Category Archives: Risk Management

by | May 9, 2011 · 10:31 am

Hospitality Industry Pool Illness Risks: Budget Deficits Risk Shutdown Of State-Run "Public Pool And Spa Inspection Programs" Putting Guests At Risk And Raising Insurance Premiums

“…it’s important that pool operators and owners of public pools in this state know that there is someone looking over their shoulder, however benign that eye may be…”

The lone state inspector, Tim Wilson, also reviews construction plans and educating operators, builders and others in the industry on the federal law, intended to prevent injury and death from improperly installed drains.

“…South Carolina considered shutting down its program several years ago because of budget problems, but the hotel and motel industry pushed to keep it to avoid increased insurance costs…The state implemented fees to support the program..”

Resort owner Peter Spanos doesn’t support big government regulations but fears a proposal to eliminate New Hampshire’s public pool and spa inspection program will mean more pool-related illnesses in a state that receives 34 million visits annually. Spanos, owner of the Shalimar Resort on Lake Winnisquam in Tilton, said that wouldn’t be good for New Hampshire’s image or his business.

The House budget cut would save $139,000. Environmental Services Commissioner Thomas Burack said without the program, people would be at greater risk of gastric illnesses and lung, skin and eye infections. New Hampshire appears to be unique in using this budget-cutting measure, and some question whether it would tarnish the state’s reputation and hurt its $4 billion tourism industry.

New Hampshire inspects nearly 1,400 public pools and spas. In the last five years, the state reported 2,211 water quality violations; 313 bacterial and 725 safety, with 224 immediate closures. Manchester, Nashua, Bedford and Merrimack do their own inspections.

For more:  http://www2.wjtv.com/lifestyles/2011/may/08/cut-would-eliminate-nhs-pool-inspection-program-ar-1817932/

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by | May 8, 2011 · 6:51 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Privacy: Hotel Management Must Standardize Privacy Procedures For Entering, Cleaning And Inspecting Guest Rooms

“If someone has a couple of articles of clothes on the bed we will move them to make the bed…if they have expensive things on the bed – purses, electronics, cameras – we will not touch that bed.”

“…if there is something sensitive, like a closed wallet or laptop, a supervisor or manager will stand at the door for the employee’s safety…”

“…keep a log on what keys have been used on the room’s electronic doors…”

“…hotels’ insurance providers require police statements for incidents…have everyone write a written statement and sign and date it…”

While every chain hotel has a set corporate policy, each individual hotel may be less stringent and abiding for the guest’s benefit.

“According to Iowa law, we can enter a room anytime we want,” Jepsen said. Generally, hotel staff won’t enter a room if they don’t suspect something may be wrong in the room, Jepsen said. With extended-stay guests, who are staying 30-40 days, they are required to enter the room a minimum of twice a week. They mainly change the sheets and make sure garbage isn’t piling up, but also they make sure their equipment isn’t damaged. By the end of 30 days, a mattress could be ruined or the guest could be smoking in the room, Jepsen said.

There are other reasons for entering a guest’s room. “There have been instances where guests put their ‘do not disturb’ sign up but they may have a medical issue,” said King. “It could go unnoticed for long periods of time.”

“In the back of our mind, we always know what our rights are and what the rights of our guests are,” she said. “You can’t always have rules written in stone.”

Protection exists for both the hotel and the guests. Country Inn & Suites and AmericInn, like most hotels, have video surveillance systems. Both also keep a log on what keys have been used on the room’s electronic doors.

With any serious crime, such as theft, the police are immediately contacted, Jepsen said. “If a guest reports a theft, it’s investigated to its fullest extent,” she said. This is also done because the hotels’ insurance providers require police statements for incidents.

“What I always do is I have everyone write a written statement and sign and date it,” Jepsen said.

For more:  http://www.messengernews.net/page/content.detail/id/538926/Hotel-rules-protect-both-operator-and-guest.html?nav=5010

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by | May 7, 2011 · 7:21 am

Hospitality Industry Computer Data Risks: New Orleans Hotels Investigation Finds "Pubic Business Center" Computers Retain "Sensitive Information" In Temporary And Recycle Bin Folders

“…the Louisiana Technology Council says …many hotels make little or no attempt to protect your private information on their public PCs…in business centers…”

“That information will live on that computer until such time that it’s deleted,” said Lewis. “You and I both know that it’s really never deleted. It can be recovered and if someone comes in with software, they may be able to get that data off the PC.”

Eyewitness News sent an intern into about a dozen New Orleans area hotels to search for documents and other information left on public computers after the user logged off. Among the things we found: invoices; insurance papers; tickets to a show at the Lakefront Arena; a certificate from the Texas Department of Insurance and even someone’s monthly pay statement.

Most of the documents contained people’s names, addresses and other sensitive information about the user. “I was amazed that you were able to print out some very confidential and private information from a business center location,” said Lewis.

“If somebody wants to open up a new credit card and in this day and age of identity theft, having that kind of information out there is real frightening,” said attorney Daren Sarphie.

He says in March, the client got a disturbing phone call from a guest at the International House Hotel in downtown New Orleans. The guest told him all of the his private information, including Social Security number, birth date, home address and phone number was contained on a document stored on the hotel computer for all to see.

“The person that accessed, that found this file had just gone to hotel to book plane reservations to go back home to Dallas and in the process, he’s just playing around on the computer and he accessed this directory and is able to pull up all kinds of stuff, said Sarphie.

“You’d think that the hotels at least would have a system in place that they would erase the hard drive on a weekly basis or a daily basis to make sure there are no temporary files saved on that computer,” said Sarphie.

The information we found was easy to access on the computers. Most of it was stored in the PC’s temporary Internet files, saved in the documents folder or waiting to be deleted in the computer’s recycle bin.

The owner of the International House Hotel says it is his hotel policy to purge the public computer’s desk top of any documents and public files every 24-hours. But, he says it is a public computer and people need to be mindful to log out of personal accounts and delete personal documents before leaving the computer.

For more:  http://www.wwltv.com/news/Keeping-It-Safe-On-Hotel-Computers-121350324.html

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by | May 6, 2011 · 6:15 am

Hospitality Industry Fire Risks: South Carolina Hotel Completes Major Renovations After "Dry-Storage Area" Fire Breaks Out In Restaurant

“…The Surfside Beach Resort has been undergoing major renovations to the 160-room building since October, when a fire broke out in a dry-storage area in the resort’s restaurant…”

“…The fire caused smoke and structural damage, prompting hotel management to move forward with not only restoration of the smoke-damaged areas, but an entire facelift of the building…structural repair and insurance issues were worked out before proceeding with the makeover…”

Renovations are kicking into full gear at one Surfside Beach hotel, in hopes of re-opening its doors to guests by mid-May. Joel Coker, general manager for the Surfside Beach Resort, said Thursday the bulk of renovations to the hotel only began 24 days ago. He says structural repair and insurance issues were worked out before proceeding with the makeover.

Rooms damaged by the October fire have been completely renovated, while undamaged rooms received upgrades. Improvements to the rooms include new beds and bedding, bathrooms, furniture and carpet.

Coker says he believes guests already have rooms booked starting May 17. “Bike Week is extremely busy now,” Coker mentioned. “Of course, it’s affected us with the decisions in Myrtle Beach a few years back. We could lose $100,000 easy that week – or more.”

The Surfside Beach Resort estimates it lost $1 million in guest revenue as a result of renovation efforts. The resort must undergo a handful of inspections – including building, fire and health – before it is allowed to re-open.

For more:  http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/14583174/hotel-damaged-by-october-eyes-may-re-opening

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by | May 4, 2011 · 6:58 pm

Hospitality Industry Guest Payment Risks: Hotel Management Must Confirm Credit Card Payments At Check-In

“…A man is accused of staying at a Midtown hotel for a week and not paying his bill….and has been charged with theft of service…”

“…The owner of La Maison told investigators that Aragon gave her a credit card that was declined…”

 According to court documents, Aragon stayed at the La Maison in Midtown bed and breakfast from March 14 through March 21 and did not pay for his hotel room. The owner of La Maison told investigators that Aragon gave her a credit card that was declined. When the owner questioned Aragon, he told her that he was having a house built and that the builder would be taking care of the bill. The owner alleges Aragon left the hotel without paying the $1,675 bill.

Investigators say Aragon told them the builder was supposed to pay the bill and that there was some misunderstanding about the bill. Aragon said he had placed a money order in the mail and that the owner should have received it in the mail. The owner told investigators that she never received payment.

For more:  http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8111479

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by | May 1, 2011 · 8:38 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Maryland Hotel Guests Evacuated After Dangerous Levels Of Carbon Monoxide Are Generated By An "Improperly Functioning Pool Heater"

“…An improperly functioning pool heater was found to be generating the gas, and it was shut down…”

“…Monitoring equipment detected high levels of poisonous carbon monoxide gas in the air, prompting authorities to evacuate 30 motel occupants and take 11 of them to hospitals in Laurel and Columbia. All were released after evaluation…”

A Howard County motel was temporarily evacuated Saturday night after rescue personnel discovered high levels of potentially lethal carbon monoxide there, a county fire and rescue spokesman said.

Responders were called to the Sleep Inn on Second Street in North Laurel about 8:32 p.m. to check a report of a possible chemical leak, and found five children complaining of headaches and nausea, according to Battalion Chief Eric D. Proctor.

All the motel’s occupants were allowed to return to their rooms after the building was ventilated.

For more:  http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/bs-md-ho-motel-carbon-0501,0,3364397.story

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by | April 28, 2011 · 6:25 pm

Hospitality Industry Information Security Risks: Hotel Management Must "Encrypt All Confidential Guest Data" To Decrease "Public Exposure Of Data"

“…99% of businesses around the globe at present no longer store confidential information on their systems and 75% continuously complied with PCI requirements…”

“…encrypting confidential information will “shrink the card data environment,” thus a minimal to zero possibility of public exposure of these data…”

To prevent fraud, she proposed three ways for the card industry:

  • Widespread distribution of ‘smarter’ payment devices is one, where EVM (chip-and-pin) cards will be used
  • Smarter networks to stem the cyber crime before or when it happens
  • A cardholder authentication method such as two-factor authentication

“Visa’s global fraud rate recently hit a historic low – at just over 5 cents for every $100 transacted, down more than two-thirds from the levels of 20 years ago,” she added.

She urged the card industry to step up a bit more its security measures as most consumers believe cyber criminals are ahead of what’s already in place. According to Richey, 61% of consumers are of the opinion that the security measures of the card industry are one step behind cyber criminals.

Rather than keeping pace with cyber crime which would only exhaust resources, Richey proposed getting smarter as a better solution in combating fraud and protecting card data.

“We need to use all the intelligence we have at our disposal. I think that the opportunities to get smarter and fight fraud are all around us,” she said.

Richey, on the other hand, recognized the fact that these suggestions will be costly and will require tremendous resources.

For more:  http://inaudit.com/audit/it-audit/cyber-crime-vincible-through-smarter-technologies-visa-5856/

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by | April 26, 2011 · 6:09 pm

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Hotel Bed Bug Infestations Are Best Treated With "Thermal Remediation" With "Steam Treatments" Being A Good First Step

Bed Beg infestations at hotels can result in guilty verdicts against hotel owners if conscious and deliberate behavior led to infestations going untreated.

Bed bugs are very sensitive to heat in all stages of their development. The thermal death point for the common bedbug is 115°F. There are two common types of heat treatment for bed bug eradication, steam and thermal remediation. 
 

  • Steam -  Steam is very effective at killing bugs on contact and requires no harmful chemicals. A trained hotel staff member, a commercial steam cleaner, or pest management professional can perform the task however, all areas of the infested room need to be cleaned. If hard to reach areas are missed, an infestation can reoccur. The cost per room for steam cleaning can be inexpensive.
  •  The drawbacks: no residual effect, high pressure steam can blow adults and eggs from their hiding places before the heat has had a chance to kill, and steam is not 100% effective if areas are missed.
  • Thermal Remediation – Propane generated heat or electric heaters are used to raise the temperature inside the room to approximately 140°F. The heat is monitored by sensors and circulated within affected guest rooms for several hours. Controlled application of heat ensures there are no cold spots. Higher temperatures do not mean a more effective treatment, but can actually cause damage to the guest room and its contents. If employed correctly, thermal remediation is the only 100% effective solution at eliminating all bed bugs and their eggs
  •  The drawback: A typical treatment for multiple rooms can be expensive and time consuming (6-8 hours).

The following are good first steps:

VACUUMING – If an infestation is discovered in a guestroom, vacuuming the preferred hiding spaces, such as box springs and mattress seams can eliminate the immediate threat by removing the adult bed bugs. This is one of least expensive green options and can be performed by in-house housekeeping staff. However, it is not 100% effective. Bed bug eggs are coated with a sticky surface to keep them where they are laid. It is very difficult to remove them from their hiding places. Vacuuming is a good first step, but it only postpones inevitable reemergence if it is the only option employed.    
 
ALL NATURAL & ESSENTIAL OIL INSECTICIDES – In many instances commercial exterminating agents may contain neurotoxins and other dangerous chemicals that can be harmful to sensitive populations. As an alternative, ask your Pest Management Professional (PMP) about non-toxic exterminating agents. Most botanical insecticides made with essential oils can be just as effective as conventional insecticides. Examples of essential oils are peppermint oil, clove oil, citrus oils, lavender oil, thyme oil, and rosemary oil. 
 
All-natural insecticides are employed as knock down and residual sprays. The knock down sprays kill on contact. The residual sprays are designed to interfere with the lifecycle to kill over a number of days. The costs of all-natural alternatives are in-line with traditional chemicals in most cases. Both applications have minor drawbacks. Knock down sprays are not effective against bugs that are not sprayed directly. Hidden bugs can re-colonize a guest room quick. Due to their natural composition residual sprays evaporate faster than traditional commercially applied chemicals, thus losing killing power. All-natural residuals need more frequent applications by a PMP to maintain effectiveness.   
 
For more:  http://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article54337.html

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by | April 22, 2011 · 7:14 am

Hospitality Industry Pool Risks: Pennsylvania Hotel "Alcohol-Related" Hot Tub Death Highlights Dangers Of "After-Hours" Usage Of Pool And Hot Tub Rooms

“Management is now considering whether to prevent guests from being able to enter the room after hours…”

“…Hotel guests must use a plastic keycard to unlock a door to access the pool and hot tub room…Rules posted clearly on the door say it is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and guests use the pool and hot tub “at their own risk,” 

Authorities have identified John Saviello, 42, of Bridgeport, Montgomery County, as the man who died after being found unresponsive in a city hotel hot tub.

Mr. Saviello’s death Wednesday morning was ruled accidental, authorities said. He was pronounced dead at Community Medical Center after being found in a hot tub at the Clarion Hotel on Meadow Avenue.

Mr. Saviello graduated from the University of Scranton in 1992, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, university spokesman Stan M. Zygmunt said.

Why he was staying at the hotel or visiting the area was not clear on Thursday.

Authorities have not yet identified a 45-year-old woman who also was found unresponsive and intoxicated in the hot tub. She was OK after being taken to Community Medical Center, Scranton Police Chief Dan Duffy said.

Lackawanna County Coroner Tim Rowland said after an autopsy that the use of drugs and alcohol might have led to Mr. Saviello’s death, but results of a toxicology report will take several weeks.

In the hotel lobby on Thursday, assistant general manager Mark D’Angelo said the staff will review safety procedures in light of the incident.

“It’s a tragedy,” Mr. D’Angelo said. “We do have to learn from it, if there are any precautions we have to take.”

Hotel guests must use a plastic keycard to unlock a door to access the pool and hot tub room, Mr. D’Angelo said. Rules posted clearly on the door say it is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and guests use the pool and hot tub “at their own risk,” he said.

Management is now considering whether to prevent guests from being able to enter the room after hours, Mr. D’Angelo said.

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/victim-identified-in-hot-tub-drowning-1.1136101#ixzz1KGRJb400

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by | April 20, 2011 · 6:37 am

Hospitality Industry Security Risks: "Extended-Stay" Hotels Can Be "Havens For Crime" Unless Extra Security Measures Are Implemented Including Use Of Off-Duty Police Officers And Criminal Record And Sex Offender Background Checks

Extended-stay hotels make up about 10 percent of the hotel industry, said Joe McInerney, president of the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

“…the list of crimes reported at a Value Place extended-stay hotel included prostitution, drug sales, methamphetimine manufacture, heroin use, drug overdoses, child pornography, theft and a rape.

“…City officials and hotel leaders met April 4 and hashed out an agreement…. The hotel agreed to employ an off-duty Arnold police officer 24 hours a day. The hotel already was checking to make sure potential guests weren’t sex offenders, but will now check for other criminal offenses, as well….”

City officials were fed up and threatened to revoke the hotel’s business license. But a recent agreement to curtail crime at the 124-unit hotel is working, authorities say.

“By word of mouth, one tells the other this is a place where you can set up shop and be unencumbered,” Unrein said. Police had been called to Value Place about 230 times since it opened, Unrein said. That’s more than triple the number of calls to the city’s three other hotels combined, he said.

Problems reached a head this month. The hotel is offering a free hotel room where an Arnold police officer can live and have allowed police dogs to roam the halls this month, said Gina-Lynne Smith, president of Value Place.

The chain has a hotel in St. Charles. Police get more calls for service at that hotel than others in town, but it’s certainly not a nuisance, said Sgt. Todd Wilson of the city’s police department.

The hotels are not popular everywhere. Subdivision residents in Oakand Park, Fla., launched a campaign to keep a Value Place from being built nearby. So far, they have succeeded.

Their guests range from those who can’t afford a lease to professionals away from home for a temporary job assignment or extended training.

Kell Stovall of Memphis, an estimator for a roofing company, said he is spending his third week at the Arnold Value Place. He plans to move to an apartment at the end of the month.

He considered staying elsewhere after hearing about the hotel’s history but opted not to leave because he hasn’t had any problems. He said police officers knock on his truck windows to check on him when he talks on his phone on the hotel’s lot.

For more:  http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/article_76aae994-5d06-5e84-aaf6-5d7f13adc180.html

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