Real ID Act and What You Need To Know

by GDI Insurance | Personal, Safety Tips

Real ID Act and What You Need To Know

If you are a frequent flyer, you will want to be sure to update your ID to a Real ID before October 2020. Don’t miss an important meeting or family gathering, and don’t be that person who makes everyone else wait in line. Get prepared for the Real ID Act before it takes effect!

Real IDs are set to become a new requirement in the security process for flying in the United States, and if you don’t take the necessary steps to prepare for the changes, you won’t be going anywhere.

Starting Oct. 1, 2020, all travelers 18 years of age and older will be required to have a Real ID-compliant driver’s license, or another acceptable form of identification, to fly in the United States. Minors do not need Real ID-compliant identification as long as they are accompanied by a compliant adult.

The Real ID Act was originally passed by Congress in 2005 following a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission that the federal government increase standards and security for identification. The legislation established new regulations for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards, and instructs federal agencies not to accept identification that does not meet those standards for official purposes, such as at airport security checkpoints.

Get Your Real ID

How do you know if your current driver’s license or identification card is Real ID-compliant? Generally, compliant IDs have a star in the upper-right hand corner of the card. If you’re still not sure, contact your state driver’s license agency.

If you don’t have a Real ID, you still have time to get one before the Oct. 1, 2020 deadline, but you’ve got some work to do. Real IDs cannot be obtained online or through the mail, so you’ll have to visit a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office in person. When you do, bring the following:

A passport, birth certificate or other original, certified document that provides evidence of your identity
Two documents that provide proof of residence, such as a mortgage statement, rental agreement or utility bill
A document that shows your Social Security number
Payment to cover the fee for the new driver’s license or identification card

Additional documents may be required if you have changed your legal name. Contact your local DMV before you make the trip to verify that you have everything you need.

Which Documents do I Need to apply for a California REAL ID?

To apply for a REAL ID driver license or identification card, you must visit a DMV field office and provide:

Proof of identity (one document)
Example: an original or certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport, employment authorization, permanent resident card or unexpired foreign passport with valid U.S. visa and approved I-94 form. No photocopies will be accepted.
Proof of Social Security number (one document)
Example: a Social Security card, W-2 or paystub with full SSN. Original or certified copies are required. No photocopies will be accepted.
Proof of California residency – street address. (Two different documents)
Example: Utility or cell phone bill, rental agreement, mortgage statement or medical document. Photocopies accepted.

NOTE: If your identity document shows a different name, you will need to provide a certified name change document such as a marriage license, divorce decree or court document. Multiple name change documents will be needed if your legal name has changed multiple times. The name on your Social Security document also must match your name change document. Original or certified copies are required. No photocopies will be accepted.

Starting Oct. 1, 2020, all travelers 18 years of age and older will have to have a Real ID-compliant driver’s license, or another acceptable form of identification, to fly in the United States.

Other Options for Travel

In addition to Real ID-compliant driver’s licenses and identification cards, the following documents are also acceptable for flying within the United States:

U.S. passport or passport card
DHS trusted traveler cards (e.g., Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST)
U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
Permanent resident card
Border crossing card
DHS-designated enhanced driver’s license
Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID
HSPD-12 PIV card
Foreign government-issued passport
Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
Transportation worker identification credential
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential

Note: Weapon permits and temporary driver’s licenses are not acceptable forms of ID.

Avoid Turbulence With a Real ID

Oct. 1, 2020 might seem like it is quite far in the future, but don’t procrastinate in getting your Real ID. In the months leading up to the deadline, DMV offices may be busier than usual as others scramble to get their new driver’s licenses and identification cards, so you may not be able to get an appointment for several weeks.

As of July 30, 2019, all but four states (Oregon, Oklahoma, New Jersey and Maine) and their state-issued identification forms are compliant with the Real ID Act. Travelers living in a compliant state can continue to use identification that is not Real ID-compliant until the Oct. 1 deadline. However, if you are in a non-compliant state that has been granted an extension to reach compliance, you can only use that type of ID until the expiration date of that extension. Between the extension expiring and the Oct. 1 deadline, you may need additional or alternate forms.

Click here for more information on the Real ID Act.

California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management

As one of the fastest growing agencies in California, GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. is able to provide its clients with the latest and greatest of what the insurance industry has to offer and much, much more.

We are headquartered in Turlock, CA, with locations across the heart of California’s Central Valley, Northern California and beyond to provide a local feel to the solutions and services we provide our clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding our client’s expectations in every interaction to make sure that our client’s know how much we value and appreciate their business. Contact us today 1-209-634-2929 for your comprehensive insurance quotes!

Empty Pallet Storage At Your Business

by GDI Insurance | Business Insurance, Risk Management, Safety Tips, Small Business

Empty Pallet Storage At Your Business

Pallets are used in a variety of industries and promote the transportation and storage of goods and products. However, when they are not in use empty pallet storage can create a significant fire hazard, particularly if they are stored incorrectly.

Not only are most pallets made of combustible materials like wood or plastic, but they can also render a sprinkler system ineffective if the empty pallet storage is stacked too high. This is because, in the event of a fire, more water is needed to reach pallets at the bottom of the stack. Furthermore, stacked wood pallets can act as a chimney or flue that promotes the rapid spread of fire.

To help businesses manage fire risks associated with idle pallets, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has specific guidance related to idle pallet storage—NFPA 1: Fire Code and NFPA 13: Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems. This Risk Insights provides a general overview of these requirements, helping organizations to mitigate exposures in their warehouse and storage areas.

Empty Pallet Storage Considerations

Again, the NFPA has specific rules related to the storage of idle pallets. These requirements can effectively be broken down into three categories—outdoor, indoor and general storage considerations.

Outdoor Empty Pallet Storage Considerations

Due to the risk of fire, the NFPA suggests that idle pallets be stored outside whenever possible. This can help businesses prevent storage facilities from igniting and control fires more easily should they occur.

However, even when stored outdoors, idle pallets create substantial fire hazards. As such, businesses should consider the following when it comes to outdoor idle pallet storage:

Avoid stacking pallets more than 15 feet high.
Ensure that, in total, your stacks of pallets do not cover more than 400 square feet of space. For example, for a standard 4-by-4-foot pallet, you should have no more than 25 stacks.
Keep piles at least 8 feet from property lines. Additionally, stacks should be separated by at least 8 feet of space.
Protect outdoor storage locations from unauthorized access. Ensure pallet storage areas are clean and well-maintained.

Furthermore, pallets should be kept away from buildings, as a fire could cause the structure to burn, endangering workers, customers and the public. The charts below detail how far outdoor pallet stacks should be kept from a structure per the NFPA:

Distance between idle pallet storage and any other yard storage.

Indoor Empty Pallet Storage Considerations

While outdoor storage is the preferred method for managing fire risks, idle pallets may be kept indoors if certain requirements are met. Specifically, idle pallets stored inside must be protected by a sprinkler system in accordance with NFPA 13.

In addition, there are specific indoor storage considerations to keep in mind for both wood and plastic pallets:

Wood pallets—Unless a special sprinkler system—like a control-mode specific application (CMSA) or early suppression, fast response (ESFR)—is used, you should never stack pallets higher than 6 feet. In addition, these stacks should be kept in groupings of no more than four and must be at least 8 feet apart from other pallets. Moreover, groupings of pallets should be kept at least 25 feet away from commodity storage.
Plastic pallets—In general, if your plastic pallets present the same level of fire risk as your wood pallets, you can store them both similarly. However, pallets stored in cutoff rooms (rooms located within a main building that have at least one outside wall) that are 12 feet in height should be protected by an automatic sprinkler system designed in accordance with NFPA 13. Steel columns in cutoff rooms should also be protected by a one-hour, fire-rated covering.

Generally, idle pallets should not to be kept in racks, as this renders sprinkler systems ineffective.

General Empty Pallet Storage Considerations

To further mitigate fire hazards, there are some general storage considerations to keep in mind. Above all, it’s important to arrange pallets in stable piles and in an orderly fashion—pallets should always be stored in a flat manner and not on an edge.

When not in use, pallets should have their own designated area and must be kept separate from other types of storage. These storage areas should not block a means of egress and should be kept away from a building’s structural supports.

If and when pallets are damaged, stop using them, scrapping them as necessary.

Continued Workplace Safety

While proper idle pallet storage can help reduce fire exposures in your workplace, there’s always more you can do to safeguard your employees, customers and business. For more risk management strategies, contact GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. today.

California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management

As one of the fastest growing agencies in California, GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. is able to provide its clients with the latest and greatest of what the insurance industry has to offer and much, much more.

We are headquartered in Turlock, CA, with locations across the heart of California’s Central Valley, Northern California and beyond to provide a local feel to the solutions and services we provide our clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding our client’s expectations in every interaction to make sure that our client’s know how much we value and appreciate their business. Contact us today 1-209-634-2929 for your comprehensive business insurance quote!

Managing Flammable Liquid Safety Cans

by GDI Insurance | Risk Management, Safety Tips, Small Business

Managing Flammable Liquid Safety Cans

Flammable liquid safety cans are used in a variety of industries, including, but not limited to, construction, manufacturing, transportation and agriculture. When used correctly and as directed by OSHA, these safety cans allow businesses to safely and conveniently move, dispense or store flammable liquids.

Simply put, flammable liquid safety cans are designed to control exposures associated with combustible vapors. However, when used improperly, safety can create major fire and explosion hazards, endangering your business and the safety of your employees and the public. What’s more, storing a flammable liquid in unapproved containers could lead to potential workplace accidents should the container melt or its pressure relief components fail.

To manage these risks and avoid compliance-related fines, it’s important to understand how OSHA defines a flammable liquid and what is considered an approved flammable liquid safety can.

What Is a Flammable Liquid?

OSHA has specific requirements (OSHA Standard 1910.106 – Flammable Liquids) as to what constitutes as a flammable liquid and the way these liquids need to be stored. Per OSHA, flammable liquids are those that have a flashpoint—the temperature at which a particular substance gives off sufficient vapor to ignite in the air—below 199.4 F.

Again, OSHA’s standard governs the handling, storage and use of flammable liquids. It details four categories of flammable liquids:

F and a boiling point below 95 F
F and a boiling point above 95 F
F and 140 F
F and 199.4 F

Once you have determined the category of the flammable liquid, you can then decide what flammable liquid safety can system is appropriate for mitigating fire hazards.

Manage Fire Exposures Using Flammable Liquid Safety Cans

Flammable liquid safety cans are crucial when it comes to protecting your business and employees from dangers associated with combustible materials. Per OSHA, flammable liquid safety cans:

Have a capacity of no more than 5 gallons
Feature a spring-closing lid and spout cover
Can safely relieve internal pressure
Are approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory such as Factory Mutual (FM) or Underwriter Laboratory (UL)

This definition allows a wide variety of containers to be considered safety cans. In general, OSHA requires all businesses or commercial enterprises to use Type I or Type II safety cans:

Type I cans have a single opening for filling and dispensing.
Type II cans have separate openings for filling and dispensing. With Type II cans, a small diameter hose for dispensing allows users to pour into narrow openings without spilling.

When using approved containers at your workplace, ensure it meets OSHA’s standards and has key safety features. Above all, safety cans should have self-closing and leakproof lids, proper ventilation and pressure relief components, and guard against outside heat sources (e.g., sparks).

It should be noted that OSHA places limits on the maximum size of containers and portable tanks for flammable liquids. The chart below depicts storage capacity considerations for each category of flammable liquid.

Continuing Flammable Liquid Safety Cans

To prevent workplace fires, hazardous liquids require special precautions in terms of their storage and use. Following OSHA’s regulations and using approved flammable liquid safety cans whenever handling flammable liquids is one of the best ways to protect your business.

For additional risk management strategies, contact GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. today.

California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management

The Elements of a Product Liability Prevention Program

by GDI Insurance | Business Insurance, Risk Management, Safety Tips, Small Business

The Elements of a Product Liability Prevention Program

Your customers expect you to have safe and reliable products, and failing to meet these expectations can lead to huge financial losses. If one of your products hurts a customer in any way, they can sue your business, leading to costly legal fees and settlements that can easily reach six figures. This legal concept is referred to as product liability, and litigation of this kind is becoming more and more common. Follow these elements of a product liability prevention program to keep your business safe from potential lawsuits.

While you may do everything in your power to ensure that your products are safe for the public, mishaps can still occur without warning. That’s why, to protect against claims and ensure the longevity of your business, you need a product liability prevention program.

The Benefits of a Product Liability Prevention Program

Above all, establishing a product liability prevention program helps businesses produce goods that are reasonably safe when used as intended. What’s more, an effective program can help your business reduce accidents and product recalls while enhancing your position in the market.

In the face of litigation, a product liability prevention program can even be used in your defense, as it provides evidence that your organization takes safety and the risk of injury or damage seriously. Additional benefits include the following:

Improved management systems throughout each step of a product’s development
Reduced warranty expenses
Improved customer satisfaction
Reduced product development time and costs
Strengthened ability to defend lawsuits
Improved shareholder value
Enhanced competitiveness through the reduction of product development costs

What to Focus on When Creating a Product Liability Prevention Program

While product liability prevention programs differ from business to business, the key elements remain the same. When building a program, consider the following.

Management Coordination and Control

When it comes to reducing product liability exposures, management must play an active role. In fact, in order for risk management strategies to be effective, an organization’s commitment to product safety must come from the top down and be effectively communicated.

As part of their job responsibilities, leadership should weave product safety into company planning as well as operational and control activities. Doing so establishes a holistic program that encompasses all phases of the product life cycle, including the initial design, manufacturing process and final sale.

Design and Product Development

The majority of product liability claims stem from problems with design. Things like improper materials, noncompliance with safety and industry standards, inadequate warnings and product defects are all design issues that can lead to litigation. As part of a product liability prevention program, your organization must focus on designing products that are reasonably safe during foreseeable use, unforeseeable use, service and maintenance.

Reviewing design safety is an ongoing and evolving challenge for businesses. You will need to re-evaluate your designs based on technological advancements, recent court decisions and public expectations. You will also need to make hazard analysis techniques a part of every design review, taking into account destructive and prototype testing, reliability studies, accelerated life cycle testing and safety audits.

Product Warnings and Instructions

When designing products, your organization should eliminate or engineer out as many hazards as possible. If potential hazards still exist, your organization should include specific warnings and instructions:

Warnings help educate consumers on the unsafe use of a particular product or identify specific hazards. Warnings should be consistent with any industry standards and practices.
Instructions provide directions for the proper and safe use of a product. Write these instructions clearly and in a way that’s easy to understand.

To create these warnings and instructions, you will want to involve multiple parties, including design and legal personnel. It should also be noted that warnings and instructions are not adequate substitutes for safer designs, and they should only be used to address unavoidable dangers and hazards that cannot otherwise be eliminated.

Manufacturing and Quality Control

Quality control is critical when it comes to detecting and preventing product safety hazards. Quality control measures will differ depending on the complexity of a particular product but must extend to all phases of the manufacturing process. Essentially, quality control should be implemented at every stage of product design to ensure no item leaves your worksite unchecked.

Sales and Marketing

While you must maintain a strict standard of product safety throughout the entire life cycle of a product, you also have to take sales and marketing into consideration. In fact, the way a particular product is positioned to the general public can have a great effect on customer expectations and the way a specific product is used.

In terms of limiting product liability, sales and marketing initiatives should highlight product features, uses and limitations of note. Your sales and marketing team should have a good understanding of basic product liability concerns to help minimize potential exposures. They can even use this information to better position your product and set clear expectations relating to consumer usage.

Vendor Management

One effective way to reduce liability concerns is to ensure that the raw materials you use to design your product are properly sourced. That’s where vendor management comes in.

Strong vendor management practices help companies find qualified vendors and acquire quality product components, often at a competitive cost. Working closely with your design, manufacturing and quality control teams, vendor management personnel can help ensure consistent compliance with design specifications.

Moreover, together with your quality assurance team, vendor management should regularly evaluate the capabilities and reliability of suppliers. To further enhance your product liability prevention program, it’s crucial that suppliers of key components have their own contracts and insurance policies to help address any exposures related to defective supplies.

Legal

A legal team, whether you use in-house staff or an outside firm, can be an invaluable resource when it comes to educating your organization. Legal teams serve as advisors, helping organizations:

Review marketing materials, which, in turn, helps reduce undesired implied- and express-warranties
Document retention policies
Assist in the defense of product claims
Interpret laws and regulations as they apply to product safety

Another legal consideration to keep in mind is document control. Effective documentation is important when demonstrating the level of care your organization takes when designing, manufacturing and selling safe products.

Document control procedures should be based around company policies, management analysis, regulatory requirements and recommendations from your legal counsel. When creating a document control procedure, it’s important to keep things like storage, protection and retrieval in mind.

At a minimum, documents that relate to product liability loss control should be retained for the expected life of the product (or its design), plus the longest statute of limitation.

Field Service

Field service refers to a number of after-sales activities and can include things like installation and repairs. Because field service staff often interact with your customers one-on-one, they can provide a number of valuable insights.

In particular, field service personnel often hear about product issues, incidents and complaints first-hand. They may even witness product misuse in person, which makes field service feedback all the more important.

Post-sale Management

Managing product liability doesn’t end once you’ve made a sale. In fact, post-sale management can go a long way toward reducing your exposures.

Among other things, post-sale management strategies help organizations receive and review:

The user experience
Customer complaints
Accidents
Claims
Service and warranty reports

Reviewing this information can help identify common trends and hazards that directly affect design, manufacturing, quality control, packaging, customer service and product messaging. Product analysis is an ongoing process—one that affects multiple departments at your organization. What’s more, poor post-sale management can directly result in expensive product recalls or worse, product liability claims.

Enhance Your Risk Management Strategies

Product liability is a complex exposure, and managing your risk can be a major undertaking, even if you have access to all the right resources. To supplement your risk management strategies and address specific exposures, it’s important to speak with a qualified insurance broker to review your insurance coverage. Contact GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. today for more information.

California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management

California Harassment Training Deadline Extended

by GDI Insurance | GDI Insurance, Risk Management, Safety Tips

California Harassment Training Deadline Extended

The appropriate training must be completed by each employee within six months of assuming his or her job. Each employee must receive the appropriate training once every two years. The deadline for initial compliance with these requirements was originally Jan. 1, 2020, but under amendments enacted on Aug. 30, 2019, the initial harassment training deadline is extended to Jan. 1, 2021. Employers must provide the initial training after Jan. 1, 2019, in order to meet this deadline. The amendments enacted in 2019 also clarify that an employee who receives the training in 2019 does not have to receive the training again until two years thereafter.

The requirements will stay the same, Employer must provide:

At least two hours of classroom or other effective interactive training and education regarding sexual harassment to all supervisory employees
At least one hour of classroom or other effective interactive training and education regarding sexual harassment to all non-supervisory employees
“Refresher training” every two years thereafter
The applicable training within six months of hire for new employees or within six months of entering a supervisory position

Employers who provide harassment training that complies with the law in 2019 do not need to do so again until two years have passed from the date of training. For instance, if you trained all employees on July 14, 2019 (good work!), you would have until July 14, 2021, to retrain those same employees. However, if you hire new employees or promote any existing employees to supervisory positions, they need to receive the applicable training by January 1, 2021.

A Catch: Seasonal and Temporary Employees

As of Jan. 1, 2020, special requirements will apply for seasonal employees, temporary employees and any employees who are hired to work for less than six months. For these employees, employers must provide the required training within 30 calendar days after the employees’ hire dates or before the employees have worked 100 hours, whichever comes first.

Why is there a different timeline for seasonal and temporary employees?

Think of it this way: California wants everyone who holds a job in 2020 to be trained by Jan 1, 2021. To achieve that, the state needs to maintain the previous training timeline for seasonal and temporary employees; otherwise, someone who works only in the summer, or between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, may not receive training by the deadline.

California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management

We are headquartered in Turlock, CA, with locations across the heart of California’s Central Valley, Northern California and beyond to provide a local feel to the solutions and services we provide our clients. We pride ourselves on exceeding our client’s expectations in every interaction to make sure that our client’s know how much we value and appreciate their business. Contact us today 1-209-634-2929 for your comprehensive business insurance quote!

What You Need To Know Before Riding an E-Scooter

by GDI Insurance | GDI Insurance, Personal, Risk Management, Safety Tips

What You Need To Know Before Riding an E-Scooter

By now, you’ve probably seen a few people cruise by on an electric scooter. They may have been a few teenagers on their way to a friend’s house, somebody using the vehicle as a new way to commute to work, or maybe it was even yourself doing the riding. E-scooters have become common in many cities across the United States, with industry leaders Bird and Lime reporting millions of rides so far.

What Are E-scooters?

But, while e-scooters might be revving up in terms of popularity, new technology brings new complications and new concerns.

E-scooters are not to be confused with mopeds or Vespa-like scooters, which allow users to sit, and travel at relatively high speeds. Rather, e-scooters are operated while standing up and often cannot go faster than 15 to 20 mph. Users get started by downloading an app that will help them find a nearby e-scooter. They can then unlock the vehicle for an initial starting fee with total payment being calculated according to either distance traveled or how long the user rides the scooter.

E-scooters are usually dockless and operate like dockless bike-sharing programs with users able to find and park the vehicles in a wide variety of locations. E-scooters often do not require the operator to have a driver’s license.

Know the Risks and Rules

While operating an e-scooter, users are required to obey state and local traffic laws, but these can vary greatly depending on where you live or where you’re riding. Some jurisdictions have implemented laws pertaining specifically to e-scooters that limit where they can be ridden and how fast they can travel, so make sure you are familiar with the local rules before you take a ride.

Even if you are certain that you’re not breaking any laws, operating any type of motor vehicle, even an e-scooter, brings a certain amount of risk. E-scooters might not travel as fast as cars, but even at speeds as low as 15 mph, an accident involving a rider, pedestrians or other motor vehicles can lead to serious injuries including broken bones, head injuries and soft-tissue injuries.

E-Scooter Safety

If you plan to use an e-scooter, consider these safety tips before hopping on:

Wear a helmet: Helmet use is encouraged by e-scooter companies. Wearing a helmet could mean the difference between life and death if you get into an accident.
Take a test ride: Just because you may have ridden a non-motorized scooter in the past doesn’t mean that you’ll be a master at operating an e-scooter. It’s a good idea to practice turning, starting, stopping and maneuvering around obstacles in an open space or empty parking lot before you ride in an area with behicle or foot traffic.
Avoid headphones: While operating an e-scooter, it’s important to be able to hear potential hazards. Make sure that you’re aware of what’s going on nearby and can hear other vehicles and pedestrians around you.
Take your time: Especially when going downhill, e-scooters can pick up speed very quickly. Don’t hesitate to use your brakes.
Don’t drink and scoot: Using an e-scooter may seem like an attractive option for getting home from the bar, but operating any vehicle while under the influence is dangerous. Operating an e-scooter while intoxicated puts you and others at serious risk.

Where Does the Finger Point?

With e-scooters still being a relatively new form of transportation, many insurance companies are still inconclusive on how coverage and liability applies to accidents and injuries caused or suffered by riders.

You may be riding at your own risk when you step onto a scooter, so it’s important to know whether you’re covered under your own insurance policies. Your homeowners and auto insurance policies may have been created before the rise of e-scooters, so there may be no mention of the devices.

What Does Your Insurance Cover?

A standard homeowner policy does not cover motor vehicles, and standard personal auto insurance policies exclude liability coverage for vehicles with less than four wheels—e-scooters generally have two. Motorcycle insurance also might not cover e-scooters. Personal liability umbrella insurance policies provide coverage for incidents excluded from underlying insurance policies, and thus may provide coverage for e-scooters. It is important to know the specific details of your homeowners and auto policies before you can count on coverage for an injury or accident involving an e-scooter. Contact GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. today for more information

California’s Leader in Insurance and Risk Management

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