Woodworkers, you're next ...

... get your product liability policy now, before the lawyer's get you:

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Reply to
Swingman
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"Swingman" wrote

As someone who used to work in insurance, I used to read the reports of some of these injuries/deaths. One common problem was wih those big rolling metal tool cabinets. Kids would pull out the drawers and climb them. The heavy toolbox, loaded with tools, would tip over. This often killed the kid. Those things need to be locked or secured to the wall if you have kids around.

As for flimsy furniture, that is a hazard unto itself. I used to make rustic style furniture out of 2 X 12's and 2 X 10's. The comment that people made all the time when they saw it was that it was real sturdy. The implication being that a lot of furniture is flimsy.

Even the bookshelves I made out of one by stock was very strong. I really don't think any quality furniture is going to be flimsy. And as such, is not any where near the safety hazard as the flimsy stuff.

Reply to
Lee Michaels

My uncle makes puzzle parts toys out of 3X's. He sells these at fairs and such. He maintains liability insurance just in case. How some child could be injured by these toys is hard to imagine but if it can happen it will happen. Be safe, just in case.

Reply to
David G. Nagel

"David G. Nagel" wrote

Bingo!

Reply to
Swingman

OK Swing, now your are starting to make me feel old. I read the article.

It states that 80% of the deaths occur to children under the age of ten.

I probably couldn't climb much until two. At the age of five I knew better, thanks to my folks. (I am envisioning a time when we got our first "brand new modern black and white television" which I was not allowed to simply touch.)

So there is a window of uncertainty there... say about 3 years. At age five I was in kindergarten, and certainly not allowed to climb on furniture, pull things over, etc. in school. So that took care of school and home.

Seems others in the test were raised in different conditions.

That being said, I wear myself and my guys out trying to prepare for actionable occurrences. Once my jobs start, I almost feel like I have established an adversarial relationship with my clients.

In 27 years of having my business, I have been threatened with lawsuits many times in the past, and sued twice, only to have the judges refuse to hear the cases based on their lack of merit.

For example: we built a deck for a family, and put all the pressure treated wood scraps (small) into our job cleanup bags. We had them in a secure area, the trash container corral built by the owner. We agreed together that the bags would be "OK" in there. These bags were for next day pickup by me.

Their little wire haired terrier puppy dug out of the yard, under the trash enclosure fence and tore open my cleanup bags as well as their trash bags. He ate a piece of the pressure treated wood along with some other assorted kitchen trash, and was dead in two days.

Yet, even though I had counseled them on the very issue of leaving the PT wood alone and we scrupulously policed the area at the end of each day, (I was actually more afraid of their kids eating or handling the wood chips) they felt like I was responsible. They wanted $10,000 or they would sue. How was this my fault?

He had NO problem finding an attorney to take the case. But in the end, why was the case dropped since it never made it before a judge?

As a contingency case, it was iffy, and besides not enough dough in it. Anyone here that has required the services of a lawyer for the smallest of problems knows that it is a minimum of $5K to the attorney if the court case actually goes to court.

So I told them, "I'm so sorry for your loss, I can understand your pain in this. But do what you need to do. Sue me if you feel like that's the right thing to do."

I am sure what happened was that when their attorney told them that, he knew IF he found judge that would hear it, that he would probably be limited to the $5K commission on his part, and it would be tough sledding at that.

I suspect the attorney dropped the client, not the other way around.

It is indeed litigious times we live in. And as people feel less and less responsible for themselves, their own personal welfare, their own actions and decisions, I can only assume it will get worse.

Robert

Reply to
nailshooter41

For instance, I refuse to put sharp, square corners on island countertops and any other corner that protrudes into the room/kitchen. They're eye-height at a certain age and kids DO run around on nice slippery floors on sock feet. Almost always does the client 'get it'. I have had to walk away from a job just a few times.

Reply to
Robatoy

I guess CR had a slow day and had to find something to write about. According to the CPSC report, 7 deaths were caused in 2006 by furniture...okay stupid people and furniture. Compare that to about

70 people a day in car accidents. I guess that's why my car insurance is a hell of a lot higher than my liability insurance.

Mike O.

Reply to
Mike O.

Surely you don't mean your commercial/company liability insurance for you, your shop and services/products is cheaper for you than your car insurance...

?

Robert

Reply to
nailshooter41

Our liability insurance (required by state law) is about $550 a year. It covers any liability for our company/employees any time we are on the job. It covers damage, personal injury (on anyone except us and employees) and product liability. Employees get covered by workman's comp which is priced dependant on earnings. Since my shop is at home the policy will only cover something manufactured for and sold through the business.

Mike O.

Reply to
Mike O.

Wow... are we getting screwed down here in sunny Texas. Our liability policies are sold by the $100,000 increments, and they are so expensive only the largest of companies have them. If our state required them probably 98% of businesses would be gone based on their current pricing structure.

The last year I had a GL policy for my company (more than 10) I paid about $10,000 for the policy. I was doing significantly more work then, but I had to drop it as they wanted more than that to renew. The GL policies have premiums calculated on the cost of the jobs, and my insurance guy told me that I couldn't get one now even if I wanted to as I don't do enough business in these slow times.

Our workmen's comp is figured like yours.

I wonder if we were all actually >required< to have a GL policy if it would put it in reach like yours. I sure wouldn't mind a few hundred for the piece of mind of knowing you had a little protection if things went badly.

Thanks for the response.

Robert

Reply to
nailshooter41

You might want to check around--some insurance agents really don't have a clue about business insurance and yours may be quoting the wrong kind of policy or going with a high cost insurer.

Reply to
J. Clarke

wrote

Subject dear to my wallet. Occasionally I've had to cough up, after an insurance audit, when one of my subs has let his lapse/expire during the job. Typically, a painter pays around $2500/year, and a trim carpenter around $1800/year, per $100,000 of GL coverage ...the minimum required to set foot on a construction site in our city (West University Place, TX).

DAMHIKT :(

Reply to
Swingman

Insurance companies and lawyers take our money (...again). I need that branding iron that says "Use at Your Own Risk."

Reply to
Phisherman

I'm sure!

At the time I was doing work that required a GL policy, I was listed as a General Contractor/Repair Maintenance Contractor, which is my bailiwick.

Reply to
nailshooter41

wrote

For that, $1,000,000 is the minimum!

Reply to
Swingman

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