Q&A with Ryan Overly, Risk Control Consultant with Murray, an AssuredPartners company
By Jenn DeWalt, Business Development Specialist, Murray
This is the first part of a series on safety considerations for manufacturing companies:
Almost $1.2 billion is paid out every week in our country for workers’ compensation claims. Manufacturers in particular may be experiencing what often seem like small incidents, but those small claims are certainly adding up.
Ryland Overly, GSP, Risk Control Consultant from Murray’s Risk Management team, offers information that can help those businesses in the manufacturing industry develop a better safety culture.
Q: Are there specific loss control considerations for manufacturing companies regarding Workers’ Compensation?
A: Yes! While manufacturing companies are the same in some basic concepts, they are not “one size fits all” when it pertains to loss control. Each type of manufacturing process has different needs and exposures. For example, potato chip manufacturers should not be assessed the same as a brewery. Both produce consumable products; however, they have vastly different equipment and processes, which means they have unique exposures.
Q: What are some of the exposures manufacturers need to be aware of?
A: Risk Management service is based on business exposures determined by the equipment, processes, products, and materials used. Using at the same consumable food example from above, these manufacturers may have small distribution centers with conveyor systems to help maneuver the product through the building. Employees face exposures to unguarded machine parts, functions, or processes that may cause them harm. Depending on the age and maintenance of the system, the conveyor rollers may produce noise, which can be an additional exposure. Any unexpected startup or release of stored energy during maintenance on the conveyor system is another exposure that can result in injury or death.
Q: What services should manufacturers look for to address their loss exposures?
A: It is important to have a risk control consultant do a risk control assessment of their business. The assessment will: 1) help to identify gaps in the company’s risk management program by identifying the exposures unique to their product(s), and 2) check that the controls for those exposures are adequate. Based on the safety gaps uncovered, the consultant can recommend loss control services to help the business improve its safety program. This information can then be used to develop a service plan with risk mitigation techniques that better protect their employees from harm.
For more information or to be connected to our dedicated Manufacturing experts and extensive Risk Management team, contact our Business Development Specialist here at Murray, an AssuredPartners company, or call (717) 397-9600.
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