ACCOMMODATION MANAGEMENT

3.4. Safety precautions during operations Safety Housekeeping Tips

Housekeeping is not just cleanliness. It includes keeping work areas neat and orderly; maintaining halls and floors free of slip and trip hazards; and removing of waste materials (e.g., paper, cardboard) and other fire hazards from work areas.
Here are some housekeeping tips that will help you keep your work area safe:
 Immediately clean up anything on the floor that creates a slip hazard: water, grease, paper, dust or other debris. (Get assistance if needed or required.)
 Keep walkways clear of boxes and other obstructions.
 Close cabinets used for storage when not in use.
 Never block fire exits or fire equipment.
 Make sure stacked materials do not impede vision.
 Don’t store items in or on electrical panels or control boxes.
 Pick up and store tools in their proper location immediately after use.
 Keep ventilation systems clear of dust and debris and stored materials.
 Make sure receptacles for waste and debris are conveniently located.
 Remove combustible waste often to minimize the fire hazard.
 Set a good example for other employees by maintaining good housekeeping in your work area.
Health and safety
Fire and personal injury
These are hazards in any establishments and their prevention is of tremendous importance .While the management is ultimately responsible for the prevention of accidents, the housekeeper, along with other department heads, should Endeavour to see that her staff are safety conscious.
Accidents are costly: there may be serious effects on the injured person; time and materials may be lost; a new employee may need to be trained. Employers have always been responsible if defective equipment, due to its design or manufacture which causes accidents
Poor housekeeping accounts for many accidents and also many accidents occur in an establishment ‘s accommodation area(in one survey taken in a group of hotels it was found there was more days lost due to accidents in the housekeeping department than in any other department ).Therefore the housekeeper has a great responsibility for making sure that her staff are aware of the common causes of accidents and of the necessary precautions to be taken to comply with the 1974 Health and Safety At Work etc Act .
Under this Act the employer must provide:
And maintain equipment and provide safe working practices;
For correct storage, handling and transporting of articles and substances with maximum safety; Information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure the health and safety of employees; Safe exit and access to place of work;
A good working environment without risk to health and with adequate facilities (WCs, rest rooms etc);
A written statement of general policy which should be displayed by employers with more than five employees and it must be amended as necessary.
Employees should:
Take reasonable care of themselves and other employees and other persons on the premises; Co-operate with their employer concerning health and safety.
There is a great variety of accidents causing personal injury which may befall guests and staff and while they are normally caused through someone’s carelessness they are less likely to occur in a clean ,uncluttered and well maintained department.
The following are some of the more frequent safety hazards and causes of personal injury which may occur in the housekeeping department.
Causes of Falls
1. Frayed edges and worn patches of carpet;
2. A missing floor tile or uneven floor;
3. A missing piece from the nosing of a hard stair;
4. Slippery floors, especially in conjunction with small mats;
5. Spillages not immediately dealt with;
6. Tripping over fallen articles;
7. Trailing flexes from equipment, lamps, television, etc;
8. Cleaning equipment left about, buckets etc;
9. Faulty step ladders;
10. Stools, boxes etc used instead of step-ladders;
11. Poor lighting in corridors and on stairs;
12. A step in a usual place;
13. No hand grips on baths;
14. Over-reaching;
15. Ill-fitting or inappropriate footwear.
16. Cuts and abrasions
17. Because of:
18. Careless placing of razor blades;
19. Careless disposal of broken glass;
20. Careless opening of tins;
21. Absence of kneeling mats fro cleaners;
22. Falling objects;
23. Objects poorly stacked and shelves over laden.
Accidents
Any accident at work, either to guest or staff, should be reported immediately to management or the health and safety officer .It is a legal requirement under the health and safety at work etc act 1974 that a record is kept of all accidents; this is particularly important because of the industrial injuries act whereby staff may be entitled to claim compensation .It is usual for the establishment‘s own accidents report form to be completed as well as the statutory one.
The accident book and report form should be completed at the time of the accident or as soon after as possible by the injured person or his supervisor .It should state:
i.  Personal particulars of person injured e.g. name, address, age, occupation; ii. Date and time of accident;
iii. Place of accident;

iv. Injury sustained;
v. Cause and /or description of the accident;

 vi. What the person was engaged in at the time; vii. Treatment given and by whom;
viii. Name of witnesses.
It should be signed by the supervisor and if possible by the injured person.
Accidents to guests should also be recorded and all staff should be aware of the fact that they should never accept liability for an accident .Insurance can be taken out by the establishment for protection against claims made by guests on staff.
In the case of fatal accidents ,major industries and dangerous occurrences listed in the reporting of injuries
,diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations ,the environmental health officer should be notified as soon as possible ,preferably by telephone ,and details entered in the accident report book .A written report should be sent to the environmental health officer within seven days .These regulations apply to guests and staff.
Prevention of accidents.
Unless precautions are taken accidents may easily occur and the housekeeper should therefore see that her staff are made aware of the problems and are instruction in the:
i. Use of correct working methods ii. Need for tidiness in their work
iii. Need for storing things in their right places
iv. Dangers of floor surfaces being left wet, over polished, etc
v. Necessity of reporting surfaces and articles in need of repair or replacement. vi. Need for warning signs on wet floors
vii. Need for hazard spotting
A record of training should be kept and be signed by both trainer and trainee and as well as training staff to be aware of the causes of personal injury. The housekeeper should make the necessary reports to maintenance and follow up these reports. She should see that provision is made for:
i. Hands grips on baths ii. Non- slip mats in showers
iii. Good lighting on stairs and corridors
iv. Help for maids when jobs are heavy or involve much lifting and stretching v. Special marks on clear glass doors to prevent people walking into them
Fire prevention
Safety programs must include fire prevention and deterrence. Fires in lodging properties are very common but so is the fact that most hotels, motels and resorts are equipped with state of the art equipment to suppress fires when they occur. The executive Housekeeper can prevent fires by fireproofing guestroom furnishing. Curtains, carpets, pillows, blankets, and upholstery should be purchased labeled as fire-retardant or flameproof, cigarette smoking in bed by guests is the typical cause of fires in guestrooms, not reporting faulty electrical equipment, sockets etc. Excessive accumulation of lint in dryers, paint’s supplies, and oily rugs can also start fires by spontaneous combustion. Kitchen oily cloths should be kept in metal containers and washed or disposed of as soon as possible. Frayed guestroom lamp cables and damaged cords, switches, or plugs may start smoldering fires, as it’s the case with overcrowded outlets that may overload fuses or circuits.
Safety programs should include fire protection instruction, including fire drills. Fire safety programs should train employees in combating small, controllable fires, operating fire extinguisher, closing doors to contain large fires, keeping fire exits free of any materials, reporting immediately the smell of burning equipment or the presence of smoke, evacuating the building in an orderly manner if the fire alarm sounds, notifying guests of fire if asked to do so, and so on. All housekeeping workers must be told, at orientation, where the nearest fire alarm, fire extinguisher, and fire exit are located. Employees must be trained not to panic in case of a fire but remain calm in all cases. Panic emotion can cause people to feel disoriented, preventing them from acting rationally. In the event of fire, staff should be instructed to operate the nearest fire alarm, attack fire if no personal risk, close windows, switch off electrical appliances, close door and report to immediate superior, carry out instructions,
e.g. rouse guests, make sure rooms empty etc; report to assembly point for roll call and not to use lifts
The housekeeper department is also responsible for positing in each guestroom diagrams of evacuation routes and instructions explaining what to do in case of fire
Accident prevention
Good housekeeping plays a key role in accident prevention and it only requires a little effort to cleanup after oneself.
Good housekeeping can be achieved by establishing 3 easy steps:
 Plan ahead.
 Assign responsibilities. A person should be specifically detailed to cleanup. Ideally, each individual should pick up after themselves and keep their work area neat.
 Implement a program. Housekeeping should be part of the daily routine, with cleanup being a continuous procedure.
Housekeeping Tips
The following practices should help eliminate accidental injuries and prevent fires;
 Keep aisles and stairwells clearly marked and free of clutter.
 Clean up spills and leaks promptly.
 Properly dispose of oily and greasy rags.
 Keep all filing cabinets and drawers closed when not used.
 Keep tools and equipment clean and properly store tools.
 Neatly stack storage racks and bins.
 Smoke in designated areas only.
 Make sure work areas are well lighted.
 Clean up after yourself.
 Keep fire exits, extinguishers, and sprinklers marked and free of obstructions.
 Rope off maintenance areas to minimize personnel traffic.
 Close all drawers, cabinets, etc. when not in use.
Bomb threats
Most bomb threats are made over the phone. The overwhelming majority are hoaxes, often the work of malicious pranksters. Any bomb threat is a crime and, no matter how ridiculous or unconvincing, should be reported to the police.
Telephoned bomb threats are frequently inaccurate with regard to where and when a bomb might explode, and staff receiving a bomb threat may not always be those trained and prepared for it. But although they may be unable to assess a threat's accuracy or origin, their impressions of the caller could be important.
Receiving such a threat may be the closest that many people ever come to acts of terrorism, so be prepared for affected staff to be temporarily in a state of shock. Affected individuals may need counselling or other support. Ensure that all staff who could conceivably receive a bomb threat are trained in handling procedures - or at least have ready access to instructions. This applies particularly to public transport organisations, courts, banks, hotels, hospitals, news agencies, voluntary organisations and those offering any sort of emergency service.
Switchboard operators should be familiar with procedures and rehearse them regularly.
 stay calm and listen
 obtain as much information as possible - try to get the caller to be precise about the location and timing of the alleged bomb and try to establish whom they represent. If possible, keep the caller talking
 ensure that any recording facility is switched on
 when the caller rings off, dial 911(if that facility operates and you have no automatic number display) to see if you can get their number
 immediately tell the designated Security Co-ordinator. It is their responsibility to decide on the best course of action and who should notify the police. If you cannot get hold of anyone, and even if you think the call is a hoax, inform the police directly. Give them your impressions of the caller as well as an exact account of what was said
 If you have not been able to record the call, make notes for the security staff or police. Do not leave your post - unless ordered to evacuate - until the police or security arrive.