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Webster, defines “accident” as “an undesirable or unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally and results in injury, damage, or loss.”

Accidents cost the construction industry hundreds of lives, thousands of injuries, and hundreds of millions in lost profits, year in, year out.

Whenever there’s an accident in your workplace or on the job site, it’s essential to conduct a thorough and comprehensive inquiry. Bear in mind that goal of this investigation should not be to lay blame for the mishap, but to determine what happened – and why – in order to prevent it from recurring.

Whoever you put in charge of the investigation should:

1. Get to the accident site of as rapidly as possible; Make sure the area is safe to enter and that the victim gets any emergency medical treatment immediately.
2. Record evidence, use a camera and film (or smart phone with a date and time stamp), audio recorder, pen and notebook (to do interviews or make sketches), measuring tape, and specimen containers for hazardous substances (if needed). Be sure to include copies of accident report forms and checklists.
3. Find witnesses and find out what happened by asking the six key questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how. Interview everyone involved and ask about possible factors (the supervisor’s orders, training levels, type of equipment, working conditions, etc.) Don’t blame the worker involved, even if he or she takes responsibility for the incident.
4. Document every aspect of the investigation, using the accident report form.
5. Do not release the report without management approval (to protect the privacy of those involved).

Finally, be sure to review the results of every accident investigation at your next safety meeting.

An ounce of prevention …

If your business use several types of vehicles, it’s important that you classify them properly for insurance coverage purposes. Either of two policies might apply, depending on whether the policy defines the vehicle as “mobile equipment” or as an “auto.”

As you might expect, Commercial Auto insurance covers your autos, while your General Liability policy covers mobile equipment.

It’s clear that bulldozers and pickups are autos. However, when it comes to mobile cranes and other types of self-propelled equipment, the waters get a bit muddier – and if you attach a crane or drilling rig to a pickup or flatbed truck permanently things can get even trickier.

Why should you care? Two words: coverage and cost. Depending on the policy under which the vehicle falls, coverage might vary in both specifics and the amount available to pay claims. Because the two types of policies rate coverage differently, the premium will change. There’s one mistake you definitely want to avoid: In the confusion, make sure you don’t wind up paying for a single vehicle under both policies!

However, there’s a silver lining in this potential dark cloud. The specialists at our agency can review your list of vehicles and assign each its proper policy, without charging you twice. It’s our job to get things right. If you’re unsure whether your current coverage is treating your trucks as cranes, or the other way around, just give us a call. We’re here to serve you.

Most construction projects include the use of scaffolding, which can leave your workers vulnerable to injury. To help you prevent falls on site, industry expert recommend that managers follow these proactive guidelines:

• Slow down or consider efficiency building alternatives. Although the pace of construction work is important, it can easily lead to careless and costly mistakes, including gaps in safety on the jobsite. “You don’t have to sacrifice speed for safety, as long as you’re working at the highest level of efficiency, and being safe plays its own role in this process,” says Mike Mumau, president of Kee Safety – North America.
• Keep your workplace organized. Careful placement of tools can reduce the risk that they’ll injure workers by falling from scaffolding – and make it safer to move around on the scaffolding.
• Identify potential hazards and find solutions in advance. For example, if you’re working near power lines, keep scaffolding far enough away to prevent electrocution risks. If scaffolding needs to be moved during the project, have a plan before each move.
• Provide training. Make sure your workers are trained and up to date on OSHA requirements. “Training in the setup and construction of scaffolding can ensure a solid work space for overhead workers and guarantee a rig that will not inadvertently collapse from instability,” warns Mumau.
• Keep reviewing the site throughout the project. Be sure to identify any new hazards that might arise during construction. During the course of the job, workers tend to become increasingly more comfortable with “routine” activities – which might easily lead some of them to neglect safety precautions inadvertently (or blatantly).

Our construction safety specialists stand ready at any time to offer a complimentary review of your job site safety programs. Remember, the safer your workers, the healthier your bottom line – and the less you’ll pay for insurance.

Unfortunately, mishaps on construction sites are all too frequent. The combination of multiple activities with dozens or hundreds of people operating complex and dangerous equipment, often in poor or threatening weather, can easily result in accidental injuries to workers, clients, visitors, and onlookers, leading to litigation that could cost you millions – or even put you out of business.

Construction Liability insurance will pay for legal damages (and legal costs) for worksite accidents that cause; 1) loss, damage or destruction of property, and 2) physical injuries to third parties. Thanks to the explosive growth of lawsuits in the business world, almost all building contractors will need to show that they carry a Construction Liability policy before they’ll be allowed to bid for a job.

Contractors sometimes buy this coverage on a General Liability basis, up to the amount of the policy. However, they often prefer a policy that covers an individual project over a set time at a fixed dollar value, based on such factors as the number of workers or contract employees, and the size and nature of the operation. Some types of construction jobs – such as roofing, foundation work, and high- rise or large scale commercial projects with more workers per site – are more risky than others.

Your Construction Liability policy will probably set maximum amounts both on a “per incident” basis and for “umbrella” coverage. It should also include Personal and Professional liability for acts by company owners and managers, and cover damages from fire and medical-related claims from incidents on the job site that don’t fall under a standard Workers Compensation policy.

We’d be happy to review your firm’s exposure to the construction-related liability risks you face and recommend a comprehensive protection package that can help give you peace of mind on the job.