Guest Safety and Security

Guest Safety and Security

Security Issues
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Security encompasses areas such as security of the property itself, company assets, employees' and customers' personal belongings and valuables, life security, personal security etc.
 
In all workplaces management stipulates that it is not responsible for valuables and employees personal belongings (their handbags, items kept in the personal lockers, etc.).  Yet management must take all possible measures to prevent theft among employees and of employee belongings through its hiring practices and through the implementation of effective management, human resources and operational policies, such as:  

• Background checks of selected applicants
• Policies related to employees' entry to, and exit from, the workplace
• Spot checks of locker rooms and lockers
• Effective supervision and control during the work cycle
• Policies related to the discovery of criminal records and wrongdoing among, and by,  employees
• Control of people entering and exiting the workplace

With regard to guest valuables, management informs guests that the hotel is not responsible for valuables left in the room, advising them to secure these in safety deposit boxes provided by the hotel.  Besides taking care of security issues related to the people they employ (as outlined above), management must undertake some necessary measures, among which:

• Providing "secure" (safety) deposit boxes and areas to keep valuables
• Policies and practices to ensure the security of these boxes and areas
• Management and operational policies regarding the security of guest rooms
• Management and operational policies regarding the security of public areas
• Security policies and practices for the back-of-the-house areas
• Employment and training of security personnel
• Policies and practices to minimize the "presence" and "patronage" of  "shady characters" and criminals, verification of registration and check-in personal data and documentation submitted, and curtailing free movement of unknowns on the premises, as well as direct, free flowing communication with local, national and international security authorities)
• Training of staff in guest and valuable security
• Effective supervision and control procedures.

Some of the security measures taken by hotels:

Key Card Locks:

While key card locks on guest rooms are quickly becoming the standard, some hotels still don't take advantage of the added safety provided to guests.  Guest room locking systems these days include punch and magnetic key cards which have locks with flash memory and other productivity linked functions. The system can directly be linked with PMS.

Security Guards:

Hotels have their own staff of trained security guards working 24-hours every day to provide the best in safety and security for our guests

Defibrillation Units:

A life saving device in case of heart attacks, defibrillation units are starting to be deployed among police and emergency personnel across the nation.

Security Cameras:

Hotels have security cameras with digital technology, intelligent access central system, software interface with CCTV for matching undesirable visitors and criminals, interfacing with motion detectors, pocket lie detectors and spy cameras and use of biometric readers like hand key reader or face recognition system etc.

Fire Alarms:

While most hotels now have smoke detectors and fire alarms, Some hotels have a state of the art alarm system with smoke detectors in each guest room and throughout the entire complex that is monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days per week that pinpoints the exact point of the alarm allowing our security staff to respond immediately to the area of any alarm condition.

Emergency Power:

Very few hotels have any provision for emergency power in case of an electrical outage while a few hotels provide limited emergency stand-by power to provide elevator service and some lighting.  Some hotels has a 2-Megawatt stand-by generator that provides 100% emergency power that can provide uninterrupted guest service during a power outage.

Emergency Manual:

Hotels maintain an emergency manual, detailing operations in the event of a variety of emergencies.

Employee Photo ID:

For added security, some hotels have employees wearing a photo ID, nametag allowing quick identification.

In-Room Safes:

In addition to the safety deposit boxes offered by most hotels at the front desks, Some hotels provide in-room guest safes capable of holding a lap-top computer that use the guest's own credit card as the key.

Guest elevators:

Elevators may also be interfaced with a room electronic locking system, where swiping the room card key takes the guest to the floor on which he is staying.

Bomb threat security:

Precautions and measures that may be taken in the above case:

1. Security nets and body searches for guests not known to the staff.
2. Banqueting suites and other non-public areas should be security checked and locked after use
3. Goods received and bags should be checked and kept tidy.
4. If a bomb threat is received via telephone, the telephonist should note carefully what exactly is said, the time of the call received the accent of the caller and background noise if any. After the alert the GM should stay put in the lobby where he can be reached easily.
5. Duties and responsibility of staff during an emergency should be well-defined.
6. The hotel should work closely with the police to keep them updated.
7. Chamber maids and HK supervisors should be trained to conduct security checks in the guest rooms.

Security measures for women travelers

-Mirrored walls of the guestroom floor elevators so that you can see who is walking behind you

-Well-lit public areas such a s lobby bars

-Valet parking services to avoid the need of a woman to enter the parking lot

-Assigning rooms closer to the elevator

-If a woman traveler is not assigned a room on the special executive floor , hotels most often on request, upgrade her accommodation to that floor without an increase in room rate. The floor is staffed almost 24 hours a day with a concierge

IMPORTANCE OF A SECURITY SYSTEM

The guest, who comes to a particular hotel, comes with an understanding that he and his belongings both will be safe and secure during his stay at the hotel. At the same time it is also quite important that the hotel staff and assets are protected and secure. Hence it is very important to have a proper security system in place to protect staff, guests and physical resources and assets such as equipment, appliances buildings, gardens of the hotel and also the belongings of the guest.

The management must take care that the security and safety systems cover the following areas:

• Guest: Protection from crimes such as murder, abduction and health hazards from outsiders, hotel staff, pests, food poisoning etc.
• Staff: Providing staff lockers, insurances, health schemes, provident funds etc. Protective clothing, shoes, fire fighting drills, supply of clean drinking water use of aqua guards, sanitized wash rooms etc.
• Guest luggage: Secure luggage store rooms and proper equipment such as luggage trolley and bell hop trolley should be provided.
• Hotel Equipments: Lifts, Boilers, Kitchen equipment, furniture fitting and building etc. must be protected and for these the security and safety should cover up fire safety equipment, bomb threat security system, water floods security system, earthquake security system , safe vault security system etc.
• Protection of raw materials, goods, provisions and groceries etc. for this the security system should cover proper storage and pest control systems, apart from the application of total material management system.

TYPES OF SECURITY:

1. Physical aspect
2. Security of persons
3. Security of systems

1) Physical aspect is divided into two parts a) Internal b)external

a) Internal security

Against theft

Fire safety

Proper lighting

Safeguarding assets

Track unwanted guests

b) External Security

Proper lighting outside the building

Proper fencing of the building

Fencing of pool area to avoid accidents in the night

Manning of service gates to restrict entry

Fixing of closed circuit TV cameras

2) Security aspects of persons

a) Staff

Effective recruitment and selection

Identification of staff

Key control

Red tag system

Training

Locker inspection

b) Guests:

Check scanty baggage guests

Guests suspected of taking away hotel property should be charged according to hotel policy

Guest room security:

Provide wide angle door viewer, dead bolt locks, night torch, chains on doors etc

Employees should be trained to not give any information about in house guests to outsiders

While issuing a card key ask for key card if in doubt of the guest.

House keeping staff should never leave keys expose on unattended carts in corridors

3) Security aspects of systems:

Record of all losses and missing items immediately

Inventory control should be proper

Auditing should be done on a regular basis

Proper system for cash disbursements should be made

The term system implies the operations of the hotel eg: all the equipment used for operation, procedures laid down for operations and policies to be followed. Systems procedures and policies if followed properly shall safeguard the assets and increase life span of equipment as well as avoid any breakdown maintenance

This would mean the following:

Fix duties and responsibilities: Fix duties of staff members so that they don’t interfere with others’ work.

Make surprise checks

Staff who have access to liquid assets should be made to sign a bond so that in case of theft the concerned person can easily be caught

Hiring of some independent security company to check the security system of the hotel

Safety issues
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When we take the same hotel as example, it is management's duty to ensure "safety" in several areas, such as:
 

• The structure itself
• Installations and fixtures (check electrical, plumbing, air-conditioning and other installations)
• Public and work areas (e.g. slippery floors,  hazardous obstacles in traffic areas), safety of furniture, equipment, appliances, and utensils.

This is followed by:   

• Health safety (nontoxic cleaning material and detergents used)
• Good quality air (what we breathe, dependent upon the type of equipment, installations and fixtures used, and regular repairs and maintenance)

• Food safety (a whole world in itself including sanitation, food quality, food spoilage, correct handling procedures, allowable and recommended temperatures, etc.), and checking and control procedures.  

An important "preventive measure" is eliminating the possibility of communicating contagious diseases. Even if local regulations do not require it, it is recommended to send food and beverage handlers for a regular medical checkup. Another preventive measure is the formulation and implementation of policies and procedures related to employee accidents which may present a threat to food sanitation.  

Culinary staff who cut themselves accidentally at work, as often happens while slicing food products, have to immediately stop handling food, and report to their Executive Chef and to the person in charge of First Aid in their company (Security or Human Resources Department) for preliminary treatment and handling.  Healing and precautionary measures are taken before they are allowed back at their job.

There are also some basic "dress" requirements for staff involved in food and beverage preparations:  e.g. Chefs' hats (to prevent hair and whatever hair contains to fall into the food), discreet earrings (non-dangling) or no earrings for women, and long hair neatly and securely tied in a bun at the back of the head.

Of no lesser importance is the safety of work tools and work procedures covering all areas, such as stable ladders, secure shelving, safety shoes, well-fitting work garments, clearly written and complete safety procedures and guidelines from management, safety training, and safety installations and equipment, e.g. fire fighting units, regular maintenance schedules for safety equipment and installations, wider traffic areas (to prevent accidents), adequate staffing, and last but not least, continuous effective training in work procedures.

All of this necessitates comprehensive planning, the creation of clear policies and work procedures, organization, implementation, training of supervisors and employees, supervision and control.  

FIRE:

Fires in the hotel may result in the injury and loss of life of both the guests and the staff.

Main causes of fire are:

i) Smoking:

-Smoke only where allowed.

-Put out cigarettes in the right place.

-Sufficient ash trays should be provided in eating places and in rooms, but away from curtains and draperies.

-Educate the guests about fire possibilities due to smoking.

ii) Defective wiring, faulty appliances and motor and worn out insulation

Such hazards should be immediately reported to the concerned person and such equipment should be immediately repaired

iii) Laundry Areas:

Care should be taken to see that none of the electrical equipment is left on after use

iv)Gas leaks:

Precautions should be taken against this especially in kitchen areas.

v) Combustible waste

Combustible material should never be left near the boiler room

vi) Kitchen

All equipment such as chimneys, exhausts, ventilators, grills, hoods etc. which collect a lot of fume vapor and catch fire easily should be cleaned regularly.

vii) Elevator shafts:

These require constant check and inspection. Cigarette butts can ignite the debris and oils that gather at the bottom of elevator shafts.

Types of Fire and fire extinguishers:

Hotel personnel are trained about the fire protection procedure and the types of fire. They must be able to recognize the various types of fire, all fire require air. Air contains O₂ which is necessary for combustion. Fire has been classified in 5 categories depending on how they can be extinguished-

Class A Fire- It is the fire of wood, paper, linen and similar dry materials. They are extinguished by cooling and quenching effect of water. The water reduces the temperature of burning substances below their combustion temperature. These are the most frequent and easiest to extinguish when there is an ample water supply and when water can be directed on the combustible material .Keeping the other combustible material wet will limit the spreading of fire

Class B Fire-These include fires of oil, gasoline, grease and other petroleum product. These fires are extinguished by blanketing the source of burning substances and eliminating the supply of O_2.Petroleum products is lighter than water and will float on water and continue to burn and spread by means of flowing water to other section of the building, hence water is never used for this category.

Class C Fire-These are the fires of pressurized gases. For e.g. L.P.G., most of the gases are lighter than air but L.P.G. is heavier than air. Water is not to be used for this class of fire.

Class D Fire-These are fire of metals having low burning temperature for e. g. Na, Mg etc. This class of fire does not exist in the hotel.

Class E Fire-These are electrical fire. The fire extinguishing agent must not conduct electrical energy which could spread the fire. Electrical fires are usually blanketed and cooled down. Water is a good cooling agent but it also conducts electricity, so it is not used to control or extinguish this class of fire. Electrical fire is usually caused by a part of circuit overheating or by short circuit. Controlling the sizes of electrical fuses and circuit breaker will often minimize this class of fire.

There are 2 systems of fire protection

1. Portable fire extinguisher.
2. Stationary fire fighting system.

Portable fire extinguisher

1. Soda acid fire extinguisher- It is used for class A fire. The extinguishing agent is H₂O.The fire extinguisher is a cylinder type of pan in which a rubber or flexible hose is attached to the top. When it is desired to use the extinguisher, it is carried to the fire and inverted. A small bottle of acid usually H₂SO₄ is spilled when the cylinder is inverted or turn upside down. Powdered sodas, bicarbonate of soda (Baking Soda) is mixed with H2O when the tank is charge or fills with water. The chemical reaction of acid and soda water creates a pressure which forces the water out of the cylinder or tank. The hose is used to direct the flow of water to the fire. It has 2 disadvantages:-

-It must be kept away from freezing

-Acid causes corrogen problem which reduce the life of the tank or cylinder. The corrogen problem has been minimized by replacing the acid with CO₂ cartridge. Upon the cylinder inversion the cartridge opens and releases CO₂ gas under high pressure. The high pressure gas than forces the water out of cylinder.

2. CaCl₂ fire extinguisher-It is also used on class A fire. . CaCl₂ is a salt which when added to water form brine which has very low freezing temperature. CO₂ cartridge is used as pressure agent to force H₂O and CaCl₂ out of the cylinder to the fire. These extinguishers are used where freezing is a potential hazard
3. Foam type extinguisher-It is used on class B type of fire. The extinguisher is charged with special chemical (Al₂SiO₄), the chemical spread on the burning material and the solution, blanket the fire by excluding O₂.
4. CO₂ fire extinguisher- It is used on C, D and E class of fire. The CO₂ types spray a chemical fog towards the fire. The fog quickly excludes the O₂ from the burning material and blanket the combustible material.
5. D.C.P. extinguisher- It can be used on C, D and E class of fire. The most common extinguishing agent is sodium bicarbonate or plain baking soda. The extinguisher is charged with the dry chemical and a small tank of CO₂ gas. The CO₂ gas exerts pressure on dry chemical and forces it out of a nozzle directly to the fire. The powder strict the fire and the heat from the fire breaks down the chemical which releases CO₂ gas on a large scale which helps in extinguishing the fire.

Stationary fire fighting system

1. Automatic sprinklers-It is generally mounted just below the ceiling height with a temperature detector or smoke detector, attached with each sprinkler. The temperature from the fire melts the fusible link on the detector, which opens a water valve. The water is then sprayed on the ceiling and falls on the floor, extinguishing the fire. If the fire area should spread, more sprinklers are automatically opened, thus confining the fire to a small area. The temperature detector can be purchased for different activating temperature. The high temperature detectors are often used in kitchens.
2. Fire Hose System-It is a semi portable system. In this system the fire hose box is permanently located but the flexible hose can be moved to various distances throughout the building. The hose used to fight fire within a building should be of linen type. The linen allows some water seepage through it which will prevent its burning when in use.

HANDLING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

Apart from fire and bomb threat etc. the front office staff at some point of time have to handle a lot of unusual situations also. Some such situations may be death and illness of guests, theft in hotels etc and many others.

1) Death of a guest in the hotel :

• Once the information comes to the front desk it should directly be reported to the front office manager.
• The front office manager will then report it to the GM or resident manager
• The security manager should also be informed immediately
• The police is informed and the hotel doctor is summoned who will check and confirm the death
• Meanwhile the hotel will locate the residential address of the deceased and will inform the relatives.
• Once the police complete all formalities and activities and gives the permission, the dead body is fully covered and then removed from the room on a stretcher. For this purpose the service elevator and not the guest elevator is used
• A death certificate is obtained from the doctor
• A report should be prepared as to who informed of the death, time, room number and date of death. In case there is any luggage of the deceased in the room a list should be prepared and the luggage should be kept in the luggage room and the person performing this activity should sign this report
• The guest room is locked and sealed.
• After obtaining clearance from the police the room is opened and thoroughly disinfected and spring cleaned and only after permission of the police and subsequent permission of the GM or resident manager the room should be sold.

Some important facts to be kept in mind are:

• Donot enter the room alone always take the lobby manager and security officer with you
• In case you are aware that the deceased was under the treatment of a specific doctor, the same should be called instead of the hotel doctor. His physician will also be helpful in knowing and notifying the incident to the relatives and people known to him
• Donot disturb the body or touch anything before the arrival of the police as this may be a murder or suicide case.

2) Handling accident cases:

• A knowledge of first aid would come very handy in such situations. In general the following

points should be taken care of :

• Remove the person who has met with accident from the site of accident {as early as possible and take him to a more comfortable area, use a stretcher in case the need be}
• Call the doctor and if possible give him the details of accident and gravity of the accident.
• Take someone along with you to the site of the accident as you may need help
• Keep alert you must serve the victim immediately by providing first aid
• Try to protect your establishment from any false allegations

Prepare a full report of the whole accident giving details of the date and time who reported the incident, room no., site of the accident etc. Also make your comments as to the reason of the accident and how could it have been prevented and what action is to be taken to avoid the same in the future.

The accident book:

• An accident book is usually maintained in all organizations and the receptionist should record all details of accidents which have occurred to employees whilst carrying out their daily activities.
• The book must be kept in a place easily accessible by any injured person or a person bona fide
• Particulars of an accident may be entered here in either by the injured person himself or by a person acting on his behalf
• The accident book when filled up should be preserved for a period of three years after the date of the last entry
• Every employer is required to take steps to investigate the circumstances of the accident recorded and if there happens to be any discrepancy between the circumstances found by him and the entry made, he is required to record the circumstances so found.

3) Situation of Theft:

Theft is divided into four categories:

1. Theft by employees of the hotel can be avoided by:
   • Work business and personal references should be checked before the employee is hired.
   • A detailed record of all employees who enter the guest room such as chamber maids bellboys room boys maintenance etc
   • All hotel keys should be returned to the department concerned and no employee should be allowed to take keys out of the hotel’s premises.

II. Damage of hotel property by the guest can be avoided by:

• The hotel staff should identify the main cause for the damage.
• If the damage is appears to be done intentionally the hotel can ask the guest to pay compensation for the same. For this it is necessary that the front desk is well versed with the cost of the damaged item.

III. Theft of hotel property by the guest:

Can be avoided by taking the following steps:

• Installing automatic locks on the guest room doors
• Appointing a security officer who would walk and take rounds at regular intervals
• Inform guests to use the safe vault of the hotel and not to keep valuables in the guest room
• Keep a watch on walk in as their likelihood of being a thief is more as compared to a guest who has undergone a process of making a reservation in the hotel
• Avoid giving room numbers of resident guests to visitors or over the telephone callers.
• In case the guest loses his key and asks housekeeping to open the room door for them, HK should direct them to front desk
• Master key should be kept under strict supervision and control

Theft by outside visitors can be avoided by:

• being aware of suspicious persons
• regular and irregular schedule of vigil and rounds
• Stagger lunch and rest periods of employees so as to keep one person on duty on each floor at all times
• Instruct eh telephone operator not to connect calls to the guest room incase the request is made by the caller by room number. The receptionist should insist on knowing the name of the guest who the caller wishes to speak to.
• Guest should be informed to keep the balcony door closed to avoid anyone entering the rooms from the balcony
• Closed circuit televisions should be used

4) Situation of illness and epidemics:

• The receptionist may be called for assistance during sickness of a guest.
• Patient should be advised to consult the house physician but in case the guest has his own physician the same should be called.
• Housekeeping needs to be notified about the sickness and instructions if any
• If the case of serious sickness, the guest should be moved to a nursing home
• During epidemics all precautionary measures especially in food and beverage service area should be followed

5) Handling a drunk guest :

• The guest should be removed from the lobby as early as possible but being careful not to irritate/offend him.
• Preferably taken to the back office or to his room.
• If he behaves unruly, the hotel security must be called.

Safe deposit facility in the hotel for security of guests’ valuables:

• It is the responsibility of management to develop and maintain proper safe deposit procedures for its property.
• If this facility is available for guests, notices regarding it should be put up in various conspicuous/noticeable places in the hotel and also should be mentioned to the guest.
• Safe deposit boxes should be located in an area, in vicinity of the front desk and which has limited access. Unauthorized guests or personnel should not be permitted inside the area.
• Front office staff should be well-versed with the procedures regarding safe deposit boxes.
• Strict control should apply to the storage and issue of safe deposit keys.
• At any point of time there should be only one key issued for each safe even if more than one person is using the safe.
• Two keys are required to open a safe deposit box: one being the guest’s key and the other being the control key/guard key put in by the cashier/safe deposit attendant.
• After the verification f the identity of the guest, the safe deposit attendant/cashier should accompany the guest to the safe deposit area where in clear sight should make use of the control key and the guest’s key to open the safe.

Sometimes the hotel may not be able to meet the demand for individual safe box; in that case a large box containing the belongings of more than one guest is used. Each guest’s belongings are put in an envelope which is sealed. The key to this box is stored in a secure place and a log is maintained which records an entry each time the key is used to open the box

Safety and Security

Safety and Security

Safety and security are concepts often used interchangeably, and it should be understood that both are means of safeguarding human and physical assets. The term ‘safety’ is used with reference to such things as disasters, emergencies, fire prevention and protection, and conditions that provide for freedom from injury and prevent damage to property. The term ‘security’ is used with reference to freedom from fear, anxiety, and doubts concerning humans as well as protection against terrorism and thefts of guest, employee, or hotel property.

Safety management programmers

The overall objective of a safety management programme is to eliminate hazards before they cause any serious accidents.

There are 10 steps in the establishment of an effective safety management programme:

1. Review work procedures and inspect work areas for safety hazards.
2. Make department heads aware of the nature and variety of hazards.
3. Establish a safety committee.
4. Maintain accurate safety records.
5. Conduct periodic in house safety-inspections.
6. Train staff members to implement safety consciousness.
7. Motivate staff members to be safety conscious.
8. Investigate and analyze all accidents and injuries.
9. Practice safety management and monitor follow-ups.
10. Review the effectiveness of your own safety management programme.

Three Es of Safety

The safety of employees can be ensured by following the three Es of safety: safety education, safety engineering, and safety rules enforcement.

Safety education:

Safety programmes and policies can only be effective if the staff is trained to think and act safely at work. The best time to start educating employees on safety is during their induction into the establishment, so that they are well versed in safety rules and policies of the establishment before they start their job.

The following should be ensured during training:

• Teaching safe methods, with particular emphasis on areas of potential danger and how these can be guarded against.
• Demonstrating the use of safety equipment installed in the establishment, and the location and use of first-aid materials.
• Inculcating in people the ability to recognize the signs of hazards around them.
• Teaching staff the legal implications of non-adherence to safety procedured.

Safety Engineering:

This involves the building in of safety-procedures into the structure of the establishment--------in the equipment, furniture, and fittings and in their proper arrangement within the space. Equipment used by the housekeeping employees should be selected to ensure safety in design.

Safety rules enforcement:

Rules, when not implemented or enforced, are not effective. It is not enough to know about safety themes and procedured, but more important to put the knowledge gained into practice. This does not come easily to all employess and, therefore, needs to be enforced by rule and practice.

Job Safety Analysis

The executive housekeeper needs to develop a ‘housekeeping safety manual” for the use of all housekeeping employees. This manual should expalin in comprehensive terms the safest methods of perfroming each task to accomplish a particular job. For this prupose, the housekeeper, with the help of the supervisors, needs to carry out a job safety analysis. A job safety analysis is a detailed report that lists every job function performed in the housekeeping department and lists every job function performed in the housekeeping department and lists potential hazards, safe methods, tips, and ‘how-tos’ for each task.

Potential Hazards In Housekeeping

To reduce safety risks, all employees should be aware of potential safety hazards. These hazards may include:

• Faulty equipment.
• Damaged flooring and chipped tiles.
• Slippery floors and spills not mopped up.
• Slippery guest bathrooms.
• Cracked or broken glass.
• Worn-out elctrical insulation or fittings.
• Overloaded electrical sockets.
• Worn-out carpets and rugs.
• Cleaning equipment left lying around.
• Unsafe use of ladders
• Inadequate lighting
• Loose stair treads.
• Cleaning agents left uncapped.
• Non-adherence to instructions outlined in the material safety data sheets (MSDS)
• Handling corrosive cleaning agents with bare hands.
• Mixing certain chemical cleaners, causing undesirable/dangerous reactions.
• Cleaning agents kept in unmarked or wrongly marked containers.
• Incorrect use of trolleys.
• Incorrect methods of bending and lifting.
• Unsatisfactory hygiene and sanitation standards;
• Incorrect posture.

Safety awareness and Accident Prevention

Safety awareness should be an ongoing programme at all establishments. The management of all establishments should be aware of the laws concerning safe work environments and should be concerned about the safety of their employees. Periodic training should be provided to all staff in order to raise awareness about safety. All employees should be aware of the potential hazards in their respective departments. All heads of departments must ensure that employees follow safe job procedures , correct unsafe conditions immediately, and take adequate time to do the job so that accidents are not caused due to haste. The executive housekeeper should develop a comprehensive list of safety rules to be followed by all housekeeping employees. This can be a part of the ‘housekeeping safety manual’.

Basic Guidelines for the prevention of Accidents:

The following guidelines can be followed for the prevention of accidents:

• Always follow instructions when using any cleaning equipment.
• Replace caps on cleaning chemicals immediately and securely after dispensing.
• Label cleaning agents clearly.
• Keep floors clean and dry.
• Place warning and safety signs around the area while cleaning.
• Mark faulty equipment as ‘out of order’.
• Dispose of rubbish carefully.
• Never place cigarette butts or sharp objects I the trash bag on the room attendants carts.
• Open and shut doors carefully.
• Clean away broken glass carefully.

Procedures to follow in case of an accident

When a guest or employee has met with an accident at the hotel, the procedure followed should be as follows:

1. With the help of another person, check if the victim requires any assistance,
2. Report the matter immediately to the manager concerned.
3. Either administer first aid (if you are trained to do so) or get help from trained personnel.
4. Shift the victim immediately to a hospital, if required. If the injury is serious, call an ambulance for the same. Follow all necessary first-aid measures until the ambulance arrives.
5. Fill in the accident report form and hand it over to the manager concerned.

Fire prevention and fire fighting

Fires may be classified into four groups, based on their source of fuel.

Class A: These are fires with trash, wood, paper or other ordinary combustible materials as their fuel source.

Class B: These are fires with flammable or combustible liquids and gases as their fuel source.

Class C: These are fires involving electric equipment.

Class D: these are fires with certain ignitable metals as the fuel source.

Prevention of fire:

Fires may be prevented if fire hazards are identified and eliminated. Some unsafe practices that may lead to fires are as follows:

• Guests smoking in bed.
• The hotel not providing sand urns.
• Using high-wattage bulbs in lamps.
• Leaving linen chute doors open.
• Storing rags and cloths with residues of cleaning polish still on them.
• Not unplugging electrical appliances when not in use.
• Using faulty electrical equipment or sockets.
• Leaving magnifying glasses where sun can catch them.

Each establishment must conduct fire drills on a periodic basis and ensure that all staff attend these drills so that they know what is to be done during a fire emergency.

Fire warning systems

These may be electrically powered manually operated systems, automatic fire detection systems, or a combination of both. The usual components of such systems include:

Fire Alarms: These can be set off by smoke detectors, heat detectors, sprinkler systems, or pull stations. The most common types of fire alarms are the ones operated by pull stations located in corridors, lobbies, and near elevators. The pull alarms are red in colour, with a glass panel that needs to be broken to set off the alarm.

Sprinkler Systems: These are found in most hotel establishments, especially in corridors and rooms. They are situated on the ceiling and automatically spray water when temperature rises above a certain level.

Smoke Detectors: These are set off by smoke. The two types of smoke available are photoelectric detectors and ionization detectors. Photoelectric detectors are alarms triggered off when smoke blocks a beam of light emanating from the detector. In the ionization type of smoke detectors, the alarm sound when the detector senses a shift in electrical conductivity between two plates.

Dealing in case of fire emergency

1. Immediately switch on the nearest fire alarms.
2. If possible, try to put out the fire with suitable equipment, remembering to direct the extinguishers at the base of the flames. Do not attempt to fight a fire if there is any danger of personal risk.
3. Close all the windows and switch off all electrical appliances, including fans and lights.
4. Close the door to the affected area and report to your immediate supervisor for instructions.
5. Carry out instructions--- for instance, rouse guests in the section and direct them to the nearest fire-escape route. Each guestroom should have the route to the nearest fire escape drawn out and displayed in a place where it is most likely to be seen by the guests.
6. Report to the departmental fire representative for a roll call. The housekeeper on duty should check the list (in the form of the duty rosters) of the staff who are on duty so that all those on duty can be accounted for.
7. Remain at the assembly point until instructed to do otherwise.
8. Do not use lifts.

Fire Fighting Equipment

Staff should be trained in operating the fire-fighting equipment. Types of fire-fighting equipment vary from simple ones such as buckets of sand and water, fire blankets, and hose reels to more complex fire extinguishers. Water buckets should be constantly checked for adequate water levels and sand buckets should be kept dry. Water should not be used in case of fires involving electricity.

Types of fire extinguishers

Fire extinguishers can be of various types:

1. Dry Powder
2. Dry Chemical foam
3. Halon/vapourizing Liquid
4. Water-gas or soda-acid extinguishers
5. Carbon dioxide

Dry powder:

These are usually meant for multipurpose use with various types of fire. They contain an extinguishing agent and use a compressed, non-flammable gas as a propellant.

Dry chemical Foam:

These are primarily used on flammable liquids, oils, and fats, but may have multipurpose uses.

Halon/Vapuorizing Liquid:

These contain a gas or a volatile liquid that interrupts the chemical reaction that takes place when fuels burn. This type of extinguisher is often used to protect valuable electrical equipment since they leave no residue to clean up. Halon extinguishers have a limited range, usually 4-6 feet. The initial application of halon should be made towards the base of fire, continuing even after the flames have been extinguished.

Water-gas or soda-acid extinguishers:

These extinguishers contain water and compressed gas and should only be used on class A (wood or paper) fires.

Carbon-dioxide:

These extinguishers are most effective on class B and C (liquid and electrical) fires. Since the gas disperses quickly, these extinguishers are only effective from a distance of 3-8 feet. The carbon dioxide is stored as a compressed liquid in the extinguisher; as it expands on release, it cools the surrounding air. Since the fire could re-ignite, continue to apply the agent even after the fire appears to be out.

CRIME PREVENTION

It is imperative that all properties have a crime prevention committee or a security committee. The committee should consist of key management personnel, including department heads. Supervisors and other selected employees can also be roped in for valuable information and inputs. The committee members should meet on a scheduled basis periodically to review past plans and form new ones. The general responsibilities of this committee should be

• Design a security booklet for all employees;
• Develop orientation and training programmers on crime prevention in coordination with the training department.
• Analyse and resolve recurring security issues and investigate any security-related incident;
• Conduct spot security checks and inspections of the property.
• Liaise with the local police department;
• Monitor the keeping of records and documentation of all security-related incidents.

DEALING WITH EMERGENCIES

The nature of all emergencies is the same: they are uncontrollable and unforeseen. Thus all properties must be prepared for them and have emergency plans put down in writing. Emergencies may come in any form---earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, bomb threats, and so on. Emergency plans must be a part of SOPs. These procedures must specify:

• What procedures are to be followed in case of an emergency;
• Who will be responsible----the plan should specify employee duties and placement within the facility during an emergency and after an emergency.
• How the procedures will be followed; and
• When the specified procedures should be followed---for instance, when should the guests be notified of a bomb threat, or when should the evacuation process be initiated.

Planning for an emergency

Contingency planning should be done on the following lines:

Employee Training:

Training in emergency procedures is essential to deal with emergencies.

Emergency Resources:

The names and telephone numbers of outside agencies that may be of help during an emergency need to be listed and kept in a prominent, accessible place.

Emergency Checklists:

Each department head should develop a checklist outlining the actions he/she must take in the event of an emergency.

Drills:

Fire emergency drills should be conducted periodically and it should be mandatory for all staff to attend these in shifts.

First-aid training and supplies

A thorough training in first-aid procedures, especially cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), should be given to selected employees. All other employees should be trained in at least the basics of first aid. A complete first-aid kit should be maintained at all times.

Transportation and housing:

For ward planning should be done for transportation of guests in case their relocation is required in the event of an emergency. Potential relocation sites should be identified.

Contingency Plan review

The contingency plan should be reviewed by people who are responsible for the prevention of losses.

Dealing with Bomb Threats

Bomb threats may be delivered in writing or orally, in person or over the telephone. In case of a written threat in the form of a letter, note or telegram, the message and the envelope should be handled carefully and held only at the corners to preserve finger prints and other evidence. Protect the document and the envelope, and hand it over to the general manager. Inform the police of the contents of the note.

If the letter is delivered by a messenger, detain the person for questioning by the police, if possible. If the messenger has left the premises, the employee accepting the note immediately prepare a memorandom listing the circumstances, the time the message was received, any known witnesses, and a detailed description of the messenger.

In case the bomb threat was made orally, as in any employee becoming aware of a bomb threat by overhearing someone make such a threat, the person should immediately convey the information to the general manager in a discreet manner (so as not to alarm the guests). The police should be informed promptly. The person issuing the threat should be kept under observation, if possible, and the person’s physical characteristics noted. If this person leaves the hotel before he or she can be stopped to determine his or her identity, record the mode of transportation and the direction of travel. This may include a bus number, car rental company, the automobile description-----including the model, license plate number, and state-----and the number of persons in the car. These facts should be furnished to the general manager immediately for communication to security personnel and the police.

Unfortunately, “bomb hoax” telephone calls are a common occurrence. All persons responsible for the management of their building or staff should instruct their telephone operator to report all such calls to them confidentially and immediately. Usually bomb threats come in anonymous telephone calls.

As soon as it is clear that the caller is making a bomb threat, let him finish his message without interruption. The call is usually brief, so that there is no chance to trace the number. Therefore telephone operators should record the information accurately in order to provide the security and police personnel with as much documented information as possible. The information can be regarding:

• Caller’s sex and approximate age.
• Noticeable condition affecting speech such as drunkenness, laughter, anger, excitement and incoherency.
• Peculiarities of speech such as foreign accent, tone and pitch of voice.
• Background noises audible during the call such as music, traffic, talking or machinery.

When the caller has given his message try to keep him in conversation. The following are key questions and should be asked if possible, after the caller has given his message.

1. Where is the bomb located?
2. What time will it explode?
3. When was it placed?
4. Why was it placed?

Note whether the caller repeated his message or any part of it. Note the exact time of its receipt. Write the message down immediately after the call. Immediately after that notify the police.

Housekeeping employees may also be a part of the search team looking for unclaimed, unidentified, or unusual foreign objects that could contain a bomb. All housekeeping employees should be aware of the evacuation plans explained in the safety manual of the property and help in evacuation if necessary. In case of an explosion, the employees should help out in the rescue process and provide first-aid as required.

Dealing with terrorism—Steps and Precautions

Good housekeeping not only enhances the ambience of the hotel, it is also reduces the opportunity for placing suspicious items or bags and helps to deal with false alarms and hoaxes. The following tips with regards to housekeeping can help reduce the risk of planting dangerous material on hotel properties:

1. Limit the installation and use of litter bins around the hotel and ensure that the few installed are checked and cleared regularly.
2. Procure litter bins which have small openings.
3. Review the location of litter bins. For instance, these should not be placed near support structures.
4. Use of clear bags of waste disposal provides an easier opportunity for the staff to conduct an initial examination for suspicious items
5. Keep public and communal areas---exit, entrances, reception areas, stairs, halls, washrooms and service corridors—clean and tidy.
6. Lock unoccupied offices, rooms, and storage cupboards.
7. Have in place an agreed procedure for the management of contractors, their vehicles and waste collection services. The vehicle registration mark of each vehicle and its occupant should be known to security in advance.
8. Ensure stringent checks on the people recruited to the department and those on contract.
9. Set the procedure and train staff to identify and suspicious items. Make sure the staff understand that security is part of everyone’s responsibilities.
10. Formulate and maintain contingency plans dealing with bomb threats, suspect enquiries, explosion, structural collapse, and evacuation.
11. Planning should incorporate the seven key instructions to most incidents:

• Do not touch suspicious items.
• Move everyone to a safest distance.
• Prevent others from approaching cordoned area.
• Communicate safely to staff, business visitors, and the public.
• Use hand-held radios or mobile phones away from the immediate vicinity of a suspect item.
• Notify the police.
• Ensure that whoever found the item or witnessed the incident is available to brief the police.

12. Screening of hand baggage by appropriate mechanical detectors should be carried out for all guests and employees on entrance to the property.
13. All types of mails and parcels should be screened by detectors.
14. Good quality doors and windows are essential to ensure building security.
15. Use toughened glass with anti-shatter film for windows and doors.
16. Have close-circuit television (CCTV) systems in place. It is important to remember that CCTVs are effective only if they are properly maintained and monitored.
17. Pruning all vegetation and trees, especially near entrances, will assist in surveillance and prevent concealment of any packages.
18. All hotels and restaurants should have an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) available and regularly tested.
19. The security measures deployed should not be made public to avoid alerting potential terrorists about what the hotel staff know and what they are doing about it.
20. Have a proper first aid facility on premises.
21. Install and maintain sufficient and proper fire-fighting equipment.
22. Vulnerable hotels should provide a booklet for safety to all guests with the following points mentioned:
    1. Do not answer the door in a hotel or motel room without verifying the caller. If a person claims to be an employee, call the front-desk and ask if someone from their staff is supposed to have access to your room and for what purpose.
    2. Keep your room key with you at all times and do not needlessly display it in public. Should you misplace it, please notify the front-desk immediately.
    3. Close the door securely whenever you are in your room and use all of the locking devices provided.
    4. Do not invite strangers to your room.
    5. Do not draw attention to yourself by displaying large amounts of cash or expensive jewellery.
    6. Place all valuables in the hotel or motel’s safe deposit box.
    7. When returning to your hotel late in the evening, be aware of your surroundings, and use the main entrance.
    8. Take a few moments and locate the nearest exit that may be used in the event of an emergency.
    9. If you see any suspicious activity, notify the hotel operator or a staff member.

Guest and Employee Thefts

Guest Thefts

There are incidents where guests take away items that are not meant to be taken away by them. These items may be picture frames, bathrobes, towels, and so on. However, some articles are meant to be takeaways. These are small items that prominently display the hotel’s monogram. To minimize losses through guest theft, a count of the number of amenities placed in the guestroom if always kept and if the guest asks for extra numbers, then this has to be entered in a log book. The room attendant can check the numbers while cleaning the next day.

Luxury hotels charge a high enough rate to compensate for stolen items. However, these are some measures that may discourage guest thefts.

• Items such as monogrammed towels, bathrobes, etc may be placed on sale in hotel gift-shops. This may reduce the likelihood of theft since guests have the option of purchasing these items.
• Always keep the storage rooms closed and locked so that guests do not get a chance to take away items from there. Amenities stored on carts should be stocked in a secure place or in a locked compartment. Guests walking down the hallway or corridor may easily take home an adequate supply of shampoo, soap, and so on in a matter of minutes if these are are left unattended in the corridor.
• Affix or nail down guestroom items and fixtures to appropriate surfaces. If decorations are not nailed, glued, bolted, or otherwise anchored to the wall and are small enough to fit in a suitcase, they are prime targets for guest theft. The easier an item is to remove, the more likely it is that it will be removed. All pictures, mirrors, and wall decoration should be discreetly affixed to the wall. Lamps should be too large to fit easily into a suitcase or bag. Expensive items such as televisions should be bolted and equipped with an alarm that the front desk or security if an attempt is made to remove the item.
• The closer the room is to the parking area, the easier it is remove an item from a room.

Employee theft

The management should detail explicit regulations concerning employee theft. The employee handbook should spell out the consequences of stealing hotel property. It is important that the management not discriminate against any employee when enforcing these rules:

• While screening applicants for the job, a thorough check of the background, including a check for any criminal convictions, should be carried out.
• Colour-coded uniforms and identification badges with the employees’ photographs and signatures discourage people bent on thievery from trying to pass themselves off as employees.
• Orientation and training programmers should emphasize the value of honesty.
• Supervisors should closely monitor behavior and adherence to company policies and procedures during the employee training and probationary period.
• Good inventory control procedures should be followed. Conduct a monthly inventory of all
• housekeeping supplies, such as toilet paper, amenities, and linen. If the items in storage do not match the usage rate or if too little stock is on the shelves, it may be an indication of employee theft.
• All storeroom doors should be kept locked and these locks should be changed periodically to reduce the opportunity for theft.
• An effective key-control programme, lost and found procedure, and gate-pass system should be in place and enforced at tall times.
• Regular locker inspections also discourage employees from stealing for lack of a hiding place for articles.
• Employee entrances should have a security staff office that monitors arriving and departing employees.
• Employee parking should be well-lit and sufficiently far from the hotel building.

SICKNESS AND DEATH

On many occasions, housekeepers find a sick guest on their hands. If the guest is too ill travel home or it is inconvenient for him or her to do so, as in case of an overseas traveller, he/she should be seen by the doctor on call at the hotel or by local doctor. If the medical aid is on the way, the housekeeper may have to administer first aid to the ailing guest. Hotel guests who are ill should be regularly visited by the house keeping staff.

Sometimes, illnesses or accidents lead to death. Staff who encounter such a situation should not touch anything in the room as they might be helpful in establishing the cause of death. The employee should lock the door and inform the executive housekeeper, who in turn conveys the information to the general manager. The police are then informed about the death. The door of the guest room where a death has occurred should be double-locked and sealed until the police have arrived. The staff should assist in any subsequent investigations being carried out by the authorities.