Inside Look at OSHA 10 Course for Landscape Industry

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Drew Garcia of Rancho Mesa gives an inside look at the 10-Hour OSHA Construction Course for the Landscape Industry.  Interested in hosting one at your facility? Contact Amy Easterday at amy@landscapeprofessionals.org or call 1-800-395-2522.

The OSHA 10 Course for the Landscape Industry is a two-day training hosted by Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, provided by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) in partnership with Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies held on May 17-18, 2018 at San Diego Christian College in Santee, CA.  

Video originally aired live on the NALP Facebook page.

CLCA Utilizes Mobility & Stretch Program at Landscape Industry Certified Technician Testing

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Landscapers from all over Southern California gathered at Cuyamaca College before the sun rose on Saturday, April 14, 2018 to test their skills at the California Landscape Contractors Association's (CLCA) Landscape Industry Certified Technician testing.

Rancho Mesa's Drew Garcia and fitness trainer Collin Dawson led the certification participants in the Mobility & Stretch Program.

Rancho Mesa Celebrates "OneofOne" Moments with Live Drawing

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

A crowd gathered at Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. and many tuned in online to watch Dave Garcia host the "OneofOne" drawing on Monday, April 2, 2018.

Over sixty clients were entered to win a chance for one of ten $250 donations to the nonprofit of their choice or the grand prize, the naming rights to an examination room at Family Health Centers of San Diego, one of Rancho Mesa's long-time clients.

In order to be entered into the drawing, clients were asked to share their “OneofOne” moment. A "OneofOne" is when Rancho Mesa has exceeded the client's expectations through excellence in customer service, risk management practices, industry expertise, workshops or any other way, big or small. We see this as being like no other agency, "OneofOne." 

Watch the exciting drawing.

Grand Prize Winner

Progressive Electric Co.
 

Winners

HVAC Exchange
Apex Pacific
MAAC Project
J. Vitale Landscape & Maintenance
True Lawn Care

Sterling Land Care
Spooner's Woodworks
Mark Harris Plumbing
Watkins Landmark Construction
Lunstrum Windows & Doors

Client Spotlight: Able Heating & Air Conditioning

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. is pleased to highlight Able Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. in the Client Spotlight.  

Able Heating & Air Conditioning specializing in all heating and air conditioning products and services. They service commercial and residential accounts from Escondido to Chula Vista and anywhere within San Diego County. In addition to AC service, repairs, new equipment and installation, they also offer a "worry free" maintenance contract to properly maintain the equipment and protect the property owner's investment.

About Able Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.
Eddie Moreno's vision of creating a family business started in 1983. That vision has come to fruition as Andrew Moreno (son), Moses Moreno (son), Zeke Moreno (son) and Andrew Moreno Jr. (grandson) all work in some capacity within the company. As a family business, we take great pride in the quality of our work and are proud of the 28 years we've been serving the San Diego area. We know we are only as good as our last project, so we work extremely hard to ensure all of our customers are 100% satisfied! For more information, call (619) 409-9100.

Rancho Mesa "OneofOne" Moments Campaign

At Rancho Mesa we are committed to providing risk management and client services that exceed expectations like no other agency; we call that being “OneofOne.”

Within San Diego we work and support 44 non-profits, one of those is the Family Health Centers of San Diego. They are one of the largest community clinics within the United States, offering a wide range of health care services that provides care to over 190,000 unique patients a year.  They provide these services through 23 primary care clinics, 8 behavioral health facilities, 7 dental clinics, 3 mobile medical units, a teen health center, an outpatient substance abuse treatment program, vision and physical therapy, and a pharmacy.  Through a financial commitment to help support their efforts we have been given the opportunity and privilege to have an examination room named in behalf of ourselves or anyone of our choosing.

Here is where the fun begins. We are asking you to share your “OneofOne” Rancho Mesa moment with us where you felt we exceeded your expectations through our customer service, risk management practices, industry expertise, workshops or any other way, big or small, where you felt that “OneofOne” moment with us.  We don’t need anything elaborate, just a quick sentence or two describing that moment.

“There is no way that Mauzy could’ve gotten where they’re at today, without Rancho Mesa as a partner.”

— Matt Mauzy, Mauzy Heating, Air & Solar

“Thank you so much for your incredible support of MAAC and our ongoing work to help families and individuals achieve self-sufficiency in San Diego County.”

— Arnulfo Manriquez, President & CEO, MAAC

“Working with Rancho Mesa, we have reduced our mod, reduced our costs, and increased our control.”

— Matt Ziskin, President, Tierra Verde Resources, Inc.

By doing this, we hope to create an “OneofOne” moment with you.  Let me tell you how.  For every client of ours that sends us their Rancho Mesa “OneofOne” moment, they will go into a drawing for the privilege of naming the examination room.

We believe strongly in supporting our entire non-profit community, so from all the entries we will draw a total of 11 companies names. For the first 10 we draw, we will make a $250 donation in their behalf to anyone of our non-profits or to the non-profit of their choice. The 11th and final name drawn will be awarded the naming rights to the examination room.  We will hold this drawing live online on April 2nd at 10:00 am.

Please join us; let's have some fun, share a Rancho Mesa "OneofOne” moment, help us contribute to our local non-profit community. And let's create that new "OneofOne" moment with you.

Submit your "OneofOne" moment to your Rancho Mesa broker.

Cal/OSHA Delivers Powerful Presentation

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Drew Garcia thanks workshop participants and Carmen Cisneros from Cal/OSHA.

Business leaders from across San Diego County gathered on Thursday, January 4, 2018 for the Cal/OSHA: Enforcement vs. Consultation Branches workshop hosted by Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. at San Diego Christian College.

Carmen Cisneros, Cal/OSHA's Consultation Services Branch Area Manager, delivered an informative presentation covering the differences between Cal/OSHA’s enforcement and consultation branches. She educated the attendees on how to take advantage of Cal/OSHA's free consultation services and provided real-world examples of her experiences in the Enforcement Branch which sparked discussions with the audience.

"Thanks for putting these on, they are valuable tool that you provide to your clients and we appreciate it," said Tyler Rogers, Heritage Landscape Services, Inc.

Mission and Purpose

Carmen began the workshop by describing her experience within Cal/OSHA's Enforcement branch before moving into the Consultation branch.  She explained the goal of Cal/OSHA is to keep people safe.  Its "mission is to promote, adopt, and maintain reasonable and enforceable standards that will ensure safe and healthful workplace for California workers."  She enjoys working within the Consultation Branch where she can help employers be proactive with their approach to safety in the workplace.

Online Resources

During the presentation, Carmen covered various pages on the Cal/OSHA website (www.dir.ca.gov/dosh) and how to navigate through the site.  She explained where to find information on how business owners can participate in advisory meetings to assist Cal/OSHA in its regulations.

Reporting

The presentation included practical information for business owners.  For example, Cal/OSHA's Enforcement Branch will respond to accidents, complaints, referrals, and imminent hazards. Carmen included definitions for terms like "catastrophe" (i.e., inpatient hospitalization of three (3) or more employees) and "serious exposure" (i.e., exposure to a hazardous substance sufficient to create a realistic possibility that death or serious physical harm in the future could result from the exposure). There was also a discussion on when and how to report an accident. When required, an employer must call to report the accident within 8 hours of knowledge of the event.  She also stressed the importance of documentation and recommended tracking the date and time the initial call was made to Cal/OSHA to report an incident.

Citations and Appeals

Carmen discussed the various categories of citations the Enforcement Branch may issue and provided maximum dollar amounts for each:

• Regulatory (up to $7,000)
• General (up to $7,000)
• Serious (up to $25,000)
• Repeat (no adjustment for good faith or history)
• Failure to Abate (maximum penalty up to $15,000)
• Willful (up to $75,000)

She also covered the Appeals Board process, including informal conferences and appeals.  The take away from this part of the presentation was that Cal/OSHA is willing to work with an employer who is genuinely taking steps to correct an issue.

Consultation Services

The main objective of the workshop was to inform employers that Cal/OSHA offers free consultation services. These are resources that are available to employers to ensure they maintain safe workplaces without the added pressure of citations or fines.  The Consultation Branch offers free:

• Onsite visits
• Offsite consultation (telephone support)
• Educational materials
• Educational outreach (workshops)
• Partnership programs

In order for the Consultation Branch to work with an employer, they must be invited and the employer must not have any current citations or penalties

The Catch.  While information is not shared with the Enforcement Branch, "serious and imminent hazards identified during a consultation are expected to be corrected in a timely manner."  So, when working with the Consultation Branch, an employer is expected to make the recommended changes within the set time frame (i.e., within 30 days, immediately); otherwise, the Enforcement Branch may become involved to prevent a serious accident.    

The Cal/OSHA website has an extensive library of educational materials that employers can utilize to ensure their workplace is safe.

Contact Cal/OSHA to schedule a free consultation.

Rancho Mesa Hosts 2018 Employment Law Workshop - Now available On Demand

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa enlisted attorney Alexis S. Gutierrez from the law firm of Higgs Fletcher & Mack to conduct its 2018 Legal Update workshop on Friday, November 17, 2017.  The event was held in the firm's building in Downtown San Diego and attracted companies from a variety of industries like construction, human services, landscape and others.

Watch Drew Garcia thank Alexis S. Gutierrez for presenting and everyone for attending the workshop.

The a copy of the workshop is now available on demand from the Risk Management Center.  Non-Rancho Mesa clients may request a copy of the video using the link below.

About Alexis S. Gutierrez

Alexis S. Gutierrez is the Chair of Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP’s Litigation Department, in addition to serving on the firm’s Executive and Management Committees.  With over 20 years of first chair experience, Mr. Gutierrez provides business and employment counseling and complex commercial litigation support to public and private entities, and non-profit organizations.  He enjoys Martindale Hubbell’s highest peer rating (“AV Preeminent”) for Legal Ability and General-Ethical Standards.  He is also a Recognized Practitioner® with Chambers USA Guide and has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America®, and by San Diego Magazine for as a Top Lawyer® for Labor and Employment and ADR (since 2013). For more information, visit higgslaw.com/attorneys/alexis-s-gutierrez.

About Higgs Fletcher & Mack

Organized by specialty, Higgs Fletcher & Mack has 23 legal practice groups designed to serve individuals and both large and small businesses. This structure allows our attorneys to leverage their expertise, and work together to obtain successful resolutions to your legal issues. As San Diego grows and the innovation sector booms, so too does Higgs Fletcher & Mack. We continue to evolve the practice groups to reflect the changing legal needs of our region’s individuals and businesses. From health care to intellectual property law, family law to immigration and business litigation, we are the law firm you can trust. For more information, visit higgslaw.com.

Client Spotlight: Mauzy Heating, Air & Solar

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. is pleased to highlight Mauzy Heating, Air & Solar in the Client Spotlight.  

"Sometimes, finding a heating and air contractor that you can trust feels like searching for a needle in a haystack. And so, when we founded Mauzy Heating, Air & Solar, we wanted our strong family values to shine as brightly as the high-quality repairs, installation and maintenance services that our HVAC company delivers," according to the Mauzy website.

About Mauzy Heating, Air & Solar
Mauzy Heating, Air & Solar provides top-notch heating and cooling services to the greater San Diego, CA region. When your home needs service, repair, or a whole new system, our team at Mauzy will provide you with the best quality service available. No job is too big or too small for us here at Mauzy. We offer services from basic upkeep on your residential system to full system installation. Our family and our team is here to work for you, our customers, every step of the way. For more information, visit www.mauzy.com.

Client Spotlight: Toward Maximum Independence

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. is pleased to highlight Toward Maximum Independence (TMI) in the Client Spotlight.  

"TMI advocates for the belief that disability does not mean inability," according to its website. "Independence and self-responsibility are fostered by respect for the individual’s autonomy and by empowering the individual to make informed decisions. It is important that everyone should have the opportunity to reach their potential competence with opportunities to perform functional and meaningful activities or work with support if needed to promote success."

Videos published with the permission from Toward Maximum Independence.

About Toward Maxium Independence
Toward Maximum Independence is dedicated to assisting children and adults with developmental disabilities such as autism, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy, as well as the deaf and hard of hearing, to live, work and participate in their community. Our services are available throughout San Diego, Riverside and Imperial Counties. For more information, visit www.tmi-inc.org.

Client Spotlight: Heritage Landscape Services Inc.

Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. is pleased to highlight Heritage Landscape Services, Inc. in the Client Spotlight.  

Since 1978, Heritage Landscape Services, Inc. has been serving the landscaping needs of clients throughout San Diego. The company's commitment is to provide their customers with services that exceed expectations and deliver results.

Video published with the permission from Heritage Landscape Services, Inc.

About Heritage Landscape Services, Inc.
Heritage Landscape Services, Inc. is in the business of providing its clients with reliable services and exceptional results. Heritage Landscape Services, Inc. works closely with homeowner associations, property managers and property owners to ensure that our service is meeting and exceeding expectations. We specialize in servicing apartments,
 multi-family communities, office/industrial complexes, public parks and retail centers. As a family-run business, it is our personal investment in each client and property that sets us apart from our competitors.  For more information, visit www.heritagelandscape.com.