Insurance Requirements for Employers – Unemployment Insurance and Disability Tax

The following is an excerpt from the article “Running a Business.”  For more information please sba.gov

Unemployment Insurance Tax

Businesses with employees are required to pay unemployment insurance taxes under certain conditions. If your business is required to pay these taxes, you must register your business with your state’s workforce agency.

Disability Insurance

Some states require employers to provide partial wage replacement insurance coverage to their eligible employees for non-work related sickness or injury. Currently, if your employees are located in any of the following states, you are required to purchase disability insurance:

• California: Employment Development Department
• Hawaii: Unemployment Insurance Division
• New Jersey: Department of Labor and Workforce Development
• New York: New York State Workers’ Compensation Board
• Puerto Rico: Departamento del Trabajo y Recursos Humanos/Department of Labor and Human Resources
• Rhode Island: Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training

 

Reducing Roofs Risks on Businesses – Maintenance and Snow Removal

The following is an excerpt from the article “Reducing Roof Risks on Businesses.”  For more information please disastersafety.org.

Finding Solutions

Inspections: Conduct periodic roof inspections during and after a snow fall, during which fluctuating temperatures may lead to thawing and refreezing of ice, rain and snow.

• If safely possible determine the weight a 1 ft. x 1 ft. area of snow by using a bucket and scale. A fish scale works well to weigh the bucket with snow.
• Compare the weight of the snow with roof snow load capacity.

Snow removal: To avoid roof collapse, snow removal should begin prior to reaching the snow load limit of the roof.

• For safe removal that won’t endanger you or damage your roof, consult a roofing contractor. Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) Regulations and Standards should always be followed when working on a roof.
• Fall protection should always be implemented when working on a roof.
• A heavy duty push broom with stiff bristles or roof rake may be used to brush off the snow down the slope of the roof.
• Do not pull snow back against the slope or sideways since the snow may get underneath the cover and can break shingles.
• A shovel or snow blower should not be used since they may tear up the roof cover system.
• If you see indications that the roof is deflecting under the weight of the snow in certain areas, be sure to keep people away from those areas and seek the help of a professional snow removal expert.

Business Insurance – Part 3 – Workers Compensation

The following is an excerpt from the article “Running a Business .”  For more information please http://www.sba.gov

Businesses with employees are required by law to pay for certain types of insurance: workers’ compensation insurance, unemployment insurance, and, depending on where the business is located, disability insurance.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Businesses with employees are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance coverage through a commercial carrier, on a self-insured basis, or through the state Workers’ Compensation Insurance program.

Local SBA offices nationwide offer free and low-cost services to help you navigate your area’s employee regulations. Visit your state’s Workers’ Compensation Office for more information on your state’s program.

Reducing Roof Risks on Businesses – Elevation and Maintenance

A building’s ability to stand up to weight of ice and snow depends various factors including:

Elevation:

• Roof top equipment and roof projections, such as mechanical equipment that is over 2 feet tall, can cause snow accumulation due to drift, creating the need for higher snow load consideration in these areas.
• An even more serious condition can be created when a taller building or a taller building addition is built adjacent to an existing building.
• Unless the existing building is strengthened in the area next to the new taller building or addition, snow accumulation on the lower roof near the step could produce much higher loads than those considered by the original designer for the existing building.

Maintenance:

Keep an eye out for any signs of roof or ceiling deflection that might suggest water is beginning to “pond” on your roof.

Reducing Roof Risks on Businesses – Part 2

The following is an excerpt from the article “Reducing Roof Risks on Businesses.”  For more information please disastersafety.org.

A building’s ability to stand up to weight of ice and snow depends on various factors including:

Age of the building:

• Newer buildings may be better able to withstand heavy snow since more recent building codes provide much better guidance for snow loads, particularly the increased loads near changes in roof elevations where snow drifts and snow falling from the upper roof can build up on the lower roof near the step.
• Older roofs can suffer from corrosion which can reduce their ability to resist high snow loads. Inspect the underside of the roof deck for signs of deterioration. A history of trapped moisture and leaks will accelerate the aging process of the deck.
• Buildings with low slope and flat lightweight roofs, such as metal buildings, steel decks on steel bar joists, and wood, generally provide less protection from overload than heavy roofs, such as structural concrete.
• The safety margins used by engineers are based on a combination of the weight of the roof (dead loads) and the snow loads (live loads).
• Consequently, there is usually a larger margin of safety against excess snow loads for heavy roofs than for light weight roofs.
• For low slope and flat roofs, the step-down area between roof sections is particularly susceptible to roof overload because of the tendency for ice and snow collection, especially during periods of windy weather.

Roof type:

• Buildings with low slope and flat lightweight roofs, such as metal buildings, steel decks on steel bar joists, and wood, generally provide less protection from overload than heavy roofs, such as structural concrete.
• The safety margins used by engineers are based on a combination of the weight of the roof (dead loads) and the snow loads (live loads).
• Consequently, there is usually a larger margin of safety against excess snow loads for heavy roofs than for light weight roofs.
• For low slope and flat roofs, the step-down area between roof sections is particularly susceptible to roof overload because of the tendency for ice and snow collection, especially during periods of windy weather.

Business Insurance – Part 2 – Types of Business Insurance

The following is an excerpt from the article “Running a Business.”  For more information please visit sba.gov.

Types of Business Insurance

Insurance coverage is available for every conceivable risk your business might face. Cost and amount of coverage of policies vary among insurers. You should discuss your specific business risks and the types of insurance available with your insurance agent or broker. Your agency can advise you on the exact types of insurance you should consider purchasing.

General Liability Insurance

Business owners purchase general liability insurance to cover legal hassles due to accident, injuries and claims of negligence. These policies protect against payments as the result of bodily injury, property damage, medical expenses, libel, slander, the cost of defending lawsuits, and settlement bonds or judgments required during an appeal procedure.

Product Liability Insurance

Companies that manufacture, wholesale, distribute, and retail a product may be liable for its safety. Product liability insurance protects against financial loss as a result of a defect product that causes injury or bodily harm. The amount of insurance you should purchase depends on the products you sell or manufacture. A clothing store would have far less risk than a small appliance store, for example.

Professional Liability Insurance

Business owners providing services should consider having professional liability insurance (also known as errors and omissions insurance). This type of liability coverage protects your business against malpractice, errors, and negligence in provision of services to your customers. Depending on your profession, you may be required by your state government to carry such a policy. For example, physicians are required to purchase malpractice insurance as a condition of practicing in certain states.

Commercial Property Insurance

Property insurance covers everything related to the loss and damage of company property due to a wide-variety of events such as fire, smoke, wind and hail storms, civil disobedience and vandalism. The definition of “property” is broad, and includes lost income, business interruption, buildings, computers, company papers and money.

Property insurance policies come in two basic forms: (1) all-risk policies covering a wide-range of incidents and perils except those noted in the policy; (2) peril-specific policies that cover losses from only those perils listed in the policy. Examples of peril-specific policies include fire, flood, crime and business interruption insurance. All-risk policies generally cover risks faced by the average small business, while peril-specific policies are usually purchased when there is high risk of peril in a certain area. Consult your insurance agent or broker about the type of business property insurance best suited for your small business.

Home-Based Business Insurance

Contrary to popular belief, homeowners’ insurance policies do not generally cover home-based business losses. Depending on risks to your business, you may add riders to your homeowners’ policy to cover normal business risks such as property damage. However, homeowners’ policies only go so far in covering home-based businesses and you may need to purchase additional policies to cover other risks, such as general and professional liability.

Business Insurance – Part 1

The following is an excerpt from the article “Running a Business.”  For more information please http://www.sba.gov

Business Insurance

Running a small business involves a significant investment. Business insurance protects your investment by minimizing financial risks associated with unexpected events such as a death of a partner, an injured employee, a lawsuit, or a natural disaster. Unless you are an employer, business insurance is generally not required by law, however, it is common practice to purchase enough insurance to cover your assets. If your business is an LLC or a corporation, your personal assets are protected from business liabilities; however, neither business structure is a substitute for liability insurance, which covers your business from losses.

Your state government determines insurance requirements for businesses. Most states require businesses with employees to pay for workers’ compensation insurance, unemployment insurance, and state disability insurance. Your state may require insurance of specific business activities. For example, if you own a car or truck and use it for business purposes, you may be required to purchase commercial auto insurance. Finally, your financial lender or investors may require you to maintain life, business interruption, fire, flood or other types of insurance to protect their investments.

Reducing Roof Risks on Businesses – Live and Dead Load Design

The following is an excerpt from the article “Reducing Roof Risks on Businesses.”  For more information please disastersafety.org.

A building’s ability to stand up to weight of ice and snow depends on various factors including:

Live and dead load design:

• Review available as-built structural plans to evaluate the live and dead load capacity of the roofs. You may find load information on the notes page or on a roof framing plan.
• Roof dead loads are considered to be the weights of materials and equipment that remain constant, such as the weight of the roof deck, cover, and roof mounted equipment.
• Live loads are those which may exert a variable pressure due to the surrounding environmental conditions such as rain, snow, and wind loads.
• An analysis completed by a structural engineer can determine the loads your roof can withstand.

Working Safely with Electricity – Electrical Incidents

The following is an excerpt from the article “Working Safely With Electricity.”  For more information please osha.gov.

Electrical Incidents

If the power supply to the electrical equipment is not grounded or the path has been broken, fault current may travel through a worker’s body, causing electrical burns or death. Even when the power system is properly grounded, electrical equipment can instantly change from safe to hazardous because of extreme conditions and rough treatment.

• Visually inspect electrical equipment before use. Take any defective equipment out of service.

• Ground all power supply systems, electrical circuits, and electrical equipment.

• Frequently inspect electrical systems to insure that he path to ground is continuous.

• Do not remove ground prongs from cord- and plug-connected equipment or extension cords.

• Use double-insulated tools and ground all exposed metal parts of equipment.

• Avoid standing in wet areas when using portable electrical power tools.

Preventing Home Burglary While Traveling

Preventing Home Burglary while Traveling

1. Do not announce your vacation with people you are not personal friends with or in public areas where your conversation can be overheard by others.
2. Notify a trusted neighbor of your travel dates. Leave a spare key with them in case of any emergency. Ask them for simple favors such as:
   • Putting your garbage out on garbage day, or their own in front of your house
   • Clearing away flyers, notes, and packages in the doors and mailboxes
   • Occasionally parking their car in your drive way
   • Running your water if there are freezing temperatures
3. Properly close and lock all windows and doors. Use quality deadbolt door locks.
4. Keep your garage door locked at all times, preferably with a deadbolt lock.
5. Do not hide spare keys in mailboxes, under doormats or above doorways.
6. Do not let valuables be seen from the outside of your home.
7. Leave curtains slightly parted so your house doesn’t have an empty look.
8. Put mail on hold or get a secure locking mailbox. The post office will hold you mail for a specific time with a simple request. Locked mailboxes with enough storage is better if you frequently travel.
9. Suspend any daily newspapers
10. Install automatic timers for your lights, radio and TV’s, preferably at random or programmed intervals to create visual and audible deceptions.
11. Install motion-detector outdoor lights around your home. Mount them high enough to prevent intruders from disabling them.
12. Document your valuables either by making a list, taking pictures, or videotaping your house of the high-value items and sentimental items. Store the documents in a security box at the bank or if possible, make multiple copies and store them at a trusted friend or family member’s home.  This will help you file an insurance claim in the event of a lost or stolen item.
13. Mark your valuables with an Operation Identification number. Your local police department can assist you with this. You can engrave or etch your driver’s license number on to valuables, if stolen and later recovered, police can track you down through the Department of Motor Vehicles.
14. Never leave an answering machine message indicating you are not at home, you are on vacation, or you are away and will return on a specific date or time. Instead, just say you “can’t come to the phone”.