by Ron Garza
“Just as energy is the basis of life itself, and ideas the source of innovation, so is innovation the vital spark of all human change, improvement and progress.” Ted Levitt
Attention Fund Members! The TASB Risk Management Fund wants to help you ignite that vital spark and pass the torch of human change, improvement, and risk management progress to all the education entities across the state of Texas. This is our 7th year in recognizing those individuals and organizations that dare light that torch of innovation in the area of risk management. With a deadline quickly approaching and $1000 up for grabs, now is your time to step up to the plate and apply for this award.
The deadline for applications is January 22, 2010. Only faxed and typed or e-mailed applications will be accepted. In addition, previous 2009 winning entries are not eligible for the 2010 award. Read the eligibility and selection criteria before you apply for more details.
If inspiration starts with a vital spark, then check out the 2009 winning entries for a little help to get you on the right track.
It is quick and easy. Up-to-10 winners will be awarded $1,000 each to apply to their risk management efforts. Award winners will be presented with a check and award plaque at the 2010 TASB Risk Management Fund Members’ Conference on April 26, 2010. For more information or questions about the Innovation Award, call Stacy Hobbs at 800.482.7276, extension 7233. Don’t miss your chance to win $1000 and good luck!
by Gary Boydstun
As cold weather approaches, it is time to think about Christmas break and frozen pipes. As a cost saving measure, a number of districts turn down the heat in the buildings not used during the break. While this produces some energy cost savings, it may be more costly in the long run. If a pipe freezes and then breaks, most members of the Fund have anywhere from $1,000 to $100,000 deductibles for coverage on these types of claims not to speak of the hassle and employee labor hours that occur.
Older buildings (circa 1940-1960) usually have plumbing in or near outside block walls. As a result, these buildings require more heat to prevent those pipes from freezing. Such buildings require a temperature of at least 65 degrees, and higher if the weather forecast is predicting a hard freeze.
More recent construction runs plumbing through the slab and interior walls. This type of construction does not require quite as much heat to prevent freezing. Temperatures in this type of building can brave dips as low as 58 to 60 degrees.
Freeze losses are expensive and disruptive to school operations. With some planning, the chances of this happening to your district can be minimized. Things to consider include:
Despite all the best efforts, freeze losses occur. When they do, your reaction can be very important in limiting the damage. Review the checklist below.
With some conscious efforts and forethought, freeze losses can be avoided or at least minimized. If a storm should cause damage, initiate your emergency plan and do your best. We cannot change the weather, but we can be prepared to live with it. Have a safe and happy holiday season.
by Stacy Hobbs
Really, I could have come up with ten, but for simplicity purposes, let’s stick to the five most important reasons.
So, there you have it, five excellent reasons for you to attend the Fund’s annual members’ conference. There are really six reasons if you count the events and networking mentioned in number four, but who’s counting?
Additional details on the conference will go on line in late January 2010, including online registration. You will be able to sign up for the sessions and events you would like to attend. The hotel blocks tend to fill up fast, so make sure you book your room at the same time you register for the conference.
With that said, best holiday wishes and a happy new year to everyone!
by Charles Hueter
Need some money to help pay for a safety improvement to your campus? Is your cafeteria fire-suppression system outdated? Are you concerned about theft and vandalism? If these are the kinds of questions on your mind, I suggest you think about applying for a 2010 Loss Prevention Grant.
The TASB RMF Board approved the funding for this next grant cycle, so now is a good time to think about projects that would reduce your accidents and claims. Maybe the roof on your bus barn needs repairs. Perhaps there’s a safer way to change the light bulbs in your gym. We encourage you to speak with your Loss Prevention Consultant to discuss these ideas.
We pay close attention to the written justification within these applications, so be sure to put the effort in to make it strong. It also helps to include supporting documentation so we get as clear an idea as possible about the equipment, training, or services you wish to purchase.
The online grant application will go live on January 15, 2010. Once you start an application, you may edit it as often as you like until the March 26, 2010 deadline. By May 2010, we will be ready to begin delivering the grant packages to those who were approved.
If you have questions about the Loss Prevention Grant Program, please contact Edwin Thompson, Director of Loss Prevention Services, at 800.482.7276, extension 6227. If you have questions regarding technical aspects of the grant, please call Charles Hueter at 800.482.7276, extension 6305.
Email:
by Ashley Purcella
Slips, trips and falls cause an estimated 10% of injuries nationally and one occurs nearly every three seconds. There are many hazards that lead to slip, trip, and fall injuries both in the workplace and at home. Spilled liquids, loose gravel, icy and oily surfaces, and other types of slick surfaces commonly cause slips. Trips can occur from worn mats, uneven walkways, extension cords, blocking your view while carrying items, and many other unstable disturbances while walking. Falls can occur from any area that a person is standing on; such as a stepladder, a ledge without proper guard- railing, or stairs. Falls may also be the result of a slip or trip. Poor housekeeping is a major cause of slips, trips and falls.
Slips, trips, and falls are the number one reported cause of injury in school districts. Of 1400 reported claims by members, 547 resulted from slips and falls during Fund Year 2008-2009. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) also reports that 15% of worker fatalities resulted from slips, trip, and fall accidents. Falls are the second leading cause of death, second only to vehicle accidents. These accidents result in lost time, increases in workers’ compensation costs, and quality of life issues for some of the injured.
Districts can help prevent slip, trip, and fall accidents by creating awareness of the hazards and implementing a fall prevention program that focuses on awareness of hazards and good housekeeping. In addition, many slip, trip, and fall hazards can be eliminated through simple engineering solutions. An engineering solution to address slick concrete surfaces is to refinish by roughing or scarring the surface creating grooves that create friction or a gripping action while walking. Another example is to add rails along a stairway or walkway where none currently exists and stepping off from that surface may lead to serious fall.
Alerting staff of slip, trip, and fall hazards can help prevent accidents at home as well. The number one rule for preventing accidents is creating awareness of the hazard, and training on steps to prevent the accident. Accidents will inevitably happen, but the key is to help people avoid them whenever possible.
by Ron Garza
As you may already know from the September News & Views issue, the risk management portion of myTASB is scheduled for a long overdue makeover! Our goal is to make the information more easily accessible, more organized, and improve the overall design.
Since the end of September 2009, TASB Risk Management Member Support Services, Online Communications, and the IT department have been working hard at updating the myTASB secured website. The large project will take several months to complete, and expect the project to be finished sometime after the April 2010. Project updates will be available via News & Views throughout the rest of the year, and when we are ready to make the switch to the new design, information will be sent to member contacts via email. Interested in assisting us with testing? Let us know!
If you have a question about the myTASB conversion project, please contact Ron Garza at 800.482.7276, ext. 2275.
by June Kissinger
The Fund’s Board of Trustees met on November 6, 2009 at the TASB offices in Austin, TX. The Fund Chair Kevin Carbo called the meeting to order and asked for approval of the minutes of the July meeting.
The Audit and Finance Committee reported on the following items.
The Claims Committee made the following reports to the Board.
The Member Services Committee reported the following items.
Paul Taylor, division director of RM Legal & Regulatory Affairs conducted the annual review of the Fund board policies and bylaws. Dubravka Romano, associate executive director, Risk Management Services, TASB, presented a report on the final 2008-09 TASB administrative fees. She then gave an overview of the program administrator’s evaluation process and reported on the program review and evaluation process (PREP) for RMS administration and the upcoming PREPs for member support services and loss prevention.
by Charles Hueter
We are pleased to announce a new addition to the Loss Prevention Services staff. Catherine Toohey is the Senior Emergency Management and School Security Consultant for Loss Prevention Services and comes to TASB with the experience and knowledge to help our members grapple with the difficult issues of campus security and emergency management planning.
Catherine earned her Bachelor of Arts in education from the University of Northern Iowa and her M.Ed. in Educational Administration from Texas State University. She spent over two years as a School Safety Specialist with the Texas School Safety Center (TXSSC) at Texas State University and was instrumental in developing the School Safety and Security Audit Toolkit. Before joining the TXSSC, Catherine was a teacher for 10 years and a campus administrator for 8 years in the central Texas area.
I met with Catherine recently to ask her about the new program she’s developing for the Fund.
Emergency management planning can be a daunting subject. Where do you suggest our members begin tackling this issue?
I believe training is critical. Senate Bill 11 (79R) started the ball rolling with the mandate for Emergency Operations Plans (EOP), School Safety and Security Audits, and School Security Design Criteria. Many schools struggled to meet those mandates by the deadlines and, perhaps, put having a plan in front of the planning process itself. With the additional requirements of House Bill 1831, schools must now create a School Safety and Security Committee to oversee their emergency plans and audit action plans. Training the members of this committee is crucial to ensure they have the skills to do their jobs well.
Regarding campus security, what are the biggest challenges facing our members?
Schools are traditionally the heart of the community. They are used as polling places, club meetings, religious services and other community gatherings. However, this “openness” of schools makes them vulnerable to many hazards, including being a soft target for violence and terrorism. The perception that “it won’t happen here” is one of the biggest obstacles schools must overcome. In addition, Texas has added legislation in the area of school safety but has not provided funding to help districts meet those mandates. With current budget constraints, schools need to be creative in finding ways to ensure the safety of their students and staff.
How often would you recommend a school district review their security plans?
According to law, an EOP must be reviewed at least once each year – but may need revision anytime it is activated and an after-action review indicates the needs for changes. The same holds true of campus emergency plans. The plans should be developed and reviewed in concert with local emergency response agencies, including police, fire, EMS, the health department, and any other entity that will be relied on to respond or assist in an emergency. The School Safety and Security Committee should definitely be involved in reviewing the plan.
Were there any recent legislative changes or mandates that would affect our membership?
As mentioned above, HB 1831 made some changes that schools should keep in mind. Key changes are:
To best serve our members, we recently conducted an emergency management and school security needs assessment survey to gather data to influence program development. We hope that in the near future, we will have a program of training and resources available to our members to help fill some of the most critical needs.
If you would like to contact Catherine about campus security, emergency planning, or related subjects you can call her at 800.482.7276, extension 2054.
by Nicki Hess
It seems that we just wrapped up the majority of property and liability renewals with the Fund, even though the property and liability members renew all year long. Soon we will have Thanksgiving, Christmas breaks, and then before you realize it, it is renewal season again.
Here are a few tips to make the renewal process run smoother for you and the Fund’s Underwriting Department.
The renewal process is simple and now can be delivered to you faster only when we receive the information in a timely manner, and with today’s technology, we are all only an email away. For more information or questions, please contact the Fund’s Property and Liability Underwriting Department at 800.482.7276.
With all the holiday excitement, shopping rush, last minute work items and meetings, it is easy to forget to check the mail before you leave and most importantly, during the break! State agencies such as the Texas Workforce Commission and Division of Worker's Compensation can deliver time sensitive notices and forms that require action from your district. If you wait to respond after the holidays, you may be subject to a penalty or waive important rights to contest benefits. State agencies do not have the same work schedules as school districts during the holidays. So make sure someone can take a few minutes each day to check the mail!!!