CCWC mag Sept-Oct 2020_web

Though Pandher
was not working
that evening, his
employee followed
the emergency
response plan
provided by Petro
Canada corporate
office, as part of the
company’s health and
safety procedures.
Stuff happens when you least expect it. This
is why it is important to have insurance and an
emergency response plan in the event something
terrible happens on location. Mitigating risk is the
first step. Ensuring you have the right insurance
coverage and knowing who to call to address
any damage is another. This applies to any crisis,
including slips, trips and crashes.
While some situations can be prevented with
proper risk mitigation and proactive safety measures,
there are some incidents that happen by
fluke – completely by surprise and unavoidable.
Just ask Mandeep Pandher, who experienced a
crash at his Neighbours/Petro Canada gas station
in Welland, Ontario. On February 6, 2020, at approximately
8:40 p.m., a local driver accidentally
drove into the store’s front door and window.
Though Pandher was not working that evening,
his employee followed the emergency response
plan provided by Petro Canada corporate office,
as part of the company’s health and safety procedures.
The employee called Pandher and the authorities
immediately, after ensuring that nobody
was physically hurt, including the driver.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I arrived moments
after the incident happened,” says Pandher,
who was thankful he had provided the appropriate
training for his employee to know what to do
in such an emergency situation. The first step is
to turn off the gas pumps. The second is to ensure
that no one is inside the store. The Emergency
Response Protocol binder is kept beside the cash
register for easy reference. “The damage was extensive,
the area was already taped off and the
police, fire fighters and paramedics were on site.”
The c-store was closed for four days after the
incident in order to clean the mess and repair the
damage, however, Pandher kept the gas bar open
in an effort not to lose any further sales. While
the insurance claim is still open and he continues
to deal with issues with the contractor, Pandher
knows the situation could have been a lot worse.
His security cameras showed that two customers
had just walked in front of the uncontrolled vehicle
seconds before it drove into the store.
Between the insurance company and contractor,
Pandher is looking forward to closing the case
and continuing on with his business.
“It has been a long and difficult process to resolve,”
says Pandher, who is hoping to have yellow
concrete pillars installed at the front of the
store to serve as a barrier and prevent this type
of accident from causing so much damage to the
store again.
In terms of lessons learned, Pandher strongly
recommends that retailers have the contact information
of a couple of trusted contractors on
hand so they know who to call to assist with repairs
in an emergency situation rather than just
go with the first one that shows up at the scene.
While crashes are rare, slips and trips are more
common occurrences in high traffic pedestrian
areas.
According to Wawanesa Mutual Insurance
Company, unintentional falls are a common
cause of injury across Canada and pose a significant
liability exposure.
Brad Hartle, senior communications specialist
at The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
states that C&G owners have a legal responsibility
to ensure their premises are safe from any
harm. This duty of care requires that reasonable
precautions are taken to ensure the visitor is safe
while on the premises.
MITIGATE RISK
The goal is to be proactive and mitigate any risk.
Take into account, the following:
1. Conduct regular inspections and walkthroughs,
which keeps you on top of issues
CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA / 47