the policy. This is crucial if you have a home with hard to find or imported materials that are costly and not readily available.

Some policies include an option to cash out if the home is destroyed. In those cases the insurer would make a payment, allowing the policyholder to rebuild somewhere else.

Better contents coverage — Policies will have higher contents coverage limits than a standard homeowner’s coverage. Some polices have high jewelry coverage of up to $150,000 and special coverage for antiques, art and collectibles if they are broken or damaged.

Replacement cost — Traditional homeowner’s policies will give you an option of choosing actual cash value or replacement cost. Actual cash value takes into account depreciation of your furnishings.

But high-value coverage will usually include replacement cost coverage, which reimburses you for new items to replace the damaged ones.

Flood insurance — Traditional homeowner’s insurance policies do not provide coverage for flood damage.

For the most part, homeowners have to buy this coverage from the National Flood Insurance Program. But a high-value homeowner’s policy can often include flood insurance, as well as coverage for sewer backups.

Living expenses coverage — Most policies provide generous coverage for living expenses. The limits are either a stated dollar amount or a two year limitation. Coverage for vacation homes – Many insurers will allow you to include coverage for other structures, including pool houses and vacation homes.

Some final tips

It is expensive to cover theft or loss in a high-value home, because the items in these properties are typically more costly.

Being in a gated community and/or having a security system in place at your home can significantly reduce risks, and insurance companies will often discount your premium based on this.

Also, if you make any upgrades to your home, you should update your policy by having a new insurance appraisal.

You should also keep track of all your new purchases in terms of furnishings and technology.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

Small Firms Saddled with Majority of Tort Liability Costs

Posted on August 12, 2021August 27, 2021 by BGESGroup

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Small Firms Saddled with Majority of Tort Liability Costs

Despite accounting for 19% of revenues among firms in the United States, small businesses shoulder more than 53% of all commercial tort liability costs, according to a new report by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform.

The story is worse for the business with less than $1 million in revenue. They account for only 7% of all revenues and yet bear 39% of the tort liability costs, according to the 2020 “Tort Liability Costs for Small Businesses” report.

While those numbers are staggering, you may be shocked to know that only 40% of those of small firms’ $182 billion in tort liabilities were covered by insurance.

In 2018, the study found that small businesses’ total tort liability in 2018 was $182 billion, of which only 40% was covered by insurance. That means that those small business paid an aggregate $109 billion out of pocket for those liabilities.

The lesson from the study: not carrying enough liability coverage in your policies can result in significant out-of-pocket costs that can cripple your small business if you are sued.

The big liabilities

A tort is a civil wrong that causes harm to a third party. Typically, businesses are sued by third parties who allege they were harmed by a business or an employee, manager or owner. Businesses are vicariously liable for torts committed by individuals acting on their behalf.

Actions can include lawsuits alleging:

Negligence
Intentional wrongdoing
Liability for harm caused by a product or a company’s policies or employees.

The majority (81%) of the commercial tort payouts in 2020 related to operating and professional liability, while 13% was related to commercial auto liability. The rest was for medical malpractice.

How to protect your firm

Your business can protect itself against claims based on negligence, strict liability and some intentional torts by purchasing a general liability policy.

Besides purchasing a stand-alone policy, small firms can buy a business owner’s policy, which combines property and liability insurance into one policy.

General liability policies and BOPs cover:

Claims for bodily injury or property damage caused by negligence on the part of your company or representatives. The injury or damage may occur on your premises or at a job site, or arise out of your products or completed work.
Claims arising from your products or completed work, regardless of whether they are based on negligence or strict liability.
Claims alleging personal and advertising injury.

Commercial auto policies are also an important part of the equation if you have driving employees. Commercial auto liability claims account for a 13% of all business tort liability, as mentioned above.

Also, you may want to consider umbrella or excess liability coverage that adds a second layer of protection to avoid paying out of pocket if you are saddled with a large claim that busts through your policy limits.

Be warned: General liability polices do not cover medical malpractice, workplace torts or financial losses that are the result of professional mistakes.

To cover workplace-related lawsuits (claims of discrimination, harassment or wage and hour infractions) you’ll need employment practices liability coverage. And for professional liability, you may need either errors and omissions liability insurance or professional liability coverage.

To ensure you don’t end up holding the bag, ensure you have proper liability coverage in the event your company is sued. Call us if you’d like to go through your current policies so we can evaluate your current risk exposure.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

Don’t Let Laying Off Employees Become a Safety Hazard

Posted on August 6, 2021August 6, 2021 by BGESGroup

Don’t Let Laying Off Employees Become a Safety Hazard

There is never a good time to be laid off from a job. In addition to the loss of income, many people define themselves by what they do. To these employees, being laid off can be a blow both economically and emotionally.

That’s why it’s so important to relay this news to workers in a way that minimizes the possibility of a violent reaction. The best way to accomplish this is to remain respectful of the individual so that they can maintain their dignity. Here are some tips to help you terminate without destroying the employee’s ego:

Be explicit about the reason(s) for termination. If economic conditions have required you to let the employee go, you need to explain the justification for your actions. Don’t attempt to spare your employee’s feelings.
If this person was chosen for termination instead of a colleague who has similar responsibilities, you must be explicit about what other issues, such as chronic lateness/absenteeism, poor performance, etc. influenced your decision. Be prepared to back up your statements with written documentation that verifies your decision.
Choose an appropriate time. You should always terminate an employee early in the day and early in the week. Never terminate on a Friday or on the day before a holiday.
Have the termination paperwork ready. You should provide the worker with all information about pay, benefits and unused vacation time during the termination interview. Be ready to answer all questions regarding what they are entitled to, especially if there is a severance package.
Ask for the assistance of your HR professional. Having an HR person sit in on the termination interview can be helpful because they can answer questions about benefits in greater detail.
Conduct the interview in privacy. Hold the termination meeting in your office, and close the door so that other workers can’t overhear the proceedings. Assure the employee that no part of your conversation will be repeated to other staff. Also explain the wording that will be used to announce the employee’s departure to the rest of the staff.
Don’t overstate. Once you have explained the reasons for the termination and what benefits the employee is entitled to, and given them time to ask questions, bring the meeting to a close. The longer you stay in the room, the more opportunity there is for the employee to try to negotiate to get the job back. This type of situation has the potential for violence.
Be mindful of your tone throughout the meeting. Be direct, but compassionate. Never try to commiserate with the employee.
Stay in charge of the meeting. The employee may attempt to deflect blame to save their job. Don’t allow this to continue. Politely interrupt them and explain that the decision has been made and is not reversible.
Offer some words of encouragement. End the meeting by thanking the employee for their service and wishing them well in their future career.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

Retaliating Against Employees for Raising COVID-19 Concerns Can Cost You

Posted on August 1, 2021August 1, 2021 by BGESGroup

Retaliating Against Employees for Raising COVID-19 Concerns Can Cost You

The Department of Labor has sued a Texas dental practice on behalf of a dental hygienist and a dental assistant who were not reinstated after raising concerns about what COVID-19 safety measures would be in place when the practice reopened in spring 2020.

As more employers are bringing people back to the workplace, OSHA has received more than 5,500 whistleblower complaints from workers who say they were retaliated against for also raising concerns about COVID-19 safety precautions at their workplaces.

According to a New York attorney who handles retaliation complaints, when employees have raised concerns about workplace safety related to COVID-19, some employers have:

Fired them
Reduced their hours
Denied them overtime
Demoted them
Made threats
Transferred them to distant locations
Assigned school teachers to classes full of students with histories of violence.

Federal law prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who speak up about workplace safety conditions.

In March, OSHA launched an enforcement program targeting employers with large numbers of employees at risk from COVID-19, with priorities on those that have retaliated against workers who raised concerns. OSHA can and has sued employers for pack pay, benefits and compensatory damages for employees.

Employees who believe they have been wronged may have recourse besides complaining to OSHA. Some states permit them to sue their employers. An employment law expert explained, “Employees may be entitled to significant damages if they prove that an employer took adverse action against them because they raised a health and safety concern, and the remedies vary from state to state.”

Damages awarded by juries in these cases can be large. A jury gave $1.25 million in 2020 to a former railroad employee who was harassed and fired after reporting unsafe conditions. Six-figure damage awards are common.

Protect your company

Potential retaliation claims, whether or not they are valid, are one reason employers need employment practices liability insurance (EPLI.)

These policies cover damages an employer may owe to an employee for “wrongful acts,” including discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, wrongful discipline, failure to employ or promote, infliction of emotional distress, and other offenses. They also cover the cost of providing the employer with a legal defense.

EPLI policies will not cover you for the cost of penalties assessed by OSHA or state regulators. It also will not pay for punitive damages or the cost of defending against criminal charges.

Many insurance carriers sell these policies. We can help you find an affordable policy providing the protection your business needs.

Steps you can take

The law firm of Littler Mendelson, in a recent blog, recommended that employers ensure that managers and supervisors do not retaliate against employees complaining about COVID-19 safety measures. It recommends the following best practices:

Never discipline or terminate employees because they raise workplace safety concerns.
If you are planning to take disciplinary action against an employee who has raised health and safety concerns but is facing the action for unrelated reasons, you need to make sure that those reasons are properly documented and that your action comports with your company policy. You should be able to show that you leveled similar disciplinary actions against other employees who previously engaged in similar conduct.
Document all health and safety concerns and take all complaints seriously.
Train supervisors to respect their subordinates’ concerns and to refer and escalate concerns as per company procedures.
Review and update your policies to explicitly prohibit retaliation. You should also train your management and supervisors on your policies, as well as informing your workers of their right to raise health and safety concerns without fear of retaliation.
Set up a system for employees to file complaints about retaliation.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

The Importance of Training Employees from the Start

Posted on July 29, 2021July 29, 2021 by BGESGroup

The Importance of Training Employees from the Start

OSHA requires employers to train all employees, including new hires and those given new job assignments for whom training has not previously been received.

All employees should receive new training whenever new substances, processes, procedures or equipment are introduced to the workplace and represent a new hazard or a previously unrecognized hazard. But to new employees, most of your company’s procedures will be new, so the training will need to be thorough and comprehensive.

It’s the employer’s responsibility to provide training that will enable workers to do their job in a productive manner and to comply with applicable safety regulations.

Safety training is most effective if it begins the day the worker is hired. Prior to starting work, they will usually receive a packet of paperwork from the HR department or bookkeeper. You should include in that packet a safety primer for their job description.

If you don’t already have one, develop a safety checklist to go over before they go to the shop, field or workstation. The manager or supervisor should explain and go over the list with the new employee.

Have the new employee sign the checklist, give them a copy and retain a copy in your files as proof that they received, read and understood it.

What to cover

Start by explaining and giving them a copy of the company Injury and Illness Prevention Program.

You should also explain:

The applicable company, state and federal safety policies and programs for their type of work.
Your enforcement procedures.
The safe use of tools and equipment.
The work clothes and personal protective equipment they need to wear on the job.
How, when and to whom they should report injuries.
Special hazards of the job.
Emergency procedures.
Workers’ compensation law.
Lifting procedures and any mechanical lifting means that the company provides.
Where the fire extinguishers, first aid kits and electrical panels are located.
Any other safety instructions relevant to their job duties.

Statistics have shown that most workplace accidents involve employees that have worked on the job less than one year. It’s crucial that new hires understand the training materials prior to going to work.

The employee and owner/supervisor must sign documentation of all training given, no matter how brief, and an acknowledgment of that training. The documentation should be placed in the employee’s file and kept for at least five years.

The benefits of training new employees:

It makes them more productive.
It makes them feel better about themselves and have more confidence in their ability to do the work safely, and lets them know you care about their safety and well-being.
It results in fewer accidents and injuries.
It helps retain employees.

The takeaway

Start new employees out on the right foot and prevent accidents before they happen by providing them with the proper safety training they will need to safely perform their work.

Continue the training with regular meetings and refresh and update old training as necessary.

Proper training can help the new employee get up to speed quickly, which in turn can reduce the costs associated with learning the job and the likelihood of workplace accidents.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

Paying your Mortgage when your Income Discontinues

Posted on July 25, 2021July 25, 2021 by BGESGroup

Paying your Mortgage when your Income Discontinues

For many Americans, their home represents both security and peace of mind. It is typically both their greatest financial investment and their greatest asset (besides their retirement plan). An unpaid mortgage may be one of the most overwhelming financial threats a family can face.

Whether this comes from the passing of a primary earner in the home or high medical bills resulting from some disability that prevents them from working, the question is would your family be able to stay in their home?

In addition to paying your mortgage after a primary earner passes away, or a disability brings high medical bills along with a loss of income during the recovery phase, protecting your home means preserving important community and neighborhood connections with:

Friends
Schools
Church
Clubs
Relatives

Death or disability and its recovery can be emotionally devastating. It should not have to also be financially devastating.

It makes good sense to protect your family against the loss of their home, in the event that the main breadwinner dies before the home is paid for. You can have either a term life insurance policy, with a term for the length of your mortgage or some form of permanent insurance plan with riders or other features that can be converted or used for retirement purposes after the need for mortgage protection has passed.

But here’s the question that is not often asked. What if you should suffer a disability before your home is paid off? Should your mortgage insurance also have a disability provision?

One that pays you an income so you will know exactly how much money you are going to receive to help pay for uncovered medical expenses

If you suffer a disability and don’t die but have to spend a long period to recover, wouldn’t the loss of income while not working and the extra expenses of medical care pose just as much of a risk of losing your home as dying?

So having a mortgage plan with a disability provision might protect you not only if you die, but if you live, it can have provisions like optional hospital indemnity benefits to provide a daily benefit when you are hospitalized to help pay ongoing lifestyle expenses. Or a return of premium benefits, so if you suffer a covered disability or die while this coverage is in force, your family gets all the premiums paid, less any benefits paid or due, of course. Then these premiums paid are returned to the family.

So what are the questions you should ask?

What is your largest asset?
What is your greatest debt?

How would you keep up with the regular monthly bills (mortgage payments, utilities, etc.) if you suffered a disability and you were unable to work for a period of time? How would you cover all of the unexpected costs associated with disability and still keep up with your mortgage payments? Talk to us today because when you take the risk and lose……..your family pays!

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

High Heat Increases Risk of Injuries for Inside and Outdoor Workers

Posted on July 22, 2021July 22, 2021 by BGESGroup

High Heat Increases Risk of Injuries for Inside and Outdoor Workers.

As many parts of the country are wrestling with ever-increasing temperatures during the summer months, a new study has found that the hotter the weather gets, the higher the risk of workplace accidents and injuries for both indoor and outside workers.

The study by the University of California, Los Angeles, based on claims data from the California Workers’ Compensation Institute between 2001 and 2018, found:

When it’s more than 90 degrees: The risk of workplace injuries increased 6% to 9%, compared to when the temperatures are in the 50s and 60s.
When it’s more than 100 degrees: The risk of injuries increased 10% to 15%, regardless of if the work was conducted outside or indoors.

The report estimated that high temperatures result in some 15,000 injuries a year in California and that the cost of those heat-related injuries ranges from $750 million to $1.25 billion in the form of medical treatment costs, lost wages, lost productivity and workers’ compensation claims.

The main findings of the report are not surprising: That high temperatures put outdoor workers — construction, agriculture, landscaping and utility workers, for example — at risk of heat illness and workplace accidents.

What was surprising was that hot weather outside also resulted in higher frequency of workplace accidents and injuries for indoor workers.

For example, the UCLA study found that on days with highs above 95 degrees, manufacturing workers had a 7% higher risk of injury than on days when the temperatures were in the low 60s. One reason may be that most manufacturing facilities are not air conditioned. The same is also true for most warehouses and other large, production line-type operations, bakeries, printing facilities and laundries.

The researchers concluded that when temperatures rise, it increases your risk of making mistakes or errors in judgment. Heat stress can cause fine motor performance to deteriorate.

The more dangerous the work, the riskier the work is when it gets hot. In other words, the risk to office workers during hot days is negligent considering they are more likely to be working in an air-conditioned facility.

What to do

Heat-related illness is preventable, especially with management commitment to providing the most effective controls.

First off, if you have new workers who have not spent time recently in warm or hot environments and being physically active in the heat, they need time to build tolerance and acclimatize to the heat.

OSHA recommends that staff working in hot conditions (indoors and out) should be encouraged to:

Consume adequate fluids (water and sport drinks),
Work shorter shifts,
Take frequent breaks, and
Learn how to identify heat illness symptoms.

For indoor spaces, air conditioning with cooled air and increased air flow, leading to increased evaporative cooling, can make the workplace safer.

Other options for keeping body temperatures down in warm environments include making changes to workloads and schedules. For example, if temperatures reach a certain point, supervisors can:

Tell workers to slow down physical activity, like reducing manual handling speeds.
Schedule work for the morning.
Schedule shorter shifts.
Require that they take frequent rest breaks in the shade or away from heat sources.
Encourage workers to drink hydrating fluids regularly.
Train workers about heat-related symptoms and first aid.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com