Elliott, Powell, Baden & Baker's own Marc Baker and Jill Perucca gave a presentation on Product Liability during the American Cheese Society's (ACS) 27th Annual Conference "Cheese-A-Topia" in Seattle, Washington.  Nearly 1000 cheesemakers from around the nation were in attendance at the conference.

Last week, as a result of a submission from EPB&B President Marc Baker, Safeco Insurance provided a $2500 grant to the Oregon Music Hall of Fame.  The 4th annual Oregon Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, October 9, at the Roseland Theater.  Pictured from left to right are Terry Currier (President, Oregon Music Hall of Fame), Casie Bowers (Safeco, Oregon Territory Manager), Marc Baker (President of EPB&B and boardmember, Oregon Music Hall of Fame), Eric Schlamm (Safeco, Sales Professional), Bill Frith (Liberty Northwest, Sales Professional and boardmember, Oregon Music Hall of Fame).  OMHOF mission is to use the recognition of Oregon's rich musical history as a way to raise fund for high school music programs and scholarships for high school seniors.

Over the last few years, many insurance companies have started using credit information to help determine what a customer pays for an insurance policy.  In fact, over 90% of insurance companies use insurance scores, according to a recent survey.  Credit has been proven to be a very powerful and independent predictor of future accidents or insurance claims.  The use of credit history provides an additional predictive factor - one not offered by other factors such as driving record, vehicle type, age, etc.  Some studies suggest that consumers with the worst insurance scores are twice as likely to have an accident or insurance claim as those with the best scores. 

Welcome Rogers, Fitzwalter & Powell !!

Rogers, Fitzwalter & Powell, Inc. has relocated to associate with Elliott, Powell, Baden & Baker Inc.  EPB&B President, Marc Baker, announced today that the two agencies have joined forces and the combined agency force will operate from EPB&B Headquarters in downtown Portland.  “This relationship will allow both agencies to offer an even greater array of insurance products and value-added services,” Baker added. 

 “This is a great fit” says Bob Powell.  Both agencies are local and well established with roots dating back to the 1950’s.  Powell adds, “We are each fully committed to the independent insurance agency system and have deep ties within the local Portland business community”. 

No business ever knows when Oregon OSHA is coming to do an inspection.  That’s because it’s against the law to give prior notice.  Even though employers don’t know that the inspection is coming, there are a few things they can do to make the inspection process go smoother.

All Oregon OSHA compliance officers carry ID and will present it, along with a business card, when they begin an inspection.  The compliance officer will collect basic information about the company, which may include how many workers are at the location and details about the type of work done.  Next, the compliance officer will conduct a walk-through of the facility and look for hazards that could cause an injury or accident.

In cases of extreme danger, a work site or piece of equipment can be “red tagged”, which prohibits the employer from continuing to work with the equipment or at the location.  But most commonly, a compliance offer will ask an employer to correct a hazard on the spot or set an abatement date.  Serious violations carry a penalty of $300 and correcting the violation before the end of the visit can reduce the penalty by 30%.

June 26 - July 4 is Eye Safety Awareness Week

90% of occupational eye injuries could have been prevented if the victim was wearing eye protection.  If you workers are reluctant to wear eye protection, ask them what their lives would be like if they lost their vision. 

Your home is your castle, right?  But is your home really safe once you leave for work?  According to statistics, a theft occurs every five seconds.  The majority of home burglaries occur during the day when most people are away from home.  During the summer months of July and August burglaries occur more often than any other time of the year. 

Gone in six seconds:

The attached Youtube link demonstrates just how easy it is for an experienced burglar to break into your home through your garage in less than six seconds.  Experienced burglars know that the garage door is usually the weakest point of entry, followed by the back door.  To prevent this type of home burglary, simply remove the pull string and zip tie the release lever. 

Elliott, Powell, Baden & Baker is happy to welcome new Commercial Account Manager, Ronni Phillips.  Ronni is a native Californian who lived in Kansas before moving to Oregon.  She attended Portland State University before joining Bank of the West (formerly Contractors Insurance) in 2004.  Ronni recently joined Elliott, Powell, Baden & Baker as a Commercial Lines Account Manager.  She has demonstrated a commitment to ongoing insurance education by earning the Commercial Insurance Service Representative (CISR) designation.  Ronni enjoys cooking, reading, watching movies and remodeling her newly purchased condominium.  She serves as a bible study leader for the high school ministry at Southwest Bible Church and also helps out as a copy assistant in the office. 

Workplace discrimination claims are at an all-time high and small-business owners might feel vulnerable.  With a difficult economy and new employment laws making charges and lawsuits more likely, every business owner should consider purchasing Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI). 

EPLI is a form of liability insurance that provides protection for an employer against claims made by employees, former employees, or potential employees.  It covers claims of discrimination, wrongful termination, sexual harassment and other employment-related allegations. 

Americans fire up barbeque grills more than three billion times a year, according to the Insurance Information Institute.  Each year U.S. fire departments respond to an average of 7,900 home fires involving grills, hibachis or barbecues. These fires cause an annual average of more than $80 million in direct property damage.   Firing up your grill is a great way to kick off a summer full of outdoor fun.  Since an improperly handled grill can cause fires, exercising common sense will help keep your summer from becoming tragic and costly.