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CONTINGENCIES AND OTHER MATTERS | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 29, 2012
CONTINGENCIES AND OTHER MATTERS |
CONTINGENCIES AND OTHER MATTERS |
(13) CONTINGENCIES AND OTHER MATTERS General Numerous claims, complaints and proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business, including those relating to litigation matters (e.g., class actions, derivative lawsuits and contracts, intellectual property and competitive claims), environmental matters, and risk management matters (e.g., product and general liability, automobile, and workers’ compensation claims), have been filed or are pending against us and certain of our subsidiaries. Additionally, we may become subject to significant claims of which we are currently unaware, or the claims of which we are aware may result in us incurring a significantly greater liability than we anticipate. This may also be true in connection with past or future acquisitions. While we maintain property, cargo, auto, product, general liability, environmental, and directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and have acquired rights under similar policies in connection with acquisitions that we believe cover a portion of these claims, this insurance may be insufficient or unavailable (e.g., because of insurer insolvency) to protect us against potential loss exposures. In addition, we have increased our self-insurance limits over the past several years. While we believe we are entitled to indemnification from third parties for some of these claims, these rights may be insufficient or unavailable to protect us against potential loss exposures. We believe, however, that our accruals related to these items are sufficient and that these items and our rights to available insurance and indemnity will be resolved without material effect, individually or in the aggregate, on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. These accruals totaled $543.7 (including $497.1 for risk management matters) and $558.3 (including $495.6 for risk management matters) at September 29, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. Of these amounts, $488.5 and $491.8 were included in “Other long-term liabilities” within our condensed consolidated balance sheets at September 29, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, with the remainder included in “Accrued expenses.” It is reasonably possible that our ultimate liability for these items could exceed the amount of the recorded accruals; however, we believe the estimated amount of any potential additional liability would not have a material effect, individually or in the aggregate, on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. We had insurance recovery assets related to risk management matters of $428.5 and $428.9 at September 29, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, included in “Other assets” within our condensed consolidated balance sheets. Litigation Matters We are subject to litigation matters that arise in the normal course of business. We believe these matters are either without merit or of a kind that should not have a material effect, individually or in the aggregate, on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. Environmental Matters Our operations and properties are subject to federal, state, local and foreign regulatory requirements relating to environmental protection. It is our policy to comply fully with all applicable requirements. As part of our effort to comply, we have a comprehensive environmental compliance program that includes environmental audits conducted by internal and external independent professionals, as well as regular communications with our operating units regarding environmental compliance requirements and anticipated regulations. Based on current information, we believe that our operations are in substantial compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations, and we are not aware of any violations that could have a material effect, individually or in aggregate, on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. We have liabilities for site investigation and/or remediation at 97 sites that we own or control. In addition, while we believe that we maintain adequate accruals to cover the costs of site investigation and/or remediation, we cannot provide assurance that new matters, developments, laws and regulations, or stricter interpretations of existing laws and regulations will not materially affect our business or operations in the future. Our environmental accruals cover anticipated costs, including investigation, remediation, and operation and maintenance of clean-up sites. Our estimates are based primarily on investigations and remediation plans established by independent consultants, regulatory agencies and potentially responsible third parties. Accordingly, our estimates may change based on future developments, including new or changes in existing environmental laws or policies, differences in costs required to complete anticipated actions from estimates provided, future findings of investigation or remediation actions, or alteration to the expected remediation plans. It is our policy to realize a change in estimate once it becomes probable and can be reasonably estimated. We take into account third-party indemnification from financially viable parties in determining our accruals where there is no dispute regarding the right to indemnification. We generally do not discount our environmental accruals and do not reduce them by anticipated insurance recoveries. In the case of contamination at offsite, third-party disposal sites, we have been notified that we are potentially responsible and have received other notices of potential liability pursuant to various environmental laws at 24 sites at which the liability has not been settled, and only 8 of which have been active in the past few years. These laws may impose liability on certain persons that are considered jointly and severally liable for the costs of investigation and remediation of hazardous substances present at these sites, regardless of fault or legality of the original disposal. These persons include the present or former owners or operators of the site and companies that generated, disposed of or arranged for the disposal of hazardous substances at the site. We are considered a “de minimis” potentially responsible party at most of the sites, and we estimate that the aggregate probable remaining liability at these sites is immaterial. We conduct extensive environmental due diligence with respect to potential acquisitions, including environmental site assessments and such further testing as we may deem warranted. If an environmental matter is identified, we estimate the cost and either establish a liability, purchase insurance or obtain an indemnity from a financially sound seller. However, in connection with our acquisitions or dispositions, we may assume or retain significant environmental liabilities, some of which we may be unaware. The potential costs related to these environmental matters and the possible impact on future operations are uncertain due in part to the complexity of government laws and regulations and their interpretations, the varying costs and effectiveness of various clean-up technologies, the uncertain level of insurance or other types of recovery, and the questionable level of our responsibility. We record a liability when it is both probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. In our opinion, after considering accruals established for such purposes, remedial actions for compliance with the present laws and regulations governing the protection of the environment are not expected to have a material adverse impact, individually or in the aggregate, on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. Risk Management Matters We are self-insured for certain of our workers’ compensation, automobile, product and general liability, disability and health costs, and we believe that we maintain adequate accruals to cover our retained liability. Our accruals for risk management matters are determined by us, are based on claims filed and estimates of claims incurred but not yet reported, and generally are not discounted. We consider a number of factors, including third-party actuarial valuations, when making these determinations. We maintain third-party stop-loss insurance policies to cover certain liability costs in excess of predetermined retained amounts. This insurance may be insufficient or unavailable (e.g., because of insurer insolvency) to protect us against loss exposure. Collaborative Arrangements Collaborative arrangements are defined as a contractual arrangement in which the parties are (1) active participants to the arrangements and (2) exposed to significant risks and rewards that depend on the commercial success of the endeavor. Costs incurred and revenues generated from transactions with third parties are required to be reported by the collaborators on the appropriate line item in their respective income statements. We enter into consortium arrangements for certain projects within our Thermal Equipment and Services reportable segment. Under such arrangements, each consortium member is responsible for performing certain discrete items of work within the total scope of the contracted work and the consortium expires when all contractual obligations are completed. The revenues for these discrete items of work are defined in the contract with the project owner and each consortium member bearing the profitability risk associated with its own work. Our consortium arrangements typically provide that each consortium member assumes its responsible share of any damages or losses associated with the project; however, the use of a consortium arrangement typically results in joint and several liability for the consortium members. If responsibility cannot be determined or a consortium member defaults, then the consortium members are responsible according to their share of the contract value. Within our condensed consolidated financial statements, we account for our share of the revenues and profits under the consortium arrangements. As of September 29, 2012, our share of the aggregate contract value on open consortium arrangements was $269.0 (of which approximately 62% had been recognized as revenue), and the aggregate contract value on open consortium arrangements was $672.5. As of December 31, 2011, our share of the aggregate contract value on open consortium arrangements was $324.0 (of which approximately 56% had been recognized as revenue), and the aggregate contract value on open consortium arrangements was $801.1. At September 29, 2012 and December 31, 2011, we recorded liabilities of $1.7 and $1.9, respectively, representing the estimated fair value of our potential obligation under the joint and several liability provisions associated with the consortium arrangements. U.S. Health Care Reform Legislation In the first quarter of 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (the “PPAC Act”) was enacted. The PPAC Act eliminated a portion of the federal income tax deduction available to companies that provide prescription drug benefits to retirees under Medicare Part D. We currently are evaluating other prospective effects of the PPAC Act and the related effects on our business.

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