Loss Cost Risk Search tool
Loss Costs
Once an inspection is done and loss costs developed for a property, this information is added to our database of thousands of previously inspected buildings. Our database of loss costs is available to all of our subscribing agents and underwriters at no charge.
By looking up an address on the Loss Cost page of the members section of our website, you access building information that includes loss costs, earthquake class, CSP and RCP codes, fire protection area, date of the last inspection, and in most cases a downloadable copy of our latest inspection.
Tentative Loss Costs
Tentative loss costs can be used until a specific loss cost is available. Just go to the Tentative Loss Cost page under the Loss Cost tab in the members section of our website and enter the occupancy, construction type, and protection class of your building. A conservative tentative rate will be generated for the contents and building. Whenever a tentative rate is used, you must attach a Tentative Rate Endorsement CP 99 93 and apply to WSRB for a specific loss cost. You can do this by ordering a Commercial Property Inspection through our website at no cost.
Click here to learn about the new LOI changes to our Risk Search tools.
For additional information on WSRB Loss Costs or to learn how to become a WSRB subscriber, contact Tracy Skinner at 206-273-7146.
Learn about more no-charge WSRB Subscriber Services!
Article by: April LaRita Green, Social Media Marketing & Project Specialist
Owning a commercial building or business means having to stay on top of safety issues that you may not otherwise encounter. If you have employees or customers coming in and out of the building, you have the added responsibility of protecting them from unsafe practices as well. During our commercial property inspections, our field reps encounter all kinds of unsafe conditions and fire hazards that affect insurance loss costs. Here are our top 10:
1.) Not protected by an automatic fire sprinkler system – The plain truth is that sprinkler systems save lives and property. A building that is unprotected or under-protected is at a much higher risk of severe property damage or total loss in the event of a fire.
2.) Suppression system in a restaurant is not getting credit – Restaurants are a very common high-risk occupancy. If the hood and vent extinguishing system is not adequate for the type of cooking performed or it is not maintained it poses a serious fire hazard. All kitchen suppression systems should meet UL300 standards.
Ul Listed rag cans
3.) Lack of approved rag cans – UL Listed metal rag cans with self-closing lids should be used in auto body shops, repair garages, woodworking facilities, or any place where rags are used with flammable liquids. Oil-soaked rags have been known to catch fire hours or even days after use. If not properly contained, fire can break out and spread unchecked overnight or when no one is in the building.
An unpainted exterior can lead to weather damage
4.) Maintenance issues (broken windows, peeling paint, etc.) – General maintenance is important not only to the aesthetics of the building but also in preventing damage. Peeling exterior paint can expose siding to weather damage; water damage from roof leaks can spread or cause issues with mold; and a run-down appearance can look like an invitation to vandals. A generally well-kept building will be less likely to need major repairs down the road.
Unprotected gas meters are susceptible to damage.
5.) Unprotected gas meter or piles of debris adjacent to building – Gas meters are often located in the parking lots of commercial buildings. If left unprotected, they can be damaged by cars or machinery, causing a dangerous gas leak. Combustible debris stored near or against a building can cause a fire hazard that can quickly spread to the walls, roof, and interior of the building.
Effective dust collection system and clean work area.
6.)Improper dust-collection system – If combustible dust is not contained and disposed of effectively it can pose an explosion risk. Ideally, dust-collection systems should be constructed of metal duct work and terminate outside of the building.
7.) Adjacent to combustible building or building with a hazardous occupancy – When choosing a business location, many people don’t consider that the construction and occupancy of a building next door can affect their risk of fire and ultimately their insurance rates. Out-of-control fires can spread to neighboring buildings. If yours is located next to a high-risk operation, the likelihood of fire damage to your building is increased.
8.) Poor housekeeping – Dust, refuse, and combustible materials that are allowed to accumulate around work areas can act as a fuel source during a fire. Poor housekeeping around hot work areas poses an even bigger threat. A stray spark can ignite highly combustible materials that are lying around.
An accumulation of combustible refuse poses a fire hazard.
9.) Ordinary electrical equipment in areas storing or using flammable liquids – Explosion-proof lighting, switches, motors, and electrical equipment is specifically designed for use in areas where flammable vapors are present. A spark from ordinary electrical equipment could have a devastating outcome. Portable lighting and equipment should be tested and listed by a nationally recognized organization, such as UL, and only used in areas which have been purged of flammable vapors.
10.) General lack of safety precautions – Let’s face it, people don’t always follow the best safety practices. We’ve all seen the Safety Fails that make their way around the internet (if not, I highly recommend Googling “Safety Fail.” Some of the results you get will leave you in awe). When it comes to fire and safety hazards, a little common sense goes a long way. So be aware of your surroundings. It’s a good idea to periodically walk around your building, inside and out, and do safety inspections to check for any issues that may have been overlooked or lost among the day-to-day operations. If you’re not sure if a condition is safe, call your insurance agent or local fire department and ask. They are there to help.
Share your workplace safety stories with us below. Stay safe my friends!
Article by: April LaRita Green, Social Media Marketing & Project Specialist
WSRB Subscriber Services – PROTECTION
PROTECTION is an online, GIS-based mapping program available to all WSRB subscribers, including agents, underwriters, and property risk management professionals. Just enter in the address of your building and you can find information for that specific location anywhere in the state of Washington, such as:
- The distance from your building to a responding Fire Station.
- A list of all Fire Stations within a 10-mile radius.
- Station addresses, rating, staffing info, and responding stations (it may not be the closest one to your building).
- If there is a hydrant within 1000 feet.
- The Protection Class, based on property type.
- BCEGS score.
- FEMA flood hazard scores.
The beauty of PROTECTION is that we work with fire chiefs, fire marshals, water purveyors, and other officials throughout Washington to ensure that the information you’re getting is accurate and up-to-date.
We also provide at no additional cost Web Services, which links PROTECTION directly to your policy-writing system. This way your system can automatically look up your address and give you the information you need.
Learn about more WSRB Subscriber Services.
Article by: April LaRita Green, Social Media Marketing & Project Specialist
Facts about apples from the Washington Apple Commission and how controlled atmospheric (CA) warehouses can preserve this commodity for year-round enjoyment
- About 2,500 known varieties of apple are grown in the USA.
- More than 7,500 varieties are grown worldwide.
- In 2012, the average US consumer ate ~20 pounds of apples.
- The only apple native to North America is the crabapple.
Apples are the largest agricultural product grown in Washington. In Washington State, our most famous apple, the Red Delicious, represents about 30% of apples grown in our state but accounts for 48% of apples exported to other countries. The other top eight varieties are as follows: Golden Delicious, Gala; Fuji, Granny Smith, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, Pink and Cameo. In Washington State alone, approximately 10-12 billion apples are handpicked each year.
Eating crisp, juicy Washington apples year-round is possible due to controlled atmosphere storage. Known simply as “CA” in the industry, controlled atmosphere storage involves careful control of temperature, oxygen, carbon dioxide and humidity.
CA storage got its start in England before World War II when farmers discovered their produce kept longer if stored in an airtight room. It was up to scientists to unravel the reasons for longer storage.
Apples take in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide as starches in the flesh change to sugar. In the sealed rooms, this respiratory process reduced the oxygen, thus slowing the ripening process.
CA storage has come a long way since then, and researchers in Washington State have been among the leaders in this technology. CA was first used on a large commercial basis in the United States in the 1960s and Washington now has the largest capacity of CA storage of any growing region in the world.
CA storage is a non-chemical process. Oxygen levels in the sealed rooms are reduced, usually by the infusion of nitrogen gas, from the approximate 21 percent in the air we breathe to 1 percent or 2 percent. Temperatures are kept at a constant 32 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit. Humidity is maintained at 95 percent and carbon dioxide levels are also controlled. Exact conditions in the rooms are set according to the apple variety. Researchers develop specific regimens for each variety to achieve the best quality. Computers help keep conditions constant.
Timing of harvest is critical to good storage results. Apples picked too early will not store well in CA nor will those that are past the proper maturity.
In mid-August, apple growers start testing the maturity of their apples to accurately predict when to harvest their crop to put in CA rooms so the apples are mature, but not too ripe. Firmness, skin color, seed color, sugar level and flesh chlorophyll are tested.
When the proper growing and harvesting techniques are used, many varieties of apples can store for 12 months or longer in CA. Most of these apples are shipped to market between January and September. Regular refrigerated storage is used for much of the fruit marketed in the fall and early winter months.
The CA rooms and CA operators are licensed and certified by the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Washington law places requirements on the length of time apples must remain in CA conditions to qualify as CA-certified. Then state inspectors check every lot of fruit as the lot comes off the packing line to make sure the apples meet maturity requirements, the same requirements the U.S. Department of Agriculture uses for apples being exported. Only then will the box be stamped with the warehouse number and the “CA” symbol.
Apples meeting these standards must be shipped within two weeks or be re-inspected to meet the same requirements. If they don’t pass, the shipper must remove the CA designation from the box.
I will continue to expand upon CA warehouses as described above with more detail as to how these modern-day refrigerated concrete tilt-up constructed warehouses actually function/operate in the next article. Please stay tuned.
Excerpted with permission from the Washington Apple Commission, copyright 2010: 1, 2.
Compiled by Mark A. Wogsland
At WSRB, we evaluate automatic fire sprinkler systems for fire insurance rate credit, in accordance with our filed rating schedule. Our inspectors evaluate the effectiveness of these systems based on whether the design is appropriate for the current occupancy, if the system is installed and maintained properly, and if it meets code requirements. To find out what we need in order to evaluate automatic sprinkler systems, check out our article WSRB Sprinkler Rating.
In our sprinkler reports, we include a description of the system, water availability, and maintenance records, as well as a list of deficiencies and description of deducted points.
Sprinkler reports are included in our standard Commercial Property Inspections. These inspections are available to all of our subscribers at no charge. Subscribing agents and underwriters can order as many Commercial Property Inspections as they need. You will never be charged for additional inspections.
For questions regarding sprinkler reports and inspections, contact Robert Lacy at 206-273-7197.
To find out how you can become a WSRB subscriber, contact Tracy Skinner at 206-273-7146.
Learn about more WSRB Subscriber Services.
Article by: April LaRita Green, Social Media Marketing & Project Specialist
Top 10 Commercial Kitchen Fire Safety Issues
Photo by: Kristen Skinner, Field Representative
Restaurants are very common high-hazard occupancies. There is a lot that can go wrong. This is why we pay particular attention to equipment safety features and the kitchen environment during our inspections. Here is a list of the top 10 fire safety issues we come across and why they’re so important:
1.) The system is not UL300 Listed. A common cause for this is the presence of a dry chemical extinguishing system. With the widespread transition from animal fat to vegetable oil use in deep fat fryers, dry chemical systems are no longer able to control the higher temperature, longer burning fires produced by vegetable oils. A UL300 Listed system is specifically designed to handle these intense fires, contain them longer, and prevent splashing of hot oil during the fire.
2.) Nozzle covers missing. When the nozzles of an extinguishing system are not kept covered, airborne grease can clog the hole. This may impede or prevent operation of the extinguishing system.
3.) Nozzles not aimed properly. If a nozzle is not properly aimed to deposit the extinguishing chemicals on the source of the fire, it will be less effective.
4.) Combustible construction within 18 inches of hood not protected with mineral wool pad (or equivalent). Combustible materials within 18 inches of the kitchen hood may aid in the spread of fire. Incombustible materials provide a barrier that creates a break in the fire’s path.
5.) Filter panels installed wrong. Filter panels are specifically designed to collect grease. If they aren’t properly installed, the amount of grease they are able to collect may be reduced causing more accumulation on the hood.
6.) Hood or suppression system does not cover all appliances. If a fire occurs in or on an appliance that is not covered by the hood or suppression system, it cannot be adequately controlled by the system.
7.) Inadequate cleaning cycle. Hood and vent systems that are not kept clean can accumulate grease and pose a serious threat of fire. Adequate cleaning schedules vary greatly from one kitchen to the next. A full service restaurant using multiple fryers or woks may need to be cleaned monthly, while a low-volume kitchen like that in a daycare or senior center only requires cleaning annually.
8.) Lights not covered with explosion-proof covers. Explosion-proof lights are generally required in applications involving high heat or high risk of fire or explosion.
9.) Fire suppression system tags out of date. When a kitchen suppression system is serviced, a tag should be left by the servicing company indicating the service date. An out-of-date tag indicates that the system is not being serviced regularly.
10.) No, or inadequate, separation between open flame appliances and fryers. Without adequate separation, oil can splash or splatter into open flames, causing a fire risk. Suitable separation can be achieved by either providing 16 inches between the appliances or a 16 inch vertical, non-combustible (metal) divider.
You may also be interested in Top 10 Reasons You Aren’t Getting Full Sprinkler Credit.
Article by: April LaRita Green, Social Media Marketing & Project Specialist
WSRB offers Commercial Property Inspections and accompanying reports to all of our Subscribers at no additional cost. There is no limit to the number of inspections you can order and you will never be charged additional fees for ordering more inspections.
These reports include a physical inspection of the property, specific or class-rated loss costs (as appropriate), a diagram of the property including distance to exposing buildings and hydrant locations, photos of your building as well as exposing buildings and hazards found, and a premises report detailing any conditions found by the inspector that may be of concern.
In case you ever have a question regarding one of our reports, we provide you with contact information so that you can speak with the inspector of your property directly. This way, you can be sure that the person you’re talking to has seen and knows the property personally.
In addition to our Commercial Property Reports, we now also offer a General Casualty Report supplement and custom reports. Both of these are available to our Subscribers for an additional fee.
For more information on our Commercial Property Inspection Services or to learn how to become a WSRB Subscriber, contact Tracy Skinner at 206-273-7146.
Learn about more WSRB Subscriber Services.
Article by: April LaRita Green, Social Media Marketing & Project Specialist
