IRMI Update—Issue #53

An E-mail Newsletter for Risk and Insurance Professionals
ISSN: 1530-7948
November 19, 2002

In This Issue

Message from the Editor

Colleague,

Automatic external defibrillators (AEDs), 3-7 pound gizmos that anyone can use to jump-start a customer's or colleague's afflicted heart, are catching on in corporate America. You simply attach two electrodes to the stricken person's bare chest, and the device does the rest. More than 60 percent of American heart-related deaths are due to cardiac arrest, and half of those deaths occur before the patient reaches the hospital. For this reason, making the device available (at a cost of $1,500–$4,000 each) seems like a darn good idea to me—as long as employees are properly trained on their use.

Have you (or your clients) made AEDs available in your operations? Are there any risks associated with doing so? What training did you provide employees? Do you have any success (or horror) stories to share with others? Since sharing this information can save lives, I'd appreciate your comments. [See reader comments.]

I certainly enjoyed seeing so many friends and supporters at the 22nd IRMI Construction Risk Conference last week. If you were among them, I hope you garnered many great ideas for dealing with the difficult risk and insurance environment we are facing. Mark your calendar for the 23rd conference, to be held November 17–20 in Chicago. I hope to see you there.

Have a great day!

Jack

Jack P. Gibson
President
IRMI

Risk Tip

Don't Rely on Certificates Alone—General contractors and many others are highly reliant on additional insured endorsements to effectively flow risk down to subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and other parties who have care, custody, and control of work. As Certificates of Insurance convey no rights and are not recognized by many courts as part of the insurance policy contract, relying solely on Certificates, as many Contractors do, is not entirely effective. Binding Subcontractors to provide not only a Certificate of Insurance but also a copy of the additional insured endorsement mitigates the real possibility that, for any number of reasons, your company may not have been endorsed to a policy.

Additionally, with the plethora of additional insured endorsements available, the coverage afforded to the additional insured can vary measurably. Binding subcontractors to not only provide a copy of the additional insured endorsement but to utilize a specific ISO additional insured endorsement form allows for customizing the endorsement to the contract format and reduces the likelihood the additional insured is not receiving the breadth of coverage expected.

By: Jeffrey L. Hoch
Manager Commercial
Kvaerner Songer, Inc.
Pittsburgh, PA
E-mail: Jeff.Hoch@akerkvaerner.com
www.akerkvaerner.com

Suggest a Risk Tip. Future issues of IRMI Update will include more risk tips from our readers. Send us a practical tip (less than 300 words) for identifying and managing risks, buying insurance, managing claims, or filling gaps in insurance coverages. We'll give you credit for your contribution.

New Expert Commentary

There are now 357 articles on IRMI.com, and many more are in production. Below you'll find summaries of some recent additions with links to the articles.

IRMI Construction Risk Conference

Gary E. Bird Horizon and Words of Wisdom Awards Bestowed—Terry Young, ARM, vice president—Safety, Risk Management, & Human Resources of Southern Industrial Constructors, was honored at the 22nd IRMI Construction Risk Conference with the Gary E. Bird Horizon Award. Mr. Young was chosen for designing and implementing a very effective safety program that reduced workplace injuries and produced significant savings for his employer. The award is presented annually by IRMI to recognize an individual who has demonstrated a commitment to improving construction risk management through the implementation of innovative, cost-effective, and efficient risk management techniques. Details of Mr. Young's program will be posted on IRMI.com in the near future. To learn more about the award, go to this web page.

Tim Carter, director of safety for Fluor Global Construction, was honored with the Words of Wisdom Award to recognize his outstanding presentations at the last five IRMI Construction Risk Conferences. Go to this page to read more about Mr. Carter.

This year's conference was IRMI's biggest yet with 1,235 people in attendance. Be sure to mark your 2003 calendar to attend next year on November 17–20 in Chicago.

IRMI Products & Services

New IRMI Classification Cross-Reference—We've updated and improved the Classification Cross-Reference. Now in its eleventh edition, this popular tool contains a master cross-reference sorted over 10 different ways—alphabetically then numerically by workers comp codes, CGL code, NAICS code, SIC code. In addition to the NCCI codes, 7 different state workers compensation codes systems are included. Follow the link for more information or to purchase the Cross-Reference.

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