It’s
no secret that working on an oil rig can be a dangerous job. Accidents
can and will happen, but enhancing your safety efforts can lessen the
risk. Planning routine safety seminars will ensure that your employees
are taught to do their jobs with caution. Let’s look at some the basic
methods for staying safe on the job:
Slips, trips and falls
· Keep work areas clean and clear of debris
· Install guardrails, handrails and non-skid surfaces in particularly slippery areas
· Do not use damaged ladders
· Keep walkways clear of cords and hoses
Hot work and fire hazards
· Test work areas for flammable gases before
beginning (areas include fuel tanks, well heads, tank batteries, mud
tanks, oil treaters, gas separators and confined spaces)
· Stop work if gas detection exceeds 10 percent of the lower explosive level; identify and repair the leak
· Perform hot work in a safe, ventilated location with guards to confine the heat
· Keep fire-extinguishing equipment nearby (portable extinguishers, hose or buckets of water or sand)
General safety
· Always wear appropriate protective gear (boots, gloves, hard hats and eye/face protection)
· Lift objects slowly, using proper lifting technique
· Monitor weather conditions to prepare for potential hazards, such as lightening
· Store cylinders upright, chained to racks (separate full and empty cylinders)
· Wear appropriate respiratory protection when
working in areas with higher concentrations of Hydrogen Sulfide, a
toxic, flammable gas
· Provide education covering the symptoms of exposure to various toxic chemicals/gases and methods of first-aid/treatment
Thorough safety education is the first step to protecting an oil rig and the workers there. Call Shipman Insurance at 866-515-7007 for more information on Texas oil insurance.
By
now, even if you reside in a state without seat belt regulations,
you’re aware that buckling up can save your life. But buckling your seat
belt is not the only way you can proactively act to keep you and your
family safe in your automobile.
1. Properly arm your airbags: If your vehicle contains air bags, ensure
they are accurately armed. If they have been triggered, you’ll need to
get them armed professionally.
2. Utilize your seat belt properly: There is a purpose for seat belts
stretching over our chests and not only our laps. These chest straps
prevent us from hitting the dashboard, the seat in front of us, or
getting a dangerous case of whiplash. Make sure to buckle your seat belt
as it was designed so you can get the maximum level of protection.
3. Plan appropriate and timely vehicle repairs: Transmission problems
can cause your vehicle to act up in the middle of the street; improperly
filled tires can compromise your brake system—there’s no limit to the
prospective accidents that car maintenance problems can cause. Bring
your vehicle to the mechanic on a regular basis so he or she can check
for these problems before they help cause an accident.
4. Exercise airbag safety: Airbags have saved a lot of lives, but they
can also be harmful in some situations. Kids under age twelve should
never sit in the front seat with driver’s side airbags. If they need to,
they should be properly buckled up with the seat far away from the
dashboard, since airbags can actually injure anyone who is 2-3 inches
from the point of inflation. Because the driver’s airbag is in the
steering wheel, he or she can be injured, too. Measure your usual
seating position when you drive and ensure that you are located at least
10 inches away from the center of the steering wheel.
5. Use rear facing car seats: Airbags are not the sole in-car threat to a
child’s safety. Infants less than one year old or who weigh under 20
lbs. should always be buckled into rear-facing child’s seats in the back
seat of the vehicle. Children under 4’ 9” should also use booster seats
when riding in the car. This protects against seat belt injuries in
case of an accident.
6. Adjust all mirrors: It’s simple to get into your car after another
driver has ridden in it and forget to reposition your mirrors. This can
lead to blind spots that let you back into an obstacle or change lanes
without seeing a neighboring driver. Always be sure that your mirrors
are appropriately adjusted and that you look for your mirror’s blind
spots before navigating through traffic.
Exercising these easy car safety precautions will give you peace of mind and might one day even save a life.
For more information about Longview car insurance, give Shipman Insurance Agency a call at 903-297-4456.
Your
personalized quote for homeowners insurance is not seen on any type of
static chart that compares your age, home value and deductible
information to a set price. Homeowners insurance quotes are specifically
created for each customer and are based on the very unique details of
your lifestyle and living area. Here’s a sampling of what several of the
factors involved in your premium pricing consist of:
The age of your home: Older homes are less fortified
against natural disasters than newer homes, and are also more costly to
fix. Newer houses are constructed to new safety standards and with more
durable materials. What does this mean for you? That if you have an
older house, you can expect a more expensive Longview home insurance quote.
The structure of your house: Wood frame houses are
susceptible to fire in a way that concrete block and brick houses are
not. Concrete houses can also stand up to harsher environmental
elements. That makes wood frame homes more costly to insure.
The breed of dog you own: You might assume your dogs
have no effect on the price of your homeowners insurance premium—but
then, you’d be incorrect. Some breeds of dog are known for their
tendency to attack strangers. While your dog might be perfectly trained
and accepting of a tummy rub from anyone on the block, if you have one
of the higher risk breeds then the status of the breed supersedes Rex’s
prior behavior and will result in a higher insurance premium due to
heightened liability.
Fire protection options: Smaller towns do not always
possess their own fire department. Instead, they might have a volunteer
team to fight the small flames, with the bigger city force lending a
hand to handle the bigger fires. The type of fire fighting department
you have access to in your home will help determine what types of
premiums you are charged for your insurance. Additionally, your
proximity to a fire hydrant can impact the rates you are charged—with
closer proximity compensated with lower premiums.
Insurance companies need to know all the facts when they are evaluating
your home for homeowners insurance coverage. Each of the specifics
above, along with numerous others, come together to create a picture of
the total risk you and your family expose the insurance company to. It
is this complete picture with both positive and bad points that will
determine the premium you are charged.
For more information about home insurance, give Shipman Insurance Agency a call at 866-515-7007.
When
you begin learning about insurance, there are a variety of different
terms and policy options that can be confusing. Many people do not
understand the full extent of what their policies do and don’t cover,
some do not understand what their deductibles and limits are, and others
are not sure whether or not special situations are covered in their car
or homeowner’s policies. All of these sources of confusion are easy to
remedy with a call to your insurance agent or a fast read of your
policy.
But not all insurance misinterpretations are safe. If you assume some
insurable occurrence is covered by your current car or home insurance
policy and it actually isn’t, you could be subjecting yourself and your
family to financial risks that you simply can’t carry on your own. One
constant source of this kind of risky misunderstanding involves flood
insurance.
Many consumers presume that flood insurance is inherently included in
their homeowner’s policy. Unfortunately, this assumption is so prevalent
that many policy holders don’t ask their agent or insurance company if
their Texas home insurance
policy will protect against the damages associated with flood
waters—they simply assume that it will. This notion can turn out to be
an extremely expensive mistake after a flood actually happens because
assuming that their home insurance policy provides flood coverage
prevents them from taking the steps needed to find out the truth about
flood insurance and protect their family and their possessions
accordingly.
Now that we all know that homeowner’s insurance plans do not cover
damage caused by flood waters, let’s figure out what actually counts as
flood waters. The National Flood Insurance Program defines a flood as:
“A flood is a general and temporary condition where two or more acres of
normally dry land or two or more properties are inundated by water or
mudflow.”
The explanation of flood is simple enough to understand, but the reason
that a lot of homeowners think it’s built-in to their home insurance
policy is because several of the events that can cause floods cause
other damages that ARE covered with a homeowner’s insurance policy. For
example, a hurricane may cause wind damage to your house that is covered
in your policy, but it may also cause ordinarily dry land to be
momentarily drowned by water, which could flow into your home and damage
your hardwood and possessions—but because those are flood waters, you
will only be covered if you have a flood policy.
So make sure you have a flood policy in effect today. Whether you reside
in a flood zone or not, its protection that is not offered in your
homeowner’s policy but needs to be in place to secure you and your
family.
Call Shipman Insurance Agency today at 866-515-7007 for all of your home insurance needs.
Many
people today are choosing to go into the cargo trucking business. With
the economy still recovering and the resurgence of oilfield drilling and
commercial manufacturing, trucking companies are popping up all over
the country and offering benefits with plenty of work for those willing
to haul anything and everything from appliances to produce to petrol.
Hauling cargo requires insurance coverage, just as with your personal
vehicle, but deciding what sort you need can be confusing.
What Does Specified Perils Insurance Cover?
If you are a small trucking company, or if you have very specific
cargo, specified perils coverage might be the most economical choice to
make. Specified perils coverage is exactly what it sounds like. It
protects you from a specific set of perils that might befall your cargo
or truck. The key here is to carefully read exactly what is covered and
what contingencies might cause those perils to be excluded. This type of
insurance is really customized and is intended to help save the insured
from the higher cost of more comprehensive coverage. Think of it as
tailor-made insurance, just for what you need and nothing more.
What Does Broad Form Insurance Cover?
Broad form insurance coverage, as its name suggests, covers a much
broader range of perils than the specified perils insurance. Basically,
the insurance will cover any and all losses incurred by the company,
with the exception of very specific conditions or exclusions discussed
and agreed upon prior to the coverage taking effect. Exclusions usually
include personal items, such as money, personal technological devices,
such as cell phones or stereos, and other such items. There are,
however, certain items you might consider adding back into the coverage,
depending on the territory you are driving or working in. If you are
driving through an area prone to tornadoes during prime tornado season,
you would want to consider earned freight coverage, as well as debris
removal. That way, if your cargo is blown off the road and lost or
damaged, you will be paid for it and be covered for the cost of cleanup!
Which Form Of Insurance Best Suits Cargo Trucking?
This is really up to the insured and should be based on the needs of the
company. Deciding between specified perils insurance and broad form
insurance for your cargo trucking company depends entirely upon your
company's needs, what you will be carrying, how far you will be
transporting that cargo, and the areas in which your drivers will be
parking the cargo overnight or when they take breaks. Regardless of
which type you decide is best for your company, be sure to look for what
is specifically covered in a specified perils policy and, conversely,
look for what is specifically excluded in the broad form policy.
Give Shipman Insurance Agency a call at 866-515-7007 and let us help you with your Texas trucking insurance today!
Getting
into an accident is never fun for any driver, but truck drivers have
even more complex circumstances to consider. Whether you are driving in
Longview or other parts of East Texas, or especially if you take your
rig nationwide, you have a lot more you need to be aware of. While some
accidents are unavoidable and could happen no matter how
careful the driver is, one of the most common causes of accidents is
distracted drivers. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration reported that, in 2011, 3331 people were killed in
crashes involving a distracted driver. And before you dismiss that
number as small, you should note that in the same year, almost 400,000
people were injured in accidents that involved a distracted driver. As a
result of this new anti-distracted driving regulations were announced
in September 2010. These regulations are imposed against all drivers who
are transporting hazardous materials, drive a commercial truck, or
operate buses and rail vehicles.
Many companies that employ drivers are creating special internal
policies to discourage employees from driving while distracted. These
rules and regulations include banning drivers from driving while texting
and restricting them from using electronic devices—like cell
phones—while driving.
The goal is to reduce distraction-related accidents and fatalities as
anti-drinking laws and regulations have reduced fatalities resulting
from alcohol use. But the only way these regulations will work is if
drivers commit to making a difference. So next time you are on
Interstate 20 and you hear your cell phone alert you to a message,
remember that message can wait.
If you have any questions about Texas Trucking Insurance, give Shipman Insurance a call at 866-515-7007. We will help make sure you and your rig are protected no matter where you are driving.
An oil and gas business, oilfield or trucking line is never a simple, stress-free business to run. There are always things you are in charge of - tools, rig equipment, oil wells, crew, trucks and trailers, maintaining your crew and making sure everything is following all government regulations. With so many things on your mind each day, worrying about what to do if something goes wrong should not be something you have to deal with.
Shipman Insurance can take these worries off your hands. You give us the details and needs of your business, and we will work to find you the best insurance policy that fits your business, needs and budget best. Whether you have an oil and gas industry, oilfield or trucking line, we can provide you with excellent insurance. As an independent insurance agent, we care about you, not the insurance company. We are always there to make sure everything is running smoothly, file your claim in the event that an accident does occur and walk you through all your insurance policy details. We are here for you - working for you.
Along with Oil and Gas insurance, Shipman Insurance also provides commercial insurance and personal insurance. We understand that it can be difficult to juggle numerous insurance agencies that cover your oilfield, business, home and auto insurance policies. Therefore, we want to assure you that we can handle it all. From your commercial auto policy and general liability policy to your homeowners and personal auto insurance, we can take care of it all. When a time comes when you need your insurance, there is no need to shuffle through papers to find the information for that specific insurance policy. All you have to do is give us a call and we will take care of all the rest.
Look no further, Shipman Insurance can take care of all the insurance needs for Texas. Give us a call at866-515-7007 and let us help you with your Texas Oil and Gas Insurance, Trucking Insurance, Commercial Insurance or Personal Insurance. We look forward to hearing from you.
