CHAPTER 7
Safety and Security
Objectives: examining how to ensure safety and security
in the hotel through efficient
housekeeping operations
Safety and Security
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Safety: refers to the actual conditions in the
work environment.
Security: refers to the prevention of theft,
fire, and other emergencies.
Housekeeping & Maintenance departments
have the highest risk for accidents and
injuries; because
both employ more people than other dept.
 working in these dept. require physical activity
and equipment use
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To reduce safety risks;
The exec. housekeeper must,
 be aware of potential safety hazards
 develop procedures to prevent accidents
 develop ongoing safety training programs
 be aware of the laws that regulate the work
environment
Unsafe Work Environments cause;
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insurance and liability concerns
- expensive medical costs
- legal problems e.g. fines or lawsuits
- decreased productivity
employee moral and management concerns
- negative employee morale
- low performance
Potentially Hazardous Conditions
Managers must train employees to recognize
potentially hazardous conditions and take
corrective actions before they cause injuries like
sprains, strains, falls;
- wet floors and slippery walkways
- messy floors
- equipment left out in the way
- improper lifting techniques
Three Rules
for safe, accident-free work environment
1. Take adequate time
2. Correct unsafe conditions immediately
3. Do it safely the first time
Ex. 1, pg. 173 Sample Safety Rules for a Lodging Operation
Safety Tips
for potentially hazardous conditions in the HK
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Lifting; incorrect lifting may cause, strained or
pulled muscles and back injury, and cuts and
scratches. Ex. 2, pg. 174 safe lifting.
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Ladders; when selecting a ladder, inspect its
condition, height and footing.
do not use broken or defective ladder
 do not use aluminum or metal ladder when
working near or on electrical equipment
 use rubber footing on tile floors and in kitchen
 floor must be dry and clean
 should be high enough
 never stand on the top step
 never place a ladder against a window or uneven
surfaces
 should be well-balanced
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when climbing, face the ladder and have clean
and dry hands and feet
 mark the area underneath the ladder with caution
signs
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 Machines;
employees should be authorized and trained to
use them before operating
 follow the instructions and train and supervise
the staff
 safety guards of the machines should not be
removed, protective eye goggles should be worn
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never leave them unattended, turn off and store
 never use a machine that is not operating
correctly, have it repaired
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 Electrical Equipment;
never operate electrical equipment with wet
hands or cloths
 do not operate near flammable liquids, chemicals
or vapors
 turn off them when sparks, smokes or flames are
seen
 check the wires and connections periodically
 never unplug them by pulling the cord
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keep the cords out off traffic areas
 when cleaning guestrooms, room attendants
should check for frayed wires, loose connections,
loose plugs, broken switches
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Chemicals; when used improperly, they can
cause nausea, vomiting, skin rashes, cancer,
blindness and even death. Potentially
hazardous chemicals are used to kill insects
and rodents or unstop clogs in toilets.
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continual training in chemical safety is necessary
Job Safety Analysis
is a detailed report that lists every job function
performed by all employees in a housekeeping
department with safety tips and potential hazards
being cited. The analysis should be produced in
booklet form and used in training. Housekeeping
managers should demonstrate and explain each
task when training.
Safety Training
1. begins the first day of the job with an
orientation about safety rules and
regulations.
2. should include the presentation of the
hotel’s safety philosophy during orientation.
Ex. 3, pg. 179
3. does not end at orientation. Every
employee should participate in an ongoing
safety education program at least once a
month.
Security
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is the task of protecting both people and
assets by;
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guestroom security
key control
perimeter control
emergency procedures
lighting
security records
whether the property requires a large security
staff or one or several on-premises
supervisory personnel, the security role must
be clearly defined and implemented.
Security Issues
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Suspicious Activities;
The individuals allowed in guestroom areas are;
guests, their visitors, and on-duty employees
 establish a policy on how to approach and handle
unauthorized or undesirable people. Suspicious
people are those; checking doors, knocking on
doors, or looking nervous.
 approach the person looking suspicious politely. If
the person claims to be a guest, ask for the room
key. If the person says that he is not a guest, then
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explain the hotel policy and direct the guest to the
front desk.
 employees who are not in their designated area
should be asked if they need help. Depending on
the person’s response and manner, report to security.
 friends and relatives of employees should not be
allowed in guestroom areas or employee locker
rooms
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Theft;
(a) Guest Theft can be reduced by;
using fewer items with logos reduces temptation
to steal
 keeping storage rooms closed and locked
 fixing or bolting guestroom items and fixtures to
appropriate surfaces
 when cleaning, notifying the front desk or
security for any missing items
 securing all first floor windows and sliding glass
doors
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(b) Employee Theft can be reduced by;
acting as a good example as managers
 writing down the consequences of stealing in the
employee handbook and implementing them for
everyone without discriminating
 screening applicants (background check) before
making a job offer
 having good inventory control procedures, taking
physical inventory every month
 keeping records of stolen or missing items
 keeping all storeroom doors locked and changing
the locks periodically
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 designating employee entrances and exits with
security staff
 establishing claim-checking and parcel-pass systems
 restricting employee parking
 in large hotels, using identification badges to prevent
strangers
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Bomb Treats
As housekeeping, helping in the search for any
suspicious objects that could be bombs. Searches
often include stairways, closets, ashtrays, trash
containers, elevators, exit areas, window sills
 if a suspicious looking object is found, it should
not be touched or moved, notify the person in
charge of the search team
 avoid using radios, walkie-talkies, or beepers
 the safety and security manual should include
evacuation plans
 the local police should be notified of all bomb
threats
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Fires; are grouped into four - Class A, wood and
paper products; Class B, flammable liquid, grease,
and gasoline; Class C, electrical, Class D,
combustible metals. In the lodging industry,
electrical malfunction and arson are the two most
common causes of fire.
 installing fire detection systems - smoke
detectors, suppression systems (sprinklers) ,
alarms (pull stations)
 fire safety training - in evacuating the building,
reporting fire, emergency escape procedures and
duties, escaping from a smoke-filled room,
putting out a small fire (fire extinguishers, type
ABC)
 using fire-resistant fabrics and materials
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Key Control; housekeeping is concerned with
emergency (open all doors even those have double
locked), master (three levels -the highest level is the
grand master opens every hotel room and HK storage
rooms, the next level is the section master opens
rooms in one area, the lowest level is the floor key
opens the rooms on the allocated floor and
storeroom) , storeroom and guestroom keys.
 key control procedures; (1) log book for keys ex.
7, pg. 193, (2) key belts, wrist bands or neck
chains for keeping keys, (3) should never be
loaned or (4) left on the cart, or (5) used to open
a room for a guest, (6) card key systems.
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Lost and Found;
handled by housekeeping
 should be stored in a secure area
 items should be tagged (with numbers), logged
(to record the date, time, place, person) ex. 8, pg.
195, secured (keep at least 90 days, donate
unclaimed items)
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Guestroom Cleaning; room attendants should;
not open guest luggage or packages
 be careful when removing linens, dusting the top
of closets and under lamps, since guests
sometimes hide valuable belongings
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 immediately notify the HK, Security or FO; if
any of the following items are noticed;
• guns/weapons
• drugs
• cooking/unsafe electrical appliances
• foul odors
• pets
• ill guests
• large amounts of cash or valuable jewelry
 keep the door open and the cart rolled in front
of the entrance to block access from outside,
when cleaning guestrooms
 politely ask the guest name and see the room key, if
a guest wants to enter the room while the attendant
is cleaning
 never leave a room unattended with the door open
 after cleaning the room, check all windows and
sliding doors whether they are locked, check the
guestroom as well to see that it is locked