Keeping Hotel Guests and Staff Safe

by Alex A. Kecskes

Keeping guests and service employees safe and preventing on-the-job accidents poses special challenges for the hospitality industry. This is because most hotels are really four businesses rolled into one: maintenance, housekeeping, security and food service. All these operations present a unique set of risks.

Today's hospitality managers are legally required to ensure the health and safety of workers. While workplace safety laws serve as a guide, it is the responsibility of HR managers to prevent employees from working in unhealthy or threatening environments. Similar laws apply to ensure guest safety.

Despite their best programs and planning, HR managers may encounter situations that directly threaten the safety and security of guests and staff. Abusive or violent guests should be properly reported by staff and, if necessary, asked to leave before things get out of hand. Hallways, elevators, pool areas and workout gyms should frequently be monitored by staff or video cameras to ensure guests are safe. Kitchens should be monitored and inspected for health and safety violations. Parking lots should always be monitored by security cameras and security patrols to ensure vehicles are not broken into or stolen, and guests are not threatened.

While not all hazards are preventable, they can be managed. Preplanning can make the difference in successfully surviving a fire, explosion, earthquake or other unavoidable catastrophic event. Such unavoidable crises are unfortunate, but even more unfortunate are those crises that could have been prevented with proper preplanning.

For an additional perspective, check out this video: