Mitigating major threats to operations

So, what should agents and brokers recommend to winery owners and operators to protect their business, their staff and their customers during harvesting season? We recommended following these four best practices for starters:

Extensive training: Full-time staff and temporary employees should all have to undergo comprehensive employee training programs specifically tailored toward common harvesting risks before setting out to work. This training should also include a focus on regular equipment maintenance to limit any injury risks.
Detailed plans: Winery management should prepare and implement in-depth risk management plans. These plans should provide steps for staff to avoid common risk exposures and share best practices to respond in case of any emergencies. Plans should also be specifically tailored for worst-case scenarios in harvesting, including fire, power outage or an evacuation.
Cleaning and maintenance: Equipment breakdowns introduce safety threats and can halt business for long periods of time, so winery owners should mandate regular equipment maintenance. Furthermore, with so many additional people on site during harvesting season, including seasonal staff and visitors, staff should be regularly cleaning the property and moving any obstructions out of the way to limit slip and fall risks.
Preparing their property: With frequent weather challenges during the harvesting season, a backup generator can be a valuable tool for avoiding business shutdowns during power outages. With wildfires, we also recommend shoring up defensible space. Winery staff or third parties should take the time to prune vegetation around the property to ensure it cannot serve as fuel for fires.

In addition to these steps, agents and brokers should be checking in with their winery clients every year ahead of the harvest season. They should accompany clients on a property tour to assess and survey for risk exposures. Then, they should revisit coverage offerings with their clients to ensure they have the right package that works for their business, as well as strong risk mitigation strategies in place to protect winery operations.

Larry Chasin of PAK Programs. (Credit: PAK Programs_

Special Reports /

Helping winery clients navigate harvest season safely & efficiently

Related Stories

Recommended For You