Mother Nature can wreak havoc on your commercial property. Heavy rain and high winds can severely damage or destroy your roof, gutters, roof-mounted equipment, exterior signage and other objects kept outside like display racks or trash cans. Being proactive with your summer emergency preparedness is a key to helping to avoid, or at the very least, reduce the amount of loss suffered to your commercial property during severe weather. 

Have you ever wondered if your building or small business “is up to code”? What does this mean?

Standards and codes are used by many U.S. communities, as well as many global markets, for safety and to help reduce property losses. These include International Code Council (ICC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), local, county, state, insurance underwriting guidelines, and/or other codes that may be applicable in different jurisdictions.

With summer approaching, the start of hurricane season (June 1-Nov. 30) looms ahead. Before a named hurricane approaches your operating area, we encourage our agents and policyholders to take a few moments to create a plan that will help your clients and businesses prepare for and cope with extreme weather conditions. AmTrust and our loss control team supports the efforts of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) in helping to protect businesses and employees before, during and after a hurricane.

May 7-11 marks the fifth annual National Safety Stand-Down. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), with support from the National Safety Council, developed this weeklong event to help raise awareness of fall hazards nationwide in an effort to stop fatalities and injuries on the jobsite. Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction employees, accounting for 370 of the 991 construction fatalities recorded in 2016 according to the Bureau of Labor statistics.

According to the American Ladder Institute, over 300 people die each year in ladder-related accidents, while thousands of others suffer disabling injuries. Whether you are working at a job site or simply taking care of your to-do list at home, keeping safety at the forefront of your mind can help avoid a serious injury or even death.

Company holiday parties are a great opportunity to show your employees your appreciation, but they also come with inherent risks.

Here are six simple ways to reduce your company's risk of liability this holiday season, brought to you by the AmTrust Financial Loss Control team.