Job Site Visitors Put Your Business at Risk
Tips for a safe visit
As a General Contractor you understand the construction site and the dangers that can be found when 
building a home, and that’s why getting the services of a risk assesor could be esssential when building a home. Unfortunately, you and your team of supervisors and subcontractors are not the only people who spend time at your job site.
Inspectors, homebuyers, real estate agents, and even the nosy neighbors will swing by to take a look at your project during different times of completion. But did you know every time a visitor enters your job site they are putting your business at risk?
Construction sites are strewn with danger.
We have all heard the stories of nail guns planting a nail in a fellow coworker or roofers falling from the roof they are building. These kinds of accidents are normally covered with Workers Compensation, but what about the visitors to a job site? What if a visitor is injured or even killed while on your construction site? The general contractor can be sued by salt lake city personal injury lawyers and even lose their business and homes. That is why it is more important than ever to have the right contractors’ liability insurance.
The correct contractors’ General Liability insurance will cover all visitors to your job site whether they were invited or just happened to swing by on an evening walk. Regardless of your insurer here are some tips to keep your job site safe no matter who stops by to visit.
Contractors’ guide to keeping job site visitors safe
- Have regular safety inspections done by your supervisors daily.
- Pre-set appointments to show homebuyers and real estate agents around the job site yourself.
- Make entryways into the home safe and easy to walk through.
- Keep tools and construction materials orderly on the ground and out of walkways.
- Sweep up nails and other dangerous debris prior to showing the construction site.
- Make sure there is sufficient light and that power cords are taped down or put away while visitors are in the construction site.
- Clearly mark all hazards with signs and/or safety tape for the benefit of everyone on the job site.
Just because you have contractors’ General Liability insurance does not mean you are in the clear. It is important to mention that general contractors are only covered up to the limit of liability. What does that mean? It means if a neighborhood kid falls from the second floor of a home you are building, you are still liable for the child’s injury, regardless of the fact that the child trespassed. The insurance company will only pay for the damages up to the point of your limit on your General Liability insurance. This means you will be paying the rest of the bill out of pocket. Make sure your limits are adequate to cover your exposure. Don’t scrimp on coverage because it could cost you your business and your home. Lawyers look for every possible dollar to reimburse their clients for their injury.