QUALITY IN TOURISM | WHEN AN INSPECTOR CALLS
QUALITY IN TOURISM
WHEN AN INSPECTOR CALLS
You ’ ll have struggled to miss the spate of bad news stories in hotels recently , from fires to death by legionnaire ’ s disease ; it seems hoteliers are up for a bashing . DEBORAH HEATHER , director of Quality in Tourism , discusses the responsibilities of hoteliers and the need for compliance
Being legally compliant is not a guarantee that you ’ ll be free from the bad news stories that plague hotels , but it does help to guarantee that you won ’ t be found negligent should the worse happen . All hoteliers are subject to reams of red tape designed to regulate and standardise all aspects of the business , and protect guests from harm ; but when you ’ re subject to inspections and input from so many different local government departments , how can you be sure you are spot on ?
From fire safety regulations to food hygiene , alcohol licensing to the Equality Act , everything from the building to your staff , how you allocate your rooms to when and how your guests can cancel ; it is all regulated somehow . Then of course there are those areas which aren ’ t regulated , but are considered best practice , which can help keep your business on track .
Take the recent death from Legionnaires ’ disease , following a stay in one hotel . Legionnaires ’ disease is caused by a high concentration of Legionella bacteria in water ; water tanks , spas , hot tubs , air conditioning and showers are the most common places within hotels for this to multiply to dangerous levels , and is particularly prevalent when water is sitting for a period of time . While not specifically regulated , good practice includes good cleaning routines , ensuring showers are run regularly and tanks are emptied frequently , as well as ensuring water tanks are sealed so no debris can get in .
Other tips include maintaining hot water temperature between 55 – 60 degrees , changing pipework to prevent long runs where water can collect and stagnate , regularly removing shower heads to descale and clean especially if rooms are unoccupied for long period of time as would possibly be the case if you are a seasonal hotel , and if rooms are air conditioned ensure the units are regularly serviced . Other details can be found at www . hse . gov . uk / legionnaire .
Taking this into account , how can you be sure you are compliant ? We ’ ve put together a handy checklist of all the legislation you need to meet for each area of your business .
THE PREMISES The focus of much regulation is on the premises from which you operate ; to be compliant , you will need to meet : n Regulatory Reform ( Fire Safety ) Order
2005 : you need to regularly conduct and maintain a written Fire Risk Assessment that identifies how you will prevent fires and keep people safe . You need to record potential fire hazards , identify who is at risk , evaluate how you can monitor , reduce or remove those risks , record your findings in a written format , prepare an emergency plan and provide staff training . You will need to consider everything from emergency routes and exits to fire detection and warning systems and firefighting equipment , removal and storage of dangerous substances , the needs of any vulnerable guests and staff , and how you will convey important information to your guests . You probably already know about this , but Fire Safety is an area where businesses often fall down in our inspections , because it hasn ’ t been reviewed recently , or smoke detectors
44 www . hotelowner . co . uk October 2017