Tag Archives: Hotel Safety

by | July 1, 2010 · 11:35 am

Hotel Industry Pool Safety: Hotels Must Create Safe Pool Environment For Young Children Who Need Supervision And Visibility

“Probably the most important thing, especially when you’re dealing with young children, is that they are always supervised around a body of water,” said Heather Board, an unintentional injury prevention program director at the Virginia Department of Health. “Children can drown in an instant, and contrary to popular belief, it tends to be a very silent drowning. There’s not a lot of splashing.”

In addition to close supervision, all pools should have a phone readily accessible in case there is a need to call emergency services. Barrier methods such as a fence with a self-closing gate also are important.

Adults supervising children in a pool should be free of distractions, Board said. The health department recommends one adult be designated the “water watcher” to keep a close eye on the children in the pool.

“There’s a difference between supervision and actively supervising,” Board said. A “water watcher” should not have side conversations with other adults, talk on the phone or leave the immediate area, she said. “They’re really paying close attention.”

For more:   http://www.suffolknewsherald.com/news/2010/jun/09/water-safety-paramount-good-times-pool/

Comments Off on Hotel Industry Pool Safety: Hotels Must Create Safe Pool Environment For Young Children Who Need Supervision And Visibility

Filed under Injuries, Insurance, Pool And Spa, Training

Tagged as , ,

by | June 19, 2010 · 8:04 am

Hotel Industry Injury Prevention: Hotels That Train And Retain Employees Experience Fewer Workplace Injuries

“…as turnover decreases, so does the number of injuries, because employees with more training tend to get injured less than newly hired ones. This may also explain why there was an increase in injuries during the industry’s initial boom, when the number of new employees increased.”

Scott Stuckey, general manager of the Omni Jacksonville Hotel, said his industry as a whole has been pushing for increased worker safety, with many setting up safety committees. Omni Jacksonville’s safety committee meets monthly to review accidents see how they could be prevented and inspect the hotel for potential hazards.

The number of employee injuries at the Omni has declined over the last few years, along with the workers’ compensation settlements attached to them. In 2007, the hotel had seven claims with a payout of about $7,000, compared with 2006, when it had 13 claims and a payout of a little under $12,000. The 2007 figure doesn’t take into account accidents in December, because they have yet to be calculated.

Stuckey said as turnover decreases, so does the number of injuries, because employees with more training tend to get injured less than newly hired ones. This may also explain why there was an increase in injuries during the industry’s initial boom, when the number of new employees increased.

Read more: In most cases, injuries drop as industries target safety – Jacksonville Business Journal

Comments Off on Hotel Industry Injury Prevention: Hotels That Train And Retain Employees Experience Fewer Workplace Injuries

Filed under Health, Injuries, Liability, Training

Tagged as ,

by | June 18, 2010 · 6:20 am

Hotel Industry Pool Safety: Commercial Pool And Spa Safety Basics From The “Independent Pool And Spa Service Association” (IPSSA Video)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUKTCVpcaI0]

 This Independent Pool and Spa Service Association (IPSSA) video outlines safety issues at commercial pools and spas.

Comments Off on Hotel Industry Pool Safety: Commercial Pool And Spa Safety Basics From The “Independent Pool And Spa Service Association” (IPSSA Video)

Filed under Health, Injuries, Liability, Maintenance, Pool And Spa, Training

Tagged as , ,

by | June 14, 2010 · 3:19 am

Hotel Industry Health And Safety Risks: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning At A New Hampshire Hotel Is Cited By OSHA As A “Correctable Situation”

“The employer did not implement feasible administrative or engineering controls to reduce or eliminate this exposure,” the citation says.

The state Fire Marshal’s Office and the Consumer Product Safety Commission are looking into a carbon monoxide leak at the Hilton Garden Inn in February that sickened 11 people.

The review includes city officials from the building and fire departments and is in addition to an inquiry the Occupational Safety and Health Administration did.

Hilton spokesman Scott Tranchemontagne described the fire marshal’s review as “educational” and said officials are trying to figure out if factors other than a malfunctioning vent pipe contributed to the February leak.

“The Hilton Garden Inn did not know this would become a problem, but as soon as it did, we took every step to remedy the situation,” he said. “We’re cooperating fully and we’ll continue to cooperate fully until every question is answered.”

OSHA hit the local Hilton’s owner, Parade Hotel LLC, with several citations late last month, including one for $2,500 related to employees getting sick during the February CO leak.

OSHA classified the CO citation as “serious,” meaning “the workplace hazard could cause injury or illness that would most likely result in death or serious physical harm, unless the employer did not know or could not have known of the violation.”

For more:   http://www.fireengineering.com/index/articles/Wire_News_Display/1202514041.html

Comments Off on Hotel Industry Health And Safety Risks: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning At A New Hampshire Hotel Is Cited By OSHA As A “Correctable Situation”

Filed under Health, Injuries, Insurance, Maintenance, Risk Management

Tagged as , , ,

by | June 8, 2010 · 6:16 am

Hotel Industry Health And Safety Risks: “Bed Bug Infestations” Are Found In World Class And Small Hotels, Don’t Signify Unsanitary Conditions, And Are Difficult To Eliminate (Video)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak05xp72wX8&feature=player_embedded]

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) issues a warning to millions of Americans who plan to travel this summer — beware of the bed bug. The NPMA has seen a 71 percent increase in bed bug infestations since 2001, mainly due to international travel.  These “hitchhiking” pests can easily travel home with people in their suitcases.  While bed bugs do not transmit diseases, their bites can become red, itchy welts.

“Travelers can unknowingly bring bed bugs into their homes, giving the pests a new place to live and feed,” said Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for NPMA. “Bed bugs multiply quickly and can be difficult to eliminate.  We advise travelers to keep a few bed bug prevention tips in mind to avoid this most unwanted trip souvenir.”

A bed bug infestation is not a sign of unclean or unsanitary conditions. Bed bugs don’t discriminate and have been found in world class hotels and budget properties alike and wealthy neighborhoods as well as less affluent communities.

To prevent bed bug infestations, travelers should remember the following tips and check out this how-to video from NPMA:

·         Pull back the hotel bed sheets and inspect the mattress seams, particularly the corners, for telltale brownish or reddish spots. 

·         Thoroughly inspect the entire room before unpacking.  Do not put your luggage on the bed. 

·         If you change rooms, but choose to stay in the same establishment, be sure your new room is not adjacent to the possibly infested room. 

·         Use a large plastic bag to store your luggage.

·         When you return home, inspect and vacuum your suitcases thoroughly before bringing them into the house. 

·         Wash all your clothes — whether worn or not — in hot water.

·         If you suspect a bed bug infestation, contact a licensed pest professional.

For more information on bed bugs or to find a pest professional, please visit: www.pestworld.org.

Comments Off on Hotel Industry Health And Safety Risks: “Bed Bug Infestations” Are Found In World Class And Small Hotels, Don’t Signify Unsanitary Conditions, And Are Difficult To Eliminate (Video)

Filed under Health, Insurance, Liability, Risk Management, Training

Tagged as , , ,

by | May 31, 2010 · 5:00 am

Hotel Industry Health Risks: Centers For Disease Control (CDC) Finds Serious Pool Bacteria Code Violations At 15% Of Over 16,000 Hotels, Motels And Resorts

The Centers for Disease Control and Control and Prevention found that, aside from childcare facilities, that 16,569 hotels, resorts and motels had the highest rate of closure due to serious code violations, mainly low disinfectant in the water to battle bacteria, about 15% or 1 in 6 hotel inspections.

Shigella and novovirus cause stomach and intestinal infections like gastroenteritis. Another microorganism found in pools is pseudomonas, which causes harmless but unsightly pustules on the skin.

To prevent closures or violations, hotel managers and staff should be using routine maintenance and sanitation, with frequent pool checks during high use when chlorine will get a work-out. Anyone, including a member of the hotel staff can check the pH level of the pool by using free test strips available from the Water Quality & Health Council (water levels should be within 7.2 to 7.8.)

For more:   http://industry.bnet.com/travel/10006301/cut-the-crap-the-dark-side-of-hotel-pools-and-how-to-manage-it/

Comments Off on Hotel Industry Health Risks: Centers For Disease Control (CDC) Finds Serious Pool Bacteria Code Violations At 15% Of Over 16,000 Hotels, Motels And Resorts

Filed under Health, Insurance, Liability, Training

Tagged as , , ,

by | May 24, 2010 · 2:47 am

Hotel Industry Health Risks: Wisconsin Hotel Kitchen Is Source For Gastrointestinal Illness Suffered By Hotel Guests At A Fund-Raising Luncheon

A norovirus usually comes on suddenly, with 24 to 48 hours of exposure, with symptoms lasting one or two days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can spread by eating food or drinking liquids or touching contaminated surfaces.

“…the Country Springs kitchen has been cleaned and kitchen staff have been informed about proper hand washing…”

Waukesha County health officials confirmed Monday that a norovirus is behind the outbreak of gastrointestinal illness reported by many of the 500 people attending a fund-raising luncheon last week at the Country Springs Hotel.

Julianne Klimetz, a county spokeswoman, said initial lab results confirmed the cause. In addition, investigators have confirmed that two people handling the food were ill at the time.

Health officials have not gotten reports of any secondary infection, in which someone who attended the lunch and became ill then spread it to someone else.

“It can be spread quite easily from one household member to another,” Klimetz said.

For more:     http://www.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/93988304.html

Comments Off on Hotel Industry Health Risks: Wisconsin Hotel Kitchen Is Source For Gastrointestinal Illness Suffered By Hotel Guests At A Fund-Raising Luncheon

Filed under Health, Liability, Training

Tagged as , , ,

by | May 19, 2010 · 4:11 am

Hotel Industry Health And Safety: Hotel Rooms Are A Haven For Germs And Potential Illnesses

 “A lot of times the cleaning crews will clean those glasses with the very same chemicals they’re using to clean your toilet.”

"There definitely can be hidden dangers in any hotel room, so you want to be smart,"

“…It might not just be germs lurking in your room. It could be infested with bedbugs. The problem is that you really can’t see them and they don’t just hide in the bed…”

 

Hotels, with their daily housekeeping, might seem like a haven from the dust, grime and filth of home. But be warned: germs can lurk in even the cleanest-appearing rooms. And you would be shocked where.

“…there is the TV remote control, probably the most touched item in the room. Not everybody is great about washing their hands and how thorough of a cleaning do you really think the remote gets?..”

For more:  http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/hidden-hotel-room-germ-magnets-tv-remote-water/story?id=10619191&page=1

Comments Off on Hotel Industry Health And Safety: Hotel Rooms Are A Haven For Germs And Potential Illnesses

Filed under Health, Insurance, Liability

Tagged as , , , ,

by | May 14, 2010 · 2:35 am

Hotel Industry Employee Injury Risks: Hotel Housekeepers Have “Higher Rates Of On-The-Job Injuries” According To Medical Journal

“…hotel employees — and especially housekeepers — have higher rates of on-the-job injuries, according to a report last year in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine…”

"...hotel employees — and especially housekeepers — have higher rates of on-the-job injuries, according to a report last year in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine..."

Housekeepers are prone to repetitive stress injuries from such continual work as changing sheets, washing bathroom floors and vacuuming, according to nine researchers who studied three years of government-required accident logs at five union-represented hotels.

(From a Chron.com article)    More surprising, however, is that Hispanic housekeepers had a proportionally higher rate of injuries than non-Hispanic cleaners, according to the study. The research didn’t address possible explanations for that.

The research was funded by the union Unite Here, which represents hospitality employees, but the problem also has captured the attention of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

It recently hosted a conference in Houston on health and safety issues facing Latino workers.

While OSHA doesn’t have a specific ergonomic standard — it was repealed by Congress in 2001 before it was scheduled to go into effect — the agency has the “general duty clause” as an enforcement tool. It requires that employers provide a safe and healthy place to work, Jordan Barab, deputy assistant secretary of labor for OSHA, said in a telephone interview.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/sixel/7002756.html

4 Comments

Filed under Health, Injuries, Liability, Training

Tagged as , , ,

by | May 3, 2010 · 5:49 am

Hotel Industry Safety: Guest Safety Will Always Be Compromised If Hotels Do Not Demand Physical Proof Of Identity

There is a conflict of interests between guest safety and guest satisfaction, which plagues the industry. By nature, hotels — especially five-star properties — are welcoming and discreet when a guest checks in. More rigorous identification procedures that require front-desk staff to demand additional personal information or physical proof of identity could jeopardise this.

(From a HotelierMiddleEast.com article)   Identifying hotel guests used to be a simple procedure; the receptionist had to match the name of the guest with the name on the reservation and then hand over the room key. But in today’s world of cyber crime, credit card fraud and identity theft, it is more important (and complicated) than ever to ensure that the person checking in to your hotel is really who they say they are.

In GCC countries, industry standards require hotels to upload data from the passport of every guest who is staying in the hotel on to a central government portal.

Two months ago, numerous individuals who were carrying false passports managed to enter the UAE, check into hotels using fake identities and fake credit cards, and then depart the country less than 24 hours later, after they allegedly assassinated Palestinian Hamas chief Mahmoud Al Mabhouh.

The events that took place at the Al Bustan Rotana Dubai in late January have still not been confirmed, but one thing is clear; a number of individuals managed to check into the hotel under assumed identities.

According to Al Bustan general manager Mohamad Haj Hassan, hotel staff followed standard protocol when several of the suspects checked in; taking a scan of their passports and a credit card swipe before handing them their room keys and wishing them an enjoyable stay.

http://www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/8056-whos-there/

Comments Off on Hotel Industry Safety: Guest Safety Will Always Be Compromised If Hotels Do Not Demand Physical Proof Of Identity

Filed under Crime, Liability, Theft, Training

Tagged as , ,