Risk Prevention / Surveys

During the year our Account Executives usually accompany those from Insurers on any to your main premises. Their functions are to:

- Assess the risks in detail

- Make suggestions to reduce or alleviate risk

Apart from these visits, there are precautions which can be taken now to avoid the more obvious risks which could cause serious loss to the company, its employees or visitors.

Property Damage/Business Interruption

1. Ensure fire and security protection systems are maintained and regularly checked.
2. Discourage the preparation of food/drinks in your premises other than kitchen areas.
3. Rigidly enforce "No Smoking" rules.
4. Rigidly enforce security standards.
5. Maintain good housekeeping practices, check all public areas regularly, especially after end of work.
6. Ensure that additional precautions are taken when sprinklers or alarm systems are inoperative. Inform Charter Insurance Brokers.
7. Be particularly wary of unattended bags left on the premises.
8. Discourage the stacking of waste, boxes, pallets, inside or against buildings.
9. Vary times for Transfer of Money.

Liabilities

1. Ensure all staff are trained in their own areas of responsibility and appreciate the importance of fire, security and safety precautions.
2. Implement regular emergency evacuation drills.
3. Wherever possible check employee references thoroughly.
4. Monitor use of any solvents, varnishes and chemicals. Ensure staff are trained in their use and aware of potential hazards involved.
5. Exercise great care in collection and handling of waste, particularly syringes/medical type waste. Ensure staff follow strict procedures of collection and wear protective gloves, clothing and wear appropriate equipment at all times.
6. Immediately notify incidents involving serious bodily injury.
7. Liaise closely with the local Fire, Health and Safety Authorities.
8. Ensure that a Contractor performing any works or services on the premises completes the attached Questionnaire.

It is not uncommon for loss or damage at a premises or injury occasioned to staff/visitors to arise out of the negligent act of a third party, contractor or regular workman, e.g. builder, electrician, plumber etc carrying out works on the premises. By seeking evidence that such a visitor to your site is adequately insured in his/her own right, you are securing a potential line of recourse/recovery in the event of loss, damage or injury, that could soften the blow to your own Insurance Record.

NB. All contractors should have their own Employers’ Liability Insurance and a minimum of £2,000,000 Public/Products Liability (preferably £5,000,000).

Motor

1. Restrict the persons who may drive company vehicles to those vetted and approved by management.
2. Ensure all claims are promptly notified and properly processed.
3. Every year, over 1.5 million vehicles are either broken into or stolen in the UK . Whilst it is practically impossible to stop the professional car thief, your drivers can deter the opportunist thief and make the task more difficult for the professional by following some simple rules:

1. Make sure that when left unattended, the vehicle's windows, sun roof, doors and boot are shut and locked at all points of access;
2. Valuables, contents should be removed from sight and locked in the boot;
3. Ignition keys should be removed and steering lock/immobiliser and alarms put into operation at all such times;
4. Whenever possible, vehicles should at home be locked away in a garage at night;
5. Drivers should adopt a common sense approach and whenever possible not leave vehicles unattended at night in dimly lit, vulnerable or high risk areas including Station car parks;
6. Park where your vehicles are clearly visible to passers-by;
7. Do not keep important vehicle documents, wheelnut keys or radio-cassette codes in the car. These will help a thief after the event.

Computer

1. As a minimum standard, ensure regular daily back-up records are taken and stored in a fire-proof safe (preferably away from the computer room itself) in a separate part of the premises;
2. A "grandfather" record to be taken at least on a weekly basis and kept off site.

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