LOSS CONTROL
GUIDELINES
for
YOUR CHURCH
Table of Contents
Introduction ...... 3
Maintain a Healthy and Safe Work Environment ...... 4
Safe Work Conditions ...... 4
Healthy Work Environment ...... 5
Property Maintenance ...... 6
Plan for Emergencies ...... 7
After a Disaster ...... 78
Safe Travel ...... 9
Driving ...... 9
Traveling with Youth ...... 9
Introduction
Interruptions to our daily lives occur. Accidents and incidents happen regardless of the preparation taken to avoid them. Even when a religious institution has a comprehensive insurance program in place, an accident, injury, lawsuit, or criminal act can cause a serious financial loss. Church facilities provide places for congregations to gather, but they also present loss-control hazards if the facilities are not maintained and there is no one responsible for doing so. A loss control program can reduce minor and serious accidents and claims.
Loss control is a conscious effort to reduce claims and the management of costs during and after the claim. The church should appoint a qualified staff member, “team leader”,to develop action plans for hazard inspections, concerns of safety, and the monitoring of progress. A safety committee can be appointed and allow members of your congregation and community to get involved.
By establishing loss-control goals and objectives, your church can develop a policy which the congregation and staff can follow. This policy should reflect your churches attitude on safety and the importance of loss prevention. This policy should include preventative maintenance, hazard protection, and security. Staff and volunteers need to attend training sessions and be responsible during emergencies. These policies and results need to be reviewed and updated annually.
The key aspect of a safety committee is to be responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy environment for your religious community. Committee members will be assigned formal roles and responsibilities by the team leader of the committee. This person should be a qualified and experienced church member or staff person. Quarterly meetings should be held for updates on improvements made to the premises or other safety issues.
Duties of the team leader and the safety committee will vary, depending on your church’s size and your exposure. It is the duty of the team leader to be sure that your church will be complying with state laws, federal laws, and local regulations. Written reports should be presented, followed up, and evaluated regularly.
Maintain a Healthy and Safe Work Environment by Implementing and Managing a Loss Control Program
State and Federal law may require that churches have a loss control/safety program. The requirements may include a manual, training, and a designated leader. Check with your state OSHA requirements for guidance.
The following are general areas that should be addressed:
Assign team leader and committee
Provide healthy and safe work conditions
Report unsafe, hazardous, or unhealthy work conditions to team leader
Investigate any reports from volunteers or staff
Maintain records of all reports and follow up
Provide training to staff or volunteers
Know and train staff and volunteers procedures for emergencies
Provide routine safety inspections
Investigate and follow up on any accidents, incidents, or illnesses
Provide Safe Work Conditions
Recognize safety hazards and provide procedures and work practices to control the exposures. Develop a maintenance policy of all property.
Are exits blocked?
Is debris picked up and cleaned up daily?
Electrical outlets overloaded?
Are combustible/flammable materials kept clear of appliances?
Office machines and kitchen small appliances unplugged at day end?
Lawnmowers or other equipment maintained and serviced quarterly?
Are gutters cleaned quarterly?
Are roofs inspected?
Are plumbing, sinks, toilets maintained?
Is there proper exterior and interior lighting?
Are rugs secured to the floor?
Is non-slip wax used for floors?
Are there slip-prevention strips used on stairs?
Is electrical wiring, furnaces, stoves inspected quarterly?
Is ice removed quickly during the winter months?
Are candles used carefully and protected from children?
Are there handrails in stairwells and exterior stairs?
Are the handrails securely fastened?
Are burnt out light bulbs replaced immediately?
Provide a Healthy Work Environment
Recognize health hazards and be responsible for providing a healthy environment for your religious community. Realize a moral obligation to care for employees and volunteers.
Are kitchen appliances and areas kept clean?
Are there any hazardous substances or conditions that need attention?
Do you encourage complaints/concerns from employees and volunteers?
Provide protective equipment if necessary?
Do you know what to do in the event of a medical emergency?
Are emergency numbers posted for all to see?
Investigate accidents and take corrective action?
Investigate occupational injuries or illnesses?
Report accidents within 24 hours?
Maintain a log of complaints including who, what, where, when and why?
Send employees or volunteers home if they have contagious illness?
Send employees or volunteers home if they cannot perform assigned duties
because of an injury or illness?
Do you provide training in operating equipment?
Is there a first aid kit available for minor cuts or scrapes?
Property Maintenance
Buildings and equipment must be properly maintained. Develop a program that mandatesquarterly or twice yearly inspections to minimize losses.
Water damage Roofs and gutters need to be properly maintained. Check pipes, sinks and toilets for leaks.
Thefts There should be adequate exterior lighting, motion detectors and alarms. Be sure doors are locked and secured when no one is near the building.
Slips and falls Besure ice is removed from walkways as soon as possible in the winter months. Avoid slippery floors and secure rugs properly.
Mend torn linoleum, stair slip-prevention strips, and broken or raised pavement on walkways and stairways. Avoid electrical cords stretching across floors.
Fires Check for faulty wiring. Furnaces and stoves need to be inspected. Be careful in the useage of candles and smoking materials.
The success of any safety/loss control program is the measuring of deficiencies and continuous improvement. Assign a team that will utilize checklists, maintain a binder of inspections and improvements. This will provide a written record of the due diligence by the church in the event of a major loss or lawsuit.
Plan for Emergencies
Severe Weather, Earthquake, Fire, Medical, Kidnap, Bomb Threats, Flood
Develop a directory of pastors and key persons in your church. This directory should include telephone numbers for home and office, cell phone numbers, pager numbers, email addresses, and any other form of communication for each person to be used if telephone lines or electrical lines are not in service. Select someone to be the director, activate a calling tree, and provide leadership and coordination of the disaster and response plan. If you have a governing body, notify them of your emergency plans and persons involved.
Establish an emergency communications center that will act as team headquarters. Also, have a pre-arranged meeting place at least 20 miles from the church that members know to go to in the event of a disaster that has wiped out the immediate area.
After a Disaster
Duties of the Director and/or Appointed Persons
It’s important to remember that any disaster has immediate and long range recovery efforts. No one can manage it alone. There needs to be a team of qualified individuals to be in a position to provide support to others, along with their own team members.
Notify your governing body after the disaster and keep them informed of updates in your progress.
Assess your church’s damage and contact a restoration company to mitigate damages, if necessary.
Cooperate with local emergency response agencies, such as Police Dept., Fire Department, American Red Cross, FEMA, civil and governmental authorities, etc.
Provide spiritual support and comfort to survivors of the disaster by using outside services of other spiritual leaders of the community.
Assess the physical needs of the people in your congregation and community. Notify emergency agencies, such as ambulances, hospitals, etc.
Duties of the Director and/or Appointed Persons Continued….
Pay special attention to “special needs” persons; such as elderly, handicapped, etc.
Keep an updated list of damages to property and persons.
Evaluate situations and create a priority list to provide attention to those in need.
Contact an Interfaith DisasterResponse Network, other denominational response groups, American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, FEMA, etc. to assist you in your efforts for temporary shelter, food, clothing, etc.
Rely on expertise of professionals in the areas of medicine, law, finance, engineering, agriculture, human rights, insurance, etc.
Continue your list of “things to do”. As relief groups arrive, they can assist you in recovery.
Safe Travel
Whenever you travel off-site to attend a function, your increase of injury or property damage increases. Your church should have written policy and procedures for those involved to follow.
Driving
Has the vehicle been properly maintained?
Does the driver have experience driving the particular vehicle?
Is the driver properly licensed for a multi-passenger vehicle?
Does the driver have current automobile insurance if it is not a church-owned vehicle?
Does the driver insist on the use of seatbelts for all passengers?
Has the driver been instructed in the handling and reporting of an accident?
Do you obtain proof of current license and appropriate insurance coverage?
Do you verify that the driver has a clean driving record?
If you obtain the driving record, do you have the driver’s written permission?
Traveling with Youth
The church needs to protect children during all times. This includes the picking up, the travel to the event, attendance at the event, and the returning of the child to the parents or guardians.
Permission slips should be obtained, signed by the parent or guardian, authorizing the youth to go on the trip. This slip should also include emergency contacts, health insurance information, and diet or allergy information. The authorization for a trip leader to seek medical attention for the youth in the event of an emergency should also be included.
If an overnight or extended stay is involved, be responsible for adequately supervising those attending. There needs to be a zero tolerance statement for sexual exploitation or abuse that all attendees read. This statement should include the wording that any staff or volunteer found committing sexual abuse will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. There should be at least two staff members present at all times when youth are involved. Consult legal counsel to assist in the preparation of this policy and procedure.
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