Great West Casualty Company Blog

Why is on-time reporting of physical damage claims important? On-time reporting of physical damage claims allows Great West Casualty Company to begin the investigative process while all of the details are still fresh in the minds of those involved. Prompt claim reporting is important for several reasons, including downtime and claim severity. If the Property Damage Cargo (PDC) Adjuster can respond in the first 24 hours, he or she can take steps immediately to minimize the insured's downtime, assist with towing, control costs, and get the equipment back on the road more quickly.

One of the most frustrating cargo claims for any motor carrier is the rejection of an entire shipment of product because the trailer arrived without the seal or with a broken seal. Most of the time, the cargo itself is in pristine condition—still in its packaging, shrink-wrapped, and palletized. Furthermore, the trailer is loaded in such a way that no one is able to reach beyond the rear pallets. Many times, the cargo is not even touched. Still, the shipper or consignee insists that the entire load must be rejected or destroyed. They may allege a chain of custody issue, a safety issue, or their own internal policy. With the Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food (STHAF) regulations drafted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), claimants may now allege it is a “food safety violation under the new regulations,” or say “we cannot accept it under the new food transportation regulations.”

Specific areas of concern for most drivers can be logging the day, on duty/off duty status, roadside inspections, what will the driver need, and what to do in case of an audit. See below for some more information on all of these concerns. This is meant to be a summary of information contained in the rule. Be sure to review the rule and seek any legal advice from counsel. This material contains suggestions, and companies should find an approach that fits their unique operations best.

On Monday, August 21, virtually everyone in North America will be able to experience a solar eclipse as the moon passes between the Earth and the sun. Excitement for this event has been building for months, as the last time most Americans experienced a full solar eclipse was 1979.

After the planning and training are done, you will want to move into the actual execution or implementation phase of managing the change. To ease the actual implementation, you will roll out the use of the electronic logging devices (ELDs) in phases. The main reason for this is to beta test the devices, the data usage, and policies and procedures using a control group. Include your driver champions in the beta-testing phase. They can then serve as mentors during the full roll-out. During the beta testing phase, you will want to spend time reviewing your processes for sorting and using data. This is meant to be a summary of information contained in the rule. Be sure to review the rule and seek any legal advice from counsel. This material contains suggestions, and companies should find an approach that fits their unique operations best.

Slips and falls are the leading cause of workplace injuries. These incidents often result in traumatic head, neck, back, and other serious injuries which affect you, your family, coworkers, and employer. In addition to pain and the possibility of temporary or permanent disability, a slip and fall injury could cost you in lost wages, out-of-pocket medical expenses, and your ability to enjoy the people and activities you love. The key to preventing slips and falls is to be able to recognize hazards and take defensive measures to protect you from injury.

As part of managing the change, you will need to implement an extensive training program for drivers, supervisors, and support staff. Train your driver champions early so you will be able to engage them in mentoring other drivers. This is meant to be a summary of information contained in the rule. Be sure to review the rule and seek any legal advice from counsel. This material contains suggestions, and companies should find an approach that fits their unique operations best. Driver training during this phase will need to include: 

Walking-working surfaces pertains to floors, ladders, stairways, runways, dock boards, roofs, scaffolds, and elevated work surfaces and walkways. According to OSHA, "To protect workers from hazards associated with those surfaces, particularly hazards related to falls from elevations, the final rule updates and revises the general industry Walking-Working Surfaces standards (29 CFR part 1910, sub-part D)." The final rule provides employers with greater flexibility in choosing a fall protection system, including guardrails and safety net systems, and addresses other areas such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the requirements for training employees on fall hazards and fall protection systems. 

Switching from a paper logging system to an electronic logging system is not as simple as “plug in the device and let the data flow.” While electronic logging devices (ELDs) are nothing more than “very accurate logs,” the switch to an electronic logging system will impact all departments and all phases of your operation. It must be handled as a significant change, using a change management process approach. Using a change management process will allow you to maintain stability and continuity while reaching your end-state goal. In this case, the goal is the company operating effectively using an electronic logging system. With the Final Rule requiring that most drivers switch to electronic logs by December 18, 2017, carriers need to determine their end-state goal and start moving toward it sooner rather than later. There are many different change management models to work from. We are going to use one of the basic models - Prepare, Manage, Reinforce - and discuss the thoughts and actions that need to go into each step of the process. This is meant to be a summary of information contained in the rule. Be sure to review the rule and seek any legal advice from counsel. This material contains suggestions, and companies should find an approach that fits their unique operations best.

Managing the risks associated with trucking operations can be a daunting task. From choosing the right insurer to navigating contract pitfalls, there are countless ways a motor carrier can experience losses. To keep the wheels turning in today’s environment, leaders who are willing to look at operational exposures from every angle and select the most effective risk management technique are better positioned to avoid, or at least mitigate, future losses.