Owning a winery can present a variety of often overlooked risks that present serious threats to the business if they remain unaddressed. By purchasing proper coverage and implementing good risk management programs, wineries can successfully reduce their exposures. What’s Right for You? When identifying the risks your winery faces, it is important to consider everything your winery does—your exposures are not limited to the harvest. Every step of the wine producing process presents unique risks. Producing wine is a delicate and intricate process, and thus it includes distinct threats to your business, including both property and liability exposures. Crop Risks Vineyards face a multitude of risks. Issues could arise from weather, vine infections, insects, fire, flood or many other events, leading to lost income or other financial problems. Proper risk transfer can protect your business from loss of income. Spraying pesticides on adjacent areas or hosting events during corking and bottling can ... [...]

---

Every facet of your organization impacts your cost of risk. Regardless of the type of business you run, many find it difficult to quantify their true cost of risk because it includes both pure and speculative risk. The impact negative publicity would have on your revenue is much harder to calculate than insurance premiums or lost productivity due to equipment downtime. But both qualitative and quantitative analysis is important, your total cost of risk is synonymous with price-the price of your risk management program. Robertson Insurance & Risk Management takes a total cost of risk approach by tailoring your risk management program to look to the end game-your price. To reach that goal, we help you: Analyze your exposures Implement control measures to those exposures Determine risk transfer or financing options Manage current and future exposures Identification of Exposures As part of our risk management interview process, we look to confirm that your risk management approach ... [...]

---

When workplace health and safety incidents happen, it’s important to respond appropriately—that’s where incident investigations can help. Conducting an investigation allows employers to identify potential health and safety failings that led to the incident and make necessary workplace adjustments to help prevent future incidents. Review this guidance for more information on what workplace health and safety incidents are, the incident investigation process and the importance of having an effective investigation policy. Defining Workplace Health and Safety Incidents Put simply, workplace health and safety incidents are defined by either of the following two scenarios: A workplace condition or event resulted in an illness, injury, fatality or property damage to an employee or member of the public. A workplace condition or event resulted in a “near miss”—which means that no illness, injury, fatality or property damage took place, but likely could have. Regard ... [...]

---

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused organizations across industry lines to reassess workplace protocols and procedures—and the agricultural sector is no exception. After all, common industry practices such as having staff work in close proximity in the fields or frequently share farm tools could easily contribute to the spread of COVID-19 without proper precautions in place. With this in mind, consider the following guidance to help maintain a healthy and safe work environment as you conduct agricultural operations in the midst of the pandemic. Keep in mind that this is general guidance based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)—depending on the location of your organization, you may need to account for additional state and local requirements or restrictions. Employee Wellness Considerations To reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 throughout your workforce, consider screening your staff for potentia ... [...]

---

Human trafficking is one of the fastest-growing criminal enterprises in the world and is estimated to be a $150 billion-a-year industry. This activity is common in the hospitality industry, largely due to the privacy hotels and motels offer criminal third parties. In fact, criminals can operate discreetly in these businesses, as they provide traffickers with easy access to buyers, allow them to maintain financial secrecy and don’t require them to secure a location of their own to conduct criminal activity.  Human trafficking is commonly referred to as a hidden crime, as language barriers, fear of their traffickers or fear of law enforcement prevent victims from seeking help. In the hospitality industry, hotel and motel staff are often some of the only people who interact with victims outside of the traffickers themselves. As such, it’s critical for your employees to be aware of human trafficking, what to look for and how to report suspicious activity. Some states even have specific traini ... [...]

---

As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the United States, there has been a massive upheaval of the American workplace. Employers have found themselves drafting and implementing policies and procedures addressing a wide array of issues including remote work, layoffs, furloughs, pay cuts, workplace conditions and many more. Not surprisingly, the uncertainty wrought by COVID-19 has left employers at an increased risk of exposure to employment-related claims alleging wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation and many others. This Risk Insights piece will serve as a guide to the most common potential causes of action related to COVID-19 that may lead to employment-related litigation. As is the case with all inherently legal issues, employers are strongly recommended to seek the guidance of legal counsel when faced with any of the claims discussed herein. Workplace Health and Safety There have already been a multitude of safety violation claims filed under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OS ... [...]

---

Spray finishing refers to operations where organic or inorganic materials are utilized in a dispersed form to coat, treat or clean surfaces. This is a broad definition and can include activities involving the use of flammable liquids (e.g., paint) in a spray booth or spray area, electrostatic coating and similar operations. Spray finishing is a very detailed activity and an effective way to create a high-quality finish. However, because these operations involve the use of flammable and hazardous liquids, it can create a number of safety hazards that threaten a business’s property and employees. This Risk Insights provides an overview of spray finishing exposures and ways organizations can control workplace hazards. The Hazards When it comes to spray finishing, there are two main hazards to consider: Fire and explosion—If sprayed chemicals meet an ignition source, they can ignite and spread very quickly, even causing an explosion. Utilizing a spray booth is critical, as it contains the ... [...]

---

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many restaurants and food service businesses to shift to survival strategies like carryout or delivery service. Some even had to close their doors for an extended period. As the COVID-19 threat shifts, several states have officially begun implementing reopening measures. However, as restaurants prepare to open their dining rooms, there are numerous factors to consider in order to preserve the health and safety of both employees and guests. As you plan to reopen your restaurant, it’s important to update your existing policies and procedures. Review the following guidance to help keep your employees and guests safe as you resume normal operations and ensure a successful reopening. Keep in mind that this guidance is general in nature. Depending on the location of your business, you may need to account for additional state and local requirements or restrictions. Employee Health and Safety It’s important to check that employees are healthy as they report to work an ... [...]

---

In any organization, it’s everyone’s responsibility to help detect workplace hazards and prevent accidents. That’s why it’s crucial for your staff to be actively involved in workplace health and safety initiatives, such as a stop-work authority (SWA) program. These programs encourage employees to keep an eye out for potential workplace safety hazards, thus helping identify risks before they result in costly and tragic incidents. Review the following guidance for a further understanding of what SWA programs are, how they operate and the benefits of implementing this type of program within your workplace. SWA Programs Defined At a glance, SWA programs provide employees with both the responsibility and obligation to stop working if they recognize a perceived unsafe behavior or condition in the workplace. From there, employees must halt work processes until the problem has been corrected. Although these programs are not required by OSHA, they are strongly encouraged as a way to get e ... [...]

---

The coronavirus pandemic has upended nearly every industry and has every employer wondering, “When will it be safe to bring employees back to work?” Government guidance can shift rapidly, sometimes within the same week. Shelter-in-place orders have been extended by some officials, with others questioning why restrictions are still in place. With all this uncertainty, many employers are wondering how they can protect their employees once they’re allowed to return to work. Even if the government gives the OK to return, that doesn’t ensure the coronavirus won’t continue to spread. This is causing many employers to consider taking employee temperatures as a precaution upon returning to work. This article features guidance primarily from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to help employers navigate potential concerns related to taking employee temperatures. When may an ADA-covered employer take the body temperature of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic? Gene ... [...]

---