Mar 19, 2020

Identifying Top Concerns Among Propane Retailers

Propane retailer risks and potential errors must be taken seriously. For retailers, safety is an element that should never be skimped on. While finding efficiencies in work processes is always helpful, it shouldn’t mean cutting corners and possibly leading to potential liabilities and injuries.

Propane Retailer Risks

Propane retailers must be sure to review its safety and health standards on a regular basis in order to weed out liabilities and find ways to fix them in order to protect employees and all involved. Here are some of the top concerns that major propane retailers can face on a daily basis.

Lack of Documentation

Propane retailers might want to try to find ways to cut corners and speed up the process of inspecting and documenting a customer’s propane facility, but this could create a legal mess down the road for retailers if anything were to happen.

For example, if a technician inspects a location and doesn’t note specific items such as oil furnaces, then the propane retailer could be put in a sticky legal situation if the homeowner switches from an oil furnace to a gas furnace. If that furnace catches on fire, the retailer won’t have any documentation backing them up.

Retailers need to document every note, even if it seems small. This will help keep them safe from legal trouble and help to keep claims low. If, however, claims are made, having Propane Retailer Liability will help to provide peace of mind. This kind of coverage is perfect for retailers as it helps protect against a wide number of risks and liabilities and provides the resources needed to pay for claims if need be.

Lack of Education

Like any job that comes with some level of potential danger, propane retailers should emphasize a high level of education and training when it comes to working with propane. A lack of education can not only hurt business–it can also end up hurting people.

Retailers should consider using different educational materials to teach consumers about propane and appliances that are used in the industry, as well as putting employees in the spotlight when teaching valuable safety tips. Education and training should be one of the main focuses at retail propane dealers as retailers can’t conduct business as safely as possible with uneducated and ill-trained teams.

Errors with Tests

Leak tests can be a major concern for propane retailers as these can help with fire and property loss. A documented leak test for customers’ systems can greatly reduce a retailer’s liability as it emphasizes the need to have current and up-to-date documentation. If these leak tests show errors or are conducted in a way that errors are created by retail employees, it could spell trouble for the retailer as a whole and bring potential losses.

Retailers should make sure that on all new installations that leak tests are conducted without error or if errors are discovered, have them taken care of on the spot.

How Tangram Can Help Resolve Propane Retailer Risks

Located across the Golden Gate Bridge, just outside of San Francisco, Tangram Insurance Services is a full-service Managing General Underwriter and Program Manager offering specialty programs including propane retailer insurance. We focus on industry-relevant coverage, competitive pricing, and practical business and risk management solutions for your clients. Since we are not all things to all people, we make sure to create outstanding custom-built solutions that matter to those businesses, and the brokers who serve those industries. Contact us at (888) 744-9810.