Insurance Design & Placement, Inc. Newsletter
JUNE 2014Issue No. 15 
In This Issue
Volunteer and Minor Labor Tips
Germ Warfare

 

 

Whether it is dry heat in your area or muggy goodness in mine, summer is officially and fully upon us.  This weekend is father's day and I did want to take the opportunity to thank my Dad for being GREEEAT!  You all know him as a business man, board member, and even friend.  I am so lucky to have him as my business partner and career mentor but I am truly BLESSED to have him as a father.  By example and by his long, long conversations he has instilled in me every good characteristic that I need to be successful in this world along with a couple of bad habits just to keep me human.  He pushes me to my limits but never any further than he has already pushed himself.  I love him. 


As an added bonus to this newsletter, please checkout this the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cyber-Security Framework.  Whether your website and network is outsourced or internal, this is a great tool for outlining how you will handle this real and ever-present risk. 

 

 

 --Sebrina
AUDIT HOW TO

 

During summer, the use of volunteer and youth labor increases.  As these are not a normal part of your business model you may be tempted to not give these groups any specific thought.  Fortunately, not a lot of additional thought is needed, but here are some quick points to consider.

 

The general rule for volunteers is "if it is safe for employees, then it is safe for volunteers."  However, here are the top two ways in which you should distinguish them from your employees:

  1. Delegation- your employees have the benefit of not only their previous professional expertise but also the time they have spent working and being trained to the manner in which your specific organization handles situations.  A volunteer usually will only have their prior experience to work on.  If you want a volunteer to handle some of the more risky duties in your organization be sure to train them thoroughly to.  However, your best bet is to delegate the riskiest activities to your employees and reserve the simpler, less risky tasks for volunteer. 
  2. Workers Compensation- volunteers are not covered under your workers compensation policy.  They can be covered by under your general liability policy for their own bodily injury.  However, your best bet is to have a fair but strong waiver/release for any injury they incur while volunteering.  If you would like IDP to review your volunteer release or waiver contact Sebrina Bush Hillard

The employment of minors is regulated federally and by each individual state.  Although not required by every state, these are the best practices for the employment of minors:

  1. Obtain permission from parents: Involving the parents in the process early on establishes a good working relationship.  A parent who has already spoken with an employer is less likely to perceive a "negative" incident as the fault of the employer.  More importantly, a parent may be a key contact for helping to resolve some employment situations such as tardiness, workplace injuries, and scheduling disputes.  If your state requires a work permit, this may be an unnecessary step for you.
  2. Avoid assigning duties related to heavy or dangerous machinery: although it may be a permissible occupation in your state, your best practice is to leave the tasks related to the operation of heavy or dangerous machinery to adult employees.  Operation of machinery is not only a technical skill but also requires patience and judgment which are not always readily employable by minor employees.

  3. Ensure proper supervision: Schedule your minor employees with the best of your regular staff to ensure that they are properly supervised.  A good mentor or supervisor for a minor would not mind answering questions and would have a work product that reflects the values and quality standards of your organization.

It goes without saying that the hiring and discipline policies should always be applied across the board including volunteers and minors.  This will deter any claims of discrimination from either regular staff or from the volunteers and minors.  Tapping this additional labor is especially important for education, social service, and hospitality industries.  Make sure their value is not diminished by lax risk management.

 

 

 

SLIP & FALL PREVENTION

 

 

Giving a new face to sea sickness, several cruise ships have had outbreaks of norovirus.  However a recent Center for Disease Control Study indicated that the food service industry is the source for the majority of outbreaks.  Here are some of the top recommendations to prevent your employees from infecting your guests (for a fuller list see the study).

  1. Send home any employees who are visibly ill.
  2. Proper cleaning of hands is at least 20 seconds of washing.  Automatic faucets can be timed to 20 seconds and employees can be advised to wash until the water stops thus ensuring sufficient time is spent.
  3. Sanitize frequently touched areas frequently.  This includes utensils, knobs, handles, buttons and trays. 
  4. Where safe, encourage the use of gloves for food preparation and sanitation sprays and gels for cashiers.  (Guests can also infect employees and money is a large carrier of germs and viruses)
 

 

Insurance Design & Placement, Inc is your family owned and operated commercial lines only insurance brokerage.  Rated in 2010 as one of the top 20 of Independent Insurance Agencies in Denver, Colorado by the Denver Business Journal, we always expect to exceed your expectations. 
We offer Insurance Placement, Risk Management, Safety Training, Loss Analysis, and Claims Administration.  Contact us if you would like to receive the best the industry has to offer for food service industry. Contact Us For An Free Insurance Review
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