Technology Safety Tips
Tips for a Safe Technology Business
Common Claims
The pie chart below breaks down tech services insurance claims by coverage type. For information on how to prevent losses, view the safety tips for industries such as information technology and medical device manufacturers,
below.
Work Safety
- Provide employee education in proper lifting.
- Keep materials off the floor when possible to minimize bending at the waist. The use of pallet scissor lifts keeps materials at waist height when being stacked or off loaded from pallets.
- Follow good ergonomic practices to make employees comfortable on the job and make operations efficient. Rest breaks, ergonomic tools, and good posture mitigate repetitive motion and improve employee comfort.
- Educate employees in proper ladder use including its intended purpose and proper maintenance.
- Monitor safety in stairwells, restrooms, break rooms and parking areas to minimize the chance for slip/fall occurrences. Establish procedures to verify that customer premises and employee access meet your safety guidelines. Review any possible hazards and controls that your employees may be unfamiliar with.
- If approached by a dog while working offsite, stand still, with your arms crossed over your chest and avoid eye contact. In most cases, the dog will go away when it determines you're not a threat.
- To stay safe while traveling on business:
- Avoid looking like a tourist. Thieves are attracted to tourists because they expect tourists to be carrying large amounts of cash.
- When traveling by car, make certain that you have sufficient fuel to get to your destination. Stick to main streets. Remain in your car with the doors locked and windows closed if you break down.
- Verify visitors to your hotel room before opening the door and use the main entrance of the hotel when returning in the evening.
Safety in Company Vehicles
- Establish management controls and documentation procedures for the operation of company and non-owned vehicles on company business.
- Obtain periodic motor vehicle record reports (MVR’s) on all employees with driving responsibilities. If an employee’s MVR is determined to be unacceptable, the employee should not be permitted to operate their own vehicle or a company-owned vehicle on company business.
- Require employees who use their own vehicles on company business to provide proof of adequate limits of automobile liability insurance.
- Instruct employees to take the time to familiarize themselves with state driving laws, vehicle interior controls, and directions to their destination when using a rental vehicle,
- Prohibit use of cell phones while driving. Statistics report that there is no difference in cognitive distraction between handheld and hands free situations. Both present serious degradation of driver performance. Harvard University estimates the annual cost of accidents caused by cell phone use is $43 billion.
- Instruct van and truck drivers to use spotters for direction to eliminate blind spot hazards when backing.
Property Safety
- Lock all valuables in the car or truck out of view.
- Secure the vehicle at all times it is left unattended. It only takes a second to grab and run.
- Schedule stops in high crime areas early in the day.
- Stick to known, main streets after dark.
- When traveling and returning late in the evening, use the main entrance of the hotel.
- Establish policies and procedures regarding employee theft that include pre employment reference and criminal background checks and be observant for employee lifestyle changes
- Establish a comprehensive preventative maintenance program for property and equipment.
- Provide automated monitoring alarms and shut-off devices to control unattended equipment.
- Maintain redundant equipment and auxiliary power systems
- Establish a comprehensive emergency response and business continuity plan that includes protection for people, property and preparation to resume production operations. Plan for what to do before and after the disaster.
Visitor Safety
- Designate visitor entrances and parking areas.
- Provide a one-page safety and health guide for visitors that includes emergency evacuation procedures.
- Provide visitor escorts during the visit.
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