Wood products and manufacturing
Premiums doubling, sometimes without a claim.
That's what members told me after talks at the Hardwood Manufacturers Association and the Wood Products Manufacturers Association. In this industry, the underwriter is pricing what could happen in your plant, and most owners never see how that file reads.
Start a conversationThe Employer Success ProgramWhat underwriters look at in a wood plant
- Dust collection, spark detection, hot work and sprinkler impairments, because fire is the loss that closes a plant.
- Machine guarding and lockout, and whether the training is written down.
- Lifting and material handling, which drive most of the comp claims.
- Forklifts and the people allowed to drive them.
- Whether the business could keep its customers through a long shutdown.
Everyone got out
Three weeks before the fire at CCF Industries in Apollo, Pennsylvania, there was no evacuation plan. We put the drills in place, and all 33 people got out. Before the fire, we had also closed more than $3 million in coverage gaps.
What the associations said
The session responded directly to their dilemma of increasing insurance premiums and decreasing coverage. They walked out the door with ideas for manageable solutions to control their rising premiums. I personally was impressed that David spent time prior to the session acquainting himself with members of our Association, making sure his material was indeed focused to their needs. It was spot-on.
We will continue to collaborate with David regarding our members’ concerns with property insurance and Workers’ Compensation costs.
Linda Jovanovich, Executive Vice President, Hardwood Manufacturers Association
It was a pleasure to work with David Leng as one of the primary speakers for our recently held Annual Meeting. In addition to being incredibly knowledgeable about what wood products manufacturers require to properly insure their business and manage their risks, David also understands the industry which is critical to helping companies remain in business should they suffer a major loss.
David was well received and has already helped a number of members.
Philip Bibeau, Executive Director, Wood Products Manufacturers Association
Free resources for wood plants
- Wood Products / Hardwood Manufacturing Facility Inspection Checklist
- Hot Work Program (Word)
- Hot Work Permit Template (Word)
- Welding Safety
- Electrical Fire Safety
- Infrared Thermography
- Equipment training checklist: band saw
- Equipment training checklist: surface planer
- Equipment training checklist: vertical moulder
- Equipment training checklist: hand-fed table saw
Watch: the CCF Industries fire
Where the Employer Success Program comes in
It starts with a Diagnostic and Plan. We read your loss runs, your mod worksheet and your key contracts, and we talk with the people who run the work. You get the pattern behind your claims and a short list of what's worth fixing first.
From there our claims, HR, safety and fleet people work alongside yours, and you get a Score Card at the start and every year after, measured against your own starting point.
Start with a conversation
Tell me what's going on at the plant. I read these myself and reply within two business days.