How To Reduce Your Offsite Business Liability Risk

Savvy business owners know to follow safety precautions and best practices for the workplace. But whenever you or an employee leave your premises to conduct business off-site, the liability risk doesn’t end there. Do you have the right off-site safety measures in place?

We’ve compiled this list of off-site safety measures to help you identify and prevent some of the more common off-site business risks:

Transportation safety

  • Obey speed limits and other traffic laws

  • Hire licensed drivers with no major traffic citations on their records

  • Ensure vehicles and drivers have appropriate levels of liability insurance

  • Maintain vehicles in good, safe condition

  • Establish a safe driver program

Material handling safety

  • Educate employees on proper loading and unloading techniques

  • Ensure that loads are secured inside and outside the vehicle

  • Prevent vehicles from being overloaded; this reduces not only the risk of accidents, but also vehicle wear

  • When loading/unloading equipment or materials, barricade the area in case a load falls

  • Keep materials neatly stacked and out of the way

Hazardous substances safety

  • Train workers in the safe handling, disposal and cleanup of chemicals – including paints, sealants and adhesives

  • Ensure adequate ventilation when using chemicals or flammable materials

  • Warn all non-employees about hazardous materials and ask them to leave the area

  • Have a fire extinguisher close to welding equipment and flammable materials

Tool and equipment safety

  • Keep your equipment in a lockbox at work sites when not in use

  • Ensure that all equipment is kept out of walkways

  • Secure and protect all tools and equipment during transit

  • Keep electrical tools in good working order with GFI-grounded plugs and non-frayed cords

  • Ensure all ladders are sturdy and level, with sidewalls that extend 36 inches above the top of the landing

Employee safety

  • Ensure that employees wear appropriate personal protection equipment such as hard hats, heavy boots or coveralls as necessary

  • Train employees in correct lifting techniques to avoid back injuries and dropping of loads

  • Require employees use proper safety protection such as goggles, gloves and shields when welding or using a blowtorch

  • Insist employees carry a fully charged pager or mobile phone off-site

  • Equip all company-owned vehicles with first aid kits

Liability Insurance, Business Auto Insurance, Workers CompensationDan Zeiler