Our safety tips for fall businesses ensure that your clients’ seasonal work will be memorable for all of the right reasons! When you can meet the needs of seasonal companies, you can write more business and stay competitive.
If your clients are operating a fall business, have them check out these tips and be sure to talk to them about working with Prime Insurance Company. We believe that fall businesses should: clean up leaves, take care with heating and lighting, consider liability waivers, hire and train effectively, avoid overcrowding, and obtain insurance. We are dedicated to our part, which is to keep you, your client, their patrons, and their business safe with our insurance services.
Examples of Fall Businesses
It may be easier to think of summer and winter companies when envisioning seasonal businesses. However, many companies focus on the autumn season. Fall is a time of harvest, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and other cultural celebrations.
Seasonal companies capitalize on this by offering hayrides, mazes, pick your own harvests, pony rides, petting zoos, and other agricultural entertainment. Fall fairs, festivals, and carnivals are a tradition of the season. And even food vendors, face painters, and entertainers need to think about safety. Holiday-oriented companies may focus on pumpkin patches, haunted houses, Christmas tree sales (because winter starts in late December!), or even special events, and fireworks.
Our 6 Safety Tips for Fall Businesses
1. Clean Up the Setting
A lot of fall businesses operate outdoors, taking advantage of the beautiful scenery of autumn. Those falling leaves are certainly eye-catching, but they can also introduce risk. Leaf piles obscure tripping hazards, holes, and other potential areas for injury. Seasonal operators should clean up the setting, focusing on safety over aesthetics.
2. Take Safety Precautions with Heating Equipment and Lighting
In many locations, fall weather is chilly. Fireplaces, heaters, bonfires, and other equipment may be used by seasonal companies to take the cold out of the air. However the heating happens, it needs to be done safely, following instructions, and with extinguishing methods readily available.9
The same goes for candles, lanterns, and other mood lighting. Whether it’s spooky flickering candles in a haunted house or a lantern display at a fall feast, companies should consider alternative methods like LED lighting. Avoid combustible decorations.
3. Consider Liability Waivers
While a liability waiver is not always bulletproof, it is a good start in protecting seasonal businesses. Before a customer is lost in a maze or frightened in a haunted house, a liability waiver should outline the risks.
Having rules and policies posted in numerous places around the site can be helpful to remind patrons of their expected behavior. If someone is acting in a dangerous or needlessly risky way, it is up to business operators and their staff to take action to avoid harm.
4. Hire and Train Employees Proactively
As with any seasonal business, fall companies are often staffed by short-term job seekers. If hiring is done in a rush, with not much time to spare, vetting and training fall by the wayside. It’s important to start the hiring process well in advance of the season’s start, to ensure background checks and proper onboarding is complete.
Training is key, especially when it comes to safety and working with the public. Again, companies should ensure there is enough time to train new employees and bring returning workers back up to speed. It is often a good idea to put experienced workers in key roles, alongside new hires.
5. Avoid Overcrowding
Fall businesses offer fun ways to celebrate a favorite season. They are often busy with customers. Operators need to ensure overcrowding does not become a problem. Carefully monitoring capacity is crucial.
Overcrowding is also avoided through advance planning of the space itself. No matter the type of business, it is important to ensure there are emergency exits, clear paths, and no clutter to cause problems. A single loose cord along a walkway is a trip and fall lawsuit waiting to happen.
6. Secure Proper Insurance
Seasonal businesses might be tempted to skimp on insurance, especially if only operating for a short period. This, of course, is a terrible idea! Accidents, incidents, and lawsuits do not abide by a calendar.
Contact Us
Our biggest safety tip is to ensure each company has the insurance coverage needed to manage risk and protect against costly lawsuits. Our insurance coverage is easy to access with our online application. Insurance agents should call Prime Insurance Company at 800-257-5590 or email at info@primeis.com for more information. Find us on social media, through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram or read our blog for more!
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Authored by Rick J. Lindsey, CEO, President, and Chairman of Prime Insurance Company
Rick J. Lindsey hails from Salt Lake City, Utah. He began working in the mailroom of his father’s Salt Lake City insurance firm, getting his introduction to the business that became his lifelong career. Lindsey quickly rose through the ranks while working in nearly every imaginable insurance industry job. As an entrepreneur, specialty lines underwriter, claims specialist, risk manager, and a licensed surplus lines broker, Rick Lindsey is highly skilled in all levels of leadership and execution. As he progressed on his career path, Rick discovered an urgent need for insurers willing to write policies for high-risk individuals and businesses. He was frequently frustrated that he could not provide the liability protection these entities desperately needed to safeguard their assets. He also formed the belief that insurance companies acted too quickly to settle frivolous claims. Lindsey decided to try a different approach. He started an insurance company and became the newly formed entity’s CEO. This opportunity has enabled Rick to fill a void in the market and provide a valuable service to businesses, individuals, and insurance agents who write high-risk business. Prime Insurance also specializes in helping individuals and businesses who live a lifestyle or participate in activities that make them difficult for traditional carriers to insure. If you’ve been denied, non-renewed, or canceled coverage, don’t give up quite yet. Chances are Prime Insurance can help.
