Maintain a Safer Self-Service Laundry

By PlanetLaundry staff | Nov 05, 2009

It shouldn’t take much to convince those of you in the laundry business of the virtues of operating a “safe” store. First and foremost, no one wants to see an injury to a customer, an employee or to themselves in their laundry. Nor do you ever want to experience the devastating effects of a major fire or another type of property loss. Even with insurance in place to provide financial protection, a claim is never easy to handle and at the very least can cost time, money and aggravation.

The truth is that your insurance rates are directly impacted by the collective “loss experience” of all self-service laundries across the country as a class of business. Insurance companies review the frequency and expense of insurance claims occurring in all self-service laundries when determining rates. Every laundry owner has a stake in collectively keeping costs down for the industry. In addition, the claims history for your individual store will affect your rates, and perhaps even your ability to secure insurance in the future.

It’s true that accidents happen, and that we have insurance to protect us from these unforeseen events. At the same time, you have a responsibility to your business (and the industry) to take all of the steps you can to make sure your laundry is as safe as possible. Here’s a brief look at the top 10 steps to a safer laundry:

Prevent Dryer Fires – Dryer fires constitute the most devastating (and costly) property insurance claims for self-service laundries. Over the years, many stores have been lost as a result of a dryer fire. Prevention begins with good maintenance habits and lint control. Develop a schedule to keep lint screens clean; prevent lint from accumulating inside the dryer cabinet; and clean out ductwork on a regular basis. Other dryer fire culprits include improper installation; insufficient make-up air; and spontaneous combustion caused in garments containing grease, cooking oil, etc.

Utilize High-Quality Video Surveillance – High-quality video surveillance must be standard equipment in today’s laundries. Video surveillance helps deter potential robbers, burglars, thieving employees, and would-be scam artists staging fraudulent slips and falls. Video evidence is the best way to protect oneself from phony slips, trips, and falls.

Inspect Floors – Floors must be kept free of water at all costs. Most slip and fall claims result from water that has leaked from a washer and has not been promptly mopped and dried. Also, broken or chipped tiles can cause serious injuries to customers and employees alike. When replacing your floor, use slip-resistant materials and follow manufacturers recommendations for maintenance.

Protect Changers and Alarm the Perimeter – The second most costly claims in laundries result from an overnight break-in and a subsequent destruction of coin changers. The property damage adds up as damage is done to the building and the changer itself, as well as the loss of the cash inside the changer. Install a professional, central station perimeter alarm system. Ask a local security firm to help you alarm the changers themselves. Make sure at least one camera is on the coin changer area at all times.

Achieve Safety Through Design – When planning a new store or remodeling your existing location, keep safety at the forefront. This can mean everything from the proper flooring materials to adequate lighting; from well-placed floor drains to the installation of sprinklers. Always consider aisle widths and multiple exits for customer convenience and safety. Don’t forget to plan back room areas for easy maintenance and safety for you and your employees.

The coin laundry environment places unique demands on store furnishings. Unsafe customer accommodations are a favorite target for the personal injury lawsuit industry and produce above average size claims. For your protection, please use the following manufacturer recommended guidelines to secure your furnishings.

1.    Make sure your tables and chairs, etc. are commercial quality and are structurally safe for customer use, even when abused.
2.    Secure your furnishing in position. Any unsecured table or chair holds the potential for injury if it is used abusively and toppled over.
3.    Inspect your furnishings regularly for damaged or worn components and remove unsafe ones from service immediately.

Train Attendants to Protect Your Investment – Your attendants are your best means of protecting the dollars you’ve invested in your laundry. Your attendants should be well trained to prevent injuries to customers, but if an accident should occur, do they have a written procedure for dealing with a problem when you are not there? Attendants should also be trained to use fire extinguishers; shut-off machines and utilities quickly and safely; and contact emergency services when required. Do you feel that your attendant is ready to handle a fire? A hold-up? Unruly children? An injury to a customer? As business owners with a place of public accommodation, you have a threshold of responsibility for the patrons who enter your laundry.

More Maintenance Means Less Claims – Much like the items listed above, many claims can be prevented just through good operations. The better we maintain our stores and the equipment inside, the fewer claims we will experience. For example, something as simple as a burst fill hose can cause thousands of dollars in property damage, and can increase the risk of a slip and fall.

Inspect Parking Lots, Sidewalks and Doorways – Many slips, trips, and falls occur outside the walls of your laundry. Inspect parking lots for cracks, potholes, uneven pavement, and accumulating water. The same advice goes for sidewalks. Even if you are a tenant, you are still potentially liable for injuries occurring to customers en route to your business. When notifying the landlord of problem areas needing attention, do so via certified letter to protect yourself.

Check Safety Mechanisms on Washers and Dryers – Unfortunately, our industry has experienced past, high-profile accidents resulting from safety door locks not operating properly. No frontload washer door should ever open while the washer is in cycle. No topload washer should ever continue in cycle upon lifting the lid (all lid switches must be in proper working order). All dryers should stop tumbling immediately upon opening the door (all kill switches must be in proper working order).

Conduct a Risk Survey – Take this opportunity to scour your laundry for problem areas and develop a plan for correcting problems as quickly as possible while protecting your customers and employees. A simple, semi-annual inspection of your laundry can save you thousands in deductibles and future increases in premium. More importantly, regular inspections can help reduce the chances of someone being injured as a result of visiting your laundry.

Again, many events are out of your control. That’s why you buy insurance. But that’s only part of the story. As a laundry owner, you must do all you can to make your stores claim-resistant. Be proactive and reap the benefits of a safer laundry and peace of mind.