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Construction Risks and Losses From Fire

The National Fire Protection Association reports that fire departments respond to some 3,750 fires in structures under construction each year.

Although insurable, these events typically result in tens of millions of dollars in property losses, lengthy investigations and costly rebuilds.

Because of frame construction and limited protection during construction, once a small fire starts it can spread quickly and become a total loss. When professional contractors undertake projects involving wood-frame construction, they should be aware of the various issues that have resulted in greater frequency of fire events and large-scale losses. Before beginning construction, review all potential exposures to natural catastrophes and develop a plan to respond to the event.

A key element of any natural disaster planning involves careful coordination with first responders, including the fire and police departments. In case of a disaster, cooperate with local authorities and be sure to include them in communications regarding the recovery process and rebuild. Failure to work effectively with local authorities and administrators can leave projects more vulnerable to significant loss due to fire or natural disaster. Thus, builders and contractors should anticipate oversight by local authorities during the normal course of construction.

Implementing effective loss control system for professional contractors can mitigate many of these challenges. This can only be achieved by adhering to a number of proven pre-loss loss control best practices.

For starters, have loss-handling procedures in place with all stakeholders to be prepared in the event of a loss. To reduce the risks of unintentional fires, have designated smoking areas and establish and enforce a strict work permit system. Another preventive measure is to be sure materials and temporary buildings are located a safe distance away from the structure. Be sure these are communicated to all contractors and workers on site and reinforced in safety discussion and training.

The use of 24-hour guard services, once considered a priority best practice, has proven to be ineffective due to human errors. Lack of awareness of threats posed by natural catastrophes and related preparation has led to increased vulnerability during the construction phase. Lack of coordination and accountability among the general contractor and various subcontractors on a project can exacerbate exposures associated with wood-frame construction.

In the face of a loss, professional contractors need to focus on effective post-loss measures and claim management. Provide all necessary schedule analyses to support a claim for any and all damages associated with a loss. This should include a document describing the damages, the causes of the damages and when the damages occurred.

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