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.
