Safety & Security_ 2nd Semester

 

SAFETY &  SECURITY

 

INTRODUTION

 

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.

WORK-ENVIRONMENT SAFETY AND JOB-SAFETY ANALYSIS

 

The management of any place of work are legally bound to provide a hazard-free environment to their employees. The nature of work that the housekeeping staff are involved in, is such that employees may easily become accident- prone if they are careless with equipment, chemicals, or procedures.

JOB- SAFETY ANALYSIS-

 

1.     A job safety analysis is a detailed report that lists every job function performed in the housekeeping department and lists potential hazards, safe methods, tips and ‘how-tos’ for each task.

2.     For this purpose, the housekeeper, with the help of the supervisors, needs to carry out a job safety analysis.

3.     The executive housekeeping needs to develop a ‘ housekeeping safety manual’ for the use of all housekeeping employees.

 Safety Management programs

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

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

1.     Review work procedures and inspect work areas for safety hazards.

2.     Make departmental 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 analyses all accidents and injuries.

9.     Practice safety management and monitor follow-ups.

10.Review  the    effectiveness   of   your    own   safety    management program.

Three Es of Safety

 

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

Safety education       Safety program and policies can only be effective if the staff are trained to think and act safety 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. Employees safety should be encouraged to come up with ideas for inculcating safety into the hotel’s methods too, and the best ideas should be put into practice and praised or rewarded.

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 procedures.

Safety engineering    This involves the building in of safety features 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 to ensure safety in design.

 Safety enforcement  Rules, when not implemented or enforced, are not effective. It is not enough to know about safety themes and procedures, but more important to motivate people to put the knowledge gained into practice. The does not come easily to all employees and, therefore , needs to be enforced by rule and practice.

Occupational safety and Hazards Standards

 Standard universal laws on occupational safety and health(OSH) do not exist because of differences in local values and cultures. Therefore, different countries have developed their own standards on occupational health and safety management systems(OHSMS)according to their needs. India has published, and follows the ‘IS 15001:2000 Indian Standards on Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems- Specifications action plans, and reviewing the adequacy of action plans.

POTENTIAL HAZARDS IN HOUSEKEEPING

 Due to the nature of the work performed by housekeeping staff, they may be exposed to many dangerous and unsafe conditions, or hazards, if they are not careful. To reduce safety risks, all employees should be aware of potential safety hazards. These hazards may include

·         Faulty equipment;

·         Damaged flooring or chipped tiles;

·         Slippery floors and spills not mopped up;

·         Slippery guest bathrooms;

·         Cracked or broken glass;

·         Worn-out electrical insulation or fittings;

·           Overloaded electrical sockets;

·         Trailing equipment flexes;

·         Worn 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)for the use of cleaning chemicals;

·         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; and

• Incorrect posture.

SAFETY AWARNESS AND ACCIDENT PREVENTION

 Safety awareness should be an ongoing program at all establishments.

The management of all establishments and 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’. Some safety guidelines for lifting, bending, carrying, and pushing that may be included in the manual are outlined in Table

     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’s.

·         Replace caps on cleaning chemicals immediately and securely after dispensing.

Dispose of rubbish carefully.

·         Never place cigarette butts or sharp objects in 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 a 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 accidents report from (see Exhibit) and hand it over to the manager concerned.

  FIRE PREVENTION AND FIRE FIGHTING

 

To understand fire prevention and fire- fighting, on must know fires are classified. 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 as their fuel

source.

·         Class  C     These are fires involving electrical equipment.

·         Class D    These are fires with certain ignitable metals as the fuel source.

 

     Prevention of fire

F    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 or sufficient and appropriate ashtrays in rooms as well as public areas.

·         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 the sun can catch them.

·         Using furnishing materials that are easily combustible.

    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 are discussed here:

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, and near elevators. The pull alarms are red in colour, with a glass panel that needs to be broken to set off the alarm.

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

 

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

 

          What to do in Case of fire Emergency

        In  case a fire breaks out, follow the guidelines given below:

1          1.      Immediately switch on the nearest fire alarm.

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 to your immediate supervisor for instructions.

5  .  arry out instructions- 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 to do otherwise.

8.     Do not use the lifts.

 

F                 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 fire of fires involving electricity.

     

      Types of fire extinguishers

 

        Fire extinguishers can be of various types.

 

        Dry powderThese 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, oil, and fats, but may have multipurpose uses.

   

      Halon/vaporizing liquid These contain a gas  or  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 the fire, continuing even after the flames have been extinguished.

The BCF (bromochlorodifluoromethane) extinguishers are now banned as chlorofluorocarbons harm the protective ozone layer.

      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 CO2-based extinguishers are most effective on Class B and C (liquids 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. The cooling will often cause ice to form around the ‘horn’ out of which the gas is expelled from the extinguisher. Since the fire could re- ignite, continue to apply the agent even after the fire appears to be out.

      Fire-extinguisher ratings

        

              Most fire extinguisher available are rated according to the type of fire they extinguish:

 

·         Class A extinguishers- Put out the most basic fires, such as those that started with wood or paper. Their numerical rating refers to both the amount of water inside and the extent of the fire they can extinguish.

·         Class B extinguishers- These types are recommended for fires that involve flammable liquids, such as gasoline, oil, or grease. The numerical rating refers to the number of square feet of liquid fire that an average untrained person can expect to put using this equipment.

·         Class C extinguishers-These are for electrical fires. They do not have a numerical rating; it is the ‘C’ designation that the extinguishing agent inside is non- conductive.

·     Class D extinguishers- These are for with flammable metals and often made for use with a specific metal. They have no numerical rating, or can they be used on other types of fires.

 

I     In addition, many of today’s extinguishers are labelled to indicate that they can be used on different type of fires and will be labelled as such (for example, A-B,B-C, and so on)

CRIME PREVETION

     

     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 to

 

·         Design a security booklet for all employees;

·         Develop orientation and training programmes on crime on crime prevention in coordination with the training department;

·         Analyse and resolve recurring security issues and investigate any security- related incidents;

·         Conduct spot security checks and inspections of the property;

·         Liaise with the local police department; and

·         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  the 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 the 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     ng in emergency procedures is essential to deal with emergencies.

      

     Emergency resources The name 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.

 

    Eme An emergency response kit containing guest identification tags, a guest identification register, pens, legal note pads, folders, paper clips, and so on should be kept ready and handy.

 

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

   As an example of dealing with emergencies, the procedure for dealing with a bomb threat is outlined below.

   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 fingerprints 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 should immediately prepare a memorandum 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 through a personal contact or 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. These include the person’s height, weight, built, colour of hair and eyes, a description of clothes and jewellery. And any other identification feature such as a bread, scar, or limp. 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.

The most usual way in which a bomb threat is received is telephone. They are usually received by the switchboard operators from a public telephone number. The call is usually brief, so that there is no chance to trace the number. Therefore, switchboard operators should record the information accurately in order to provide the security and police personnel with as much documented information as possible.

      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

    

     In the recent past, terrorists have targeted hotels on several occasions, worldwide. Marriott, Islamabad, and then Tel Mahal Palace and The Oberoi Trident, Mumbai were targets and there were many casualties, both guests ad hotel staff. Hotels all over the world are now striving to put anti-terror systems and mechanisms in place.

   Good housekeeping not only enhance the ambience of the hotel, it 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 up reduce the risk of planting dangerous material o 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.

 Use of clear bags for waste disposal provides an easier opportunity for the staff to conduct an initial examination for suspicious items.

5.  Review the use and security of wheeled bins and metal bins to store rubbish within service areas, good entrances, and  near  areas  where guest gather.

6.                 Keep public and communal areas- exit, entrances, reception areas, stairs, halls, washrooms and service corridors- cleaned tidy

7.                 Keep the furniture in such areas to a  minimum  hence  ensuring  that there is little opportunity to hide devices under sofas and chairs.

8.                 Lock unoccupied offices, rooms and storage cupboards.

9.                 Place tamper proof plastic seals on maintenance hatches.

10.   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.

11.   Ensure stringent checks on the people recruited to the department and those on contract.

12  Set the procedure and train staff to identify and report suspicious activity. Make sure the staff understand that security is part of everyone’s responsibilities.

13. Formulate and maintain contingency plans dealing with bomb threats, suspect packages,

explosion, structural collapse, and evacuation.

14.            Have in place a communications and media strategy which includes handling enquiries from concerned family and friends.

15.            Planning should incorporate the seven key instructions applicable to most incidents;

 

i)                       Do not touch suspicious items.

ii)                    Move everyone to a safe distance.

iii)                 Prevent others from approaching cordoned areas.

iv)                 Communicate safely to staff, business visitors, and the public.

v)                    Use hand-held radios or mobile phones away from the immediate vicinity of a suspect item, remaining out of line of sight and behind hard cover.

vi)                 Notify the police.

vii)              Ensure that whoever found the item or witnessed the incident is available to brief the police.

16.            A staff pass system should be followed and a temporary pass system should be adopted for visitors.

17.            Screening of hand baggage by appropriate mechanical detectors should be carried out for all mails and employees on entrance to the property.

18.            All types of mails and parcels should be screened by detectors.

19.            If the risk is from a vehicle bomb, basic principle is to keep all vehicles at a safe place. Non–essential vehicles should ideally be kept atleast30 meters away from the building.

20.            Consider using robust physical barriers to keep all but authorized vehicles at a safe distance.

21.            Good quality doors and windows are essential to ensure  building security. External doors should be strong, well-lit and fitted with good quality locks. Doors that are not often used be internally secured.

22.            Use toughened glass with anti-shatter film for windows and doors.

23.            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.

24.            Pruning all vegetation and trees, especially near entrances, will assist in surveillance and prevent concealment of any packages.

25.            All hotels and restaurants should have an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) available and regularly tested.

26.            The owners, management, and workers in the hotel should understand the significance of the level of threat if known, since an attack may come without warning.

27.            The security measures deployed at different response levels not should be made public to avoid alerting potential terrorists  about  what  the hotel staff know and what they are doing about it. The three levels of response which broadly equate to threat levels are outlined in table.

 

28.            Have a proper first aid facility on premises.

29.            Install and maintain sufficient and proper fire fighting equipment.

30.            Vulnerable hotels should provide a booklet for safety to all guests with the following point mentioned:

 

i)                                         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.

ii)                                      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.

iii)                                   Close the door securely whenever you are in your room and use all of the locking devices provided.

iv)                                   Check to see that any sliding glass door or window and any connecting room door is locked.

v)                                      Do not invite strangers to your room.

vi)                                   Do not draw attention to yourself by displaying large amounts of cash or expensive jewellery.

vii)                                Place all valuables in hotel or motel’s safe deposit box.

viii)                             When returning to your hotel or motel late in the evening, be aware of your surroundings, stay in well-lit areas, and use the main entrance.

ix)                                    Take a few moments and locate the nearest exit that may be used in the event of an emergency.

If you see any suspicious activity, notify the hotel operator or be a staff member.