Greenhouse supervisors have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their employees by taking the right safety precautions and handling claims and potential claims swiftly and seriously, says Brent Bates, director of safety services and loss control at Hortica®, a brand of the Sentry Insurance Group. “It is probably the most important thing that the owner and supervisors are very visibly involved with their workers in communicating the belief in a safe working environment,” he says.
Supervisors need to implement a formal reporting system to timely report losses and claims to their insurance company, Bates says. Reporting systems allow the insurance company to properly handle issues, as well as allow supervisors to take steps to prevent losses/accidents from happening again.
In the event of a claim, garden center owners with greenhouse operations should report everything, Bates says. If an employee is injured, management needs to take swift action and consult with their insurance company. If the company doesn’t report a claim for an injury, there is a good chance the claimant will seek legal advice. “The other problem is, if you are not reporting claims, you’re in violation of state regulations – subjecting your company to fines, etc.,” Bates says. “The next thing is, if you don’t properly report claims, you jeopardize your insurance coverage because if you prejudice your insurance carrier’s ability to handle that claim, they can seek to avoid coverage for a loss.”
Hortica works with their customers to develop a claim reporting system. Customers in turn communicate with their employees their claim reporting procedures for reporting, processing and being actively involved in the claim process. At the same time, Hortica’s safety services and loss control specialists provide companies with resources that help them avoid losses. “[We] come in, inspect their properties, help them identify how to avoid injuries to employees, property losses, auto losses and communicate with the supervisors and ownership of the company to make those resources available,” he says.
Hortica also provides supervisors with tailgate training materials to discuss hazards, Bates says. Additionally, some states require Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10 Hour & 30 Hour training certificates. Some states require training regarding chemical handling, special training for forklifts and power equipment. Hortica provides driver training to companies as well. Hortica’s safety professionals can assist you in understanding what is required in your specific jurisdiction.
Businesses which have excellent safety records often engage their insurance carriers to provide resources and partner with them to develop strong programs. This partnership allows companies to train their staffs and be better prepared to avoid losses. The more a business allows their supervisors to get training in all these areas and certified, the better off they are in being able to provide a safe environment for all their employees, and to prevent losses which can really put a business in jeopardy,” says Bates.
Hortica® property and casualty coverages are underwritten, and loss control services are provided, by Florists' Mutual Insurance Company and Florists' Insurance Company, members of the Sentry Insurance Group. For more information, visit hortica.com. Policies, coverages, benefits and discounts are not available in all states. See policy for complete coverage details.
77-50 24001837 5/8/17
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