Safety is always an important piece to consider when selecting the right company for your restoration. But this concern becomes even more crucial in the fall and winter months when environmental elements like wind, rain, snow, and reduced daylight hours can make working conditions more difficult.
Safe restoration practices not only help protect the physical wellbeing of restoration teams, but they also reduce the cost increases and delays associated with work accidents. And while accident reports from national safety organization databases like OSHA or the national roofing contractors association are a good place to start in terms of evaluating whether your restoration company emphasizes safety, such records only paint a part of the safety picture.
To help you get the full picture, let’s look at what you should consider when selecting the right company for your restoration.
Request a copy of their certificate of insurance
The certificate should include insurance coverage for General Liability, Automobile, and Worker’s Compensation. You should also verify the name on the certificate matches that on the proposal and/or quote.
ask about their experience modification rate
A company’s Experience Modification Rate (EMR) is a figure used by insurance companies to gauge the past cost of work-related injuries as a projection of the risk associated with future projects. While EMR is a calculation used by insurance providers, OSHA does recognize EMR as a data point when evaluating a company’s safety record, or when reviewing accident claims or incident reports.
The baseline for EMR is 1.0; values lower than 1.0 represent a better overall history of safety. A company’s EMR is calculated by looking at how many safety incidents or accidents they’ve experienced, and the severity of these incidents.
For the last three decades, Renaissance has consistently had an annual EMR below 1.0 because the safety of our team members and preserving your historic structure are atop our priority list. Each year, we invest a significant amount of time and money in ensuring our restoration tools and infrastructure — scaffolding, harnesses, and personal protective equipment (PPE) — are maintained to current industry standards.
ask if they have a safety director and safety manual
Building and facilitating a trusted safety program that works is a big undertaking. This is particularly true during the winter months when cold, icy conditions only enhance safety risks — especially for copper domes or more ornate roof systems often found in universities, churches, and government buildings.
However, an in-house specialist dedicated to overseeing a safety program — as well as ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations — is invaluable in preventing harmful and costly accidents. Plus, having someone on staff tasked with this kind of responsibility makes it easier to stay informed and educated on developing technologies, tools, and processes to ensure a safe working environment.
This is why Renaissance employs an internal, full-time safety director to help ensure the physical safety of our employees — and to help protect your historic structure from damage as a result of accidents. Our safety director not only helps educate our restoration specialists on the latest resources and methods for accident-free restorations, but our director also works closely with our team to help them recognize and avoid accidents before they can happen.
ask if there is a jobsite nearby you can visit
A reputable company should be more than happy to give you an address so you can drive by and see them in action for yourself. Is the worksite clean? Is there scaffolding or other safety measures in place? These are just a couple things to look for when conducting your own site visit to determine whether a company places restoration safety at the top of their priority list.
Contact us today to learn more about our restoration services, and how we can help you get your project off the ground. You can also view our career opportunities to learn more about joining the Renaissance team.
