A quarterly newsletter, published by the Archdiocese of New York Office of Insurance Services, designed to increase risk management awareness and safety.January 2014

When buildings are unoccupied, special care should

be taken to protect property from the effects of cold

weather and the potential for theft and vandalism.

Catholic Mutual advises that all properties be adequately heated during winter months to prevent pipes from freezing. If a building is unoccupied, a designated person should either maintain an adequate building temperature or turn off the water and drain the pipes. These steps are frequently neglected, even though either action will prevent damage to internal piping.

Please see page 2 for Catholic Mutual’s list of procedures to follow regarding vacant and or/unoccupied buildings.

Preparing Your Facility from Cold Weather Spells When the weather outside drops below freezing, keep the thermostat of your buildings set to at least 55° Fahrenheit or higher at all times.

Prior to the cold weather setting in, have your pipes insulated, especially pipes close to the outside walls, attics or crawl spaces where the chance of freezing is greatest. Inspect the area around the pipes for any air leaks and seal leaks as soon as possible. Disconnect, remove and store outdoor hoses. Close all inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs. Open the outside hose bibs to allow water to drain.

During cold spells, open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Know the location of all shut-off valves: in the event a pipe bursts, you will need to stop the flow of water as soon as possible.

Treating Frozen PipesIf you open a faucet and little to no water comes out, leave the faucet open, turn off the water at the main shut-off valve, and call a plumber. Never attempt to thaw a frozen pipe with an open flame. You may be able to thaw a frozen pipe with warm air from a hair dryer. Start by warming the pipe closet to the faucet, working toward the coldest section of pipe.

If a water pipe bursts, completely open all faucets and turn off the water at the main shut-off valve. Call a plumber immediately.

Theft and VandalismBefore you close your doors for a period of time, have your maintenance personnel take an assessment of the safety and security of your school and parish premises. Break-ins often occur because a building appears to be easy to access or looks “inviting” to a criminal. To find areas that need improvement, walk around the perimeter of your facility and assess the following:

n Look for easy access points into any buildings, specifically focusing on doors, windows and locks. If any of these are faulty, they should be replaced immediately.

n Keep bushes and shrubs near your building trimmed; this will eliminate hiding places in the shadows. This will also allow your building to be more visible

from the street, which will make it easier to notice suspicious activity.

n Check the lighting - adequate exterior lighting on your premises will prevent criminals from lingering too close to your building.

n Make sure there are no accessible ladders, tools or other objects that could assist a burglar with a break-in.

n Make sure all valuables are stored away from access points. Criminals are frequently enticed to break in if there are expensive items, such as electronic equipment, visible from a window.

Other considerations:

n Keep a safe to hold money and important documents, especially financial documents containing account numbers. If cash from fundraisers or the offertory is not immediately deposited in a bank, be sure to keep it stored in a locked safe.

n Take an inventory of property, including serial numbers of computers and other electronic devices. This can help identify theft quickly and will aid in reporting missing items.

n Take preventative measures when your facility is not in use. An alarm system is a wise investment. Often just knowing a building is outfitted with an alarm can deter criminals. n

Caring for Unoccupied Buildings

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Archdiocese of New York Risk Management Quarterly (646) 794-3024

n Publisher: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York n Editor: Doreen Rearden

If you have any questions, comments or topic requests for future newsletters, please email Elizabeth.Steinman@archny.org

Procedures to Follow Regarding Vacant and / or

Unoccupied Buildings n Any unoccupied building should maintain heat at 55° Fahrenheit. We recommend

installing a low-temperature alarm to alert property maintenance supervisor if temperature inside dwelling falls below 50° Fahrenheit.

n Building should be well-secured. Appropriate security lighting should also be available.

n In the event the building is in an area where an unoccupied facility would create a higher potential for break-ins or vandalism, consideration should be given to installing deadbolt locks or window security screens, especially in areas of the building where an intruder would be more apt to try and gain access.

n Conduct regular checks on both the exterior and interior of the building to assure it has not had any damage, vandalism, break-ins, etc. Daily checks may be appropriate during cold or wet weather conditions to assure, if applicable, heating units and/or sump pumps are working effectively.

n Shut off all electrical breakers except those providing security lighting or heating, if any heating units are to remain operating.

n Any exposed piping up to the main valve needs to be appropriately protected.

n All remaining water in the building needs to be drained and removed. This includes water in piping systems, all bathroom-related fixtures and equipment and any holding tanks.

n If any hot water tanks would no longer be utilized or heated, water should be completely drained to prevent any potential of freeze-related damage.

n Any plumbing or drain traps need to be filled with environmentally-friendly antifreeze.

n If the building is equipped with a fire sprinkler system, whether wet or dry, appropriate measures must be taken. Convert the system to a glycol or anti-freeze system, which then would require changing the sprinkler heads on the system and refilling it with an anti-freeze. Utilize qualified service representatives for fire sprinkler system servicing.

n For further discussion regarding winterizing your building and/or if a fire sprinkler system has been installed in the building, contact Kevin Quinn, Claims Risk Manager, at (914) 968-6200 Ext. 8326, or via email: kquinn@catholicmutual.org n

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General PlanningThe key to a safe and successful trip is proper planning. In terms of risk management, this means identifying risks and taking action to avoid or mitigate those risks. This includes obtaining permission from parents/guardians, ensuring your trip is adequately supervised with the right personnel, obtaining the necessary insurance coverage, and taking into consideration the special needs of students.

To begin, make sure your field trip is related to the curriculum studied at school, the catechesis taught in parish programs, or the mission carried out by the parish. Ask the following questions:

n How will the students benefit?n How does it apply to the curriculum?n How will the teacher/catechist/youth

minister follow up on the trip afterwards?n How will students be prepared? For safety reasons, please note:

n Overnight trips are prohibited.n Trips to water parks, amusement parks,

dude ranches, beaches/pools, and ski slopes are prohibited.

Emergency Planning Organizers must develop a written set of communication and contingency plans which will be implemented in the event of an emergency. Present these plans to the school principal/pastor in advance of the field trip for review and approval.

Obtaining PermissionA child should never attend a field trip without a permission form signed by a parent/guardian; verbal consent is not acceptable. Permission forms should inform parents of the date, destination, means of transportation, and probable time of return from the trip. Guidance about clothing, food and snacks should also be given. The form should contain an area in which a parent can indicate special needs or considerations. Plan adequate time for parents to give their written consent. Be sure to keep all permission slips on file. For a sample form, see: www.adnyeducation.org.

Provisions must be made for any student not making the trip and left behind in school.

SupervisionEach trip must be adequately chaperoned and chaperones must carry with them, in a sealed envelope, a copy of the field trip permission form, which contains the emergency contact information for each student they are supervising. To protect the confidentiality of the students, the sealed envelope should not be broken unless there is an emergency that necessitates the chaperone accessing these forms. The following chaperone to student ratio should be maintained:

n Preschool - 1:4 n Grades K-5 - 1:6 n Grades 6-8 - 1:8

Parents may assist in the supervision of students on the trip. Ideally, parents should have some in-service training from the school prior to the start of the trip. Such in-service should include: the basics of supervising children in groups, an itinerary, and a review of reporting and emergency procedures should something happen on the trip.

Contracts and CertificatesSchools must request a trip contract from the company that is the trip destination (e.g., zoo, museum), allowing them access to the premises. They must also request evidence of appropriate insurance. The certificate of insurance should include the school, host parish, Catholic School Region, and Archdiocese of New York as “additional insureds.” It should also expressly provide that, no less than 30 days prior, written notice shall be given to the school in the event of alterations or cancellations of coverage shown on the certificate. Contracts received from trip carriers and certificates of insurance must be reviewed in advance of the trip by Catholic Mutual Group. Send forms and contracts for review to: Claim/ Risk Manager, Catholic Mutual Group, 1011 First Avenue, 19th Floor NY, NY, 10022 or FAX: 212-826-8379.

Please allow 3-5 business days for review. Once approved by CMG, the school should send a copy to the Regional Office. Contracts with either a trip site or a transportation carrier must also include a Hold Harmless clause. Please contact the CMG office for the exact wording of this clause.

TransportationStudents should not be transported in a private car on any trip. Whenever possible, bus transportation should be used. Schools must request that the transportation company complete and sign a Transportation/Hold Harmless Agreement in advance of the trip. Please forward it to CMG for review before signing. At a minimum, the transportation company should provide evidence of the following insurance coverage:

n Automobile liability insurance of no less than $10,000,000 for each occurrence

n Evidence of Workers’ Compensation and Employers’ Liability Insurance

Vans that transport 10-15 passengers cannot be purchased, leased, rented, borrowed or chartered for the purposes of transporting school-aged children (Pre-K - 12). These vehicles do not comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for school buses and are not designed to safely transport school-aged children.

AllergiesBecause severe allergies are becoming more prevalent, staff on field trips must be prepared to deal with allergic reactions, including the potential for anaphylaxis. Staff should receive basic education about allergies and the symptoms of anaphylaxis. In addition, please follow these guidelines:

n Invite parent of a student at risk for anaphylaxis to accompany child.

n Enforce a “no food” policy while on bus. n If a student requires the use of

epinephrine, determine who will transport and administer the epinephrine. Obtain medical authorization from parent.

n Choose field trips locations with care; no student should be excluded from a field trip due to risk of allergen exposure.

n Have hand wipes available for students and staff to use before/after consuming food.

n If eating at a restaurant, make prior arrangements and confirm that allergen-free meals are available. Let parents know the name of the restaurant in advance.

Please note: these are general guidelines. For questions about specific situations, please contact our office at 646-794-3024. n

Field Trips & OutingsAre you looking forward to some field trip outings with your students this school year? Please take a moment to review the guidelines below to ensure your trip is safe, and fun!

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Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New YorkRisk Management & Insurance Services1011 1st Avenue New York, NY 10022

Archdioceseof New York

Wishing you a Blessed Christmas Season and a Joyful New Year.

We look forward to serving you in 2014.

Elizabeth Cain SteinmanDirector of Risk Management

& Insurance Archdiocese of New York

Rick GianficaroRisk Claims Manager

Kevin Quinn Claims Risk Manager II

Dunwoodie Office

Joseph DeLeoClaims Risk Manager

Gerard EganRisk Management Specialist

Emily BendlerProperty Claim Specialist

Dunwoodie Office

Ronald BrophyLoss Control Specialist

Dunwoodie Office

Nerissa OttleyMulti-Line Claims Adjuster II

Melinda CruzService Claims/Risk Representative II

Babette GambinoService Office Secretary

Catholic Center

Worine SpellmanService Office Secretary

Catholic Center

Yvonne CockburnService Office Secretary

Dunwoodie Office

Jennifer BonerboService Office Secretary

Catholic Center