welcoming guests back post covid-19—guidance for hotels + restaurants
Here’s some guidance for hotels and restaurants on welcoming guests back after COVID-19 measures are lifted.
Welcoming Guests Back Post COVID-19—Guidance for Hotels + Restaurants
As our thoughts begin to turn to life after all of the shelter-in-place and quarantine orders, we want to welcome our guests back to our hotels and restaurants with the reassurance that the hotel they will be traveling to and the restaurant they have chosen to dine in, are doing all they can do to minimize exposure to the virus.
Under normal circumstances, the first and foremost concern of any hotel or restaurant is cleanliness. But today, when so many consumers are in a heightened state of fear, it is critical that we afford them the reassurance they are looking for. Given today’s circumstances, we must not only adhere to our cleaning best practices, but also openly promote the cleaning and disinfecting measures being taken in order to instill that confidence our guests are looking for throughout this difficult time and beyond.
1| Employee Safety: Caring for the Heart of the House
Relying on our employees (as we do) to make the guest experience all it can be, we first need to make sure our employees are all they can be as well. The first step in doing so of course, is to ensure all employees are adhering to the industry’s mandated personal hygiene practices:
Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
If soap and water are not readily available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
Do not share dishes, glasses or utensils
Personal food and drink items must be strictly kept in the employee-only eating areas
Avoid close contact with people who are sick, or even appear to be ill or fatigued
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue to be discarded or use your elbow when coughing or sneezing
Stay at home when you are sick—NO exceptions
If an employee appears unwell, make sure they report the illness to their supervisor. If necessary, send them home. Encourage them to see a doctor. Make sure that they stay away from fellow employees and guests until they are deemed well enough to return to work. Individuals who are battling a cough and/or runny nose should wear a mask, if in the public, and continue with proper hygiene practices. Keep in mind, however, that masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or anti-bacterial soap and water.
2| Cleaning and Disinfecting: Cleaning the House from Back to Front
Whether you are a hotel or restaurant owner/operator, management company or operating under a franchise agreement, normal operations dictate that cleanliness and environmental hygiene is priority one. Hotel guests have the absolute right to expect to check into a hotel, and into a hotel room that looks and smells as if they were the first people ever to stay there. Likewise, restaurant patrons want a worry-free dining experience.
Add to that, the threat of a viral epidemic, and the levels with which we are demonstrating that we are adhering to second-to-none cleaning standards, must be openly and diligently promoted.
Because infective agents can survive in the environment for a period of time ranging from a few hours to several days, it is also vital to consistently observe the overall environmental hygiene of the property, strengthening environmental decontamination, particularly during an outbreak.
Personal Protective Equipment
Hotel room attendants, kitchen stewards, janitorial and maintenance employees should always use gloves when cleaning any surface and when handling waste. Given the current circumstances, it is also recommended for employees to use gloves when clearing items discarded on restaurant tables and/or in hotel rooms, such as used tissues and toothpicks. And above all, refrain from touching exposed body parts such as eyes, nose, mouth, any part of the face and arms with soiled gloves or unwashed hands.
When it comes to hand protection, there are a number of different options to choose from. According to the CDC, disposable gloves are the preferred hand protection, as the gloves are removed carefully so as not to expose skin to the outside of the glove, and properly disposed of after each use. If an employee chooses to wear rubber gloves, know that the gloves must be disinfected between each use, or disposed of, hence the recommendation for using disposable gloves. Note: If nitrile gloves aren’t the only type of disposable gloves provided, they should be made available for employees who suffer from a latex allergy.
Cleaning a Hotel Room
Before entering the room, make sure you are wearing the proper personal protective equipment. This will definitely include proper hand protection, and may also include proper eye protection, depending upon the chemicals you are using and in accordance with the Safety Data Sheet (SDS).
When entering the room, start the cleaning process by removing all soiled linens and towels from the room, along with any refuse. Before bringing in any of the clean linens and towels, work through the room, cleaning the toilets, the bathroom floor and mirrors, disinfecting(1) all hard surfaces, i.e., desktops, countertops, tables, etc. and allow them to air dry. Note: Particular attention should be paid to all of the high touch points in the room, including the remote control(s), light switches, doorknobs, levers, etc. Gloves should be worn throughout this entire process.
Additional surface cleaning and dusting would include furniture, curtains, drapes, lampshades, screens and any other soft surface areas. Any evidence of blood or bodily fluids would require the additional attention and cleaning of a trained bloodborne pathogens exposure control specialist.
Once the room has been cleaned as outlined above, you can properly dispose of the gloves; if infected with a potential bloodborne pathogen, the gloves should be properly disposed of in a red biohazard bag. You would then bring in the clean linens and towels, make the bed(s) and fit the bathroom(s) with the clean towels. At that point, you can vacuum your way out of the room, taking care not to touch the doorknob you have previously cleaned and disinfected with your bare hand on your way out. Alternatively, you can put on a disposable glove, and disinfect the doorknob to the room upon your final exit.
Cleaning Floors and Carpet
Hard floor surfaces should be cleaned with wet vacuum systems. If wet vacuum systems are not available, hard floor surfaces should be damp mopped, once again, using the proper disinfectant.
Carpets or rugs/mats should be vacuumed using a cleaner that does not throw dust into the air or properly steam cleaned if soiled with bodily fluids. Never hang up and swat rugs or mats as this will create aerosols.
Cleaning Public Spaces
Cleaning public spaces would include just that—all areas of the hotel and restaurant that guests and the public at large have access to outside of the guestrooms. Regularly clean and disinfect all hard surfaces, building entrances, revolving door handles, crash bars, doorknobs and handles, light switches, elevator control panels and phones, house phones, escalator rails, etc.
Public restrooms should be disinfected frequently, including touched areas such as water taps, door handles, towel rails, toilet seats and cover flaps, wash basins, light switches and any other fitting likely to be touched.
Ventilation systems should be inspected and cleaned regularly, especially in small and confined areas such as elevators and restrooms.
Clean and disinfect all non-disposable cleaning equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, at the end of each day, or more often as needed.
And again, hands should be washed after undertaking all cleaning activities. Supervisors should undertake regular monitoring to ensure that existing hygienic standards are strictly observed.
3| Restaurant Safety: Food Storage and Handling
While the coronavirus is airborne, hotel and restaurant operators must also pay close attention to the sourcing and handling of all food items in accordance with the CDC, the WHO and the FDA. This would include but would not be limited to: (1) ensuring that all food products are obtained from known and reliable sources; (2) that food is properly covered to prevent contamination; (3) that all food safety concerns and cross contamination avoidance practices are being strictly adhered to; and of course (4) that employee hygiene policies and procedures are strictly adhered to.
Employees should not be allowed to store personal belongings in preparation areas, but rather use employee designated and secured storage areas or lockers.
Dishwashing equipment should be carefully observed to make sure automatic chemical dispensing systems are fully functioning and that the final rinse cycle is consistently meeting a temperature of at least 180°.
Restaurants should not use cracked or chipped dishes or crockery as germs can be harbored in the cracks. There is also a need to be vigilant in repairing any cracks or holes in the walls, around the cove base or between the tiles as these surface voids represent an opportunity for pests to enter in.
Hotel and restaurant operators are also advised to ensure pest-eradication programs are up-to-date and checked daily in order to and check for signs of pest infestation and remove potential breeding sites.
4| Recreational Exposures: Maintaining Pools, Spas & Fitness Centers
As with the rest of the public spaces, so too—swimming pools, spas and fitness centers must be regularly cleaned and monitored. Chlorine levels must be closely monitored, as always, to ensure compliance with the regulated chlorine levels and corresponding pH balance.
We must ensure the pool areas, spas, saunas, steam rooms and showers are cleaned with greater frequency, again, with a qualified disinfectant, and that they are kept completely free of litter. Clean towels should be readily available in both the pool and fitness centers and soiled towels should be gathered throughout the day by an attendant equipped with disposable gloves.
Pool users should be reminded to shower before entering the pool or spa. As security checks and surveillance of these areas are carried out, watch for any swimmer or visitor who does not appear to be feeling well. Exercise can exacerbate flu-like symptoms—better safe than sorry.
Fitness equipment should be cleaned after each use with a qualified disinfectant, made readily available to the guests. If not already done, signs should be posted above disinfectant cloth dispensers encouraging the necessity for cleaning the equipment after each use.
(1) All surfaces should be cleaned with a qualified disinfectant or a bleach in water solution (1/4 cup (minimum) 3/4 cup (maximum)) bleach to one gallon of cool water).
If you have questions or would like more information, please reach out to one of our Fournier Group specialists—800 851 3237 // info@fourniergroup.com.