Following the agreed risk engineering philosophy, standards and protocols, locations are evaluated for construction, hazardous processes and storage, fire control systems, supervision, management standards/human element programs, natural catastrophe perils, special hazards and all other traditional exposure elements from fire and explosion perils. In addition to direct property loss, a full assessment of potential business interruption is completed during each site visit. We collect site level business interruption data for account-wide analysis. Additionally, mechanical breakdown exposures will be closely evaluated.
All aspects of our service will be in accordance with service instructions that we jointly develop with the client.
We provide full disclosure of all risk details in our reports. Report sections include: Summary & Opinion, Changes, Recommendations (including estimated cost to complete and associated loss estimates), Construction, Occupancy, Process Description, Special Hazards, Utilities & Services, Human Element Programs, Fixed Fire Protection Analysis, Manual Fire Fighting Features, Exposures (including Swiss Re CatNet Risk Assessment Report with Flood Map), Business Interruption, and Loss Expectancies – MFL, PML, and NLE for property damage and business interruption. Machinery & Equipment (M&E) details and M&E MFL & NLE analyses are also provided on combined machinery breakdown survey reports.
We assess over 1,500 locations per year by self-assessment questionnaires, which is aimed at gathering data for lower value, typically non-production locations. The questionnaires gather basic COPE data as well as sufficient data to generate scoring. Basic recommendations are also generated. Our self-survey process is an integral part of our Risk Management Client Portal.
Key risk data is gathered without travel to the site. An industry-specific questionnaire is shared with site management to submit along with photos and supporting documentation (inspection & testing records, management programs, etc.) prior to video/phone conference. During the conference, Paragon works with the site team, often requesting additional information, to provide a more complete picture of risk quality and offer advice to prevent or reduce property and construction losses. All information is presented in our resulting report, which is shared with the site team for confirmation.
Each report has a Natural Hazards Exposure section in which windstorm, earthquake, and flood exposures are evaluated. Depending on the region, additional perils (snow loading, hail, tornado, and lightning) may also be evaluated. Secondary construction characteristics are included in our base reporting for any properties exposed to NatCat.
For floods, finished floor elevations are compared to the base flood (100 year) elevations to determine loss expectancies based on anticipated water height, susceptibility to water damage, and business impact.
For wind, roof designs (if available) are compared to wind load maps to determine maximum anticipated wind loads per region.
Facilities are also evaluated for seismic bracing of equipment and sprinkler systems, presence of automatic gas shutoff valves, and any features/upgrades that could exacerbate or reduce damage and business impact associated with an earthquake.
For all natural hazard perils, the site’s emergency response procedures are also evaluated, and recommendations are developed as needed. Flood maps and digital photos will also be included in the reports.
Paragon Risk Engineering’s construction team provides specialist construction, erection and infrastructure risk engineering services for insurance company clients, developers and contractors. We provide our services typically across all built environment sectors in many geographies throughout the world. We provide services which include:
Our Construction Team covers a full range of disciplines to support the risk engineering work we undertake including Civil, Geotechnical and Structural Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Fire Protection Engineering and Services Engineering. Within the wider Paragon Risk Engineering Team we are able to call on specialist operational risk engineering expertise, which is of considerable benefit during the testing and commissioning phases of complex construction / erection projects. Our Construction Engineers typically each have over 20 years’ construction industry and insurance industry experience and bring a wealth of expertise to the projects we are involved in.
As defined by Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRII) and the Business Continuity Institute (BCI), Business Continuity Management (BCM) is a holistic management process that identifies potential impacts that threaten an organization and provide a framework for building resilience with the capability for an effective response that safeguards the interests of its key stakeholders, reputation and value creating activities.
The primary objective of Business Continuity Management is to allow business operations to continue under adverse conditions by the introduction of appropriate resilience strategies, recovery objectives, business continuity and crisis management plans in collaboration with, or as a key component of, an integrated risk management initiative.
Paragon Risk Engineering has significant expertise in the assessment of existing business continuity plans and consultative improvements.
A highly qualified Account Manager is dedicated to coordinating and monitoring all services provided. Working closely with the client, the Account Manager helps develop the service protocol that will address every facet of our service, customized to suit your needs. An overview with pertinent risk data and summary information is provided to assist in your risk improvement and property insurance marketing efforts.
Some of our various training programs include Web-based, instructor-led training covering topics specifically requested. Many participants can be accommodated.
Self-directed training on various “standard” topics. Individual participants review training material, and then download and submit quizzes.
Specific hazard presentations as part of site surveys to increase plant personnel’s awareness of loss potential within their facility and steps to protect operations.
Two-day, hands-on fire protection training course at one of the top fire protection training centers in the USA. Practical instructions and exercises give application to fire prevention theories, helping clients implement effective programs within their own facilities.
We can also provide training at our client’s facilities nationwide with one-day through four-day training agendas available. Pricing will be commensurate with the duration of the program. The course price is linked more to the instructor’s time than to the number of participants (other than printing of course material).
Changes in a business can lead to the alteration of inherent risks and loss control factors. Successful management of such changes prevents adverse effects. The plan review process assesses a diverse range of engineering skills to evaluate new potential risk exposures and recommend subsequent loss control measures.
We consider project review to be the complete cycle of activity from protection specification, to plan and calculation review, to witnessing installation acceptance tests, as well as any intermediate site verifications that may be required. Our reviews seek compliance with the applicable NFPA, FM, corporate best practices, and/or industry standards.
All Paragon staff have full access to all NFPA standards, FM data sheets, approval guides, and UL certifications.
To make the review process successful and efficient, we work to develop open communication with the architects, engineers, and contractors working on our client’s projects.
Sigma7 Paragon Risk Engineering performs infrared inspections worldwide through its partners. Infrared (IR) inspections have the capability to identify deteriorating conditions in advance of a breakdown, enabling timely corrective measures to prevent equipment and plant downtime.
Reduce the likelihood of an arc flash occurrence and its associated expenses by conducting an arc flash study. Collaborate with our team of electrical professionals and engineers to identify potential hazards and establish safe work practices that adhere to NFPA regulations to safeguard your personnel, assets, and operations. Our arc flash studies encompass suggestions to minimize the arc flash risk in facilities and measures to address adjustable interruption device coordination. Sigma7 Paragon Risk Engineering can provide on-site services to execute all recommended modifications.
The purpose of a Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) is to identify hazards in the process and document how those hazards are being managed. The DHA provided by Paragon is unique in that it not only exceeds the requirements for a DHA prescribed in NFPA 652, but it also includes a thorough review to determine the facility’s compliance with all applicable combustible dust standards (OSHA, NFPA). The unique expertise and perspective provided by S7 Paragon Risk Engineering also ensures that all potential combustible dust hazards are effectively identified, assessed, and recommendations for mitigation presented.
Sigma7 Paragon Risk Engineering provides customized high-quality inspection services, including government-mandated jurisdictional inspections, inspections of new fabrication of boilers and pressure vessels, training programs, inspections of repairs and alterations, and code requirement consulting.
With a network of preferred partners, licensed to operate in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, Sigma7 Paragon Risk Engineering inspectors hold National Board Commissions with special endorsements and multiple licenses for efficiency in servicing.
Because facilities are vulnerable to large fire losses when fire protection equipment is taken out of service, we provide an impairment notification and follow-up system to help ensure that fire protection equipment is promptly returned to service. We also provide guidance for reducing the extent and duration of impairments, as well as precautions that should be followed to reduce the possibility of loss during these vulnerable periods. Our impairment system utilizes several notification methods including: web (via our on-line data engine), telephone, fax, or email notification with impairment consultation available. Impairment kits, which include notification forms, riser stickers and valve tags, are sent to all locations within 30 days of contract initiation. All notifications are electronically logged.
We provide a scoring system to help rank your facilities, identify sites that may need more attention or support, allocate premium, etc. We rate every site using our ‘Quantitative Risk Assessment’ scoring approach which builds up a picture showing the current risk position found at survey and the potential progress available to the site depending on completion of recommendations. We also provide a ‘management’ score which focuses on the areas within the control of local management so that a site can still achieve and be rewarded for excellence, even where investment in fire protection systems, for example, is not planned.
We offer Marshal and Swift Building Replacement Cost calculations as an integral part of each survey we complete. We can also complete M&S calculations for locations that we do not visit, if sufficient and accurate source data is available.
As directed, we would dispatch an engineer to a facility to gather all facts and details related to an incident, determine the root cause, and develop recommendations to prevent a recurrence. We work with our clients to identify other facilities that may have similar hazards to also prevent the same scenario from occurring elsewhere. Checklists and loss lessons are developed and shared with these sites to ensure hazards and causes are properly addressed.
Paragon is pioneering the use of unmanned drone technology for use in the risk engineering industry. Through our partnership with Montico, our drones can collect highly accurate structural data for analysis by our engineers. Our drones can capture high definition still images, video, infrared and x-ray outputs, allowing us to identify potential hazards that could not otherwise be economically assessed.
