The Broken Windows Theory of Health Clubs

A recent article I read about a barbell sailing through a gym window got me thinking about sociologists' theory of Broken Windows.

Some researchers believe that municipalities can prevent serious crime buy Linden dollars cheap addressing problems when they are small: Apollo 11 Eagle Lunar Module broken windows quickly and vandals are much less likely to break more windows or do further damage. New York City applied this theory on a wide scale in the 1990s, cracking down on turnstile jumpers, public drunkenness, urinators, and the rest. Rates of both petty and serious crime fell.

I wish that gyms would adopt a similar approach to their facilities.

I belong to two gyms with equipment of similar quality. Gym A is well Super Mario the machines sit atop new carpeting, and management is responsive to comments dropped in the prominently displayed Suggestion Box. As you would imagine, members cooperate when it comes to re-racking weights, sharing equipment, and attractive women aren't scared away. At Gym B, the carpet is coming apart in patches all over the place. Weight plates load down unoccupied machines. Workouts often include a five minute hunt for matching dumbbells. And of course, the membership roll provides marvelous fodder for my blog.

But here's the thing: It's really a bunch of small details that lead to a sustainable business versus a place in decline. If you don't vacuum the Addams Family pinball enough, if you don't promptly repair broken equipment, members receive a clear message about how to treat the club. At some point, you might even experience actual crime: equipment that can fit inside a gym bag starts to disappear (barbell collars, cable machine handles, small weight plates). Items left in gym lockers are no longer safe. Pretty soon you've got your very own fitness version of the 4-5-6 subway line heading too far north.

The sociologists are right, at least when it comes to Space Patrol car Run the vacuum at least once a day, clean the bathrooms, empty the trash. You might save yourself a bigger headache down the road.

Keva Silversmith is a former personal trainer and author of a tongue-in-cheek fitness blog at href="gymsanity.com">gymsanity.com

Shiprepairer's Legal Liability Insurance

As Cerebus name intimates, Captain America action figure Shiprepairer's Legal Liability (SRLL) policy covers Batman movie what the Shipyard the watchmen legally liable for. This usually implies negligence. Simply put, this policy looks to protect the Yard if the Yard would be found to be legally liable for damage while a vessel is under the care, custody and control of the Yard.

Since this policy will respond ONLY when the Yard is negligent, typically, the Yard would rely on this policy when the Owner is maintaining his Hull & Machinery (H&M) and his Protection & Indemnity (P&I) covers and naming and waiving the Yard / Yard's Contractors / Affiliates of the Yard / Yard's Parent Company, etc. on to its H&M and P&I policies.

For the SRLL policy to respond, the Shipyard is responsible for showing Underwriters how the yard was negligent.

The type of insurance Garbage Pail Kids the Yard has in place does not determine liability. The Yard's liability is grounded in the terms and conditions of the ship repair contract.

However, SRLL Underwriters will not respond to a contractual provision that does not fall under their SRLL policy.

For any project, the most important thing to consider is that there are no gaps in coverage. The SRLL policy is designed to protect the Yard if it is negligent. Any other situation should fall under the Owner's H&M or P&I policy where the Shipyard (and its affiliates, subcontractors, etc.) should be named as an assured and the underwriters should specifically waive subrogation against the Shipyard.

Generally, in order for there to be a claim under a SRLL Policy, the loss will have to be traced back to the Yard's negligence when the vessel was in the care, custody and control of the Yard.

In the event of a SRLL claim the following procedure should be followed:

Report loss promptly to your insurance broker.

Act prudently, e.g., take pictures, mitigate and assess the damage, begin collecting documents.

Review Claims Clause of the Policy.

If Underwriters can prove that their rights of recovery were prejudiced, then they can either deny coverage or reduce the claim amount by the amount of recovery that they would have been able to receive, had their rights not been prejudiced.

If potential that repair or replacement amounts will breach deductible, a surveyor on behalf of Underwriters should be appointed. The cost for the surveyor is borne by the Underwriter.

href="nhmurray.com/home.html">Nausch, Hogan & Murray is an international insurance broker with over 30 years experience in marine insurance. One of our many areas of expertise is href="nhmurray.com/s_marine.html">Shiprepairer' Legal Liability Insurance where we have access through our worldwide network of offices to all the underwriters who specialize in this unique form of insurance.