CEO`s Financial Update OSBIE introduces new Video Resources!

THE ONTARIO SCHOOL BOARDS’ INSURANCE EXCHANGE
© iStockphoto/Thinkstock
Vol 25 | No 3 | September 2014
CEO’s Financial Update
O
SBIE continues to experience financial success. At June
30th our year to date Net Income is $5.7 Million. All lines
of business are contributing positively. Although our property
results have experienced some ups and downs, this line is now
also showing a net profit at June 30th.
We are also pleased with the results of our investment portfolio.
We have seen strong growth in the value of the portfolio since
the beginning of the year and continue to work at ensuring these
results continue.
INSIDE
THIS
EDITION…
1
CEO’s Financial
Update
Introducing our
New Series of
Podcasts!!
2
H.E.L.P. Provincial
Results
3
2014 Risk
Management
Seminar – Register
Now!
4
Premises
Management- Key
Control
Provincial Liability
Claims Analysis
6
From the Courts…
7
Property Loss
Analysis – March
2014
8
Revisions to the
OSBIE/OSRA
Safety Guidelines
for Out-of-School
Trips for Winter
Sports Education
9
10
Roof/Drainage
Maintenance
Although we have seen an increase in claims frequency in both
Liability and Property in the first half, claims expenses are still
within budgeted expectations and Administration expenses are
slightly below our 10% target.
The following abbreviated Statement of Operations at June 30th
outlines current income and expenses compared to budget.
OSBIE Statement of Operations
For period ended June 30, 2014 with budget comparative
2014
Actual
$
2014
Budget
$
Gross Premiums
42,409,953
42,730,517
Less Reinsurance Premiums
-2,051,707
-2,053,188
Unearned Prem Res Chg
-20,175,734
-20,370,305
Net Premiums Earned
20,182,512
20,307,024
Revenue
Expenses
Claims Incurred
15,635,018
20,104,030
Administration Expenses
1,876,997
2,004,956
Underwriting Income (loss)
before undernoted
2,670,495
-1,801,962
Investment and Other Income
3,081,529
2,061,571
Other Comprehensive Income 2014
5,312,133
The appreciation in the Guarantee Fund demonstrates that
OSBIE continues to maximize Subscribers’ value in the
organization.
Investment Income and OCI appreciation
We are grateful for your trust and for your business and hope
the balance of the year will prove just as successful.
8,393,662
Total Increase in Guarantee Fund
11,064,160
Guarantee Fund (beginning of year)
80,167,050
Guarantee Fund, June 30, 2014
91,231,206
Jim Sami, CEO, Attorney-in-Fact
OSBIE introduces new Video Resources!
O
ver the summer, OSBIE’s risk management department has
been busy working on a new project to engage and educate
our members about insurance and risk management.
Gone are the days of reading long documents and when an
organization needs to get a message out to a large group spread
across our vast province – harnessing the power of the internet and
producing short podcast videos is an effective way to accomplish
this. Adult learners need the information to be concise with visual
impact that will help drive the message home.
We started with the most common themes and searches being
conducted on the OSBIE website to give us an indication of the
types of information our members are regularly seeking.
Here’s a listing of our introductory podcasts:
1. Risk Management – The Art of Saying How
2. Incident Reporting Basics and Frequently Asked Questions
3. Liability Insurance Basics
4. Releases, Waivers and Informed Consents
CLICK HERE to visit the Video Resources page on the OSBIE
website to view these videos.
We hope you enjoy these videos and watch for more OSBIE
podcasts in the near future. Do you have an idea for an OSBIE
risk management or insurance related podcast? Please submit your
ideas for consideration to [email protected].
Staff News
Evolving to the Ultimate Benefit of Subscribers
Submitted by Julie Welsh, Risk Management Program Coordinator
September
June 2014
www.osbie.on.ca
Results: H.E.L.P. Program 2014
T
c
sto
i nk
k
h
ck/T
© farakos/iSto
he results have been tabulated for the 2014 audits, and the statistics show that OSBIE members have continued to embrace the
H.E.L.P. program as an effective means of reducing their risk profile. The 5-year provincial scores continue to remain stable even
with the introduction of the new conditions (see graph below). This year over 400 school sites were inspected across the province, many
hundreds of kilometres travelled along with many hours writing and reviewing reports. We’d like to extend a special thank you to all school
board personnel who participated in this year’s program.
The 5-year provincial
scores continue to
remain stable even
with the introduction
of the new conditions
While there is still some work to do under Condition 4 – Temporary Shutdown and Cold Weather Alert (See related article on “Cold
Weather Claims”), we interpret this is as a strong indication of member support for this annual risk management inspection program.
OSBIE refunded over $798,000.00 in property premiums based on the 3 year average board score of 89% for the 2014 audits. 19 school
boards received a 3 year Risk Management Credit Score of 90% and above, and as a result, qualify for the Alternate Year Audit Program,
meaning they will not be audited in 2015 – well done!
Plans for next year’s audits:
After last year’s particularly cold and snowy winter, OSBIE will be reviewing the current condition wording for Temporary Shutdown and
Cold Weather Alerts (Condition #4). Our plans are to provide a sample checklist and a cold weather temperature chart to assist members
to fully implement this condition. We will continue to offer support to any OSBIE member who would like some assistance in implementing
this condition. Please contact Allison Palis or Julie Welsh at OSBIE for information.
OSBIE would like to congratulate everyone for another successful H.E.L.P. audit cycle. As you can see, plans are already in progress for
the 2015 audit program.
Submitted by Julie Welsh, Risk Management Program Coordinator
September 2014
www.osbie.on.ca
2
OSBIE’s Annual Risk Management
Seminar – Register NOW!
ck
Event Date: Thursday October 30, 2014
ink
sto
Where: Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel, 801 Dixon Rd, Toronto
odz/
© gearg
What’s new this year?
This year’s seminar will be located in the larger conference area at the Sheraton Airport Hotel which means we will have more spots for
attendees. As well, over the summer the hotel has undergone a complete renovation and will be showing off a whole new look for us to
enjoy!
We’ve also added more sessions. School board staff will have the option of selecting from 12 different risk management and claimsrelated topics over the course of the day.
c
iSto
h
k/T
OSBIE’s Annual
Risk Management
Seminar – Register
NOW!
Get ready to learn!
We are delighted to announce that Dr. Linda Duxbury, one of Canada's leading workplace health researchers and workplace demographic
experts, will be the plenary speaker at OSBIE’s 2014 Risk Management Seminar. This talk will provide practical examples and suggestions
on how leaders need to change how they manage in order to navigate the difficult terrain ahead.
Organizational Track
OSBIE is pleased to introduce a new session track for Human Resources and Superintendents titled the “Organizational Track”!
yyGimme Shelter: Managing a changing workforce to survive the Demographic Tsunami (Plenary Concurrent Session)
yyCrisis Communication
yyManagement’s Perspective on Cyber Security
Risk Management Track
This track is focusing on current Risk Management issues facing Principals and Educators.
yyEmergency & Disaster Planning in Schools
yyAccommodations of Special Needs (services dogs and a lot more!)
yyThe Mentally Healthy School
Claims/Legal Track
This track will examine current trends in school board insurance claims.
yyWhat should you do following an incident?
yyWet Electronics— Can They Be Saved?
yyOccupier’s Liability-More than just Slips, Trips and Falls
Operations/Maintenance Track
Focusing on the issues that affect the Maintenance and Facilities personnel, this track will deal with such topics as:
yyNaturalized Play Spaces and Common Sense
yyExtreme Water – Calgary Floods: Lessons Learned
yyProperty Protection
Click HERE to Register!
Register early as space is limited!
For more information about the Seminar click here
This year’s event is not to be missed and OSBIE is pleased to provide this annual seminar free of charge and includes parking –
another example of the value added service that we have been providing to our members for more than 25 years!
*Please note: other transportation and lodging fees are not included.
Julie Welsh, Risk Management Program Coordinator
3
September 2014
www.osbie.on.ca
Premises Risk Management –
ks
toc
k
Features of a Good Key Control Program
© makromedy
t
a/iS
in
/Th
ock
Keep the number
of keys issued to an
absolute minimum –
not every employee
needs a key.
A
lthough it has been said that locks only protect you from
honest people, the truth is, your building locks may be
the last line of defense that determines whether your property is
stolen, vandalized or destroyed. And whether or not your locks
are protecting you from honest people only will depend largely on
the type of key management program that is in place.
(5) Master keys should be strictly limited and controlled. Master
key systems should only use high security cylinders to
reduce the risks of locks being picked. Digital data or any
information associated with the production or identification
of master keys (or zoned keys) should be kept confidential.
The following recommendations are considered essential to
a good key risk management program for all of your school
facilities:
(6) OSBIE recommends that all locks be high security locks
with key duplication controlled by the manufacturer. If high
security locks are not feasible, then a strictly enforced “no
key duplication” policy is highly recommended.
(1) Keep the number of keys issued to an absolute minimum –
not every employee needs a key.
(7) Avoid issuing keys to permit holders. A $2.50 key gives a
stranger access to a multi-million dollar facility – make
sure your staff are controlling who gets in and whether the
building is secured after everyone has left.
(2) Maintain a list of keys and persons to whom keys are issued.
(3) All key holders leaving employment must return their keys.
(4) Keys should be “zoned” to only access certain areas, and
color coded to identify which area(s) the key will access.
2014 Provincial Liability Losses by
Claims Frequency
om
T
e. c
st i m
ream
© Alterfalter/D
Regardless of the
number of claims
presented to
OSBIE, Slip and
Fall, Third Party
Property Damage,
Sports, Assaults,
Supervision,
Maintenance and
Playground claims
continue to have the
highest proportion of
total claims.
he following excerpts are taken from the annual Provincial Liability Loss Analysis.
As noted in Exhibit 1, OSBIE’s major loss categories are Slip and Fall (20%), Third Party Property Damage (15%), Sports
(12%), Assaults and Supervision both at 10%, and Maintenance and Playground both at 9%.
Exhibit 1:
WƌŽǀŝŶĐŝĂů>ŝĂďŝůŝƚLJ>ŽƐƐĞƐďLJůĂŝŵƐ&ƌĞƋƵĞŶĐLJ
ϮϬϬϴͲϮϬϭϯ
ϭй ϭй
Ϯй Ϯй
ϮϬй
^ĐŝĞŶĐĞ>ĂďͲϭй
ϯй
'ůĂƐƐͲϭй
ϯй
ΘKͲϮй
ϯй
DsͲϮй
^ŚŽƉͲϯй
ϵй
&ŝĞůĚdƌŝƉƐͲϯй
WůĂLJŐƌŽƵŶĚƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚͲϯй
DĂŝŶƚĞŶĂŶĐĞͲϵй
ϭϱй
ϵй
WůĂLJŐƌŽƵŶĚͲϵй
ƐƐĂƵůƚƐͲϭϬй
^ƵƉĞƌǀŝƐŝŽŶͲϭϬй
ϭϬй
ϭϮй
ϭϬй
The overall number of claims between the previous and current
data sets has decreased by 21 claims. There was little change
shown in the proportional frequency of the major claims categories.
In other words, regardless of the number of claims presented to
OSBIE, Slip and Fall, Third Party Property Damage, Sports,
September 2014
www.osbie.on.ca
4
^ƉŽƌƚƐͲϭϮй
dŚŝƌĚWĂƌƚLJͲϭϱй
^ůŝƉĂŶĚ&ĂůůͲϮϬй
Assaults, Supervision, Maintenance and Playground claims
continue to have the highest proportion of total claims. Exhibit
2 demonstrates the trending for the main claims categories
observed between the past 3 data set analyses.
hin
ks
toc
k
Exhibit 2:
/T
ck
iSto
evil/
© stockd
Following OPHEA’s
Ontario Physical
Education Safety
Guidelines and
Concussion
Protocols is strongly
recommended by
OSBIE when planning
any sports activity.
Slip and Fall remains OSBIE’s top loss category for claims
frequency making up 20% of total Liability claims. While the
trend indicates a 6% (26 claims) increase from the last reporting
period for 2007-2012, there has been an overall drop of 14.3% (75
claims) for this category between the 2006-2011 and current data
set (see Exhibit 2).
These claims exclude slip and falls that occur on the playground
during free play. A detailed look at these claims show that most
slip and fall injuries occur to adults visiting the school and are
usually the result of icy conditions or water on the floors inside
the building.
Proper use of salting and sanding procedures, as well as
documentation of snow clearing activities may be beneficial
in reducing losses in this area. Inspections and maintenance
of sidewalks, pathways and exterior stairs should be logged.
Consistent routines and proper documentation will help reduce
the frequency of future claims.
Third Party Property Damage at 15% of the total Liability claims
remains in the top loss categories as in previous years and has
shown no trend change over the past 3 observation periods (16%
of the 2007-2012 claims and 15% for 2006-2011).
These claims are generally low severity and are made up of
damage caused to third party property by the school, such
as damage to vehicles, flooding from school property onto
surrounding properties, falling tree branches, or damage caused
by a student during co-op placements etc.
Communicating an awareness of these risks may assist with
reducing these losses.
Assuring that proper supervision and training is in place for all
co-op programs can help minimize claims in this category. The
Special Edition Oracle – Cooperative Education is available in
hard copy and on the OSBIE website at www.osbie.on.ca.
A Tree Inspection Program is recommended as an important
part of the maintenance routine at every school, ensuring that
trees are in good condition, and that cracked and dead branches
are removed to avoid possible damage to cars and surrounding
properties. Please contact the OSBIE Risk Management
department for more information.
Sports injury claims have a 12% frequency representation in
the current data set. The number of claims has shown a gradual
decline over the past 3 data sets, with an overall reduction of 9.6%
observed over the 3 data set periods analyzed.
These claims are due to a variety of causes, however most
prevalent are injuries caused during general physical education.
This is likely due to the fact that all students participating in gym
class have a range of ability in the sports played. Other than
general physical education, sports injuries occur mainly in track
and field, soccer and football and the most common types of
injuries are dental, fractures and soft tissue injuries.
Following OPHEA’s Ontario Physical Education Safety
Guidelines and Concussion Protocols is strongly recommended
by OSBIE when planning any sports activity. The Ministry of
Education announced earlier this year that Policy/Program
Memorandum No. 158 (School Board Policies on Concussion)
comes into effect on January 30, 2015, which requires school
boards to develop a concussion management program to identify
and respond to this type of injury.
Assault claims are at 10% frequency representation for the
current data set, which has increased nominally (12 claims) since
the previous two data sets, or about 4.8%.
Sexual misconduct and violence guidelines should be set and
promoted to all students and staff and be followed with adequate
supervision to help minimize the risk of assault claims occurring in
the future. When working one-on-one, teachers and staff should
work in an area where they are highly visible, or with a third person
present. An Anti-Bullying Prevention and Intervention Policy
should also be in place at all school boards. Bullying can take
on many different forms and can have long term effects, which
emphasizes the importance of implementing such programs.
5
September 2014
www.osbie.on.ca
ck
Supervision also made up 10% of the total Liability claims
frequency, with no increase from the past year (2007-2012), but
showing an upward trend over 2006-2011 of 48 claims, or 28%.
sto
ink
/ Th
t o ck
© wahahaz/iS
Proper maintenance
and good
documentation of
inspections and
corrective measures
for playgrounds,
sidewalks, pathways,
tree maintenance,
exterior and interior
stairs are an excellent
way to prevent future
injuries.
These are claims where a lack of reasonable supervision and/
or instruction were contributing factors to the occurrence of an
injury. Constant, proper supervision and no horseplay or running
in the hallways and stairways should strongly be reinforced to help
minimize the risk of injuries.
Playground injury claims have a 9% frequency representation,
which is a 1 percentage point decrease from the 2007-2012 data
set. On an overall basis, these claims have decreased about 6%
over the initial 2006-11 data set.
These injuries include students being injured during free play and
exclude those that occur on playground equipment.
Every new school year, school boards coordinate the distribution
of Student Accident Insurance kits. This presents an excellent
opportunity for school boards to promote the purchase of Student
Accident Insurance. Families of students should be apprised of the
benefits of Student Accident Insurance coverage and encouraged
to purchase it at nominal costs.
Maintenance claims are also at 9% of the total, which is no
change from 2007-2012, but is showing an increasing trend from
2006-2011. There has been an increase of 51 claims (34%) over
the 2006-11 data set.
Maintenance claims are those where a lack of reasonable
maintenance and/or a lack of reasonable inspection or the
presence of defective equipment were contributing factors to the
occurrence of an injury. Lack of proper maintenance can result in
numerous preventable injuries every year. Proper maintenance
and good documentation of inspections and corrective measures
for playgrounds, sidewalks, pathways, tree maintenance, exterior
and interior stairs are an excellent way to prevent future injuries.
Thorough inspections of the outside of the building should be
conducted seasonally, especially in the spring after the thaw is
complete, looking for immediate trip and fall hazards. Trip and
fall hazards include: pot holes, cracks in concrete and asphalt,
buckling sidewalks, up rooted tree roots, concrete stairs that are
crumbling or in poor condition, holes and erosion in sports fields.
Any of these hazards can cause severe injuries and should be
addressed and repaired promptly. For further information on
Maintenance, please refer to OSBIE’s Risk Management at a
Glance, and the OSBIE website, www.osbie.on.ca.
For a complete copy of this report, contact Allison Palis at:
[email protected]
Submitted by Allison Palis, Loss Control Coordinator
From the Courts…
ck
sto
ink
k/Th
© Yingko/iStoc
While the railing met
code at the time it
was built in 1965, it
was felt efforts should
have been made to
upgrade and bring the
structure to within
current standards.
Case # 1 – Occupiers Liability – Meeting Building Code May
Not Be Enough
Case # 2 – Contract Wording Transfers Risk Away from
School Board
The 14 year old Plaintiff was outside of her high school watching
a school football game. She was sitting in the area of a grassy hill
next to a railing overlooking a bunker built into a hill used to store
equipment. The railing was three feet tall and extended along the
top of a concrete curb. The railing was attached to the concrete
by vertical supports that were five feet apart. The Plaintiff was
sitting on top of the concrete curbing and fell through the opening
between the vertical supports, an approximate height of nine feet.
She landed on the asphalt surface below.
A neighbour of the school issued a Small Claims Court Action
alleging that construction at the school caused damage to her
property.
She suffered a fractured skull and diagnosed with a moderate
head injury which lead to behavioral issues and substance
abuse. The student also suffered two fractured vertebrae.
The case settled at mediation.
NOTE: While the railing met code at the time it was built in 1965,
it was felt efforts should have been made to upgrade and bring
the structure to within current standards. Post accident, the
railing was filled in and recently the Board undertook extensive
renovations to the sports field including the installation of new
railings.
Submitted by Shirley Obergan, Claims Examiner
September 2014
www.osbie.on.ca
6
Investigation revealed that the insured school board had a
very good contract with the contractor which stated that if any
adjacent properties to the school property were damaged during
construction, that the contractor and/or their sub-trades were
responsible for making good of such damage at their expense.
The contract further stated that the contractor agreed to indemnify
the school board should any claims be advanced by third parties
regarding the construction.
SUMMARY – This claim was denied and OSBIE defended the
action to Pre-Trial. Other parties were brought into the action
and in the end the matter settled between the other responsible
parties and OSBIE did NOT contribute to the settlement.
This was a successful outcome because of excellent contracts in
place between the insured school board and the contractor. If this
claim had been successful, other neighbours would have likely
presented similar claims.
Submitted by Faye Crane, Claim Examiner
Cold Weather Claims
D
ink
s
tock
uring the first week of January, 2014, most of Eastern Canada experienced the coldest temperatures in over 20 years, and as a
result, OSBIE saw a spike in the number of Property claims during the first quarter, mostly occurring in early January. While the
Property claims trends have resumed to the normal patterns in the subsequent quarter, the effect of this unusual cluster of claims will
impact the frequency observations for the balance of 2014.
k/T
h
EXHIBIT 1
© Ryhor
toc
/i S
ye u
Bru
Based on the average
cost of the RBF claims
observed for this
period, preventing
these 9 claims alone
could have saved up to
$432,000.
While most of the claims trends during this period compared to the 2013 period were unchanged, as noted in Exhibit 1, the significant
2014 Quarter 1 (January, February and March) increase in property claim frequency was attributable to rupture by freezing claims (RBF).
There were 21 RBF claims reported in January 2014, representing 49% (21 of 43 total claims) of all property claims reported in January
2014. There was almost a five-fold increase in RBF claims in January 2014 (21) compared to January 2013 (5).
Rupture by freezing claims affected 16 school boards across Ontario, with these claims mainly observed in the southern geographic
areas as opposed to more northerly regions.
Based on this data set, 70% (18 of 26) of the RBF claims during the first Quarter occurred over a seven day period, January 2, 2014
through January 8, 2014. The average minimum temperature for that seven day period was -16.4 degrees Celsius. The coldest day of
January, 2014 was Tuesday January 7th with a minimum temperature of -24.2 degrees Celsius. 27% (7 of 26) RBF claims occurred on
January 7th (coldest day) and January 8th.
31% (8 of 26) of rupture by freezing claims involved frozen sprinkler systems, suggesting a lack of insulation and/or inadequate heat in
the immediate proximity to the piping.
Of particular interest is that 35% (9 of 26) of the RBF claims occurred during the Christmas break when school buildings were temporarily
shut down. An earlier article appearing in this edition of the Oracle shows that school board compliance with the H.E.L.P. condition
“Temporary Closure/Cold Weather Alert” criteria is averaging in the 65% range across the province – well below the overall program
average score of 89% – which suggests that, had compliance levels been higher for this audit condition, some of these RBF claims may
have been avoided. Based on the average cost of the RBF claims observed for this period, preventing these 9 claims alone could have
saved up to $432,000.
For loss control recommendations regarding Temporary School Shut-Down Procedures and Cold Weather Alerts please follow this link
http://osbie.on.ca/help/pdf/4-AC4-2012.pdf.
Submitted by Mark Cunliffe, Risk Analyst
7
September 2014
www.osbie.on.ca
ks
toc
k
/
ock
/iSt
© Bogdanhoda
in
Th
For 2014 OSBIE/
OSRA is introducing
an additional form,
Appendix 1D. This
is titled, “Special
Winter Excursion
Form/Parental
Consent for School
Ski/Snowboarding
Competitions-Ski
Racing-TrainingCompetitive
Programs”.
REVISIONS TO THE OSBIE/OSRA
SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR OUTOF-SCHOOL TRIPS FOR WINTER
SPORTS EDUCATION
T
he current version of the “OSBIE/OSRA SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR OUT-OF-SCHOOL TRIPS FOR WINTER SPORTS
EDUCATION” contains two distinct forms – APPENDIX 1B – intended for recreational ski programs, and APPENDIX 1C intended
for competitive ski programs. During the past year, both OSBIE and the Ontario Snow Resort Association (OSRA) received a number of
questions regarding the use of the competitive ski form, which resulted in a review and revision of this form after discussions with OSRA.
Appendix 1B, “Special Winter Excursion Form/Parental Consent”, remains unchanged and is to be signed by the parent/guardian of
a student participant under the age of 18. If the school board policy
requires it, this form may also be used for students 18 years of age and
older participating in recreational ski/snowboard activities only. Students
18 years and older may sign 1B in the place of a parent or guardian.
Appendix 1C, “Release and Indemnity Agreement for School Ski/
Snowboarding Competitions-Racing-Training-Competitive Programs”
is to be used specifically for and signed by students 18 years
and older who are participating in competitive ski/snowboarding
programs and activities. 1C also now contains an Inherent Risk and
Acknowledgment Section.
For 2014 OSBIE/OSRA is introducing an additional form,
Appendix 1D. This is titled, “Special Winter Excursion Form/
Parental Consent for School Ski/Snowboarding Competitions-Ski
Racing-Training-Competitive Programs”. Appendix 1D is intended
to be used specifically for students under 18 years of age who
are participating in competitive ski/snowboarding programs and
activities other than recreational skiing/snowboarding. Appendix
1D must be signed by a parent or guardian.
(NOTE: If your school board has a policy requiring the use of a
board-approved consent form only for all ski programs, notify
the snow resort that only the school board’s form(s) can be
used.)
Please contact the OSBIE Risk Management Department if
you have any questions.
To access THE OSBIE/OSRA SAFETY GUIDELINES
FOR OUT-OF-SCHOOL TRIPS FOR WINTER SPORTS
EDUCATION follow the following link: http://www.osbie.on.ca/pdf/EnglishSki-Package.pdf
Submitted by Mark Cunliffe, Risk Analyst
September 2014
www.osbie.on.ca
8
ck
/Th
ink
s
tock
© karandaev/iStock/Thinkstock
© Mikae
Roof Drainage for Commercial
Buildings: Preventive Maintenance on
Gutters, Drains and Scuppers
(This article was reprinted with permission from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). Website: www.disastersafety.org)
lErik
sso
o
St
n/i
Check for long-term
standing water in
gutters, and correct
any blockages that
may be causing this
condition. If there
are no blockages but
standing water is still
occurring, this is a
sign the gutter is not
properly sloped to the
downspout.
G
utter and roof drainage systems are an important part of all roof systems, but they are often overlooked when it comes to proper
maintenance and care. In fact, they may be considered the “unsung heroes” of roof systems because of their key role in effectively
removing water and debris from the roof. Conversely, they also can be the culprit for many types of damage if they are not properly
maintained.
This article will help business owners understand the importance of good gutter and roof drain maintenance, and the steps they can take
to avoid preventable damage related to rain, snow, wind, and wildfire.
WHY GUTTERS MATTER
Gutters and roof drains are designed to allow for the proper flow of water during heavy rain, reducing the risk of interior water damage
caused by water backing up into the roof. They also provide a conduit for melting snow in order to reduce the weight loads on the roof.
Unfortunately, the basic design of gutters makes them susceptible to the accumulation of debris, which interferes with their drainage
function. It also creates the potential for ice dams that trap snow and ice on the roof, and presents an increased opportunity for fire risk
from wind-borne embers gathering and igniting during a wildfire. In addition, improperly sloped gutters and misaligned downspouts can
lead to water accumulation that can damage the gutters or the roof itself, and cause potential water accumulation against the building.
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE BASICS
All drainage systems including gutters, interior drains, and scuppers should be free of accumulated debris such as leaves, twigs, and
granules from roof covers, such as modified bitumen on flat roofs and asphalt shingles on steep slope roofs. To ensure roof drainage
systems are operating properly, IBHS recommends these simple and low-cost guidelines:
yyInspect and clean the roof drainage system at least twice a year, during the spring and fall. If there is a history of clogs from
tree leaves, inspections should be conducted more frequently. Also, inspect the roof after any roof-related contractor services.
Professional gutter maintenance services are available to assist business owners.
yyRemove any loose objects and accumulated debris (including anything left behind by contractors) from the roof that could end up in
the drainage system.
yyRemove roof cover granules from the gutters, as they can alter the slope of the gutter when they accumulate, impeding the
gravitational flow of water.
yyCheck for long-term standing water in gutters, and correct any blockages that may be causing this condition. If there are no
blockages but standing water is still occurring, this is a sign the gutter is not properly sloped to the downspout.
yyKeep trees trimmed and away from the roof. This prevents branches from rubbing against the roof and leaves from accumulating
and clogging drains and gutters. Check all drainage systems for leaks and to ensure they are properly secured and operating after
severe weather.
9
September 2014
www.osbie.on.ca
yyEnsure downspouts funnel water away from the building and do not allow water to accumulate near the building’s perimeter.
yyWhen replacing gutters, consider larger-sized gutters which will allow for greater water flow.
yyUse non-combustible metal gutters and downspouts in locations that may potentially be exposed to wildfire, and make sure these
gutters are always free from debris that may potentially ignite.
yyFor more information on preventing ice dams and roof collapse due to poor roof drainage during winter months, please see IBHS’
Th
in
kst
o
ck
Preventing Ice Dams on Businesses at: www.disastersafety.org/freezing_weather/preventing-ice-dams-on-businesses.
© byeby
An example of a modified bitumen roof
cover with aluminum gutters free of
debris (including the granules from the
roof cover system).
Shown is an example of a scupper and
downspout clogged with leaves. A roof
scupper is an outlet through a raised
roof edge or a roof’s parapet wall that
provides drainage by allowing water to
run off the edge.
Above is an example of poor tree
maintenance which can lead to leaves
and twigs clogging the roof drains.
toc
e/iS
eblu
k/
Taking care of the
gutters will prolong
the life of the roof and
reduce the potential
for roof damage –
whether it is minor or
severe.
CONCLUSION
Following these basic preventive maintenance procedures will help ensure that roof drainage systems will work properly and protect
businesses from extreme weather events throughout the year. As an added benefit, taking care of the gutters will prolong the life of the
roof and reduce the potential for roof damage – whether it is minor or severe.
Staff Announcement
OSBIE is pleased to welcome Tammy Hicks as our new Client Services and Business Development Manager.
Her role involves both Member Services aspects as well as new business development and special projects and as such she will be part
of the OSBIE management team.
Tammy brings with her over 20 years of experience in the Insurance Industry, with the last 10 as an Account Executive at AON. Our
members will benefit from her knowledge of the Commercial Lines products and her experience in dealing with interesting and complex
risks. … lucky we have both! Tammy has her RIBO license, her FCIP and a BMath from Waterloo.
Tammy is excited to learn about the education sector, and is looking forward to meeting and working with OSBIE’s Members.
Welcome to the OSBIE team Tammy!
Layout : Centre franco-ontarien de ressources pédagogiques.
September 2014