MA Insurance: Pool Safety

Courtesy of sxc.hu

As a swimmer and a lifeguard, I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time in and around pools. While a great source of summer fun, deep water fun demands the respect of those who participate. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are 7.4 million swimming pools and 5 million hot tubs used for recreation in America. Unfortunately, there are generally over 3,400 related drownings  each year, with 20% of the victims under 14 years of age. Here are some steps you can take to keep your family safe around pools.

ABC Pool Safety is a great resource for simple steps you can take to avoid pool accidents. Here’s what they say, in a nutshell:

Pool accidents can be prevented with three steps:

1. A – Adult supervision:
   • Adult supervision is the single most important aspect of safe pool use. Make sure there is a supervising adult at ALL TIMES. This means removing kids from a pool in the event of a telephone call or use of the restroom. Furthermore, in a large party or group, always have one adult designated to watching kids in the pool. Drowning often happens without sound or commotion, and if no adult is actively watching, it can go unnoticed.
2. B – Barriers:
   • Barriers that keep children away from the pool when not in use are essential (especially for small children). There are a variety of affordable products available for this function. Make sure that any furniture or structures that children could use to climb over the barriers are kept INSIDE the fence.
3. C – Classes:
• This step refers to CPR classes for parents should a crisis arise, and swimming lessons for children so that they are comfortable and able to swim in the pool. Never assume that floaties or inflatable toys are adequate substitutes for life-vests or similar safety devices. 

 For the full article, click here.

Further more, the Insurance Information Institute recommends the following:

1. Contacting town or municipality officials- every town or area has a specific set of guidelines as to what constitutes a ‘pool’ or ‘spa’. Contact the appropriate officials to make sure that your pool or spa meets the safety guidelines. If an accident does occur, this will help when dealing with your insurance provider.
2. Alert your insurance agent- If you purchase a pool, give your insurance agent a call. Pools increase your liability risk, and most providers have minimum standards of coverage required for pools and water recreation. Make sure everything is copacetic isurance-wise before taking the plunge.
3. Keep small children away from filters or pool cleaners; the suction from these devices are much more dangerous to small children than to an adult.
4. Never keep electronic devices such as radios near pools or on pool surfaces. DON’T BE THESE GUYS!
5. Limit alcohol use/consumption aroud pools. According to the CDC, a large portion of adolescent and adult poolside accidents occur as a result of alcohol.

Be safe, and have fun! Look to Gordon Insurance for your MA insurance needs and please use us as an informational resource; our business is your safety and peace of mind.

Corbin Foucart
Andrew G. Gordon, Inc.

MA Insurance: Grilling Safety

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 Summer for most Americans means “busting out the grill” and hosting some barbeques in the warm weather, whether it be with friends, family, or both. According to the Insurance Information Institute, Americans enjoy more than three billion barbeques each year. By my calculations that’s enough chicken and steak to reach around the circumference of the Earth four times! (I just made that up, but still, there’s a lot of grilling going on). As you prepare a succulent host of BBQ food this year, remember to keep grilling safety in mind!

Some things to remember:

1. Wear a protective fire-resistant apron or similar garb, and mitts that reach up to your forearms to avoid burns.
2. Keep you grill’s gas cylinder AWAY from your house or flammable structures.
3. Check for leaks often by sprinkling soapy water around the gas valve; if there’s a leak, bubbles will form. Never check for a gas leak by using a match. This can happen.
4. Make sure the gas is off whenever the grill is not in use.
5. If using a charcoal grill, only use lighter fluid specified for charcoal grills. NEVER USE GASOLINE. Also never add more lighter fluid once a fire has already started; if needed, add small sticks or other tinder to augment the flame.
6. When finished, douse coals with water before disposing of them in the trash.
7. Our specialized outdoor flame/fire consultant advises you to take extra caution when grilling in the woods. Only you can prevent forest fires.
8. Check grill hoses for cracks or leaks; make sure the hose doesn’t kink.
9. Keep additional open flames away from the grill.
10. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
11. Never attempt to repair a grill yourself.
12. Remember that grills can remain hot long after the fire is out.
13. Be safe and have fun!

 

Corbin Foucart
Andrew G Gordon, Inc.
Insurance & Risk Management

Motorcycle Safety

Image via Wikipedia

With the warmer weather of spring, expect to see more motorcyclists on the road. March 22nd – April 30th was proclaimed Motorcycle Safety Awareness Period by Governor Patrick.  It has been a long winter and riders are eager to get out and enjoy their bikes so please be sure to keep an eye out for them when driving.  Here are some tips for sharing the road with our fellow drivers of the two-wheeled variety:

1. Because of their small size relative to cars, motorcycles look much farther away than they actually are. When at an intersection or when being passed by a motorcycle, assume that the motorcycle is closer than it looks.
2. Also because of their size, motorcycles can be completely hidden in blind spots. Check both blind spots thoroughly when switching lanes. Motorcycles can also be obscured by other moving objects, especially SUVs.
3. Motorcycles commonly slow down by downshifting rather than using the break. Therefore a motorcycle may slow down without its break lights coming on. Allow extra following space when behind a motorcycles to account for this.
4. Unlike cars, motorcycles do not have self-cancelling turn signals; sometimes a rider’s signal will remain on even when they are not making a turn. Keep this in mind and be patient (especially with young, less experienced riders)
5. Although protrayed differently in action movies, motorcycles can not stop “on a dime”. In fact, in poor weather conditions, motorcycles generally take longer to stop than cars, as it is easy to lose control with only two wheels. Never tailgate a motorcycle, even on town roads.
6. Before you use your car’s spray-clean feature to clean your windshield on the road, check to see if there is a motorcyclist behind you. They will not appreciate suddenly entering a rainstorm of dirty windshield fluid that will form behind your car.
7. Never, ever, ever share a lane with a motorcycle.

Here’s a driver’s ed video with tips on sharing the road:

Spring Risks & Safety Tips

Picture from http://www.bambooandtikis.com

With spring right around the corner and outdoor activities on the rise, it is important that homeowners be aware of the potential for backyard accidents to occur.  Keeping in mind the millions of people that are injured annually in household mishaps, below is a list of recommendations pertaining to equipment utilized daily by all of us. Keep these tips in mind when enjoying the warmer weather:

1. Ladders:  Whether cleaning the gutters or doing some painting touch-ups, make sure the ladder base is not too close to the supporting object; the ladder’s stability will be compromised.  Most ladder injuries occur from overreaching or standing on a rung that’s too high, so if it’s out of reach, reposition the ladder and try again. 
2. Grills: Although it seems unlikely that anything unpleasant could come from a device that gives us hot dogs, remember that a grill is a fire hazard that should be kept at least 3 feet from the house. Smokey the Bear, a fire and woodland damage consultant for A. G. Gordon, would also suggest that you NEVER leave your grill unattended. 
3. Lawn Mowers:  Before you begin the time-honored battle of nature vs. machine known to most as “mowing the lawn”, take a walk around your yard and clear any debris. Lawn ornaments deep in the recesses of unkempt grass are a lot less cute when they are ejected from a lawnmower at dangerous speeds. Some other good practices include: shutting the lawnmower off when reaching down anywhere near the ground and keeping children away while mowing.
4. Playground Sets:  Monitor children at all times.  Make sure equipment is not too high for their ages.  The rule of thumb: no higher than 6 feet for ages under 5, 8 feet for school age children.
5.  Trampolines:  Do not let the trampoline become overcrowded. Trampolines have weight limits, and any activity where one has to avoid the flying bodies of others is generally a hazardous environment for kids. Somersaults and tricks should be discouraged, especially with other children on the trampoline. 

1. Pools:  If you have a gate, make sure it’s locked when the pool isn’t in use.  NEVER let young kids go in the pool unattended. 
2. Pets (not equipment, but still important):  Watch out for dangers from the pesticides and fertilizers used in yards and gardens as well as being poisoned by eating certain plants, such as oleander, azaleas, and lilies.

 

Enjoy the great weather and be safe!

Donna B.

G. Gordon, Inc.
Insurance & Risk Management

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