Risk Management – Fire Sprinklers

The latest journal of Pest Control Operators of California featured an article by the Jenkins Insurance Group, describing some insurance claims against the pest control industry this past year. Sixty percent involved workmen’s compensation. Of the remaining forty percent in general liability claims, at least three large claims involved fire sprinklers, both from general pest control and termite operations. As reported by Jenkins Insurance Group director, Paul Lindsay, “When it comes to property damage claims, Branch 2 is no lightweight…. the topper came from a stumbling technician who, while treating in an attic, broke a water sprinkler line. After about 20 to 30 minutes, the valve was turned off, but not after water coursed through the attic and down the walls. tens of thousands of dollars later, the claim from this seemingly hidden exposure is finally being put to rest… Not to be outdone by Branch 2, the (Branch 3) inspectors broke a couple of attic sprinkler lines…that ran up claim dollars.” One can only begin to imagine the general liability claims due to fire sprinkler related damages across the entire country. I would not be surprised if that number surpassed $100,000,000, but that is only a guess.

EBoss Watch – Top 10 Worst Bosses

This morning, as always, I scrolled through the AOL homepage feature stories, some of which I find very interesting, even compelling reading. It’s a great way to start off the day.

This morning, there was a feature story about the “Top 10 Worst Employers”, developed from a review of a website called EBoss Watch .

Jains, exterminators and bad karma

If you were a serious follower of Jainism, the topic of insecticide would be much more serious than whether you use Bayer or BASF pesticides. Jains would be discussing the murder of insects.

Jains do their very best to avoid bad karma, which requires avoidance of harm to all beings, large and small. According to Jain ethics, hurting living organisms negatively impacts ones own ability to pass to a better state of existence in this world or their next reincarnation. Jain monks are famous for the unusual behavior of sweeping away insects from their path so as not to hurt them. Jain laity may not go to the extremes of their priesthood, but they very much believe that harming nature affects their cosmic relationship to this world and even the future migration of their souls. Whether intentional or not, it produces bad karma that must be avoided.