The Executive Housekeeper Vol 20 No 2

The Executive

HOUSEKEEPER

Vol 20

No 2

PP322210/00016

1

www.livitissue.com.au 2

Publishers LETTER

W

elcome to this edition of Executive Housekeeper.

We all have good and bad days at work.

In housekeeping, whether it’s a good day or not can depend on the guests staying at the hotel. When the news about Australian athletes refusing to stay in the Olympic Village in Rio came on the news, I really had to spare a thought for those who were meant to be looking after the rooms. Sometimes expectations are simply too hard to meet!

But in this issue, we’re aiming to help you achieve guest satisfaction in every way possible – so that every day is a good day. We start with a piece on linen operations at JW Marriott Macau. Can you imagine processing more than 5000 linen items each day? The miracle workers at the 1015 room hotel share the procedures they use to get everything washed and cleaned, and some of the biggest challenges they face.

Closer to home, we learn about housekeeping on the island state. The Colonial Hotel in Launceston is one of the country’s oldest buildings. Keeping the heritage charm of the building is a big challenge for housekeepers. It also maintains a fully in-house laundry and cleaning operation, which poses new challenges as the hotel extends to include function and wedding facilities.

On our cover is the Swanston Hotel – one of Melbourne’s most popular places to stay. Our correspondent Barbara speaks to Geoff Adams on how the hotel continues to grow, and how the housekeeping department is keeping up.

It’s always nice to get a request for an article. We had run a piece on bleach some time ago, and our contributor Bridget Gardner has updated information on the use of this product.

Technology in the hospitality industry is changing on an almost daily basis. We have a couple of articles on the latest technology in the industry and what your guests are looking for. We also hear about the best ways to keep employees within a hotel – a hidden cost for many!

Finally, we finish on a sad note. PHAN will shut down in September after ten years providing networking and business opportunities for the industry. Most of the reasoning comes down to time pressure on many executive housekeepers, with meetings becoming a low priority.

But all good things must come to an end, so turn to the article to see some of the farewell celebrations in the pipeline.

Until next time, Neil Muir

View The Executive Housekeeper online now!

Scan here or visit www.adbourne.com/exec-housekeeper

ADBOURNE PUBLISHING 18/69 Acacia Road Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 PO Box 735, Belgrave, VIC 3160 www.adbourne.com Editorial Contributor Thomas Johnson

ADVERTISING Melbourne: Neil Muir P: (03) 9758 1433 F: (03) 9758 1432 E: neil@adbourne.com Adelaide: Robert Spowart P: 0488 390 039 E: robert@adbourne.com

PRODUCTION Emily Wallis T: (03) 9758 1436 E: production@adbourne.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS Enquiries: (03) 9758 1431 Fax: (03) 9758 1432 Email: admin@adbourne.com

ADMINISTRATION Tarnia Hiosan T: (03) 9758 1431 E: admin@adbourne.com

Adbourne Publishing cannot ensure that the advertisements appearing in The Executive Housekeeper comply absolutely with the Trade Practices Act and other consumer legislation. The responsibility is therefore on the person, company or advertising agency submitting the advertisement(s) for publication.

Adbourne PUBLISHING

Adbourne Publishing reserves the right to refuse any advertisement without stating the reason. No responsibility is accepted for incorrect information contained in advertisements or editorial. (The editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or otherwise alter articles for publication).

All original matter produced in this magazine remains the property of the publisher and cannot be reproduced without authority. The views of the contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher.

3

4

Contents 6

PHAN news

9

PEHN news

10 SEQPHA news Linen operations at JW Marriott Macau 13

17 Retention: The back story 21 Innovation opportunities abound 25 Putting mattress recycling to bed 30 Kicking the bleach habit 32 The Swanston Hotel Grand Mercure 34 Trudy Gleeson profile 37 Geoff Adams profile 40 Guest communication 43 The three secrets of a great housekeeper 44 Hidden issues in hotels 47 The benefits of using Ozone!

49 Cleaning tiles 51 Auditing your cleaning program 53 Hotel safety 62 Product news

The Executive

HOUSEKEEPER

Cover images shows The Swanston Hotel Grand Mercure

Vol 20

No 2

PP322210/00016

1

5

PHAN NEWS

EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP

A

fter two enjoyable events (bowling and Tour of the hotels) organised for 2016, the committee decided to hold an educational workshop for its members.

The newly appointed Executive Housekeeper of Novotel Sydney Central who is not at all new to the industry and to PHAN’s committee hosted the event. The workshop was held on the 19th of May, sponsored by South Pacific Laundry and Rubbermaid.

The topic for the evening was managing change and Maureen commenced the workshop by welcoming the members, sponsors and presenters and then shared a video on change which everyone enjoyed. Maureen introduced the presenter for the evening Giovanna Lever who was the Director of Sales and Marketing for Intercontinental Double Bay and was part of the opening team and she was also the General Manager for Vanity Group.

Giovanna discussed the many

6

challenges she came across in her career and in different positions and how she managed them successfully to achieve her goals. She was able to easily relate to the challenges the Executive Housekeepers and their teams face due to her experience in the hospitality industry.

After Giovanna shared her challenges and survival tips, Maureen asked if anyone would like to share their experiences, it was Zarife who volunteered first to talk about her massive change after almost 20 years at the Menzies, and how she coped with the new appointment at the Novotel Sydney Central. She explained the challenges she faced from a new place, team, policies and how it was to move from a know all environment and position to a totally new place. Zarife was soon followed

by Grace who faced a total change in her department from working with an in house team to a fully outsourced team. Grace explained how she kept her team motivated to cope and deal with the change and turn it to a win win situation for all.

The discussion on change and how to deal with it was soon followed by very relevant innovative products like Air Oasis and Waste to Water. The members agreed that the air in the room felt clearer and easy to breathe after the Air Oasis machine was kept on and Andrew from Waste to Water almost agreed to this when his signs of allergy reaction disappeared.

This air purifier works as an odour

neutraliser and kills the smell of smoke within 20 minutes.

Andrew from Waste to Water explained how his machine which is kind of a wet garbage compactor turned food in to water. This machine is currently installed at the Radisson Blu Hotel and helps with the environment. With the large amounts of garbage which is collected from hotels installing this machine reduces this as all wet garbage will be turned in to water which goes down the drain.

At the end of the presentations the members all felt that they had learnt something and had something to take back to their properties to share or use in their day to day life.

The members and the guests were treated to glasses of wine, beer and soft drinks whilst being fed with selection of Peking duck pancakes, mini quiches, mini beef burgers sliders, caramelised onion with goat cheese tarts and an antipasto platter. A huge thank you to the team at Novotel Sydney Central for the excellent service and taking care of all our requirements.

Red Green Blue Bus Play Shop This additional workshop was organised by Renugah Jagadisan and was held at The Amora hotel Sydney on the 3rd of June. It was a 3 hour workshop where the

attendees worked in groups and took part in role plays to identify good bad and ugly behaviours and how these can be identified and turned around.

The “playshop� proved to be innovative and fun and the word lunatic was used a lot!

All the participants, Executive Housekeepers and HR professionals and a few suppliers thoroughly enjoyed the rough and tumble and were able to take something away to use in their work place.

The workshop is run by a company called knowledge Net www.knowledgelab.com.au/rgbb.html A big Thank You to Renugah for organising this event and Amora Hotel Sydney for providing the venue. ď Ž

7

PHAN’S DECIDES TO CLOSE AFTER 10 SUCCESSFUL YEARS

S

ome of the members knew that the PHAN’s Annual General Meeting which was held on the 19th of July had an unusual item in the agenda and were getting curious.

But no one had the time or cared to question it before hand.

The event started at 4pm with the preferred supplier mini expo hosted

by PHAN at the Blue Mountains Hotel School in Sydney. 12 out of the 16 preferred suppliers participated in this event mingling with the members whilst they show cased their products and sipped a glass of wine and eating a variety of foods. At 5pm it was time to commence the official event and the members gathered in the adjoining room for the AGM. President Maureen and the committee stayed back to thank the suppliers who have been supporting PHAN in the last 10 years.

r ce fo sour needs e n o g The cleanin ur all yo

Maureen also took the opportunity to inform the suppliers that one of the agenda items was to pass the resolution to voluntarily close PHAN on the 1st of September and if this is passed this will be the last AGM. After the review of last year’s activities and financials President Maureen explained to the members the reason for the resolution to voluntarily close PHAN on the 1st. She explained though it is sad, due to the changing times and the additional pressures the Executive Housekeepers have to face, attending PHAN events is not a high priority. The poor attendance even after the committee having to chase up and follow up is a very clear indication of this. Maureen explained that if any of the members would like to continue that they will have to vote for the office bearers and take the responsibility of running the Association as the current committee are standing down as most of them have been doing this for the past 10 years and are getting tired

au . m o c . avacs

stax

76 130 3 1300

frustrated of the constant follow ups with poor results.

Even when the question time came there were only two questions which proved that members were not committed to give up their time.

Mavis who was the previous year’s public officer and a nonmember explained the resolution to the members before the voting commenced. 29 members out of 31 present voted to voluntarily close the association.

The committee are planning a final farewell event to its members and preferred suppliers on the 19th of August and have started the winding down process.

This is a good example sadly though that all good things must come to an end but some members certainly hope that the networking of some sort will continue in the future. 

Staxavacs are the cleaning industry ‘sourcerers’ & have been for over 40 years!

If you need advice or a product sourced, go no further. At Staxavacs we can access the amazing world of modern cleaning products, latest technologies, equipment and procedures for you.

A. L. Hayles Pty Ltd Supplying the Hospitality & Commercial Cleaning Industries for over 40 years.

Visit our website staxavacs.com.au

1300 130 376

8

PEHN NEWS PEHN 20TH BIRTHDAY

O

n Friday the 24th June, past and present members got together to celebrate PEHN’s 20th Birthday at the RACV City Club. PEHN was formed 20 years to that very day.

recognised as a profession and not just a back of house role. Then there was the cutting of the cake by the presidents followed by raffles and door prizes donated by our fabulous associate members and suppliers.

A great night was had by all who attended. 

It was great to see both past and present members in attendance, celebrating and reminiscing about the years gone by. A slideshow presentation was displayed throughout the night and included many photos of events and functions held throughout the years.

Two of the founding members who were in attendance on the night were awarded with a lifetime membership award for their contribution to PEHN, Barbara Sargeant & Heather Mallinson.

THANK YOU

The 4 previous presidents were also presented with a plaque thanking them for their past contribution, Heather Mallinson – 1st president, Marian Stratford – 4th president, Monique Russell – 3rd President, Barbara Sargeant – 2nd president.

T

hank you to everyone that came and helped celebrate the PEHN 20th birthday.

It was a great evening made even better by everyone that attended and shared stories with each other about PEHN through the years. The slideshow of years gone by up until current times indicated the friendships that have been formed and the many events held for our members throughout the years.

Thank you is given to our wonderful associate members and suppliers who donated gifts for the prizes on the night, we appreciate all of your support.

A big thank you to the current PEHN committee for all their help in organising the event, and their support throughout the year.

Its now that time of year again to renew your membership, join or re-join if you have let your membership lapse in the past few years, we would love to have you in the network.

Please visit our website http://www.pehn.org/membership/ to download an application form.

A speech was made by the current president – Donna Musarella in which she thanked the founding members for their hard work in getting housekeeper

All photos from the 20th birthday night have been downloaded on the PEHN facebook page. 

9

SEQPHA NEWS W

elcome all to this addition of the Executive Housekeeping magazine. We would like to start by taking this opportunity to wish Libby Sharp all the best with her Retirement. We feel very lucky she will still remain as our President, attending our functions, as without her it would not be the same. Her passion and kindness helps bring the team together to network, and raise some much needed funds for all of our charities each month.

During April we held our monthly breakfast meeting at Sea World Resort. Our guest at that meeting was a lovely young man called Thai. Thai has a mobility disability and lives with his foster parents. During his childhood the family had been sponsored by the government for transport needs

however now he has turned 18, the Government has withdrawn this support and has taken his wheelchair vehicle back from the family. They are now using a standard car to transport Thai to and from his education and physio appointments and attempting to raise money to purchase a new vehicle so they can outfit it for Wheelchair access. With our funds raised so far this year we were able to donate $500 to his family.

Thai is currently studying Hospitality and Tourism at One Step Further training at Coolangatta and has been accepted to take part in “on board’ training with one of the cruise liners where he will be working in reception. This very exciting opportunity does however come at a cost.

One of our fabulous suppliers, AH Beard have generously donated a bed for the family to raffle which was gratefully received. A 2016 Kia Rio will also be raffled to raise funds and we are selling tickets at a variety of hotels and also at our breakfasts and race day. This will be drawn on the 27th of August, so if you would like to purchase a ticket please contact us.

In May we had a lovely Breakfast at the Watermark Hotel on the Gold Coast – a Mother’s Day event which was held on the 10th May. Sandy gave us an informative talk updating us on what her and Ian are doing to help the local community where they support a wide variety of groups and organisations to assist those in need. We would like to share Sandy’s address with you: Dear SEQPHA Members Many thanks for your generous support with donations that have enabled Ian and myself to grant wishes to those who are suffering from a serious illness or are going through a difficult time. We receive requests from the Leukaemia Foundation, the Gold Coast University Children’s Oncology Ward, or when we hear about a someone in need. With your help we have been able to provide: A special hospital bed, wheel chairs, holidays, Easter hampers, Christmas hampers, TV, 20 new pillows for "My Friends Place" Women’s Shelter, food vouchers, slow cookers for units in The Clem Jones Accommodation Village, also the Laidley flood victims.

We also appreciate your donations of, lost property, sheets & towels from Sunfresh Linen and sheets & towels from South Pacific Laundry.

10

These are the charities that we donate to: Animal Welfare League. Towels for surgery.

Highway Church. Children's clothes.

Hope Foundation. Children’s pyjamas, toys & towels.

Teen Challenge. Clothing, sheets & towels.

Salvation Army Rehab Tamborine Mountain. Linen & pillows.

Living Rivers Opp Shop Coomera.

Orange Sky Foundation. Clothing, shoes, soap’s & towels.

Doctors Without Borders. Linen "My Friends Place" Women’s Shelter. Sheets & towels.

As you can see we help a lot of charities but could not do so without your generous donations.

Please help us keep the "Joy of Giving" going.

Sandy and Ian 0474 126 397 Our Annual Race Day at the Gold Coast Turf Club was held on the 16th of July, and were upgraded to the new corporate suites area which was a nice surprise. We were overwhelmed with the response from all our contacts who once again kindly donated prizes for our raffles, silent auction and auction. A huge thank you to all that attended, It was a fabulous day with great food, entertainment and companionship, we raised a fantastic $6,330.00.

A big thank you to all that donated prizes, AH Beard a bed,

Sandy and Ian various items, QT Hotel, Gold Coast Turf club, Marriott Resort Surfers Paradise, Mantra Legends Hotel, SeaWorld Resort, Sofitel Gold Coast, Vanessa Perske – artist print via Mel, Flick Pest Control – A Gold Coast Suns Jumper signed and framed, Palazzo Versace, Royal on the Park, Classic Holidays, Sunfresh Linen – coffee machine, South Pacific Laundry 2 mimco purses, Chanel – Ego Hamper Sewroo basket of goodies, Camera – Libby Sharp, Frenkel Textiles – bathrobes, Weatherdon – goodies, Upton Street Drycleaners – Moet and vouchers, One Step Further – Poppi a diamond ring. From our proceeds we will be able to donate a cheque for $5,000 to Thai to use towards his transport needs and his education qualification, and to Sandy and Ian a cheque for $1,500 to help them with the wonderful charity work they do for the community.

Our next Function is a Breakfast at the Marriott Surfers Paradise on Tuesday the 2nd of August, followed by a Brisbane Breakfast at the Riverview Hotel and a Breakfast at Versace in October.

Until next edition, Gavin Lysaght – Vice President Melissa Bent – Secretary/Treasurer – melcoronet@iprimus.com.au SEQPHA Committee. 

Nero, the most stylish range of hair dryers for the hospitality industry

4 4 4 4

Low prices, easy online ordering Wall mounted models available Australian owned company Personal service

phone: 02 9906 2202

email: sales@weatherdon.com.au

www.weatherdon.com.au

11

They come from the well-known family of Numatic. So you know they have the best pedigree and are as tough as nails. When you take on a famous name like Henry, Hetty or wet ‘n’ dry George, you’ll be smiling too.

Call the experts on 02 9557 4411, email orders@edmondson.net.au or visit us at www.edco.net.au and www.intervac.net.au

12

Linen operations at JW Marriott Macau

BY LIZ LYCETTE

O

perating the Linen Room for a 1015 room hotel with over 95% year round occupancy, busy outlets and a very hectic swimming pool area with up to 2000 visitors a day is no mean feat.

The processing of over 5000 sheets and duvet covers daily along with thousands of towels, all of which need to be sent out to an external laundry operation, requires meticulous organisation and well directed manpower.

THE PROCESS Our daily 90+ contingent of Room Attendants place soiled linen from the guest rooms into canvas bags which are then collected by every floor Houseman. These bags are then put down the linen chute delivering them to a central collection point at the base of the chute.

Bags are moved from the linen chute room over 300 metres to the soiled linen area next to the Loading Dock where are they sorted and

prepared, waiting for collection by the Outsourced Laundry. There are between 3-4 pickups and deliveries every day to ensure a constant flow of soiled and clean linen in and out of the Hotel.

Clean linen is returned back through the Linen Room for checking and counting before it is redirected onto trolleys and then back up onto the 18 guest floors.

13

IMPORTANT CONTROL PROCEDURES WHICH NEED TO TAKE PLACE We electronically count all items taken from the guest rooms; this is done by the Room Attendants as they make up the rooms using an eHousekeeping tool on their smart phone. This count gives us a daily report of what is going out to the laundry contractor. We compare the count out with the count in and query any shortfalls and discrepancies immediately.

It’s critical to identify any damaged linen, investigating where and why it is being damaged. If the damage is caused by the laundry, it’s usually visible in one part of the linen or follows a pattern; this would include damage such as grease lines from the flat work ironer or rips and tears in one particular part of the cloth.

Linen damaged in the hotel is more likely to appear randomly and could include linen used for cleaning or linen marks from being stepped on a wet or dirty floor.

We conduct a stocktake every month and though it’s challenging and we have to count 18 floors with 3 pantries – that’s 54 pantries and over 1000 rooms, it is critical to keep

14

a close eye on stocks and monitor the losses accurately. Our evening shift Housemen prepare by counting the pantries the night before and then one Room Attendant on every floor starts an hour earlier to do the count of the floor pantries. The Linen Room team count the linen chute, soiled linen and the setup in the Linen Room. The final count is done at the external laundry site and then a final tally can be made.

As our laundry process is outsourced, it is essential for us to conduct constant quality checks as the linen arrives. This is done by the Linen Room team. There is nothing more frustrating for the Room Attendants than to be making up rooms and finding damaged or stained linen just as they are about to make the bed.

There are daily constant communications with the outsourced laundry on what is needed most urgently to ensure we have enough stock to keep the busy operation ticking over.

We order replacement linen every month and make regular injections of linen into the operation to ensure we are getting even wear for all items at all times. We maintain a 5 par of linen at all times to cope with high

demand, quick turnaround times and the fact we are dealing with an outsourced laundry.

CHALLENGES WE ENCOUNTER As with all new hotels there was no discard or condemned linen for cleaning in the initial stages.

Ensuring there are plenty of rags and cleaning cloths is paramount.

It is easy for staff to slip into bad habits of using pillow cases to clean windows and used towels to mop up bathroom floors.

We all know how much dirt there is to clean up in a new hotel – so that good linen used for cleaning will be destroyed and will usually end up in the rubbish bin. We have found that sometimes the team are shy and do not always communicate well with the Housekeeping Supervisors and Managers. They might not tell us when they have a shortage of cleaning rags/materials and there may the possibility of a language barrier.

CONDEMNED AND DISCARD LINEN VERSES LINEN LOSSES It’s critical to understand the important differences between "condemned/discard linen" and

At Empire Hospitality we pride ourselves in providing Quality Housekeeping Solutions.

Our focus is on the delivery of cost effective housekeeping services and we continually strive for service excellence, through this method we have built an enviable reputation as a market leader in housekeeping services by providing site-specific delivery to each of our clients.

With proven experience in providing the best and efficient service, we are the housekeeping partners of the leading hotels and serviced apartments in Australia.

Contact us now on 02 9571 6811 or 0451 374 970 reception@empirehospitality.com.au I www.empirehospitality.com.au Empire Hospitality Australia Pty Ltd - Suite 102/243 Pyrmont Street - Pyrmont NSW 2009

15

"lost linen". It is essential to analyse and interpret reasons for short falls of linen rather than just looking at the final number of required replacement linen.

All condemned linen must be kept and carefully checked so that the reasons can be investigated and analysed. Obviously no linen item should be at the end of its natural life cycle yet so it is interesting to put the number of condemned linen items in proportion to overall linen count and ask the following questions "why is it condemned?".

Some reasons include deep dirty stains possibly meaning it’s been used for cleaning. Does the chosen linen material and/or colour not allow a proper hot wash and pre-staining treatment by the laundry – this is generally an issue with the coloured linen as it cannot be bleached and washed as hot as normal white linen can be, so therefore stains remained in and the otherwise perfectly good linen item may need to be condemned.

Fraying edges or rips and tears in the fabric could indicate an unsuitable or substandard product.

What is important to check is that the delivered linen is the exact same specification as the approved samples.

16

Close monitoring of the laundry washing process must also be done. How is the linen treated at the plant? Is it ever on the floor?

What is the state of the trolleys?

Are the chemicals used too harsh?

What is the water hardness? What chemicals are being used? Is the washing equipment using heavy mechanical action and are the machines in a good state of repair?

Are the washing and rinsing cycles correct? What is the drying and pressing process? Holes and tears can appear at any stage of this process as well as during the transportation process.

Unaccounted lost linen is linen which is truly missing and cannot be found over a series of stocktakes.

It is interesting to analyse whether it is mostly bed linen or terry linen

which is missing, or is it both in equal measures?

When the high losses relate to towelling, most of the time it can be assumed it is taken by the guest.

We can accurately measure this by ensuring the Room Attendants mark down any linen losses from the room as they clean. This information is passed on to Front Office who then decide whether the guest can be charged or not. Non logo or no brand towelling is usually less attractive to the guest.

Where losses are higher in bedding linen then there are more obviously issues with counting and control procedures. A thorough check of the whole process needs to take place.

So good management of linen is really about controlling processes and excellent communication channels all round. ď Ž

Retention:

THE BACK STORY

BY JANET C. MARLETTO

Gallup research shows that only 13% of employees are engaged at work.

A study by Harris showed that 74% of people would consider leaving their jobs today. Kristi Hedges, Contributor Any employer knows that losing an employee is expensive. The cost of replacing an employee can range from tens of thousands of dollars to two times an employee’s annual salary. This cost encompasses the fees associated with recruiting, interviewing, onboarding and training.

SOURCE: FORBES MAY 2014

I

n order to retain qualified and trained employees, the employer must start with a foundation of clarity.

This means that the job description must be written, detailed, and complete. Lack of clarity of expectations is reason for employee loss. The employer cannot assume anything or rely on “common sense” especially for entry level positions. This same job description is a handy vehicle for the interview process. Based on it, the interviewer can present the applicant with realistic and potential situations and watch for reactions and listen carefully to responses.

If applicable, it is also the time to ask questions about past experience. This approach is grounded and effective. It can stimulate a conversation which is within legal boundaries.

If a novice is applying, the job description is enlightening and instructive. Again, it can stimulate discussion of skills and expectations. At this point it is an appropriate time to broach the subject of training.

The training program must be consistent, comprehensive and complete. It includes continuous guidance so that good habits are modelled and reinforced. Because work habits are pivotal to success, the training period must last at least three weeks which is the time needed to set a habit. Sometimes, the training can be extended. Of course, an adequate training budget is mandatory. It takes three months to take possession of proper habits. At first, the reader may think that this is an excessive amount of time.

Because I am of the “do it right the first time” school of management, I find that thorough training saves retraining and costly re-do’s. It is an investment in success for the entire team.

Following training, there is a need for positive reinforcement, re-training, evaluation, recognition and a generous atmosphere including celebration of birthdays.

Requests for time off for important family events are scheduled graciously. When people are able to be off when desired, they show up with a good attitude. This also results in a smoother operation since absences are infrequent.

Gamification is a fun way to reinforce perfect attendance.

(See previous article on Gamification.)

Including everyone in the fun is key. By asking staff members what they like and want more of and what they would to see less, their opinions count in developing reward programs. It is only a reward if someone wants and it is easy. For example, after being with a company for ten years (quite a milestone these days), there was no recognition by the on-site manager. When asked about it, the manager replied that there “should have been something from corporate.” But there wasn’t. However, when someone else passed that mark, there was an on-site celebration.

This type of lack of an inclusive approach affects morale and loyalty... negatively.

Then when the “reward” finally came from corporate, it turned out to be an online gift service which did not offer anything appealing for the number of points assigned.

This combination of events ( or lack of) results in hurt feelings and a sense of disrespect. It is not team building.

This lack of sensitivity is rampant in many large companies.

It is what I call “the percolator effect”. In other words, the corporate principle may be pure and whole at the top of the organisational chart but the intent is diluted (and often deluded) as it trickles down the chain of command.

This is quite true when there is a lack of monitoring. Even annual employee surveys do not always include aspects most important to line employees.

The solution is simple and can be done by sincere managers. By gathering employees into small groups (5 in each group is ideal) supplied with markers and flip charts, one person designed to be scribe. They brainstorm and record what they like and want more of and what they do not like and want less of. The flip chart pages can be posted and collated so that trends can be identified.

This is best done within the department with emphasis on clear communication and a desire for continual

17

improvement. The “ low hanging fruit”, AKA easy to do, are identified and placed at the top of the Action List that is being developed along with target completion dates.

This method keeps everyone accountable. It is a great way to get an idea of what people are feeling and thinking.

It needs to be done regularly with an evaluation of progress made. This keeps management on its toes and in touch.

Above all, it keeps management humble! Humility is important because hubris is dangerous!

Once management thinks that they are better than any other operation in town, they lose focus and are doomed to falter. Happily, I have worked with fine companies that vowed to pay the most and treat employees very generously. This provides a strong environment and respects employees. Employees who are well-treated, have opportunities for advancement and recognised generally want to stay with the company. It takes a lot of sensitivity on the part of management to “read” the desires of the team. Obviously, the group sessions clarify the process.

By always assuming that there are better opportunities “out there” management has the incentive to do crosstraining regularly and to produce fair schedules.

It has been my experience that cross-training strengthens an operation by providing versatility and a path to promotion for those involved. The ability to cover positions during vacations and days off: a definite win-win. These tie into principles of effective scheduling. With versatility and flexibility, people who request days off for important family events can be accommodated gracefully. When people have needed time off, their morale soars. They also feel respected and valued.

there will be an evaluation to check progress and to document the level of success.

Basically, there is more to retaining quality staff than meets the eye. The organisation of the department sets the stage with clearly, well-written job descriptions, an effective training program, a track record of staff development, and an established system to evaluate the department as well as its members. Above all, there must be a sense of mutual respect in a milieu of honest communication.

Then, retention is not an issue. It is a given! 

Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don't want to.

As mentioned above, it is worthwhile to have an established path to promotion for all positions. There is no mystery about it; rather, it is about mastering the skills required to move up or on. It is an investment in the success of the team and its members. Of course, this is not to say that there will be no turnover. What will happen is that word will get out that there are opportunities in your operation and that competence is the by word. There will be those approaching you, and there will be those approaching your developed team to offer them positions elsewhere.

Those who want to learn more in your environment will hold off leaving.

The economy has an effect on the cycle too. It is serves you well to approach your operation as though the economy is great and that your team members could leave at any time. This keeps you motivated to communicate, recognise, reward, respect, and inspire your team.

If you let yourself think that your team members are stuck, you will be in a world of hurt. People look for new positions when they are not treated professionally... in good times and in hard times. Needless to say, you will evaluate team members and communicate to them where they stand.

If retraining is appropriate, it is scheduled. Of course,

18

Image courtesy of YouTube.com

ADVERTORIAL

WHAT 5 WORDS DESCRIBE YOUR HOTEL?

L

uxurious, Boutique, Romantic, Relaxing, Stunning? Hotels are a place to escape, unwind and relax. With the hotel entrance often being used by advertisers to promote an experience to match the product they are promoting.

Style is often portrayed by large wooden doors, the marble foyer and the experienced concierge.

Then there is always the Bellboy trolley in view to signify you are at somewhere splendid.

The simple Bellboy trolley signifies so much about guests’ perception of luxury, yet it is a workhorse of the hotel. Ever present and ever strong, come rain or shine it welcomes every guest and also bids them farewell.

How often is the trusted workhorse forgotten about, dented, balls missing

off the top with carpets worn?

Capex budgets mean they are patched up for another season rather than being replaced. Until now.

For 40 years Wagen has been synonymous with providing front and back of house trolley solutions to hotels. Wagen now has a solution for the Capex budget too. Wagen Rentals. Wagen now rents Bellboy trolleys providing a solution to Capex budget constraints.

So whatever 5 words describe your hotel you can now have your own New Pristine Practical Capex Free, Wagen Bellboy trolley to complement your establishment.

Call Ann-Maree Gee on 02 9623 4488 to discuss your trolley requirements. www.wagen.com.au

NSW & ACT:

Nathaniel Spencer 0407 967 536

QLD, NT & WA: Paul Bulgin

0439 688 914

VIC, SA & TAS: Goran Ivaneza

0437 536 627

Front of house trolleys • Rent or buy • Brushed stainless steel construction built to last • Standard and large sizes • Standard, Gold and Black Colours • Hammer locks, Logos and choice of carpet colours • Many other luggage bellboy trolleys available • www.wagen.com.au/by-division/hospitality Rubbermaid and Custom builds • Wagen can custom build trolleys to meet your needs • Gastronomes, serving trolleys • Specialists in stainless steel trolley design and build • Stockist of Rubbermaid maids carts, Brute Bins and trucks

Back of house trolleys • Lightweight stainless steel maids carts • Greater volume and lighter than Rubbermaid equivalent • Choice of colours • Lock top box and doors available • Minibar carts, linen trolleys and mobile tubs available • www.wagen.com.au/by-division/hospitality

Wagen Material Handling No 1, Southridge Unit Estate, 2 Southridge Street, Eastern Creek, NSW 2766 Tel: +61 2 8801 7666; Email: sales@wagen.com.au www.wagen.com.au

19

TASKISUM Single Use. Multi Benefit.

We have done the maths for you.

TASKISUM Single Use Microfibre cloths and mops.

Adding up all the benefits of effective cleaning and superior hygiene.

NEW!

Balance sheet >99% bacteria removal, including C. diff

Laundry facility

100% microfibre Excellent cleaning Superior hygiene High surface coverage

Does your environment demand hygienic cleaning that only microfibre can offer, but do you find it hard to organise the necessary laundry around that? Meet TASKISUM and experience the convenience of single use mops and cloths with the excellent performance of 100% microfibre. Its immediate removal of >99% of bacteria, including C. diff helps to prevent cross contamination in critical hygiene areas and makes your environment a healthy one.

For more information on TASKISUM please contact Diversey Care

AU: 1800 647 779

20 www.sealedair.com

NZ: 0800 803 615

Innovation Opportunities Abound

IN AUSTRALIA’S HOTELS

When business and leisure travellers check-in to an upscale hotel, they are looking for a luxurious, safe and comfortable place to sleep, but also something more. Today, more than ever, hotel guests are looking for personal, unique, differentiated experiences in a highly competitive market. Guests visiting four- and five-star hotels, resorts and casinos are discriminating consumers with high expectations, including the ability to interact effortlessly with every element of the guest experience.

T

oday, guests are more informed and critical of their environment and experiences, with positive ratings meaning five star reviews, while negative experiences can go viral on social networks impacting vacancy. With competing services like Airbnb, now more than ever hotels must make significant investments to build their brands and

create memorable properties that cater to their guests’ most critical needs.

Sophisticated travellers are also tech-savvy consumers. They are accustomed to using smartphones and other mobile devices in their business and personal lives and have high connectivity expectations when it

comes to their hotel accommodation.

Fast, reliable, free and easy-toaccess Wi-Fi in rooms and throughout the hotel is expected these days, especially at upscale properties.

In fact, 70 per cent of business, leisure and family travellers factor the quality of a hotel’s digital tools into their decision on where to stay, according to a Magnani Caruso Dutton survey

21

of 1,000 international travellers.

Eight-of-10 said they would like to use their smartphones to explore hotel amenities and receive general information. And 70 per cent of business travellers would like to use their phones to order room service.

Hotel, resort and casino owners and operators are getting the message with many launching or planning to launch mobile applications to make guest experiences smoother. However, the concept of the “Connected Hotel” extends well beyond guests ordering breakfast or scheduling a little time at the spa. The concept involves a comprehensive technology ecosystem that touches just about everything that happens on hotel property – from security and safety, to mechanical systems like heating and air conditioning, to business systems and amenities marketing. The integration of various systems helps property managers achieve higher functionality through use of a common interface and applications that combine information to optimise performance and make it easier for both guests and staff to access application features.

Convergence and integration deliver significant benefits for property owners and managers.

The guest experience is enhanced

22

because guests have easier access to the connectivity, information and services they crave. In Honeywell’s experience, capital expenditures are reduced by 8-12 per cent compared to installing discrete systems and operating expenses decline by as much as 20 per cent. Revenue opportunities are enhanced because hotel managers can offer a wider range of guest services and connect with their customers at the optimum moments to enhance their marketing efforts.

This fundamental business model shift comes at an opportune time for the hospitality industry. Revenue growth has been strong, with global sales expanding at a compounded annual rate of 5.1 per cent between 2010 and 2015, according to IBISWorld’s Global Hotels & Resorts study. Robust growth is expected to continue through the end of the decade, driven in large part by the luxury hotel and resort segment, which will benefit from an increase in international business travel and tourism. For example, in 2015, the number of Chinese visitors to Australia rose 21.6 per cent to 1.0012 million in the 12 months ended 30 November, Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show.

This was the first time Chinese visitors

to Australia surpassed 1 million in a 12 month period.

As their options increase, affluent business and leisure travellers can afford to be selective. Property owners and managers will no doubt focus on creating the best-possible guest experience to attract and build loyalty within this discriminating customer base.

Successful implementation of technology strategies require a broader form of thinking.

Innovation comes from wide engagement across departments within a hotel. Housekeeping, Marketing, Engineering and the Front Desk all have a role to play when exploring new ways to improve the guest experience, increase revenue or reduce costs. By engaging with the multiple stakeholders benefits are delivered across departments, the cost to implement is reduced and the return on investment is much quicker.

One such example was a hotel competing for an Asian airlines flight crew business. The airline had particular occupational health and safety standards that needed to be met within the hotel, most importantly language translations.

The hotel operator was faced with having to provide language training for numerous staff members and post additional signage throughout the hotel, which was costly and timely to implement. This meant the hotel was unable to provide competitive room rates to win the business.

To remedy this, through the engagement of multiple departments an innovative solution was built using the hotel’s existing technology infrastructure. Discrete digital signage was used on the floors occupied by the flight crews. In the event of an emergency evacuation, a simple integration between the PMS and the emergency evacuation system, notified the EVAC system that the flight crew were occupying the floor and changed the signage from English to Mandarin. In this way, the OH&S requirements where addressed in a

much more cost effective and timely manner than the alternatives.

For a new build hotel the opportunity to converge and integrate systems in this way is so much greater. Imagine being able to automatically change the guests in room tablet from compendium mode to evacuation mode with specific instructions in the guests preferred language?

The technology is available today all that’s required is the innovative thinking early in the hotels design process.

Another way to innovate is to look at the successful implementation of solutions in adjacent industries or where similar work issues arise and apply them to the hospitality industry.

By studying what staff within the hotel are doing, the repeatability of the activity and frequency we are able to identify opportunities to innovate.

Where these impact guest experience, cost or revenue it becomes easier to build a business case to implement the innovation.

For example, think about the issues that the housekeeping department face. A diverse workforce, often with different languages, repeatable tasks, physical activity requiring two hands and a direct impact on guest experience and cost to serve.

These characteristics traits can be correlated to the warehousing industry.

In warehousing the latest innovation delivering operational efficiency, improved accuracy and increased safety for works is voice technology.

Voice technology provides a ‘HandsFree, Eyes-Free’ environment and has enabled leading businesses to elevate their documentation and compliance to levels never before attainable. Most importantly, companies maximise the opportunity to modernise processes to better support their business requirements.

Using Vocollect voice for inspections cuts down the out-dated back and forth data entry and look up time on a laptop, handheld device or with paper forms by speaking commands and verbally inputting data findings directly into the system via a headset with a microphone, while performing the inspection task. For a hotel this means that housekeeping staff can be more efficient and effective. Any issues identified can be automatically fed back to management immediately and enable rooms to be returned to service more quickly and at the standard expected of today’s guests.

HONEYWELL DELIVERS BENEFITS OF CONVERGENCE AND INTEGRATION: TODAY Gone are the days when multiple proprietary systems were the norm in the hospitality industry. The major four-

and five-star hotel, resort and casino management groups recognise that integrated and converged technology can help them deliver superior guest experiences, reduce capital expenses and operating costs, and create revenue growth opportunities in every department.

With convergence, two or more systems are connected by a common managed infrastructure using the same IT backbone and wireless protocol. Integration delivers higher functionality by enabling multiple systems to work together through a common interface, with user efficiency as the goal.

Honeywell is an integral part of the guest experience. Even before a guest checks in, Honeywell-enabled technologies give property managers essential tools to prepare for arrival and positively impact the guest experience.

With more than a century of experience in control technology and systems integration and unique domain expertise in the hospitality industry, Honeywell is actively applying leading-edge technologies to make the hotel experience safer, more comfortable, energy efficient, innovative and more productive, for hotel operators and their guests all over the world. 

23

MATTRESS RECYCLING? We’ll put your problem to bed.

Each year, about one million mattresses go to landfill in Australia.

For a very reasonable fee, we’ll make your life (and our planet) just that little bit better.

If the mattresses were stacked on top of each other, the pile would reach the international space station!

Surely, that makes everybody sleep easier.

To date, mattress recovery methods have been unsafe, labour intensive and inefficient. An Aussie company has changed all that.

TIC Mattress Recycling has invested in leading-edge technology to efficiently deconstruct mattresses for recycling.

www.ticgroup.com.au

So now there’s no need to store your old mattresses, contact us on ✆ 1300 230 768 or email mattressrecycling@ticgroup.com.au to arrange collection.

Please note: Not all areas serviced – collection is subject to postcode approval. Contact us for further information.

24 TEAM 7707

✆1300 230 768

We are recycling mattresses.

Putting mattress recycling to bed Mattress recycling has been a nightmare for many years but TIC Mattress Recycling has a new approach that will put the problem to bed, and help us all sleep a little bit easier.

T

IC is leading an industry revolution that is taking proven mattress recycling technology and tailoring it for Australian conditions in order to overcome barriers to sustainable recycling.

TIC’s technological development and commitment to investment has renewed Government interest and support in mattress recycling,

and the sector is poised to increase the recovery and recycling of mattresses nationally.

TIC Mattress Recycling Managing Director, Michael Warren, said the TIC approach automates mattress deconstruction to provide greater economies of scale, improved environmental outcomes and reduced health and safety risks.

“The TIC system automatically deconstructs up to 60 mattresses per hour with almost no manual handling and produces clean streams of steel, foam and textiles,” Mr Warren said.

“Our approach offers confidence to local governments and other key stakeholders because it is a lower-risk, higher quality and long-term solution.

25

for Government, communities and the environment, “ he said.

“TIC has global rights to technology out of Europe which has been working commercially for three years and we have invested in research and development to ensure it suits Australian conditions.

“TIC’s approach has grown out of many years of focused global research and development combined with the TIC Group’s broader 25 years’ experience in resource recovery.

We are confident that our solution provides the best outcomes for local

26

government, communities and the environment.

Estimates are that between 1.2 and 1.5 million mattresses are disposed of in Australia each year. According to a 2013 study, 85% of end-oflife mattresses could be ending up in landfill. The study, Options for a pilot project to increase recycling of mattresses, was done for the Department of Conservation and Environment in November 2013 and found significant resources were being lost due to lack of mattress recycling.

“TIC Group has 25 years of proven experience in resource recovery, from garment hanger re-use to sustainable management of consumer returns within the retail sector. We are focused on researching, developing and adopting global technology to transform existing, less effective services. We are confident that our solution provides the best outcomes

The waste is not only a loss of valuable steel, foam and textiles, but it also represents a sub-optimal use of landfill. Mattresses take up about 0.75 cubic metres of space and consume about 50kgs per cubic metre of landfill. Best practice landfills commonly achieve a compaction/ density of 500 – 750 kgs per cubic metre.

Volume hungry mattresses are consuming valuable landfill space, diminishing economic returns for landfill operators and Government and are incredibly frustrating to manage effectively.

A 2015 study for the Victorian Government’s Metropolitan Waste and Resource Group (MWRRG) by Mobius Environmental found that the problem is growing. The report found that in Melbourne alone there is more than 365,000 mattresses being disposed of per year and retailers report they are selling more mattresses every year as population increases and mattress life decreases.

The Chief Executive of the MWRRG, Mr Rob Millard, said in a recent statement that the report supports

27

Councils moving to new procurement models in order to drive good environmental and financial outcomes.

“Using these findings we will work with Councils to develop best practise approaches, seek processing options from the market and create new collective procurement contracts to recycle mattresses from council hard waste collections and transfer stations,” Mr Millard’s statement said.

TIC’s Michael Warren said current recovery practices rely on manual dismantling or shredding of whole mattresses and, while effective to an extent, these approaches have limitations and cannot meet Government and community expectations.

“Manual practices cannot process significant volume without a lot of labour” he said.

“Manual processing also has inherent occupational health and safety risks related to the handling activity as well as the potential exposure of workers to dust and pollutants. While some operators have been able to maintain manual operations over a reasonable period of time, manual mattress processing has generally proved to not be financially sustainable.”

Shredding mattress is another common practice however, shredding recovers only metals, with the remaining materials being more than 60% of the volume of the mattress and still going to landfill.

Mattress recycling in Australia has at times also been dogged by unscrupulous operators. There are examples of companies opening facilities for collecting mattresses and charging a recycling fee only to simply stockpile the mattresses with no intent to make any material recovery.

Such operators have also abandoned stockpiles, creating fire and human health and leaving it to others to clean up the mess.

The TIC Mattress Recycling approach overcomes these barriers.

TIC’s technology is based on the

28

RetourMatras system from the Netherlands.

The collected mattresses are deposited into a bunker area and placed on a conveyer belt after which a unique process quickly removes the outer fabric of the mattress.

An innovative rotating blade slices through the edges of the mattress and they are cut open and then a custom designed rotating drum peels off the outer fabric. The predominantly cotton/textile cover is removed and stored separately, to be reused or recycled into new textile products.

Mattresses with metal springs then require some manual handling to prepare them for grinding and after grinding the metal passes through an air separator to remove contamination and ensure high quality recovered steel.

What remains is the foam part of the mattress. This is cut and pressed into bales. The foam and polyurethane foam are used predominantly in manufacture of carpet underlay but also in other new product manufacture.

TIC Mattress Recycling commenced operations in Melbourne in 2014 with a combined manual-automatic plan and is in the process of building its fully automated deconstruction facility in Melbourne’s western suburbs.

Mr Warren said the Australian market for mattress recycling had been dominated by low cost operators that were inherently risky as they could not manage through commodity price fluctuations or significant operational problems.

“People familiar with mattress recycling in Australia know it has been boom and bust in the last decade, dragged down by low price “recycling” solutions that have not delivered desirable recycling or sustainable outcomes”, he said.

Mr Warren said parts of the mattress recycling industry were led by shredding and similar operations which only targeted steel for recycling.

“The fact is about 80 to 85% of a mattress is readily recyclable.

In comparison, he said, shredding at best recovers about 40% of the mattress by weight. “Policy makers, local government, mattress manufacturers and retailers should be wary of processes that achieve poor levels of resource recovery and recycling, they will simply undermine investments in higher mattress resource recovery and lock Australia in to poor environmental outcomes.

“Local government in particular should be aware of the price it pays for “recycling”. We commonly see Councils choose providers based on price.. So a Council may save 50 cents or $1 per mattress but in reality it is not getting recycling. Shredding and similar processes recover about 40% of the mattress – it should be called what it really is, size reduction not mattress recycling.”

TIC said it is not against shredding and size reduction of mattresses in limited circumstances. In some cases soiled, wet and damaged mattresses may be best shredded where handling and processing will cause safety risks or be impractical.

TIC Mattress Recycling is part of the TIC Group, a company that has been providing inventory and supply chain services to retailers and suppliers in Australia and internationally for more than 25 years. TIC Group is a diverse company and has been involved in a range of resource recovery businesses and was an early player in e-waste.

Embedded within the TIC Group culture is the hunger to establish innovative ideas and create sustainable solutions. Each year, TIC Group re-uses enough garment hangers that if laid end to end would go around the world three times, but it does not end there. With five operating divisions, TIC Group has well and truly established a unique position in its quest to delivery sustainable outcomes through innovation. 

South Pacific Laundry specialises in the provision of quality linen and supplies for the customer service and hospitality industries

Mackay

Adelaide

South Pacific Laundry South Pacific Laundry (SPL) has been a provider of commercial laundry and linen services to the hospitality industry in Melbourne for the last 20 years. Currently, the South Pacific Group is establishing a strong network of modern laundry across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland with plans for Perth and Adelaide expansion and several more facilities up the East Coast of Australia in 2016. The relocation of our Sydney operations to a new larger facility in Bankstown together with the relocation of our Brunswick plant to Broadmeadows will establish South Pacific Laundry as the single largest privately owned laundry in Australia and in the Southern Hemisphere.

Contact Robert Teoh Public Relations & Marketing P: (03) 9388 5300 M: 0421 716 888 Coverage Australia wide

SPL provides: • A 365 day service to all its clientele with a 24 hour turnaround.

• Dedicated account managers and experienced support staff who are available 7 days a week • A dedicated software design package and centralised billing system enables seamless transactions, paperless and customised reports.

• Delivery rationalisation systems, providing and streamlining efficient delivery routes which will reduce the company’s carbon footprint.

• Building of partnerships and sharing benefits with the customers from savings made through its constant laundry process innovations and group purchasing power of linen products.

• Dry cleaning, Uniform cleaning services, Housekeeping services, Dust mat hire and Cleaning services.

• Provision and supplying of Corporate uniforms and customised Amenities.

Pricing Information Contact supplier direct Delivery Free daily delivery within 25km city metropolitan areas Minimum Order Contact supplier direct

Full Contact Information South Pacific Laundry 9-23 King William St Broadmeadows VIC 3047 P: (03) 9388 5300 F: (03) 9387 2399 E: customerservice@southpacificlaundry.com.au robert.teoh@southpacificlaundry.com.au

29

Kicking

THE BLEACH HABIT

BY BRIDGET GARDNER, DIRECTOR, FRESH GREEN CLEAN

Is chlorine bleach an indispensable part of your cleaning regime? This article busts some well-worn myths about bleach’s cleaning and germ-killing ability in hotels and explains why you should look for safer alternatives.

MYTH #1 – BLEACH IS A CLEANING AGENT

T

here is no doubt that chlorine bleach, or ‘sodium hypochlorite’ to give it its proper name, is an effective bleaching agent. Slap it over your tiling grout and it will brighten the most ingrained grime problems. But while your tiled floor or toilet bowl may look clean, it’s really just a cheat’s clean because all it has done is knocked out the pigment in the grime – the actual soil particles have not gone anywhere.

That’s because despite popular belief, chlorine bleach is not actually a cleaning agent. It does not have the ability

to lift soil from a surface. When people mop floors with diluted bleach, any soil that is removed in the process is probably due to the friction of the mop and the elbow grease. As they used to say in hospitals: ‘90% of the cleaning action is achieved with the cleaning tool, water and friction’.

Being highly corrosive, bleach can dissolve some fat molecules but it still needs the presence of a surfactant (detergent) to clean the soil away. Whereas surfactants don’t need the help of bleach in return.

MYTH #2 – BLEACHING IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET WHITER THAN WHITE As you may have already discovered, the constant use of chlorine bleach will take the shine off bathroom finishes such as fibreglass, marble, porcelain and even shower glass. This process is actually pitting the surface slightly, allowing more soil and mould to embed in the crevices.

So short term gain for long term pain.

Because bleach is highly alkaline (pH12.5), it reacts with calcium deposits that form naturally in water and are also alkaline. Chlorine makes the calcium stick like concrete to the toilet bowl, damaging the porcelain and causing a rough surface that organic matter can stain – the ‘toilet

30

ring’. That is why toilet cleaner should be acidic – not alkaline.

In fact, most organic stains can be easily removed by allowing extra dwell time and gentle agitation. By that I mean letting the cleaning product sit on the surface a moment before wiping it away, and using smarter technology such as a small rotating brush cleaner or steam cleaning equipment.

However for stains that can’t be reached, such as mould trapped under silicon or in old tiling grout, limit the use of bleach to a weekly or fortnightly dose. For removing linen stains, hydrogen peroxide is a less hazardous alternative and usually more successful on organic stains such as blood.

MYTH #3 – HOUSEHOLD BLEACH IS SAFER THAN COMMERCIAL BLEACH For some reason, consumer products with pretty labelling appear safer than their commercial counterparts.

However it’s still the same poison. Chlorine is Corrosive and Hazardous to skin and eyes. It is highly reactive when mixed with other substances, including oxygen and water, releasing harmful fumes. This makes chlorine harmful to the respiratory system, especially when used in enclosed spaces such as shower cubicles, and doubly-so for workers – and guests – with asthma.

Mixing chlorine with other cleaning agents, particularly acid-based toilet bowl cleaner or ammonia, creates dangerous chlorine gas. Yes the same mustard gas that was used in WW1 trenches.

Dust masks will not protect you from chlorine fumes so if you must use it, ensure good ventilation, the extraction fan is on, and wear proper rubber gloves and eye goggles. Never use bleach in a spray atomiser and always dilute it correctly in COLD water. Or just don’t use it.

MYTH #4 – WE NEED BLEACH TO KILL THE GERMS

Importantly, sufficient quantities of cleaning cloths should be provided to allow for fresh cloths in each room, colour-coded to prevent cross-contamination from bathrooms to other areas, then laundered after every use.

In your next bathroom renovation, prevention is far better than the cure. Use mould-resistant grout, ensure the fall of your shower recess prevents water pooling, improve the ventilation and choose a darker colour scheme rather than white on white.

The smell of bleach used to be synonymous with the smell of cleanliness, but for many people these days, it smells like a cover-up. 

AUTHOR: Bridget Gardner is Director of Fresh Green Clean, Australia’s leading experts in best practice cleaning programs. Visit their website at: www.freshgreenclean.com.au Note: this article is an updated version of one written by Bridget under the same title in 2011 for this journal.

Get really clean rooms!

Training and systems in healthy, hygienic and efficient cleaning methods

The final myth is not whether chlorine bleach can kill germs or not, but rather, that it can be effective given the way it is commonly used. Sodium hypochlorite disinfects by attacking the protein molecules of bacteria. But this is seriously limited if the surface or cleaning tools are dirty.

The surface must be cleaned and rinsed prior to applying bleach, which must then be allowed to dwell for at least five minutes before rinsing off again.

Total germ elimination is impossible in accommodation settings anyway. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) stresses that even in hospitals the aim should be to remove not kill bacteria, by effectively cleaning and drying surfaces. By removing the soil and moisture, you remove the germs and their food source, thus achieving hygienically clean surfaces.

Contact Bridget Gardner  (03) 9349 4299 www.freshgreenclean.com.au 31

WELCOME TO

THE SWANSTON HOTEL, GRAND MERCURE

Positioned in an unrivalled location in the very heart of Melbourne's CBD and city, The Swanston Hotel, Grand Mercure is a 4.5 star hotel on Swanston Street is surrounded by the city's most popular business and shopping precincts, theatres, galleries, bars and restaurants.

The hotel features superior service, along with a well equipped gym, indoor swimming pool and valet parking, plus three unique dining options including 24 hour room service. ď Ž

32

33

Trudy Gleeson

PROFILE

Time honoured techniques at historic hotel

T

rudy Gleeson isn’t one for the mainland life. We sit in the lounge area of the Colonial on Elizabeth – a hotel steeped with history, sitting in the heart of Launceston, Tasmania. Trudy has been Supervisor Housekeeper of the hotel for the past four years, but has been in other roles at the hotel for nearly ten years.

“Tassie life is very laid back, there isn’t the rush of the cities on the mainland,” she says. “And I like the weather! I don’t mind the cold.”

Despite today being a ‘warm’ 13 degrees, the born-and-bred local feels right at home in the 70-room hotel. After moving from the North West Coast to Launceston at age 12, Trudy raised three children before getting her first job in housekeeping at the Arches Manor. She spent time at Peppers Seaport, before taking a job at the Colonial.

“I was drawn to the role because of the work hours. Starting at nine and finishing around one or two in the afternoon meant I could still have a good family and social life, while working at the same time. I also like the challenge of the work. With each room you clean, you want the guest to think: ‘wow, this is a nice clean room, it’s well set out’. I take pride in my work, like all of the housekeepers here do.”

Trudy oversees nine cleaners – all of whom are local. Three of the staff – Pat, Sharon and Jess – are across three generations of the same family.

Trudy is full of praise for her staff, commenting on how there is a friendly vibe when they work together. According to the hotel’s Owner and Manager, Dale Pentland, supporting local staff works well for the housekeeping department and guests.

“We want our housekeepers to have knowledge of the place, so they can point guests in the right direction” Dale says. “Our housekeepers will smile and say ‘hello’ when they’re within a metre of someone, and this means guests can feel welcome to ask questions about the city.”

Even when hiring staff, Trudy doesn’t need to advertise positions.

“We hire through word of mouth. We have young staff in their twenties who know people looking for work. If they recommend them personally, it means they’ll usually be honest and committed to the job. We have a very low turnover of staff.”

With 15 different room types to clean, the staff have new challenges every day. Each housekeeper is assigned a floor, and work solo unless a room must be cleaned in a hurry, or a housekeeper finishes their floor early.

The hotel has also started holding functions and events, including weddings and birthdays. Preparing the function space is another requirement in the job.

One of the more unique aspects of the hotel is its in-house laundry.

Most hotels, especially the major chains, have outsourced its laundry.

The Colonial has a full-time laundry lady running the show.

34

“Having the laundry here means we can have a quicker turnaround of linen and other items,” Trudy says. “We’re not relying on someone else to get it done in time.”

Trudy says the staff use conventional techniques to clean the rooms, but the focus is on staying disciplined with the quality of work. Trudy admits she doesn’t mind being able to boss people around to get the best job done.

“I want to get through on time, and to receive good feedback,” Trudy says. “We have excellent feedback coming from guests, often they will leave notes for us.

It’s great when people respect our work.”

The commitment to time-honoured techniques suits the hotel. The Colonial was built in 1847 as the Launceston Church Grammar School. Two thousand people turned out (from a town of 8000) to see the foundation stone laid. The building converted into a hotel in 1924 as Overton House, before becoming the Colonial Motor Inn in 1972.

And the Colonial’s strong reputation for cleanliness is getting around. The hotel is ranked #5 out of 30 hotels in Launceston, earning four-and-a-half stars on average from nearly 700 reviews. Many guests mention how welcoming the rooms are set up upon arrival.

“I’m very satisfied with how we’re doing at the moment,” Trudy says. “There aren’t any major changes on the horizon to how we do things. Our structures are good, our equipment is up to date, and my staff work well.

I do what I can for them when rostering their shifts, and everyone has a good work-life balance.”

The building where the hotel stands has seen many of Launceston’s firsts – the first of electricity, the first motor vehicle, the first telegraph. But Trudy’s time isn’t coming to an end just yet.

“I buy a lotto ticket every week,” she says. “If I win, I’ll call it quits! But until then, you’ll find me here.” 

Nero, the most stylish range of irons for the hospitality industry

4 4 4 4

phone: 02 9906 2202

Low prices, easy online ordering Stainless steel, non-stick and ceramic soleplate options Australian owned company Personal service

email: sales@weatherdon.com.au

www.weatherdon.com.au

35

Replace your lumpy, cumbersome split king mattresses with a new Ezi Join Split King from King Koil Commercial.

Benefits • Enhanced guest comfort – minimises the prominence of the join • Closest feel to a true king mattress • Easy for housekeeping • No additional parts or accessories that can get lost

1300 654 000 commercial@ahbeard.com www.ahbeardcommercial.com

36

THE BEST IN FULL SERVICE BEDDING SUPPLY

Geoff Adams

PROFILE

Geoff Adams was born into a dairy farming family in Whangarei, New Zealand where work started at 6am daily to milk the 100 cows and continued into the evening after school when milking was repeated. This was probably a good introduction to the hard work which we all know is very necessary in a well-organised Housekeeping department on a daily basis.

G

eoff admits he did not like school or milking cows and left at the age of 15 when he moved to Wellington were he had extended family and started working at the 260 room James Cook Hotel as a night porter working from 11pm to 7am. This gave him a mere 30 minutes to get to his other job as a cleaner at the local department store (Farmer’s) where he worked from 7.30am until 12 noon whilst saving to buy a motorcycle.

After 8 months working night shift, Geoff moved to day portering and then to Reception. After one year he transferred to Food & Beverage learning silver service in the restaurant, whilst also helping in the bar and room service.

In 1983 Geoff moved to Melbourne planning to work, save money and travel.

Instead he married, had children, bought a house and concentrated on his career!!

His first job in Melbourne was at the now defunct Travelodge St Kilda Road (opposite the Shrine of Remembrance) as a silver service waiter. Geoff quickly moved to Reception and after a time as Night Manager, moved to become a Duty Manager. After 8 years, Geoff transferred to the Centra Melbourne (now the Crowne Plaza) as a Duty Manager.

After several years, Geoff was offered a position managing all the porters and concierge, a staff of approx. 30. This all happened during the opening of the temporary Crown Casino at the World Trade Centre which was connected to the Centra Hotel through the old Melbourne Convention Centre. During this time, the hotel was thought of as the Casino Hotel and all the high rollers stayed there making it a very busy place but giving Geoff a great experience.

After proving himself to the Area General Manager of Centra, he was offered the role of Executive Housekeeper managing over 50 staff. Geoff’s approach to staff and his good organisational skills stood him in good stead and he learned the basics of Housekeeping quickly.

After 2 years as Executive Housekeeper and during the takeover by the Intercontinental Group (IHG), Geoff was offered the position of Area Housekeeping Manager overseeing the Housekeeping operations at the Centra (Travelodge), St Kilda Rd, Centra Melbourne Airport (Travelodge), Holiday Inn on Flinders Lane and the Park Royal St Kilda Rd as well as the Centra Melbourne.

His role was to facilitate the 5 hotels and integrate all with one back of house operation. Geoff consolidated the many suppliers for all hotels, organised the sharing of large equipment, reviewed all Housekeeping standards and coordinated all maintenance works affecting housekeeping across the group.

37

housekeeping related contracts, purchased equipment, managed the refurbishment of the Welcome hotel bathrooms and then assisted in the Novotel Geelong and The Grand Hotel – by M Gallery refurbishments.

Geoff truly enjoys his role and is passionate about all his staff being happy and productive whilst celebrating each other’s milestones.

He has some staff that have worked in Housekeeping for 25 years and he has demonstrated extremely low staff turnover. Geoff and his staff actively support Soap Aid and believe in its’ aims to save lives as well as the environment and to date the hotel has saved over 600 kgs. A great effort.

At this time several of the hotels Housekeeping departments were outsourced and a review of all the associated operating costs, standards and policies was undertaken to ensure seamless service across the group.

Challenging times but a great learning curve!!

Geoff left the IHG group, took a wellearned 4 month break before moving to work with Accor at the Novotel Glen Waverley Hotel as Housekeeping Manager. Geoff quickly established himself and took on other project work simultaneously at other Accor Hotels.

After a few years, Geoff took on the role of Rooms Division Manager just prior to the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, a position he held for 18 months before realising, this was not for him – long hours and a stressful working environment took its’ toll and he stepped down for a better work life balance to become the Housekeeping Manager again at Glen Waverley where he spent 2 days a week whilst also looking after the Novotel St Kilda Hotel 3 days a week. He was fortunate to have this opportunity because he had the help of his strong assistant, Theresa Angeles, now Executive Housekeeper at the Novotel St. Kilda.

38

In 2006, Geoff was offered the role of the Executive Housekeeper at The Swanston Hotel which incorporates the Grand Mercure and Mercure Welcome Melbourne, managing 530 rooms, 80 staff (20 full time and 60 permanent part time) He also is responsible for the cleaning of all the public areas including a gaming room, bar, restaurant and several function rooms. This hotel is in the heart of the city in the very busy Swanston St and operates with an average occupancy of 90%.

Geoff describes his first meeting with the owner the late Mr. Les Erdi who said “Welcome to my family”. Geoff has never forgotten this and to this day considers all the guests, staff and management team to be part of his family. In the 9 years, Geoff has been there, he says he has been privileged to work with some of the best people, many who he now considers to be his good friends.

His experience and good organisational skills have allowed Geoff to be involved in many projects with the Erdi Group.These include the rebranding of the Urban St. Kilda where he negotiated all of the

We all know that Housekeeping requires a large amount of stamina so away from work, Geoff admits to being an extreme health nut and is a 10 time finisher of long course Ironman Triathlons (3.8 km swim, 180 km ride and 42 km run) He has also completed 13 half Ironman courses and is a member of the Melbourne Marathon Spartan Club. To qualify as a member of this you must have completed 10 of the Melbourne races and Geoff now has his own permanent race number.

Geoff rides to work daily as part of his training and in full training mode spends 15-20 hours a week before and after work!! His long term goal is to compete in the Hawaii Ironman.

He plans to travel and race overseas in 2017 and 2018 with his partner Raelene who is a qualified personal trainer and later this year they will be competing in a fun run down the Las Vegas strip (just because they can!!)

Apart from milking cows, Geoff has always worked in hotels and understands how all aspects of a hotel work together to make it successful.

He believes "that bricks and mortar are one thing but it is the people you work with that makes it fun. If people have fun and enjoy their work they do a great job. Unhappy people make for an unhappy hotel and since you spend half your life there, you better make it a happy one." 

COMING UP:

6 – 8 SEPTEMBER 2016

SYDNEY SHOWGROU

Australia’s largest and only cleaning and hygiene event this year!

Australia’s largest cleaning and hygiene event returns to the Sydney Showground on 6-8 September!

Proudly supported by the NCSA, CleanScene will be the one and only Industry Trade exhibition for the cleaning industry this year.

Easily compare and meet major suppliers under one roof, learn from industry experts during the free seminars, network with peers and source the latest innovative

ND (10AM–4PM) PRESENTED BY:

products in cleaning and hygiene. Do you want to make sure you keep up to date with the latest developments and trends in the industry and how changes in regulations and legislations will affect your business? Then make sure you join this year’s CleanScene Show!

The event is co-located with Safety in Action Sydney, NSW’s dedicated workplace health & safety event.

CO-LOCATED WITH:

Registration will give you access to both events.

REGISTER NOW FOR FREE: WWW.CLEANSCENESHOW.COM.AU 39

Guest Communication

IN OUR MOBILE-CENTRIC WORLD

BY BRENDON GRANGER

H

otels that deliver worldclass customer service start with their staff; and excellent staff need to be excellent communicators. However, it can’t stop there. The systems with which these great communicators work must be designed to promote communication.

In other words, in order for your hotel staff to be fantastic, there needs to be a system in place. Your highly-trained staff won’t be able to look after your guests to the best of their ability if they don’t have the technology and the resources on hand to properly do so; just as a top of the line communication system would be worthless when staffed by people who don’t communicate well.

COMMUNICATING THAT EXTRA MILE The ability of your hotel staff to work as a team, and anticipate the needs of your guests, will be hampered by their inability to easily and effectively communicate amongst themselves, as well as with the guests. Picture this: a guest pulls a muscle whilst working out in the hotel gym. One of the hotel personal trainers recognises the injury and recommends a massage. With an efficient communication system in place, the hotel spa massage therapist would know about the guest’s problem before they even meet, thanks to the personal trainer filling them in on the details of the injury. And to take it a step further, when the guest goes to bed at the end of the day, the housekeeping staff will have been able to substitute fresh, firm pillows for him to better support his injury

40

on the recommendation of the massage therapist.

Open lines of communication between hotel staff and hotel guests can create an amazing customer experience.

And as more and more communication takes place exclusively online and on mobile devices, hotels need to look to the mediums of digital communication in order to keep providing outstanding service.

DIGITAL HOTEL COMMUNICATION Your average hotel guest, in fact your average human, is never too far away from some type of mobile device.

Therefore including different forms of digital communication for your guests will be vital in order to provide a full service. This could include hotel apps, SMS-messaging or communication via social media channels or WhatsApp. Providing the option to communicate via one or all of these channels is a sure-fire way to create better lines of communication with your guests.

Despite the massive growth in social media, texting still remains the favoured form of digital communication. And this is not just for teenagers and millennials, according to a Global Business Travel Association survey published in 2014. The survey points out that corporate traveller managers said that their customers preferred customisable two-way communication via mobile devices over other types of communication, when available.

HOTEL APPS AND MOBILE MESSAGING: Hotel Apps that utilise this preference for SMS-type forms of communication are being used by hotel chains such as the Marriott and Starwood.

Increasing communication with guests will translate directly into more revenue per room or repeat bookings.

This could come in the form of SMS campaigns, room-service reminders, or promotional prompts that can be redeemed with the tap of an app.

With two way SMS communication guests are able to text a request to

the hotel instead of having to call, to ask for more towels, room service or other services and amenities.

A new breed of apps is being developed to provide these sorts of additional services at not only a single property, but throughout entire hotel chains. Chains such as Gansevoort Hotel Group and Standard Hotels have incorporated mobile messaging technology in the form of service-ondemand application called ALICE. The platform enables hotel guests to request services and amenities from their smartphones, wherever they are in the hotel. With a real time mobile connection, guests are in control of their stay like never before. ALICE has been shown to be especially popular for guests to access whilst at the beach or at the pool, viewing menus and ordering food and drinks without having to grab the attention of hotel staff.

Alex Furrer, General Manager of The Setai, Miami Beach said “Our guests use their mobile phones for everything these days, so providing this option to engage with us is the ultimate luxury experience. With ALICE we have given our guests the choice

to communicate with us on their terms” Earlier this year, the Hyatt hotel chain selected leading mobile messaging service Zingle to help better connect with their guests. The platform’s multichannel messaging service allows guests to instantly and seamlessly text and message hotel staff before, during, and after their stay.

Jeff Bzdawka, Senior Vice President, Global Hotel Operations at Hyatt said “Zingle offers Hyatt hotels the ability to instantaneously build one-on-one relationships in ways our guests want to engage.”

CONCLUSION If implemented properly, messaging apps have the potential not only to transform customer service, but also to deliver operational efficiencies that could save money in the long run.

However we must not forget that it still requires well-trained and attentive hotel staff to complete the link to create a fantastic customer experience for your guests. In other words, hotel technology is most effective when implemented to support fantastic hotel staff, not replace them. 

AUTHOR/BIO – BRENDON GRANGER With a great passion for all things hotels, but in particular technology and a desire to help others his role as director at Technology4Hotels allows him to do both.

Brendon has worked with hundreds of hotels to help them with their in-room technology. In the last few years he has helped them to increase guest satisfaction, strengthen guest loyalty and encourage repeat bookings as well as win awards such as the best business hotel, best city hotel, best upscale hotel and best luxury hotel in Australasia.

Always going the extra mile, Brendon began his hospitality career over twenty five years ago working in 5 star hotels whilst completing his Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management.

He has held various management positions within 5 star hotels, worked as a consultant in both hotel feasibility and technology and has an extensive background in hotel technology.

Those of you that have meet Brendon know that he has had a smartwatch for the past two years. He has found it invaluable in staying upto-date with what is going on in his business.

It was his passion for both his smartwatch and hotel technology that was the stimulus for this article. Based on his experience he can foresee the value of wearable technology once it is applied to hotel staff.

41

42

The three secrets

OF A GREAT HOUSEKEEPER

BY DEAN MINETT

Whilst staying in a five-star hotel in Sydney recently I stopped to think about the housekeeping department and in particular how important (but often times unappreciated) it is.

I

have always known and told others, that housekeeping is the hardest working department in any hotel. Whilst reception may be busy from time to time and the sales teams really do work hard sometimes, housekeeping is the only department that flexes its staff directly in proportion to the occupancy of the hotel.

Depending on the hotel’s standards and room sizes, room attendants can be working from 5 to 8 hours a day but always with the same number of rooms to clean. With outsourcing prevalent across all hotel classes, there is a pressure on to clean more rooms in less time. The hotel of courses wants to reduce costs and the outsourced operator needs to make money. This sometimes seems a contradictory relationship however the good ones make it work.

Employing in-house of course is still a challenge when occupancies ramp up or down suddenly and this can add even greater pressure to an Executive Housekeeper. So how do we make sure that the relationships are maintained and people are motivated?

1. CLEAR COMMUNICATION Everyone in hotels know that cleaning rooms is a hard job. Making multiple beds, cleaning multiple bathrooms and pushing a vacuum for hours is not for the faint-hearted. If you don’t work in hotels though you don’t know this.

And you need to be told before you start!

One housekeeping company I dealt with some time ago was wondering why they had such high turnover of staff. After investigation, I felt one reason was due to unrealistic expectations of the staff that they employed which in part was driven by the employment advertisements run by the company. Promising a great team environment, good working conditions and opportunities for advancement is one thing, but you need to mention this a hard job!

Another overlooked part of communications is the need to share with the team how important they are in delivering a great customer experience. They need to understand that the role is not just cleaning but creating a welcoming environment for the most important people in the hotel – the guest.

2. TRAINING When a hotel or cleaning company is busy, the temptation is just to employ someone to fill a gap in the roster and hope for the best. Sometimes training is shortened (or non-existent) and staff are just thrown in at the deep end.

This is clearly not a long term solution!

Good training means that staff are prepared for their role because they have the knowledge to adapt and know how to use the tools with which they are provided. Training

also communicates to staff that they are important enough to spend time and money on. It is an opportunity to communicate the culture and brand standards of the organisation.

And for outsourced companies, training is an important point-ofdifference when competing for new contracts because they can demonstrate they are investing their own money in developing their people.

3. LEADERSHIP Irrespective of whether the employer is the hotel or a housekeeping partner, it is the Executive Housekeeper who sets the example for their team.

Good leaders in this area tend to have worked their way up from the ground (or the carpet!) and know exactly what challenges are being faced by their teams. Whilst they know all the excuses and the shortcuts, they also appreciate the human challenges faced by working mothers and fathers as much as young students.

Good leaders are firm but approachable; communicate their expectations clearly; and are flexible but hold people accountable. Good leaders recognise that they can only achieve their objectives by getting their team to buy in and commit.

At the end of the day, work is only work, but having an Executive Housekeeper with these three traits makes it seem so much more. 

43

Hidden issues in hotels –

DO WE REALLY NEED TO DEAL WITH MOISTURE?

BY JENA DYCO

Unfortunately hotels have some challenges to deal with when it comes to moisture. With a general lack of ventilation, it makes it very difficult to manage moisture and the issues that moisture poses. Obviously there are challenges when it comes to room occupancy and dealing with moisture issues in a timely manner. Generally basic principles come into play – deal with the problem once, deal with it properly and problems will be minimised.

T

44

he information below is based on industry best practice and is in line with the IICRC S500 Water Damage Restoration Standard.

of bath overflows is extremely high.

Apart from mopping up the bathroom, what should you be doing to make sure further issues do not arise?

So, let’s explore some of the issues and what needs to be done.

OVERFLOWING BATH

1. The sooner you get onto to deal with this matter the less the impact there will be for secondary issues to occur.

Unfortunately when people come and stay in hotels their absent minded relaxation kicks in and the occurrence

2. If the water has gone out of the bathroom area and onto carpet

it needs to be dealt with by a professional. a. Touching the carpet to check if it is wet is not an accurate measure of moisture. It is important to check whether the carpet and underlay are wet, whether the moisture has reached the subfloor, if the water has started to wick up the walls and whether there is any other damage that is not visually detected.

b. We are aware that some hotels have their own air movers that they place onto carpet in these situations. This is not a suggested method of drying the carpet or the structure. There are several reasons for this: i. B y placing air movement onto the carpet it simply blows the moisture from the carpet into the air. This means that the moisture is very likely to negatively effect other materials in the room – for example TV’s and other electronics, paintings, walls etc. ii. You need a way to physically pull the moisture out of the room and out of the environment – this is the aim of proper water damage restoration. c. T he equipment and materials need to be monitored to see the progress of the job and ensure the equipment is pulled out of the job when it is complete so that the room can once again be re-occupied. d. T here are many methods of drying a water damaged area. In a hotel, one of the most important things to consider is the disturbance the event causes. For this reason, it is recommended that you use a highly trained professional restorer. IICRC trained professionals will have the ability to use their equipment creatively to minimise the interruption to work flow within the hotel. There are different tools that can be used that are quiet and cause minimal disruption. You need a professional to make a judgement about what equipment and process will best suit the job and give you the necessary outcomes.

TOILET OVERFLOW However hard we try to avoid toilet overflow issues, there at times when they still have a toilet backflow. When a toilet overflows occurs, most hotels handle this by simply mopping up the excess water and debris. Whether it is water, faecal matter or other items that come out of the toilet, they are all considered to be highly contaminated.

For this reason, all surfaces that the debris touches also become contaminated. Unfortunately in this day and age mopping it up and leaving it is simply not an option.

So what you need to do?

1. Treat the debris as contaminated whether it looks bad or not 2. Mop up excess water and debris from hard surfaces – do not use this mop again – if used again, cross contamination can be a massive issue with the spread of contamination throughout the hotel a potential issue 3. Clean hard surface with an appropriate anti-bacterial product – bleach is not an appropriate product

for use to achieve disinfection.

There are many products on the market which can achieve disinfection, some of which are organic and environmentally friendly if this is important to the hotel.

4. C arpets and other soft furnishings – these areas are more of an issue.

Unfortunately when carpet is contaminated by toilet water it is considered to be non restorable.

This means that the area of contaminated carpet will need to be replaced.

On the whole, the most important piece of advice is: Act FAST! Time is of the essence and can make a major difference to the outcome of the job. 

45

Nero, the most stylish range of kettles for the hospitality industry

4 Low prices, easy online ordering 4 Complete range to suit any need 4 Australian owned company 4 Personal service

phone: 02 9906 2202 46

email: sales@weatherdon.com.au

www.weatherdon.com.au

The benefits of using Ozone!

BY AMANDA NOTT, RAINBOWAIR AUSTRALIA

O

zone is very effective in eliminating odours including tobacco smoke, human and pet odours, food odours, mould and mildew odours, garbage odours, renovation odours and much more.

It is not a re-odorant. It totally destroys the offending gases that are the source of everything we smell. Unlike many other deodorising methods, ozone actually searches out and destroys the problem gases. It will react with contaminants in the air, water, fabrics and on other surface of the walls and ceilings. Unlike other types of air purification systems, an ozone generator does not depend on the air passing through the machine to do its job. Ozone generators also produce large quantities of ions via the corona discharge. The ions cause the dust particles to agglomerate, and precipitate from the air leaving a cleaner environment.

WHAT IS OZONE? Ozone is often referred to as nature’s own purifier. It is evident at the

seashore, in rain forests and after thunderstorms. We are all thoroughly aware of the protection the ozone layer affords us. Ozone also referred to as activated oxygen or trivalent oxygen is created naturally in our environment either through electricity, photosynthesis or by ultraviolet radiation from the sun. It makes up approximately 20% of the air we breathe every day. Ozone is created when one of these forces cause Oxygen to split into two separate atoms. The freed atom then attaches itself to an O2 molecule, recombining to create Ozone. The word "Ozone" is derived from the Greek word "ozone" which means, "to smell". In high levels ozone is bluish in colour, which is why the sky is blue. Ozone was discovered in the late 1800’s and is classified as the second strongest oxidiser in the world. In has been used over the last century to purify water and eliminate a wide range of odours in as a wide range of applications. In the most effective types of product the ozone is generated by high-voltage corona

discharge duplicating the way lightning creates it.

HOW DOES OZONE WORK TO ELIMINATE ODOURS? As ozone is created it floats freely in the air and water. By nature it is an unstable molecule and has a half-life of approximately 20 minutes. Shortly after ozone is created it begins to break back down. It will cast off the first ozone atom, which will recombine with either another oxygen atom, reverting back to simple Oxygen (O2), or it will recombine with another gaseous element forming an inert gas losing all of its odour characteristics.

Picture a room full of smoke; it is the phenol gas that is released that is the basis of the odour. It is in the air and on the surface of all areas exposed to the smoke. When introduced to that environment, the ozone quickly breaks down as it combines with the phenol gas molecule destroying all odour characteristics. 

47

DO YOUR ROOMS STINK? RainbowAir Activator solves the problem of room odours quickly, easily and economically.

This lightweight, portable unit produces ozone, nature’s most powerful odour-extinguisher. The ozone will penetrate fabrics and furnishings, killing odours such as smoke, mould and mildew, body and food.

Your housekeeper moves the unit from room to room as she cleans, leaving each room fresh smelling and odour free.

Give your guests the clean air they deserve with the RainbowAir Activator. Call for more information.

30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

✓

Designed and engineered specifically for the Accommodation Industry

RAINBOWAIR AUSTRALIA Call 1300 132 074 or email sales@rainbowair.com.au

www.rainbowair.com.au 48

Cleaning Tiles

THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTENANCE AND MONITORING

BY GARRY PHILLIPS – MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SLIQUE, AUSTRALASIA'S STONE-AND TILE-CARE EXPERTS, AND INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT THE TILE EXPERT

Stone and tiles have some of the longest expected lifespan of any floor covering – if they are properly maintained. Often we expect that a ‘hard floor’ such as stone or tiles are resilient enough to require only minimal maintenance. Just cleaning tiles isn’t enough, and it short-changes these beautiful surfaces by allowing them to deteriorate and shortening their lifespan.

A

KEEP SUPPLIER INFORMATION ABOUT CLEANING TILES

stone or tile surface is a substantial investment in any property, and by maintaining the surface, you’re also maintaining the value it adds to the property.

So what should you look for when cleaning tiles, and why is maintenance and monitoring so important?

DETERMINE A BASELINE Before you can measure and/or monitor, you need to have a baseline to compare against. In the case of a stone or tile surface, nothing is better than photographic evidence. This is because the majority of deterioration or contamination happens gradually, over time, and therefore isn’t as noticeable. We can forget what it looked like when it was new.

This image shows a perfectly clean showroom floor – the ‘baseline’

Suppliers have a duty-of-care to provide you with information on how you should go about cleaning tiles or stone that they have sold you. This information should also include how to maintain any protective sealers or coatings (if your surface has one). Paper records are particularly important where you have requested a commitment on performance – such as ‘suitable for use in a wet area’ and so on.

Keep a record of any commitments made as well as maintenance recommendations, and make sure you take this information into account when planning maintenance, as going against these documents could void any warranties that have been made.

As soon as the surface is installed, take good clear photos of all the areas. These are objective records that will act as your baseline. They can also be used to record changes, and to prove any potential damage when it may occur – for example, to insurance companies.

STONE AND TILES ARE NOT MAINTENANCE-FREE SURFACES

After months of use and poor cleaning, it’s easy to compare to the baseline to see how badly the floor has deteriorated

The common misconception is that stone and tiles are hard floors, and hard floors are resilient and won’t stain, and just need occasional cleaning to stay looking great. That’s not accurate.

49

For example, porous stone such as sandstone will soak up stains easily; soft stone like limestone can be scratched; acid-sensitive stone such as marble will etch if acid-based chemicals are used; and non-slip surfaces will get dirtier quicker as they’re designed for ‘grip’ and in the process also grip dirt and grime.

example, if you have maintenance instructions for both the surface and for a sealer or coating that’s been applied to it). If the surface is existing and you don’t have information from a supplier, seek independent recommendations.

A good understanding of the properties of the stone or tile surface can assist in establishing an appropriate maintenance regime that will protect the surface long-term.

Finally take into account any additional considerations such as access to equipment and machinery, and the location of a surface. For example, marble floors in a lobby will be cleaned quite differently from marble floors in a bathroom.

Cleaning tiles is not enough – you need to know HOW to clean them, HOW OFTEN you should be doing it, and whether they will need any special care at any stage.

Prepare the maintenance plan in simple language, in writing, and make absolutely sure cleaning site staff can understand it.

PREPARING A MAINTENANCE PLAN

MONITORING – OF THE MAINTENANCE PLAN

A maintenance plan for cleaning staff should be prepared and issued in writing. The plan will be based on what the surface is, and where it is located. It should include all recommended equipment and chemicals (including dilution ratios), with clear processes to be followed.

When preparing a maintenance plan, first refer to any supplier documentation you have. If maintenance instructions are included, they are the safest to follow.

You may need to cross-reference documentation (for

Don’t just trust that your carefully-prepared maintenance plan will be understood and followed. For the first few weeks, monitor the cleaning processes, usage and dilution of chemicals, and the completion of any periodic work that you may have specified (for example, machine scrubbing on a monthly basis).

It is also important that when cleaning staff changes, the whole process is recommenced and re-monitored.

Don’t assume that the new cleaners will be trained by the old ones!

MONITORING – OF THE SURFACE Use your baseline photos at least every 3 months to monitor and ensure that the results of your maintenance plan are satisfactory and that no degradation to the surface is visible. Where there is a measurable or noticeable decline in the surface – such as dirty grout lines, loss of finish, build up of surface contamination, etc – then you should notice it early enough that it can be rectified immediately, and the maintenance plan adjusted to prevent it happening again.

SPRING CLEANING/INTENSIVE TILE CLEANING/PERIODIC MAINTENANCE Even with the best maintenance plan there may well be natural build up and contamination that can occur, which is likely to require expert intensive work to recover.

For residential homes, this often falls into the ‘spring cleaning’ period, while for commercial properties it is usually easier to complete this work when the building is closed down (often during holidays) or refurbishment.

Whenever it occurs, schedule a time that you will complete detailed monitoring and comparison to your baseline photographs. It also helps to set aside a budget for specialist work on an annual basis – if it’s not necessary, that a nice bonus. 

50

Auditing

YOUR CLEANING PROGRAM

BY BRIAN CLARK, CEO FM CONTRACT SOLUTIONS PTY LTD CIMAS TECHNOLOGIES PTY LTD

Programmed auditing of cleaning services has been a key factor in maintaining and improving cleaning standards in recent years and auditing is being implemented in an increasing number of in house operations and commercial contracts. Their relevance to improvement of the actual cleaning process is sometimes questionable as most cleaning audit systems simply measure the result on the day and often are associated with a punitive process. A properly implemented and managed audit process can provide a balanced scorecard of the total cleaning process, promote efficiencies and generate significant performance outcomes, including cost savings.

A

ccording to dictionary.com, auditing is ‘the inspection or examination of a building or other facility to evaluate or improve its appropriateness, safety, efficiency, or the like’. This is a significantly broader scope than a subjective measurement of an end result – whether something is seen to be clean or not so clean, or, has or has not been cleaned when it was supposed to be. An ongoing audit program should be an integral part of the cleaning process – a process that incorporates continuous improvement and performance management.

So, what are some of the key aspects of a comprehensive audit process?

Firstly, look at your cleaning specifications. They should describe the tasks to be performed and specify both minimum frequencies of tasks and expected outcomes in terms of levels of cleanliness and consistent delivery to expectations. They should also be tailored to the type of area, rather than be generic. Both staff and contractors should have explicit information and criteria on the expected outcomes in their areas or with the facility as a whole. Without defined base-level standards, i.e. a baseline, then there is nothing to measure your audit process against.

Next define your objectives. What do you want to measure, why do you want to measure it, what do you want to compare the data against and how will this measure quality or improve outcomes? Do you want to capture data for immediate verification, or do you want a longer term measurement of the cleaning outcomes

to monitor trends? Are your concerns related to just cleaning or do you want a broader measurement of cleaning services such as health & safety compliance, efficiency, people management, value for money, asset performance, (i.e. life cycle costs of floorcoverings) contractual compliance and stakeholder feedback?

Having defined your objectives for the program, you need to create your Key Performance Measures (KPM’s).

KPM’s are points of reference that describe the standard expected for each task you are measuring. For instance, a KPM for cleaning windows and partition glass might be ‘On completion of the task all glass surfaces, frames and sills, must be clean, and free of streaks, marks and smears’. A clear description of what is expected will allow both the auditor and the cleaner to do their jobs better.

Scoring of selected tasks should be balanced to the requirements of the facility and may be weighted to reflect crucial issues within an area. For instance, a hospital may focus on clinical touch points rather than the standard of external window glass by weighting the audit score and demerits accordingly.

The method, frequency and timing of data collection is an important consideration. For instance, data may be irrelevant if cleaning is in the morning and the audit is performed in the afternoon. The timing is important, as is the randomness of the process. If audits are performed to a strict timetable, then cleaners know when to put in the most effort and the audit will not return a true picture of cleaning performance.

51

Finally, you have to decide who will collect the data.

Relying on internal audits or self audits has limitations as the results can be influenced by good intentions gone wrong and lack of objectivity. Auditing needs to be an independent objective analysis. The best solution is a balance of internal and external audits conducted by trained industry specialists. One of the leading organisations specialising in set up and provisioning of comprehensive performance management processes is FM Contract Solutions: (www.fmcontracsolutions.com.au).

Continuous auditing means continuous improvement – a single audit will not pick up all the potential weak links in your program. Transparency and Real Time availability are paramount. Electronic data capture using PDA’s and specialist software is probably the simplest way to collect, correlate and interpret data. Audit data can provide risk analysis and risk management, facility benchmarking, performance management and data comparisons, limited only by the breadth of the data base and the flexibility and accessibility of the software system.

One of the most flexible and comprehensive data capture and performance management programs is CIMAS developed by Cimas Technologies, (www.cimassystems. com.au). With the right software and auditing systems Facility management can measure and manage and report on performance today, last week, period of contract, area to area, cleaner to cleaner, building to building, facility to facility, or even establish and measure against national benchmarks.

An Audit program should not be a punitive process.

Rather, it should be seen as a management tool to ensure value for money, expose inefficiencies and promote processes of improvement. Ideally, audit frameworks should enable you to monitor both cleaning inputs and outputs and to enable you to look at all the elements involved in the cleaning process to identify not just what has failed, but why it has failed and how can the failure be eliminated in the future by more effectively managing resources. ď Ž Brian has over 30 years experience in practical applications with commercial cleaning equipment. His company, FM Contract Solutions, provides specialised cleaning related consultancy & contract performance management programs and services for Facility Management, education, hospitality industry and government.

52

Hotel safety

BY SOUDI NOORI, DIRECTOR OF SAFETY AND RISK ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS BSC, MENGSCI, GRAD DIP OEH (MONASH) CHARTERED GENERALIST OHS PROFESSIONAL

The hotel industry closely link to tourism and business travel, which provides employment for a large number of people, full time employees as well as part-time and contractors. There are several main departments performing different functions within a hotel e.g. housekeeping, front desk, food and beverage, kitchen, stewarding, laundry and engineering maintenance. Hotels have a variety of staff which can be exposed to a several health and safety hazards at work.

W

ork-related injuries and diseases occur as a result of unsafe acts and conditions. Unsafe acts occur when employees are unaware of the hazards and the proper work practices. Examples include not adopting the proper lifting methods or not using gloves when handling chemicals.

Unsafe conditions may arise out of ignorance or lack of diligence in ensuring a safe and healthy working environment. Examples include the lack of safety guards on machinery or the presence of a slippery floor.

Work place accidents and diseases can result in, sickness absenteeism, disability or even death. All these can be prevented. Work-related accidents and diseases can be prevented by first identifying the hazard and then taking the appropriate preventive measures. The common workplace hazards in hotels and the preventive measures that could be taken are described in this paper.

HOTEL HAZARDS AND THEIR CONTROL Hotels industry have a variety of staff including room attendants, bellmen, front desk personnel, chefs, waiters, laundry operators, banquet servers and engineering maintenance engineers. They can be exposed to a variety of health and safety hazards at work depending on the specific tasks that they perform. Hotel staff may be exposed to the hazards such as chemicals, noise, thermal stress, slips trips and falls, cuts, electrocution, fire and etc. The common workplace hazards in hotels are described in this section.

Musculoskeletal Injuries and Disorders Many jobs have risks that can lead to sprains and strains to the back and other parts of the body. Workplace factors associated with musculoskeletal injuries and disorders include: • Prolonged awkward body postures – such as bending the back during bed making or working with the arms above shoulder height during cleaning and stretching to reach across the table to get an item.

• Manual Handling – Heavy or frequent lifting, pushing, pulling or carrying puts a strain on the back and also the upper limbs. Back injuries and other musculoskeletal sprains and strains may occur among bellmen, housekeepers, laundry and kitchen staff involved in manual handling activities.

• Prolonged standing for many hours – can contribute to lower limb aches and pain. Most of the jobs in the hotel involve standing work for many hours.

• Repetitive use of the hands and upper limb – may result in pain in the wrist, elbow and shoulder. Persons at risk include room attendants, laundry operators and kitchen staff.

Chemical Hazard In hotels, chemicals are used mainly for cleaning. Persons at risk include housekeepers, stewards, laundry workers and engineering or maintenance personnel. Some chemicals are hazardous and may be corrosive, irritating, toxic, flammable or carcinogenic. Direct skin contact with some chemicals may cause burns or skin rashes from irritation or allergy. Chemical spills and splashes may damage the eyes. Volatile chemicals such as solvents can be inhaled. High concentrations of vapour or gas can accumulate particularly in poorly ventilated and confined areas. It is therefore important that employees who work with chemicals are aware of the hazards and adopt safe work practices to avoid chemical exposure.

Noise Hazard Although the hotel environment is generally quiet, there are certain areas where staff may be exposed to a noise hazard for example; chiller plant room, laundry and engineering workshops. Long term exposure to excessive noise may lead to hearing loss. To prevent hearing loss, a person should not be exposed to noise levels exceeding 85dBA for 8 hours a day or its equivalent. Where the permissible exposure level is exceeded, measures should be taken to reduce the noise exposure.

53

Heat Stress Hazard Staff working in the kitchen, laundry and boiler rooms may be subjected to heat stress from the machinery or equipment used in these areas. This can lead to headaches, fatigue and discomfort.

Staff can also be exposed to cold temperatures while retrieving or storing items in cold storage rooms. They should wear warm clothing while working in such cold environments Cuts & Puncture Hazard Cuts may occur from the use of knives and machinery in kitchens, laundries and engineering workshops. Cuts may also arise from handling broken glass or porcelain by room attendants, waiters or chefs. Machinery used in the kitchens and laundries like mincers, food mixers, meat slices and ironing machines should be properly guarded. Where this is not feasible, sensors or two-hand controls can be used. A guard that is provided but not put in position would not serve its intended purpose. Regular maintenance would also reduce accidents that result from faulty machinery. Staff should be encouraged to maintain good housekeeping at the workplace.

maintenance and checks should also be carried out by the maintenance department. Ensure that the; • boilers are inspected at least once every year by an Authorised Boiler Inspector.

• boiler attendants are properly trained and certified.

RISK CONTROL Management of Health and Safety should be no different from the way other aspects of the hotel business are managed. Managers are encouraged to develop and implement a comprehensive safety and health programme to prevent workplace accidents and work-related illnesses, and to establish a safe and healthy working environment.

A set of written safety rules and Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) should be established for compliance by staff and contractors. These also serve as a reminder of their safety and health obligations and responsibilities.

No work shall commence unless the Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) have been established and implemented. Table 1 list some of the work requiring SWMS.

Burns and Scalds Hazard The use of ovens and deep fryers without due care can cause severe burns and scalds. Staff should be educated on the possible hazards and the preventive measures that could be taken while handling such appliances or hot liquids Slip, Trips & Falls Hazard Many workplace injuries also result from workers tripping over physical obstructions or falling from height. This could be due to insufficient lighting, poor housekeeping, wet and slippery floors, a lack of guardrails or handrails on platforms or staircases, unsafe use of ladders or carelessness.

Electrical Hazard Electrocution occurs when the human body becomes part of an electric circuit through which current passes.

Electrical equipment and appliances should be regularly inspected by a qualified electrician to ensure that they remain in good working condition and will not pose a danger to unsuspecting staff. Extreme care should be taken in workplaces where workers come into contact with fluids that may be good conductors of electricity.

Examples include kitchens, laundries, and hotel rooms where electrical appliances may be used for cleaning work.

Fire and Explosion Hazard There is a risk of fire and explosion in workplaces which use flammable substances such as LPG and Town gas or highpressure applications e.g. kitchens, laundries and boiler rooms. Improper usage or faulty electrical installations could also result in fires.

Some hotels use pressure vessels like steam boilers for the purpose of supplying their laundries and guests with steam and hot water. These steam boilers are usually located in specially designated boiler plant rooms. Regular

54

Table 1 – Work requiring SWMS.

It is important to establish an effective programme to carry out periodic Safety inspections to identify potential hazards, unsafe acts and conditions in the workplace, as well as to monitor any changes in the work process. Please refer to the sample inspection checklist provided. Such inspections should involve both the management and the employees.

The findings from such inspections should be recorded and analysed. Recommendations and follow-up actions should be properly documented.

SAMPLE INSPECTION CHECKLIST The sample inspection checklist can be used when conducting your regular safety inspections. Go over every aspect of your hotel to identify possible hazards, unsafe acts and conditions in the workplace, as well as to monitor any changes in the work process. The checklist can be adapted to the particular needs of the hotel.  Safety and Risk Engineering Solutions (SRES)1 can assist you with the Safety Audit and preparation of Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS).

Amenities Australia supplies guest & hotel amenities in both Australia and New Zealand. Eco-friendly and low cost.

Eco-friendly amenities Not tested on animals Bio-degradable packaging Australian owned company Stock available with no ongoing contracts Bespoke services also available

STANDARD HOTEL/MOTEL AMENITIES AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY

Cents*

Bath Gel 30ml tube

15¢

Body Lotion 30ml tube

15¢

Conditioner 30ml tube

15¢

Shampoo 30ml tube

15¢

Shampoo 12ml sachet

5¢

Shampoo 15ml tube

11¢

Bath Gel 15ml tube

11¢

Body Lotion 15ml tube

11¢

Conditioner 15ml tube

11¢

Soap 15g

6¢

Soap 20g

8¢

Prices are excluding GST and exclude freight and delivery charges, MOQ = 1 carton

Introducing our new range of economical, eco-friendly, bio-degradable amenities.

Low cost guest amenities are sensitive to the skin and pamper your guests with their distinctive fragrances and formulations.

Our range of guest amenities indulge your guests with their distinct fragrance, aroma and freshness at affordable costs.

Our Australian & NZ inspired hotel amenities, essentials, and guest toiletries are now available at the lowest cost, with low order minimums and fast delivery.

AMENITIES AUSTRALIA & AMENITIES NZ Tel: +61 2 9620 9888 I Fax: +61 2 4721 1399 sales@amenitiesaustralia.com.au www.amenitiesaustralia.com.au www.amenitiesnz.com.au

55

HOTEL SAFETY Departmental Inspection Checklist General 1. Key audits of master key issue conducted every six months?

2. Are there regular fire evacuation practices?

3. Have fire wardens been appointed and trained?

4. Emergency response needs have been identified and evaluated for all probable emergencies?

5. E mergency response procedures have been developed for each department with key responsibilities allocated and staff trained in notification/response procedures?

6. Emergency response procedures have considered the hazardous substances and dangerous goods stored on site?

7. Emergency procedures/plans are communicated to all employees and guests where relevant?

8. T he fire control room has available a site map indicating key property features (e.g. dangerous goods stores, gas shut off valve, spill kits, external hydrants, evacuation exits, assembly points)?

9. Simulation exercises for other emergencies are conducted every 12 months?

10. A list of contact details (including after-hours numbers) of staff members to be contacted in an emergency had been prepared?

11. The list was displayed for staff in a number of areas?

12. Contingency planning for significant threats to business interruption has been conducted?

13. Crisis communication response procedure is in place with operator and owner (e.g. in disaster recovery plans)?

14. Crisis communication response exercises conducted over the last 12 months (e.g. Desktop)?

15. All drills, exercises, potential and actual emergencies are formally debriefed by senior management? Evacuation procedure is in place?

Communicated to employees?

16. The evacuation plan is included in staff induction?

17. Evacuation checklists have been prepared to aid staff coordinating evacuations?

18. Evacuation drills conducted within the last 12 months?

19. The effectiveness of each drill and actual emergencies is reviewed, documented and improvements made where necessary?

20. Records of real emergencies are retained and available?

21. Emergency exits and stairways is regularly inspected?

22. A smoking control plan is in place (compliance)?

23. Water pressure flow tests conducted annually where sprinklers are installed?

24. Fire hydrants sealed where applicable (e.g. external yard hydrants)?

25. Fire system impairment notification procedure in place?

26. Does all staff know the locations of fire alarm pull stations?

27. Does all staff know the locations of extinguishers in or near their work area?

28. Does staff in the area know the proper reporting procedure if they find (or believe there may be) a fire?

Concierge 1. Are all bell-men trained in proper lifting and carrying methods?

2. Are trolleys used to transport heavy luggage?

3. Are trolleys in good working condition and properly maintained? Is additional help available for lifting heavy luggage?

4. Are luggage properly stored to minimise sprains and strains during handling?

5. Are aisles and passageways clear of materials or equipment? Are carpets or tiles in good condition, free of tripping hazards?

6. Are floors clean, dry and non-slippery?

7. Are doorways and passageways wide enough for movement of trolleys?

Front Desk 1. Are the counter work surfaces at suitable height for keyboard and writing work?

2. Are the computer monitor screens placed at suitable height for viewing? Are equipment placed within easy reach?

3. Are the monitor screens free from glare? Is the lighting sufficient?

4. Are all staff trained in good ergonomic practices and working postures?

5. Are aisles and floor clear of materials or equipment?

6. Are Floor in good condition, free of tripping hazards? Are floors clean, dry and non-slippery?

7. Are all electrical equipment properly grounded and in good condition?

56

Housekeeping 1. Are staff trained in the safe use of tools and equipment?

2. Is there adequate work space? Is there sufficient lighting?

3. Are carpets or tiles in good condition, free of tripping hazards?

4. Are measures taken to prevent tripping over electrical cords and other objects? Are all electrical equipment properly grounded and in good condition?

5. Are measures taken to prevent slips and falls in the bathroom?

6. Are housekeeping carts stable and designed not to obstruct the vision?

7. Are staff trained in good ergonomic work methods and postures? Are the housekeeping carts easy to push and move?

8. Are the housekeeping carts maintained in good condition?

9. Are proper equipment provided for cleaning the room and bathroom?

10. Are all cleaning chemicals properly labelled? Are protective gloves provided and used?

11. Are chemicals properly stored?

12. Are staff trained in proper handling of chemicals?

13. Are staff aware of the risk of dermatitis and the preventive measures? Are material safety data sheets available for all chemicals used?

Food and Beverage 1. Are aisles and doorways clear of materials or equipment?

2. Are carpets or tiles in good condition, free of tripping hazards? Are floors clean, dry and non-slippery?

3. Are all electrical units properly grounded and in good condition? Is there adequate lighting?

4. Are ladders used safely?

5. Are the steps to the stage or platform in safe condition? Are the platforms secure to prevent separation?

6. Are proper shoes provided to protect against injury?

7. Are precautions taken to protect against scalds and burns?

8. Are all staff trained in proper methods of lifting, carrying and serving? Are carts and trolleys available for moving heavy items?

9. Are carts and trolleys maintained in good working condition? Is additional help available for lifting heavy items?

10. Is there sufficient staff for the task?

Kitchen 1. Are all staff properly trained in the safe use of tools and equipment?

2. Are proper tools and equipment provided?

3. Is there adequate work space? Is machinery securely guarded?

4. Is kitchen equipment in good working order and properly maintained? Are knives and other sharp tools properly stored?

5. Are the walkways and work areas free from obstruction and tripping hazards?

6. Are the floors dry or made of non-slippery material? Are measures in place to prevent electrocution?

7. Are measures in place to prevent burns and scalds?

8. Are proper safety shoes provided and used to protect feet from injuries?

9. Are the working surfaces of suitable height for the work?

10. Are staff trained in ergonomic work methods and postures? Are supplies and materials stored properly on shelves?

11. Does your storage layout minimise lifting problems? Are trolleys available to move heavy items?

12. Is the ventilation sufficient to protect staff from excessive heat?

13. Are staff protected from excessive cold when entering cold storage rooms?

14. Are suitable gloves provided and used when handling food?

15. Are suitable gloves provided and used when washing dishes?

16. Are staff aware of the risk of dermatitis and the preventive measures? Are detergents and other cleaning agents stored in a safe place?

17. Are material safety data sheets available for all chemicals used? Are staff trained in the proper handling of chemicals?

18. Are all areas, other than approved kitchens, free of Toasters or Toaster Ovens?

19. If portable space heaters are used, are they the approved type?

20. Does all electrical equipment in the area appear to be in good condition?

21. Circuits not overloaded – all multiple outlet strips equipped with overload protection?

57

22. Equipment power cords in good condition – no splices or broken insulation?

23. Are electrical cords and plugs in good condition? Check for damaged insulation, cut cords, splices, and tape wrapped around the cord – none of which should be present.

24. Are light fittings in good condition?

25. Are light fittings suitably located?

26. Are light fittings and switched in good working order?

Laundry 1. Are staff trained in the safe use of machinery and equipment? Is there adequate work space?

2. Is machinery securely guarded?

3. Are proper tools and equipment provided?

4. Is the laundry equipment in good working order and properly maintained? Are measures taken to protect from knocking against overhead structures?

5. Are the walkways and work areas free from obstruction and tripping hazards? Are the floors dry or made of non-slippery material?

6. Are measures in place to prevent electrocution?

7. Are measures in place to prevent burns and scalds?

8. Are proper safety shoes provided and used to protect feet from injuries? Are measures in place to prevent fire and explosion risk?

9. Are measures in place to reduce excessive back or neck bending?

10. Are measures in place to reduce work with arms above shoulder height? Are measures in place to reduce use of excessive force?

11. Are work surfaces of suitable height for the work?

12. Are staff trained in proper manual handling methods and work postures? Are there opportunities for job rotation?

13. Are sufficient rest breaks provided?

14. Are staff protected from excessive heat?

15. Are staff protected from excessive or irritating noise?

16. Are measures in place to prevent excessive chemical exposure?

17. Are Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) provided for all chemicals? Are workers trained in the proper handling of chemicals?

18. Are relevant personal protective equipment provided? Are containers clearly labelled?

19. Are chemicals properly stored?

20. Are there adequate facilities and procedures to deal with chemical spills and splashes?

21. Is the dry cleaning machine regularly maintained?

22. Do staff involved in dry cleaning undergo regular medical examinations?

Engineering 1. Are staff trained in the safe use of machinery and equipment?

2. Is there adequate work space?

3. Is machinery securely guarded?

4. Are proper tools and equipment provided?

5. Are the equipment and tools in good working order and properly maintained?

6. Are measures taken to protect from knocking against overhead structures?

7. Are the walkways and work areas free from obstruction and tripping hazards?

8. Are the floors dry or made of non-slippery material?

9. Are measures in place to prevent electrocution?

10. Are measures in place to prevent burns and scalds?

11. Are proper personal protective equipment provided?

12. Are measures in place to prevent fire and explosion risk?

13. Are all compressed gas cylinders secured by a chain or strap?

14. Are all motors kept clean and adequately ventilated to reduce overheating? Are ladders used safely?

15. Is the lighting adequate?

16. Are there Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) developed?

58

59

Unique Australian made Wall Bed with sofa or desk options – no need to remove your laptop or books to use the bed.

█ Procurement

█ Space Saving Furniture

█ Window Furnishings

█ Refurbishment

█ Custom made Lounges

█ Carpets & Flooring

█ Project Management

█ Kitchens & Bathrooms

█ Lighting & more

Servicing Accommodation providers Australia-wide

60

Procurement & Refurbishment Solutions Australia 1300 777 287 or admin@prsaustralia.com.au www.prsaustralia.com.au

17. Are measures provided to reduce vibration from the use of powered hand tools? Are staff able to adopt safe work postures?

18. Are work surfaces of suitable height for the work?

19. Are staff trained in proper manual handling methods and work postures? Are trolleys provided for moving heavy equipment?

20. Are measures in place to prevent excessive chemical exposure?

21. Are Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) provided for all chemicals? Are staff trained in the proper handling of chemicals?

22. Are the relevant personal protective equipment provided? Are containers clearly labelled?

23. Are chemicals properly stored?

24. Are there facilities and procedures to deal with chemical spills and splashes?

25. Are suitable eye protectors, gloves and respirators provided and used during work activities such as welding, painting or sawing?

26. Is adequate ventilation provided?

27. Are staff protected from excessive heat?

28. Are staff protected from excessive or irritating noise?

29. Are flammable materials properly stored?

30. Are all containers of powders, liquids, and gases labelled as to contents?

31. Are all areas in compliance with “No Smoking� policies?

32. Are corrosives stored only on the lowest shelves?

33. Are flammables, acids, and bases all stored separately from each other?

34. Are all refrigerators labelled to indicate whether or not they are safe for the storage of flammables?

35. Are all non-explosion proof refrigerators entirely free of flammables?

36. Are all chemicals labelled to indicate their contents?

37. Are all chemical containers labelled to indicate any hazard which may be present, i.e. TOXIC, CORROSIVE, FLAMMABLE, etc.?

38. Are Safety Data Sheets (SDS) available for ALL products in the laboratory?

39. Are food products, including beverages of any sort, kept out of the laboratory work environment at all times?

40. Is smoking prohibited in any areas especially around fuel, gas or solvents?

41. Is there any list of Dangerous goods?

42. Any Risk Assessment of Dangerous Goods?

43. Is access to electrical panels clear and not obstructed?

44. Are circuit breaker switches installed?

45. Are all electrical switches & circuit breakers identified? If not, list the locations of those that are not on the back of this sheet.

46. Is the main switch/circuit breaker easily accessible?

47. Is the main switch/circuit breaker clearly labelled?

48. Switchboard dust free and no rubbish inside 49. Electrical installations generally appear safe, No junction box covers or panels missing, all leads, plugs, fittings, etc in good condition 50. No temporary wiring or long extension leads, unprotected power boards 51. Is a Carbon Dioxide fire extinguisher placed adjacent to switchboard?

52. Electrical equipment has been tested in accordance with the Regulation, at the intervals stated for the specified electrical equipment?

(Test &Tag)

REFERENCES 1. www.sres-australia.com.au, Tel: 1300 721 348, Mob: 0422 416 881 Soudi Noori

61

Product NEWS BETTER IMPRESSIONS WITH LIVI PREMIUM NAPKINS The new Gold Standard in hotel and motel catering napery Add a touch of class to any establishment with the brand new range of Livi Luncheon and Cocktail Napkins, alongside the unsurpassed quality of GT Quilted Dinner Napkins.

Designed specifically for use in hotels and motels where presentation and practicality are equally important, Livi’s Premium Napkin collection makes it easy to deliver optimal service to guests, while enjoying cost savings and maintaining quality standards.

Disposable napkins mean swift and effortless clean-up for housekeeping personnel. Fabric napkins have frequently been favoured for the illusion of superior quality however they require sorting, laundering and inclusion in inventory considerations. Our customers have increasingly reported that the low comparative cost of disposable napkins, and the need for less attention from staff makes them a more satisfactory option, as long as the quality is in line with the standards they wish to supply to their paying guests.

texture, presentation and absorbency. Available in pristine white, they are suitable for all applications, irrespective of how casual or formal the occasion may be.

• Cocktail – 230x230mm, 2-ply, embossed, 100/pk • Luncheon – 300x310mm, 2-ply, embossed, 100/pk • Dinner – 400x400mm, 2-ply, quilted emboss, 100/pk Livi Premium Napkins are made from 100% virgin fibre and are certified by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Every pack is also hygienically sealed and certified by HACCP. Exceeding your guests’ expectations is a simple matter when you have Livi Premium Napkins on hand.

Contact Livi for more information – 1300 832 883 – www.livitissue.com.au

Thanks to Livi’s Premium Napkin collection, you can now achieve the best of both worlds. Featuring soft touch embossing, there is zero compromise on comfort,

RENOVATE OR DETONATE...

Is a common saying in the building industry for when it comes to renovating or demolishing a property that has seen its glory days pass. The saying also rings true for many properties in the hospitality sector.

A failure to keep abreast of current trends, designs and technology by way of renovating, could ultimately spell disaster for your business. Travellers are becoming increasingly savvy and demanding of what they want and expect when staying away from home.

If rooms are not up to the intended standard, repeat business becomes difficult, but even more critical will be comments made to 3rd party social media sites... which ultimate have the potential start the doomsday ticking if not swiftly put-out.

Apart from the financial hurdle which needs to be overcome, many operators seem to avoid refurbishing rooms simply to avoid the logistical ‘nightmare’ they

62

envisage with such a project. However, you need not be concerned as such tasks can now be outsourced to professional and experienced companies.

Procurement & Refurbishment Solutions Australia (PRSA), specialises in managing, organising, and coordinating refurbishment projects for various hospitality providers Australia-wide. Apart from the standard suite of services such as kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, painting and furniture packages, they also offer design, project management and procurement Services – in essence a ‘one stop’ shop.

For assistance with any Procurement or Refurbishment projects, contact the team at PRSA on 1300 777 287 or admin@prsaustralia.com.au.

It may be best to renovate than watch your business detonate!

Making the right choice for the environment is easy with Jasol.

Jasol’s EC range of cleaning and sanitising products makes it easy to be environmentally responsible. They’re made almost entirely from renewable plant resources rather than oil-based ingredients. They’re non-caustic, readily biodegradable and are certified

by GECA (Good Environmental Choice Australia). This sustainable, comprehensive range is the smart environmental choice for all your cleaning needs.

For more information on the complete range call 1800 334 679 or visit jasol.com.au/environmentalchoice

JSL-2014a CPv2.2-2012 Cleaning Products

environmental choice product range

63

Kube Clock

PHONE CHARGER | ALARM CLOCK | MUSIC PLAYER

No more outlets by the bed?

Designed specifically for the hotel industry, Kube Clock™ is a premium universal charging system with built-in cables for all mobile devices.

Kube Clock Features ™

� Intuitive Alarm clock � Bluetooth music streaming � Apple® lightning flip out cable � Apple® 30-pin flip out cable � Micro USB flip out cable � Dual USB ports � Qi wireless charging (optional)

Hardware is fully upgradable Available Hotel Room Controller for custom adjustment of features Security cables available Made for:

The Perfect Bedside Companion The Kube Clock™ has built-in Apple® Lightning, Apple® 30-pin and Micro USB flip out cables suitable for Androids, Blackberrys and virtually every smart phone and tablet available.

The Kube Clock™ also features two additional Auto Sensing USB ports and optional Wireless Charging, powered by Qi technology.

KS006

Distributed by Contact us today for your no-obligation, free demonstration and quote

64

International Interior Images 8 Phillip Crt, Port Melbourne, Victoria 3207 Australia +61 3 9673 1444 info@interior-images.com.au