The changing seasons produce unique weather-related conditions that can create hazards for students, faculty, employees and the public. Hanover Risk Solutions has developed the following suggested procedures to help mitigate the risk of a winter weather slip, trip or fall injury on your clients’ campuses.

Share this information with your clients and encourage them to follow the suggested procedures.

Winter snow and ice removal

• All exterior walkways, parking lots and building entrances should be cleaned of snow and ice, and treated with ice melt, one hour prior to the opening of classes. Residential buildings on campus will require more frequent treatment and monitoring. Any snow or ice that has accumulated between cars in parking areas will also need to be removed.
• Snow and ice that has been removed should be placed in areas that will minimize hazards as it melts, for instance in lower elevations of the property. Storm drains should be marked with reflective stakes before winter weather begins, so they can be kept clear to drain off melting water.
• Snow should be cleared from safety equipment such as fire hydrants and fire department connections to the sprinkler system. This equipment should be marked with reflective stakes before winter weather begins. Exit doors should be cleared of snow, and tested to ensure they can be opened fully.
• Exterior walkways, parking lots and building entrances should be inspected periodically throughout the day and re-treated as needed. Ice and snow often melts in sunnier areas or during warmer parts of the day, and refreezes in shady areas or as the day gets colder. Drains can become clogged, causing melt water to build up.
• Use a form such as the “Snow and Ice Control Record” in each building to document inspections as well as snow and ice removal.
• Take precautions to prevent maintenance staff injuries during snow and ice removal. Ensure employees are fully trained in the use of snow blowers, plows and other equipment. Keep bystanders away from equipment. Take adequate rest breaks. If removing snow loads from roofs or ice from gutters, use proper fall protection and protect skylights and other hazards.
• During the autumn, periodic inspections should be made and action taken as needed to ensure walkways are cleared of leaves (wet leaves are a slipping hazard).

Mats and runners

Where mats have been used to control wet areas in entry ways to buildings, the following conditions require immediate action:

• If pedestrian traffic leaves wet foot prints when stepping off the mat, the mat needs to be replaced with a dry one or an additional mat needs to be placed at the end of the first mat.
• If the mat has become wrinkled or bunched up, it needs to be reset so it is flat and doesn’t present a tripping hazard.

Note: It is important to check contracts with snow/ice removal contractors and mat rental/service companies carefully, to be sure that the schedules and methods of service are appropriate for your facility and the weather conditions your business is likely to face. Be sure that responsibilities are clear in the contract. Contracts should also include hold harmless agreements and insurance requirements (consult your legal professional for specifics). For further information, see our websites on contract management and reviewing certificates of insurance.

Incident investigation procedure

Should a slip, trip or fall occur, follow the procedures outlined below.

• Helping the injured person will be the primary concern immediately following an incident. Never leave the person alone. If assistance is needed, send someone else or have someone stay with the person while you get help.
• If the injured party is not an employee, do not discuss liability or fault for the incident. If they ask if you are going to pay for their medical costs, simply state that someone from Hanover Insurance will be in touch with them.
• Protect the incident scene to prevent anyone else from getting hurt and to preserve the scene in an “as is” condition to help ensure an accurate investigation. If any hazardous conditions must be corrected to prevent injuries to others, take “before” and “after” photos.
• Contact the supervisor of the area where the incident occurred so they can begin the collection of data and incident investigation.
• The information should be collected and the analysis completed using a form such as our “Accident Investigation Report.” (below)
• Photos should be taken of the general area, any defective conditions and anything else that could be considered a contributing factor to the incident.
• Once the root cause is determined, corrective action should be initiated immediately.

Corrective action procedure

When a hazard has been identified through an incident investigation or a facility inspection, maintenance personnel or an outside contractor must be notified so that the problem can be corrected. The following procedure is recommended to accomplish this task:

1. Be sure that all employees are aware of specific actions to be taken in the event a hazard is identified, particularly if they will be responsible for mitigation.
2. Any problem identified by any employee or brought to the attention of staff by students or the public should be communicated to the appropriate manager immediately.
3. The manager responsible for facility maintenance should inspect the problem and communicate the best action to take. This may include in-house personnel correcting the hazard, contacting the responsible outside contractor, or both.
4. If the hazard can’t be corrected immediately, a temporary control (such as barriers or hazard tape) should be put in place to prevent anyone from being injured.

This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not provide any coverage or guarantee loss prevention. The examples in this material are provided as hypothetical and for illustration purposes only. The Hanover Insurance Company and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“The Hanover”) specifically disclaim any warranty or representation that acceptance of any recommendations contained herein will make any premises, or operation safe or in compliance with any law or regulation.  By providing this information to you, The Hanover does not assume (and specifically disclaims) any duty, undertaking or responsibility to you.  The decision to accept or implement any recommendation(s) or advice contained in this material must be made by you.

As a professional driver, you should know exactly what this traffic sign means. But, do you? The YIELD sign can mean any one of several things.

You must make a decision

Although the YIELD sign is issuing you a command, it also calls on you to make a decision — it asks you to use good judgment.

You'll find YIELD signs posted at intersections and at highway entrance ramps. When you see one, the first message it should convey to you is slow down. Although the law may differ on this by state or locality, you should slow down to 20mph or less as you approach a YIELD sign.

The second message you should get from the sign is you don't have the right of way, cross traffic (both right and left) has it.

After you have slowed to a reasonable speed, one of two things will happen. First, if there is traffic and you cannot proceed safely, you must come to a STOP. And, you must wait for a safe interval in traffic before proceeding.

Or, you may be able to proceed without stopping — that is, if there is no danger of your interfering with cross or flowing traffic.

Think of a YIELD sign in this way: A YIELD sign is a STOP sign with a built-in convenience factor — when conditions are right you may proceed (after slowing down) almost as if it wasn't there.

Now, let's consider the YIELD sign in terms of other drivers. Do they know exactly what it means? You shouldn't count on it. Protect yourself, drive defensively.

The recommendation(s), advice and contents of this material are provided for informational purposes only and do not purport to address every possible legal obligation, hazard, code violation, loss potential or exception to good practice. The Hanover Insurance Company and its affiliates and subsidiaries ("The Hanover") specifically disclaim any warranty or representation that acceptance of any recommendations or advice contained herein will make any premises, property or operation safe or in compliance with any law or regulation. Under no circumstances should this material or your acceptance of any recommendations or advice contained herein be construed as establishing the existence or availability of any insurance coverage with The Hanover. By providing this information to you, The Hanover does not assume (and specifically disclaims) any duty, undertaking or responsibility to you. The decision to accept or implement any recommendation(s) or advice contained in this material must be made by you.

LC DEC 2018 LC 11-389
171-1121 (10/14)

An accident investigation policy must state which situations must be investigated, when the investigation should occur, the purpose of the investigation, and how investigations will be conducted. Implementation of these policies may differ depending on the type and severity of a particular accident.

Key principles of accident investigation:

• That the primary or underlying cause (root cause) of the accident and its contributing causes are discovered.
• Taking corrective action for every accident cause that is discovered in order to prevent recurrence. Assign a person to be responsible and a completion date to each corrective action. Assign someone from management to follow-up on corrective actions to ensure that each action is accomplished on time.
• Communicating accident findings to all employees when completed along with program changes that result from corrective actions.
• Determining if training or retraining is necessary to prevent future occurrences.

Those conducting the investigations should be trained in investigation procedures, securing and protecting evidence, gathering facts and interviewing witnesses. An investigator must avoid assigning blame; to do so would be counterproductive to the investigation and might hamper future investigations.

Accident investigations should be conducted as soon as possible after the incident. When injuries are involved, the investigation usually begins after medical assistance has been provided and the injured employee has been transported to a medical facility. However, if an investigation can be started without hampering medical assistance, then it should begin immediately.

Investigation steps

The first step in conducting an accident investigation is to prevent disruption of the scene and to protect evidence. Use barricade tape or assign a person to keep out unnecessary personnel who may disrupt the scene. This does not include emergency responders, law enforcement or your insurer’s claims department who you should work cooperatively with.

The second step is to locate witnesses and take their statements. Witnesses must be interviewed individually and should be asked to refrain from discussing the accident with others until an investigator can take a written or recorded statement. It is important that witnesses be told the reason for the interview is to determine facts and find the accident cause, not to find scapegoats or place blame.

The third step is to inspect, document and make a sketch of the accident scene.

• The scene of an accident may be visited a number of times after the accident occurs as new information or questions arise.
• It is important to make initial observations, take digital photographs, and draw sketches as soon as possible after an accident since witnesses can forget important facts. The investigator’s notes should be clear and concise and reflect only the facts brought out in the investigation, along with statements offered by witnesses. The investigator should not form opinions or guess as to accident causes.
• Secure, label or tag evidence that is removed from the accident area so that it does not become damaged, contaminated or lost.
• An evidence log, which must remain with the accident investigation file, should list all evidence that has been secured, sketched or photographed. The evidence log should state each type of evidence, how it was secured, where it is located, and who is in control of it. When equipment or machinery is involved in an accident, it is important to record the exact type, make, model number, serial number and other features.

The final step is to develop the accident investigation report. The report will contain the facts, observations and corrective actions necessary to prevent future accident occurrences. The report should identify who is responsible for each corrective action and the date the action will be completed. Accident investigations provide valuable information that should be communicated to all company employees and can be used as part of training to underscore the importance of following company safety rules and safe procedures.

This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not provide any coverage or guarantee loss prevention. The examples in this material are provided as hypothetical and for illustration purposes only. The Hanover Insurance Company and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“The Hanover”) specifically disclaim any warranty or representation that acceptance of any recommendations contained herein will make any premises, or operation safe or in compliance with any law or regulation. By providing this information to you. The Hanover does not assume (and specifically disclaims) any duty, undertaking or responsibility to you. The decision to accept or implement any recommendation(s) or advice contained in this material must be made by you.

LC APR 2019 12-169
171-0894 (1/14)

Workplace accident investigations are designed to identify the root cause of workplace accidents to help prevent future accidents. Effective reporting should follow a standard format and may require the involvement of several people, depending on the severity of the accident/incident. The investigation team should be trained on how to conduct investigations, and complete and analyze accident investigation reports.

Reasons for investigating accidents

Accidents may be an indication that the safety program, workplace communication, training, supervision or work procedures are deficient. By finding the root cause, or multiple causes, of an accident, necessary improvements can be identified and made in the organization. Investigations are not designed to blame an employee and it is essential that all workers understand this. Accidents typically have multiple root causes and only by investigation of the circumstances will these causes be identified for corrective action.

Examples of accidents that may need investigation include:

• Injury, illness, or property damage —This includes when employees, contractors, and the general public are involved.
• “Near misses” (cases when no injury, illness, or property damage occurred, but if conditions were slightly changed damage would be probable)

Investigation policy

While it is recommended that all accidents are investigated, regardless how minor, it is important that the company decide when and what types of accidents will be investigated. The policy should require accident investigations to begin as soon as possible to minimize forgetfulness, changing conditions and other factors that could prevent identifying the root cause.

Key principles of accident investigation that should be a part of every policy:

• Primary or underlying cause (root cause) of the accident and its contributing causes are discovered
• Taking corrective action for every accident cause that is discovered in order to prevent recurrence. Assign a person to be responsible and a completion date to each corrective action. Assign someone from management to follow-up on corrective actions to ensure that each action is accomplished on time.
• Communicating accident findings to all employees when completed, along with program changes that result from corrective actions
• Determining if training or retraining is necessary to prevent future occurrences

Those conducting the investigations should be trained in investigation procedures, securing and protecting evidence, gathering facts and interviewing witnesses. An investigator must avoid assigning blame. To blame someone would be counterproductive to the investigation and might hinder future investigations.

Accident investigations should be conducted as soon as possible after the incident. When injuries are involved, the investigation usually begins after medical assistance has been provided and the injured employee has been transported to a medical facility. However, if an investigation can be started without obstructing medical assistance, then it should begin immediately.

Investigation steps

There are nine steps that add up to a thorough and effective investigation.

1. Preparing for the investigation
2. Gathering the facts about the accident
3. Analyzing the data
4. Developing unbiased conclusions
5. Analyzing conclusions based only on the facts
6. Developing the report
7. Developing recommendations
8. Following through on recommendations
9. Following up on corrective actions

Preparing for the investigation

Preparation before an accident occurs will ensure the investigation can be carried out properly and important facts can be gathered. Trying to create an investigation process post-accident will usually result in missed information and fact finding opportunities.

A plan or procedure that includes training supervisors on how to conduct a thorough accident investigation should be in place before the accident occurs.

Gathering the facts

While preparation and training should be completed well in advance of any actual accidents, the gathering of facts begins only when an accident/incident has actually taken place. Document the facts with photographic evidence, measurements and records (current written work procedures, training records, workplace/equipment inspections, delivery logs, etc.). Don’t focus solely on physical evidence, but be inquisitive about communications between supervisors and employees and whether training was provided and adequate. Remember that the facts will have to hold up over time and through fading memories of witnesses. If it is important, document it.

Analyzing the data

This is an ongoing process that begins when you start to gather the facts and consider how they may have contributed to the accident’s cause. Witness statements should be compared to where they were located when the accident occurred.

• Did they have firsthand visual sight of the accident or did they hear something?
• Do their statements appear to be in line with the other evidence?
• Do the facts indicate that procedures were not followed or properly communicated?
• Do the facts point to improper or deficient training of workers?

As the facts are analyzed, other questions may arise and additional investigation may be necessary to get the full picture.

Developing conclusions

As the facts are gathered and analyzed, conclusions can begin to be drawn about what happened and what caused the accident to happen. Conclusions should be based only on verifiable facts, not opinion. Writing down conclusions based on all contributing facts will help to identify any missing gaps and may point to areas where additional information is necessary. If the facts don’t add up, you may not have all the information and more fact-gathering and analysis may be necessary. When developing conclusions, you should think about how, what, why, when and where, to understand whether you have a fact for each question.

Analyzing the conclusions

As time was taken to formally develop tentative conclusions, it is just as important to take the time to examine and analyze those conclusions. This, too, may send you back to earlier steps to gather more facts or to review from a different standpoint. Eventually, tentative conclusions can either be made firm or discarded altogether.

Making the report

The accident report brings all information together: facts, analysis, and conclusions.

• The information has been gathered on the people involved, the situation or specific incident.
• The facts have been reviewed and analyzed.

Everything included in the report should be supported by facts and evidence; unsubstantiated statements or mere speculations do not belong in the final report.

The report narrative should begin with a short synopsis, including one or two lines that state what happened without details or causes. This should be followed by a detailed and more complete account of the accident. (In selecting detail, however, stick to essentials, leaving out extraneous information that does not lead to an understanding of the incident or conclusions.)

A good report should be clear and concise, and not a running narrative that includes information that is not relevant to the accident cause. Consider that the person reading the report may not be familiar with the facility, work tasks or the process involved but must understand how and why the accident occurred.

Making recommendations

The main goal of any accident investigation is to determine what corrective action needs to be taken to prevent any future occurrences. Recommendations on corrective action should clearly state what should be done to correct the situation. There may be several corrective actions and each should be listed and include who is responsible to implement the action and when the action will be completed.

Follow up

Once the report is completed it is important to ensure the corrective actions have been implemented. Supervisors who have been assigned to a corrective action may not understand how to effectively implement the action or may not implement it effectively. Someone should be assigned to ensure the action taken matches the action recommended and that all recommendations have been implemented.

This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not provide any coverage or guarantee loss prevention. The examples in this material are provided as hypothetical and for illustration purposes only. The Hanover Insurance Company and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“The Hanover”) specifically disclaim any warranty or representation that acceptance of any recommendations contained herein will make any premises, or operation safe or in compliance with any law or regulation. By providing this information to you. The Hanover does not assume (and specifically disclaims) any duty, undertaking or responsibility to you. The decision to accept or implement any recommendation(s) or advice contained in this material must be made by you.

LC DEC 2018 12-169
171-0829 (12/18)

Your burglar alarm is connected to a monitoring station by a communication channel. That channel can be via a telephone network, the internet, radio signal or cellular signals. A key to reliability of the alarm system is that the alarm transmission channel is reliable and any tampering with this communications channel is detected quickly and investigated. This is the basic premise of line security.

Line security is a very important component of your burglar alarm protection program. If the burglar can simply cut the wires that connect your alarm to the communications system, the alarm is not an effective protection system for your business.

Line security requires a two-way signal path. The alarm monitoring facility must be able to poll your system and receive a response that the line is intact. Line security standards call for the line to be tested and verified at intervals of every 200 seconds.

There is a critical difference between line supervision and line security. Line supervision requires a communication check every 24 hours versus the every 200 second check that constitutes line security. The difference in time lapse between signals means line supervision is not the equivalent of line security.

Line security is important to you as there may be underwriting expectations related to the type of alarm system present at your facility. The type of alarm system required can vary based on values present, type of safe or vault present and a number of other factors. While the term "line security" may be used inaccurately by some people in the business, it has a very specific meaning to your underwriter.

If you are planning to install a new alarm, change service providers or make changes to your existing service and have questions, call your Hanover agent or Hanover Risk Solutions consultant for advice that is specific to your situation.

This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not provide any coverage or guarantee loss prevention. The examples in this material are provided as hypothetical and for illustration purposes only. The Hanover Insurance Company and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“The Hanover”) specifically disclaim any warranty or representation that acceptance of any recommendations contained herein will make any premises, or operation safe or in compliance with any law or regulation. By providing this information to you. The Hanover does not assume (and specifically disclaims) any duty, undertaking or responsibility to you. The decision to accept or implement any recommendation(s) or advice contained in this material must be made by you.

LC NOV 2018 10-457
171-0941 (2/14)

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) offers a service with tangible benefits to business owners and others who rely on their burglar alarm systems. If your burglar alarm service is provided by a listed UL central station monitoring firm, you can request that the alarm company inspect your burglar alarm system and issue a UL certificate verifying that the system meets the requirements as either a central station or mercantile burglar alarm. UL will take the certificate report and enter it into a database that is accessible by your insurance company to verify the type and extent of your alarm protection.

The benefit is that to qualify for the certificate program your system must be inspected, tested and reviewed to assure compliance with the applicable UL standards. UL will follow up with the alarm company to spot check certificate holders to verify that maintenance, testing, service and response are being provided in accordance with the UL standards.

The cost of this service varies by alarm company. In many cases you may have to make adjustments or additions to your alarm system if it does not meet the proper UL installation standards.

Why is this an advantage to you?

• You have verification of the extent and type of alarm protection. It is not based on a sales quote or a promise but an inspection to verify compliance with recognized standards.
• Your insurance agent and company can verify your alarm service and extent for underwriting purposes. It may eliminate questions or the need for follow-up alarm information.
• It helps you make sure that your alarm provider meets the UL standards for installations, service and monitoring. If they cannot issue the UL certificate, you should ask why they cannot do so.

If you are planning to install a new alarm, change service providers or make changes to your existing service and have questions, call your Hanover agent or Hanover Risk Solutions consultant for advice that is specific to your situation.

This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not provide any coverage or guarantee loss prevention. The examples in this material are provided as hypothetical and for illustration purposes only. The Hanover Insurance Company and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“The Hanover”) specifically disclaim any warranty or representation that acceptance of any recommendations contained herein will make any premises, or operation safe or in compliance with any law or regulation. By providing this information to you. The Hanover does not assume (and specifically disclaims) any duty, undertaking or responsibility to you. The decision to accept or implement any recommendation(s) or advice contained in this material must be made by you.

LC NOV 2018 11-217i
171-0942 (3/14)

PCI is the common abbreviation for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards promulgated by the PCI Security Standards Council, LLC. This is an industry group that consists of the major credit card issuers and processing firms. It has developed a set of standards related to the security of credit card transactions and the protection of the data involved in those transactions.

All merchants accepting payment cards issued by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover or JCB must be PCI compliant. PCI does not certify or verify any specific firm’s compliance with their standards. Compliance is evaluated either by an independent organization certified by PCI, or by a self-assessment completed by the merchant. The merchant should contact the acquiring financial institutions with whom they have merchant agreements (e.g., their merchant banks) to determine the type of assessment that should be completed.

The PCI standards are designed to protect banks and consumers from data breaches related to their card transactions.

There are various categories of self-assessment defined, depending on how the merchant obtains and stores cardholder data. The PCI website has tools to help identify the appropriate category of self-assessment for your exposures. The core elements of the Data Security Standards are summarized on the PCI website. 

To access the self-assessment tools at the PCI web site please visit their document library. 

You should start with determining the category of self-assessment that applies to your business and then download the appropriate self-assessment questionnaire that applies to that category.

There are lists of third-party hardware suppliers and audit firms that have been approved by PCI to help firms meet the standards. Links to these firms can be found here (see the Assessors & Solutions tab).

There are very detailed requirements for hardware and software as well as administrative procedures and policies. If you have concerns about your exposure to a data breach incident, you should use these resources to help manage this risk.

This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not provide any coverage or guarantee loss prevention. The examples in this material are provided as hypothetical and for illustration purposes only. The Hanover Insurance Company and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“The Hanover”) specifically disclaim any warranty or representation that acceptance of any recommendations contained herein will make any premises, or operation safe or in compliance with any law or regulation. By providing this information to you. The Hanover does not assume (and specifically disclaims) any duty, undertaking or responsibility to you. The decision to accept or implement any recommendation(s) or advice contained in this material must be made by you.

LC NOV 2018 14-97
171-0940 (6/17)

Preventive measures

Q. What can I do to reduce my risk of becoming infected with West Nile virus?

A. Here are preventive measures that you and your family can take:

Protect yourself from mosquito bites:

• Apply insect repellent to exposed skin. Generally, the more active ingredient a repellent contains, the longer it can protect you from mosquito bites. A higher percentage of active ingredients in a repellent does not mean that your protection is better — just that it will last longer. Choose a repellent that provides protection for the amount of time that you will be outdoors.
  • Repellents may irritate the eyes and mouth, so avoid applying repellent to the hands of children.
  • Whenever you use an insecticide or insect repellent, be sure to read and follow the manufacturer's "Directions for use", as printed on the product.
  • For detailed information about using repellents, see the CDC's insect repellent use and safety page.
• Spray clothing with repellents containing permethrin or another EPA-registered repellent since mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing. Do not apply repellents containing permethrin directly to exposed skin. Do not apply repellent to skin under your clothing.
• When weather permits, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants whenever you are outdoors.
• Place mosquito netting over infant carriers when you are outdoors with infants.
• Consider staying indoors at dawn, dusk and in the early evening, which are peak mosquito biting times.
• Install or repair window and door screens so that mosquitoes cannot get indoors.

Help reduce the number of mosquitoes in areas outdoors where you work or play, by draining sources of standing water. In this way, you reduce the number of places mosquitoes can lay their eggs and breed.

At least once or twice a week, empty water from flower pots, pet food and water dishes, birdbaths, swimming pool covers, buckets, barrels and cans.

• Check for clogged rain gutters and clean them out.
• Remove discarded tires and other items that could collect water.
• Be sure to check for containers or trash in places that may be hard to see, such as under bushes or under your home.

Note: Vitamin B and "ultrasonic" devices are NOT effective in preventing mosquito bites.

Kids can learn how to protect themselves from mosquito bites on "The Buzz-z-z-z on West Nile Virus."

Q. What can be done to prevent outbreaks of West Nile virus?

A. Prevention and control of West Nile virus and other arboviral diseases is most effectively accomplished through integrated vector management programs. These programs should include surveillance for West Nile virus activity in mosquito vectors, birds, horses, other animals and humans, and implementation of appropriate mosquito control measures to reduce mosquito populations when necessary. Additionally, when virus activity is detected in an area, residents should be alerted and advised to increase measures to reduce contact with mosquitoes. Details about effective prevention and control of West Nile virus can be found in CDC's Guidelines for Surveillance, Prevention, and Control.

Q. Is there a vaccine against West Nile encephalitis?

A. No, but several groups are working towards developing a vaccine.

Q. Where can I get information about the use of pesticide sprays that are being used for mosquito control?

A. The federal agency responsible for pesticide evaluation is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). See the EPA website for detailed answers to the questions about pesticides used for mosquito control.

This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not provide any coverage or guarantee loss prevention. The examples in this material are provided as hypothetical and for illustration purposes only. The Hanover Insurance Company and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“The Hanover”) specifically disclaim any warranty or representation that acceptance of any recommendations contained herein will make any premises, or operation safe or in compliance with any law or regulation. By providing this information to you. The Hanover does not assume (and specifically disclaims) any duty, undertaking or responsibility to you. The decision to accept or implement any recommendation(s) or advice contained in this material must be made by you.

LC NOV 2018 12‐148
171-0945 (02/14)

Vehicles used for company business can be the most important assets to a business. Vehicles can be used for sales, delivery, and transportation or your company’s own unique usage. Your business must be able to rely on these vehicles in order to perform these critical tasks. A good maintenance program can help to avoid expensive repairs, downtime, or even accidents while ensuring your company’s solid reputation. 

Management must be engaged in overseeing the company’s fleet safety program and vehicle maintenance policies.  Please refer to the manufacturer’s specifications and maintenance procedures for each type of vehicle while ensuring the vehicle is of the proper size and type for the job it’s being used for.

Elements of maintenance programs

There are three basic elements of a good fleet vehicle maintenance program:

Preventative maintenance―this is generally dictated by the number of miles or hours driven and includes oil changes, tire rotations, checking belts and hoses, wiper blades, engine tune ups, and checking all fluids such as coolants, lubricants, window washer, power steering and brake fluids. 

Corrective maintenance―this part of the program is for repairs that are not generally scheduled and may be required suddenly, including lights, turn signals, damaged windshields, wiring, flat tires or other repairs. Many of these repairs can be identified through a well-documented vehicle inspection program. All drivers should be familiar with how to inspect a vehicle and fill out a vehicle inspection report. The report should be turned in to the fleet administrator or maintenance department to have repairs made. If they are not found on an inspection but occur suddenly (such as a broken windshield) the driver should be trained on the policies for reporting and repairing the vehicle.

Emergency maintenance―This type of maintenance is required when there is a vehicle breakdown. Even with a good preventive maintenance program in place, breakdowns can still occur. All drivers should be trained on what to do and who to contact when an unexpected breakdown occurs. Although this is often the most expensive form of maintenance, it can be minimized by implementing a good preventive maintenance and inspection program.

Maintenance equals cost savings

Vehicle maintenance and repair can incur costs above and beyond the actual repair time and equipment. Related costs can include:

• Driver and vehicle down time
• Missed deliveries
• Towing charges
• Costly specialty roadside repairs vs. shop repairs
• Damage to company reputation
• Added staff time to facilitate repairs including possible travel time

Recordkeeping is essential

Vehicle maintenance records should be maintained and kept on file for each vehicle. This would include items such as

• Previous repair or preventative maintenance work done
• Vehicle inspection or condition reports
• Identity of the vehicle (using vehicle number, plate number or other identifying information)
• Driver information especially is assigned to specific drivers
• Future work to be needed based on previous work, inspection reports or demand
• Vehicle recall information

Communication is key

For a maintenance programs to be successful, it must include effective communication amongst all associated employees including drivers, maintenance personnel, and supervisors.  All must be held accountable for the condition and use of vehicles, and clear lines of communication need to be established. Periodic review of a company’s existing maintenance program, and the degree to which it is being implemented will help management determine if any program changes or additional training is necessary.

For additional information on this subject and other elements of an effective Fleet Safety program please visit our Hanover Risk Solutions website and have your management team view Hanover’s Organizational Fleet Safety Program found via the following link:  Organizational Fleet Safety Program - Overview (hanover.com)  This informative presentation is designed to help your leadership team establish the nine key elements of a Fleet Safety Program including: 

• Policies
• Driver qualification
• Training
• Supervision
• Driver motivation
• Vehicle maintenance
• Vehicle inspection
• Accident reporting
• Accident investigations

For additional information on commercial vehicle maintenance record requirements please visit the FMCSA website at:  FMCSA Part 396 - Inspection, Repair, and Maintenance

Information for this advisory is from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and Hanover’s auto and fleet resources on our website at: https://www.hanover.com/businesses/business-customer-resources/hanover-risk-solutions/auto-safety.

This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not provide any coverage or guarantee loss prevention. The examples in this material are provided as hypothetical and for illustration purposes only. The Hanover Insurance Company and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“The Hanover”) specifically disclaim any warranty or representation that acceptance of any recommendations contained herein will make any premises, or operation safe or in compliance with any law or regulation.  By providing this information to you, The Hanover does not assume (and specifically disclaims) any duty, undertaking or responsibility to you.  The decision to accept or implement any recommendation(s) or advice contained in this material must be made by you.

LC 2022-320

Does this apply to me?

• If your work requires you to dig then the OSHA excavation standard applies.
• Even digging with a hand shovel is considered excavating.
• If you don’t dig, but have workers who have to go into trenches to do work, the standard applies too since they are exposed to trench hazards.

What does this cover?

OSHA rules require that all workers should be protected from safety hazards while they are working in and around trenches and excavations. While the big concern is soil cave-in there are a lot of other hazards that OSHA has safety requirements for, including:

Moving equipment — Workers on foot must be protected from being struck by moving equipment like excavators, skid steers, front end loaders and dump trucks. Back-up alarms must be working and signalmen might have to be used for backing equipment.

Traffic — If your work is near roads you will have to protect your workers and the public. If your company will be setting up any traffic cones or signs, there is a guide for setting up a construction work zone called the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). You can find it by going to the Federal Highway Administration. Your state might also have additional requirements.

Electrocutions — If working near powerlines, it is important to either keep all equipment at least 10 feet away (elevated dump beds, excavator arms) or 20 feet if cranes are used to handle loads. Powerlines can also be de-energized or moved, but just having the power company place blanketing or barriers over the lines does not mean you can get closer than 10 feet.

Confined spaces — Trenches can trap vapors, gases and fumes that might not be removed by natural ventilation like wind. Sewer gas is common in existing sewer systems where tie-in to new lines can result in workers being overcome by those gases.

Fall hazards — Workers can fall off of walkboards or ramps that are over trenches, so you should use guardrails.

Getting in and out — This usually requires a ladder, especially if the trench is more than four feet deep.

What about cave-ins?

A cubic yard of dirt can weigh up to 3000 lbs. and workers can be seriously injured or killed even if they are not totally buried over their heads. Think how hard it would be to breath with all that weight bearing down on you. And it’s not just deep trenches or trenches in bad soil; as soon as you dig, the dirt wants to move back in. That is why making sure protection is in place before anyone starts working is so important.

What is allowed for protection from cave-ins?

The OSHA standard gives several choices for protecting workers from cave-ins:

• Sloping the sides
• Using shoring which pushes back against the side walls
• Using a trench box where the workers are always inside the protection of the box
• Having an engineer design the protection

What else do I need to know?

OSHA also requires you to have a competent person available. This person will usually be a supervisor who has received special training on the OSHA standards, trenching hazards and knows what needs to be in place for worker protection. This competent person must know:

• What kind of soil is in the trench based on what OSHA calls Soil Type A, Type B or Type C
• How to match the cave-in protection with the soil type
• All the other hazards on the job and should make sure all workers are protected

The competent person also has to have the authority to stop the job and get all the workers out of any danger. This means that your company will have to have your own competent person if any of your workers have to enter trenches to work.

What about training?

Your workers

All your workers need to know about the dangers of their work and especially those that are found in trenching work. Make sure you have told your workers not to go into any trench until the competent person has inspected it each day. They also need to know if any other protection is necessary, like high-visibility work vests for traffic.

The competent person

You need to make sure whoever you are saying is your competent person has received the proper training. Most courses for “Competent Person in Trenching” will be up to eight hours in length. There is a lot to cover and the person needs to know how to determine if the soil is Type A, Type B or Type C and what cave-in protection needs to be in place. OSHA will ask questions to see if your competent person knows the answer.

Where can I get more help?

The Hanover Risk Solutions website has additional information that you can review or use for worker training. Additional resources can also be found on the OSHA website page dedicated to trenching work.

The recommendation(s), advice and contents of this material are provided for informational purposes only and do not purport to address every possible legal obligation, hazard, code violation, loss potential or exception to good practice. The Hanover Insurance Company and its affiliates and subsidiaries ("The Hanover") specifically disclaim any warranty or representation that acceptance of any recommendations or advice contained herein will make any premises, property or operation safe or in compliance with any law or regulation. Under no circumstances should this material or your acceptance of any recommendations or advice contained herein be construed as establishing the existence or availability of any insurance coverage with The Hanover. By providing this information to you, The Hanover does not assume (and specifically disclaims) any duty, undertaking or responsibility to you. The decision to accept or implement any recommendation(s) or advice contained in this material must be made by you.

LC JAN 2019 12-375
171-1104 (11/14)