Lesson Proper

FIRE SAFETY

Fire safety is critical in the hospitality and tourism industries. Obviously, fire safety is
important in all establishments, but perhaps it should be emphasized slightly more when a large
number of people are present. The primary objective of fire protection is to effectively safeguard
people, property, and the environment from the hazards and consequences of fire, while
minimizing material damage, operational interruptions, and resulting commercial loss. Fire
prevention at the property contributes to the safety of employees, tourists, family vacations, and
exciting adventures.

Fire Risks in Hospitality and Tourism Centers

When it comes to fire statistics, the main factor in all types of buildings, from households to
hospitals, is cooking. This risk is heightened for restaurants, hotels, and event centers that
frequently have active commercial kitchens. However, data show that in the majority of situations,
following safe response methods with a trained crew can keep fires small and restricted to a single
room, avoiding significant property damage.

Other risks that hospitality and tourism facilities face include:

x Sprinkler systems that are not functioning properly

x Exit paths that are obstructed and crowded
x Routes of evacuation are clogged
x Guests who smoke carelessly Faulty heating and cooling systems
x Sparks emanating from washing rooms et etc

The components of a hotel and other hospitality and tourism establishments fire
safety system may include the following items:

• Fire sprinklers.
• Smoke and fire detectors.
• Duct Smoke Detectors
• Automatic alarm systems.
• Connection between Air handling units and alarm systems
• Manual alarm systems (the pull-boxes you see near stairway doors and
elevators).
• Fire department standpipes (the things that you see in stairways).
• Emergency lights.
• The emergency egress system.
• Fire Resistivity of Construction
• Exits & Exit signs.
• Pressurized stairways.
• Smoke control systems
 • Portable fire extinguishers.
• Staff emergency response plans.
• Staff training.
• Gas Supply Shut-off Devices
• Place for a Helicopter to Land

T.I.M.

No, Tim is not a code word for obtaining a special rate on a room. It stands for three
critical components: Testing, Inspection, and Maintenance. Existing fire safety equipment
may be ineffective if it is not tested, examined, and maintained on a regular basis by
experienced technicians. Nationally established guidelines specify how frequently TIM
should be performed on sprinklers and other fire safety systems.

Components of Fire Safety System

Fire sprinklers

If a fire can be extinguished before it spreads, it cannot produce a large

amount of smoke, which is the primary cause of death in fires. We look for smoke
alarms as well as sprinklers. However, smoke alarms can only notify people to the
presence of a fire, and fires can spread quickly enough to kill before people can flee.
A sprinkler not only alerts people to the fire (when a sprinkler opens, the water
flowing through the system triggers an alarm), but it also immediately opens and
extinguishes the flames. A fire that is extinguished fast does not produce smoke or
the carbon monoxide it contains.

Smoke detection and alarms

A network of interconnected smoke detectors should be installed in all

rooms, including common areas and non-guest rooms. If installed according to
nationally recognized standards, the alarm system will notify guests who may be in
danger. Additionally, it is critical for the alarm system to be monitored remotely by a
recognized agency. A Central Station Alarm firm with an Underwriters Laboratories
certificate is an example. Certain alarm systems are immediately connected to the
fire department, which is an added bonus.

Emergency lighting.
 A fire may result in the failure of the building's electrical system.
Occasionally, a fire begins in the electrical system. As a result, the building's
corridors and public spaces should be equipped with emergency lighting.
Emergency lighting that meets nationally recognized standards will be connected to
a stand-alone power source backed up by an emergency generator. When the
system detects an electrical failure, the lights will automatically turn on.

Emergency egress system.

Each structure should be constructed in accordance with a nationally

recognized building code. These codes provide minimum requirements for the
emergency egress system, which includes the passageways that connect each floor
of the building to the outside at ground level. The building codes are predicated on
the premise that hallways and stairwells are critical components of the egress
system, and as such, they must be equipped with additional protection that will
supposedly last long enough for everyone to leave.

Exits &Exit signs.

Exit signs that comply with nationally recognized standards will be visible
from any place in the corridor. Those that are not near an exit door will have an
arrow showing the direction to the nearest exit. Again, TIM is important. It is very
easy for exit lights to burn out over time, and just as easy to neglect replacing them.
If the signs are being tested, inspected and maintained by qualified technicians, you
have better assurance that they are accurate. A hotel employee may be tempted to
replace a broken sign with one that has no direction arrow - or just as bad, with an
arrow going the wrong way. They might make this mistake because they don't know
what the installation standard requires.

Stairway pressurization

Hi-rise establishment should have pressurized stairways. An exception is a

hotel where the stairways are open to the outside. In pressurized stairways, a fan
operates when the fire alarm panel receives a signal from a fire detector or
sprinkler. The air is blown in from the exterior, and this creates a positive pressure
in the stairway, keeping smoke from creeping into the stairway and blocking the
egress path.

Portable fire extinguishers.

Portable extinguishers are designed to control or extinguish small fires.

They are placed throughout a hotel to be readily available when someone finds a
 fire. Installers follow a nationally recognized standard that dictates what type
(based on the type of fire expected at that location), their location, and size.
Different locations will require different types, depending upon the type of fire
expected. For example, the corridors will have units for extinguishing paper and
other similar combustibles. A kitchen area will have units designed to put out grease
fires.

Fire response plan.

A hotel with quality fire safety will have a written plan that describes every
employee's responsibility in a fire or other emergency. The lack of a written plan or
a refusal to show it are a cause for concern. Also be concerned if the instructions call
for delaying the notification of guests or the fire department. Examples are orders to
notify the manager before taking action, or orders to first investigate a fire alarm
before calling the fire department or notifying guests.

Staff training.

Every employee should receive periodic formal training and practice on

what to do in a fire emergency. A hotel with quality fire protection will have copies
of their training plans and records of who attended each session. A verbal statement
that "we give everyone regular training" should be suspect. The items covered in the
plans should include such things as:

è Each employee's responsibilities in a fire emergency.

è Details about the building's fire equipment.
è What the various fire alarm signals mean.
è Who is responsible for notifying the fire department (this should
always be done as a backup measure, even when the system is
monitored).
è The records should document the orientation and continued training
of every employee, including hands-on instruction on how to operate
portable extinguishers

Types of Fire and Fire Extinguishers:

Hospitality and Tourism personnel are trained about the fire protection procedure and the types of
fire. They must be able to recognize the various type Air contains O2 which is necessary for
combustion. Fire has been classified in 5 categories depending on how they can be extinguished-

è Class A Fire- It is the fire of wood, paper, linen and similar dry materials. They are
extinguished by cooling and quenching effect of water. The water reduces the temperature
 of burning substances below their combustion temperature. These are the most frequent
and easiest to extinguish when there is an ample water supply and when water can be
directed on the combustible material .Keeping the other combustible material wet will limit
the spreading of fire
è Class B Fire-These include fires of oil, gasoline, grease and other petroleum product. These
fires are extinguished by blanketing the source of burning substances and eliminating the
supply of Petroleum products is lighter than water and will float on water and continue to
burn and spread by means of flowing water to other section of the building, hence water is
never used for this category.
è Class C Fire-These are the fires of pressurized gases. For e.g. L.P.G., most of the gases are
lighter than air but L.P.G. is heavier than air. Water is not to be used for this class of fire.
è Class D Fire-These are fire of metals having low burning temperature for e. g. Na, Mg etc.
This class of fire does not exist in the hotel.
è Class E Fire-These are electrical fire. The fire extinguishing agent must not conduct
electrical energy which could spread the fire. Electrical fires are usually blanketed and
cooled down. Water is a good cooling agent but it also conducts electricity, so it is not used
to control or extinguish this class of fire. Electrical fire is usually caused by a part of circuit
overheating or by short circuit. Controlling the sizes of electrical fuses and circuit breaker
will often minimize this class of fire.

THERE ARE 2 SYSTEMS OF FIRE PROTECTION

1. Portable fire extinguisher.

2. Stationary firefighting system.

1. Portable fire extinguisher

è Soda acid fire extinguisher- It is used for class A fire. The extinguishing agent is
H2O.The fire extinguisher is a cylinder type of pan in which a rubber or flexible
hose is attached to the top. When it is desired to use the extinguisher, it is
carried to the fire and inverted. A small bottle of acid usually H2SO4 is spilled
when the cylinder is inverted or turn upside down. Powdered sodas,
bicarbonate of soda (Baking Soda) is mixed with H2O when the tank is charge or
fills with water. The chemical reaction of acid and soda water creates a pressure
which forces the water out of the cylinder or tank.
The hose is used to direct the flow of water to the fire. It has 2
disadvantages:-
o It must be kept away from freezing
o Acid causes corrogen problem which reduce the life of the
tank or cylinder. The corrogen problem has been minimized
by replacing the acid with CO2 cartridge. Upon the cylinder
inversion the cartridge opens and releases CO2 gas under
high pressure. The high pressure gas than forces the water
out of cylinder.
 è CaCl2 fire extinguisher-It is also used on class A fire. . CaCl2 is a salt which
when added to water form brine which has very low freezing temperature. CO2
cartridge is used as pressure agent to force H2O and CaCl2 out of the cylinder to
the fire. These extinguishers are used where freezing is a potential hazard

è Foam type extinguisher-It is used on class B type of fire. The extinguisher is

charged with special chemical (Al2SiO4), the chemical spread on the burning
material and the solution, blanket the fire by excluding O2.

è CO2 fire extinguisher- It is used on C, D and E class of fire. The CO2 types spray
a chemical fog towards the fire. The fog quickly excludes the O2 from the
burning material and blanket the combustible material.

è D.C.P. extinguisher- It can be used on C, D and E class of fire. The most common
extinguishing agent is sodium bicarbonate or plain baking soda. The
extinguisher is charged with the dry chemical and a small tank of CO2 gas. The
CO2 gas exerts pressure on dry chemical and forces it out of a nozzle directly to
the fire. The powder strict the fire and the heat from the fire breaks down the
chemical which releases CO2 gas on a large scale which helps in extinguishing
the fire.

2. Stationary firefighting system

è Automatic sprinklers-It is generally mounted just below the ceiling height with
a temperature detector or smoke detector, attached with each sprinkler. The
temperature from the fire melts the fusible link on the detector, which opens a
water valve. The water is then sprayed on the ceiling and falls on the floor,
extinguishing the fire. If the fire area should spread, more sprinklers are
automatically opened, thus confining the fire to a small area. The temperature
detector can be purchased for different activating temperature. The high
temperature detectors are often used in kitchens.
è Fire Hose System-It is a semi portable system. In this system the fire hose box
is permanently located but the flexible hose can be moved to various distances
throughout the building. The hose used to fight fire within a building should be
of linen type. The linen allows some water seepage through it which will prevent
its burning when in use.

Carry Out a Fire Risk Assessment

To do so, you need to complete five steps.

  Identify the hazards: think about the ways a fire could start (such as faulty plug sockets,
damaged kitchen appliances, or obstructed ventilation) and sources of kindling (including
furniture, laundry, paper, chemicals, wall hangings, etc.).
 Consider who is at risk: guests are your primary concern. They aren’t familiar with the
building and may even be asleep when a fire occurs, which puts them at serious risk. You
need to ensure that vulnerable people can escape safely, such as those with mobility or
hearing disabilities.
 Determine what measures are needed and apply them: for example, you may need
better housekeeping to move sources of kindling away from fire escape routes and may
need to arrange regular checks for appliances and plugs. If you don’t have any disability
escape routes on floors above ground level, install them.
 Record your findings and changes: enforcing authorities will check your records for
evidence that you manage fire safety risks, so keep on top of writing everything down.
Records help you track what you’ve done and what you still need to do, and enable you to
look back and assess what control measures did or didn’t work.
 Review and update: business premises, particularly hotels, will wear down from use over
time, meaning new hazards appear and control measures become less effective. So you need
to reassess risks, reapply control measures, and rerecord details.

Appoint Fire Wardens

You must appoint a competent person to take charge of fire safety prevention and
evacuation procedures in your hotel. It can be yourself or someone else, but the person you assign
must receive technical and practical fire safety training so they know how to prevent and fight
fire.

Fire wardens are essential in a hotel. Guests aren’t familiar with the escape route and may
depend entirely on someone to guide them in an emergency, especially if they were asleep, as
they’ll likely feel disoriented. Your fire wardens should have a copy of the guest list and coordinate
with fire rescue services if anyone fails to evacuate.

The number of fire wardens your business needs depends on numerous factors, including
how many floors your hotel has, the size and complexity of its layout, the number of guests you
accommodate, the number of shifts, and more. As a minimum, you should have one fire warden for
every floor and on every shift. Also keep in mind holiday and sickness cover.

Plan Your Fire Evacuation Strategy

Not all evacuation strategies are suitable for every type of building. This is particularly true
for hotels, where the size and complexity often varies between premises.
 You’ll most likely implement one of two evacuation strategies:

 Simultaneous evacuation – if your hotel is small with a simple layout, the alarms can alert
every room and floor at once and prompt people to evacuate at the same time.
 Vertical or horizontal phased evacuation – if your hotel accommodates a large number of
guests, has multiple floors, and is complex in design, you need to sound an alarm and
evacuate people in areas that are at immediate risk before others. So the floor where the fire
is located (and those above it) would evacuate first, while you temporarily delay those
below.

Your risk assessment will help you identify factors and decide what strategy you should use.
Seek advice from your local Fire Service if you need further advice.

Provide Information to Guests

From the moment your guests arrive, they should know where to find fire escape routes and
manual call points.

During check in, draw guests’ attention to fire safety notices around the premises and point
out the main exits. Hand over information sheets or display them in each bedroom in an obvious
location.

Fire safety information sheets for hotel guests should explain:

 What to do if they discover a fire or if the alarm sounds.

 The nearest fire exit route (consider including a floor plan).
 The location of the nearest assembly point.
 What guests should do during a fire depending on the time of day (e.g. at night they should
wake everyone in the room and not stop to fully dress themselves).

If you provide a rundown of fire safety beforehand, guests are more likely to take prompt
action when a fire alarm sounds. Plus, you demonstrate that you’re committed to protecting your
guests, meaning they feel safe staying at your hotel.

A Guide to Respond to Fire Emergency

Hospitality and tourism establishment are built and maintained in accordance with rigorous
standards. The possibility that guests might find themselves threatened by fire is extremely remote,
but knowing the simple series of procedures outlined on this module is a good idea --- a fire can
happen at any time.
PRE- PLAN YOUR ESCAPE ROUTE

% As soon as you check in, begin to plan your escape in case of fire. When you get to
your room, take a few moments to locate escape routes.
% Walk down the corridor and find the nearest and alternate exits or exit stairways.
% Count the doorways, turns in corridors and any other features between your room
and the exits.
% Find the nearest fire alarm. Most frequently it will be located near the exit or
stairwell door. Read the instructions on how to use it.
% Now read the Emergency Evacuation Instructions posted on the inside of your suite
or bedroom door.

IF A FIRE BEGINS IN YOUR ROOM

Leave your room and close the door behind you to keep smoke and flames out of the
corridor. Sound the alarm. Leave the building by the nearest exit. DO NOT USE
ELEVATORS.

IF YOU HEAR THE ALARM

Should the alarm sound, DO NOT telephone the Hotel Operator or the Front Desk.
Leave the building through the nearest safe exit.

% If there is evidence of smoke in the room, roll out of bed and crawl on the floor. – DO
NOT STAND! Smoke and deadly gasses rise.
% Go to the door of your room. Feel the DOOR HANDLE with your hand. The doors are
insulated and you may not detect heat on the other side if you feel the door. If the
door handle is hot, do not open the door. If the door handle is not hot, open it slowly,
but be ready to close it immediately if necessary.
% Check the hall. If you can leave safely, take your room key with you and close the
door behind you.
% Go to the nearest safe exit.
% Proceed with care down to the ground level. Hold the handrail for stability.
% If the nearest exit is blocked by smoke or fire, use the alternate exit if it is clear. If
both exits are blocked, return to your room and close the door. Telephone the Hotel
switchboard by dialing “0” on the guestroom telephone.
% DO NOT USE ELEVATORS

WHAT TO DO IF THE ROOM DOOR IS HOT OR THERE IS FIRE OR DENSE SMOKE IN THE
HALL
 Few people burn to death in fires, most fatalities come from smoke inhalation.
Avoiding excessive exposure to smoke should be a paramount concern during a fire.

It may be safer in your room. Here are some things you should do:

% Let someone know you are in the room. If the phone works, phone the
switchboard “O”.
% Wet towels, sheets or other cloth items and put them around the doors to
prevent smoke from coming in.
% Fill the bathtub. Use the ice bucket to keep the towels wet around doors.
% Do not break windows unless the smoke in your room is getting heavy. Open
or broken windows will draw the fire in your direction.
% Hang a sheet or other visible item from the outside of the window to signal
the fire department.

ALWAYS REMEMBER... REMAIN CALM

EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE

The primary dangers to workers result from: being struck by structural components or
furnishings, inadequately secured stored materials, burns resulting from building fires resulting
from gas leaks or electrical shorts, or exposure to chemicals released from stored or process
chemicals. Many of the hazards to workers both during and following an earthquake are predictable
and may be reduced through hazard identification, planning, and mitigation.

There are many things you can do to prepare your workplace before an earthquake occurs:
 Pick "safe places". A safe place could be under a sturdy table or desk or against an interior
wall away from windows, bookcases or tall furniture that could fall on you. The shorter the
distance to move to safety, the less likely that you will be injured. Injury statistics show that
people moving as little as ten feet during an earthquake's shaking are most likely to be
injured.
 Practice drop, cover, and hold-on in each safe place. Drop under a sturdy desk or table and
hold on to one leg of the table or desk. Protect your eyes by keeping your head down.
Practice these actions so that they become an automatic response.

Drop, Cover, and Hold On when the earth shakes.

 Taking the proper actions, such as “Drop, Cover, and Hold On,” can save lives
and reduce the risk
of injury. Everyone, everywhere, should learn and practice what to do during an
earthquake, whether at home, work, school, or traveling.

In MOST situations, you will reduce your chance of injury if you:

DROP where you are onto your hands and

knees. This position protects you from being
knocked down and also allows you to stay low
and crawl to shelter if nearby.

COVER your head and neck with one arm and

hand

 If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl

underneath it for shelter
 If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an
interior wall (away from windows)
 Stay on your knees; bend over to protect
vital organs
 HOLD ON until shaking stops

 Under shelter: hold on to your shelter

with one hand; be ready to move with it
if it shifts
 No shelter: hold on to your head and
neck with both arms and hands.

FOR SPECIFIC SITUATIONS

It is important to think about what you will do to protect yourself, wherever

you are, when the earth begins to shake. What if you are driving, in a theater, in bed,
at the beach, etc.?

Person with Disabilities: See EarthquakeCountry.org/disability for

recommendations for people who use wheelchairs, walkers, or who are unable to
drop to the ground and get up again without assistance.

Indoors: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Avoid exterior walls, windows, hanging
objects, mirrors, tall furniture, large appliances, and kitchen cabinets with heavy
objects or glass. However, do not try to move more than 5-7 feet before getting on
the ground. Do not go outside during shaking! The area near the exterior walls of a
building is the most dangerous place to be. Windows, facades, and architectural
details are often the first parts of the building to break away. If you’re seated and
unable to drop to the floor: bend forward, Cover your head with your arms, and Hold
On to your neck with both hands.
 In bed: Do not get out of bed. Lie face down to protect your vital organs,
and Cover your head and neck with a pillow, keeping your arms as close to your
head as possible. Hold On to your head and neck with both hands until shaking
stops. You are less likely to be injured by fallen and broken objects by staying where
you are.

In a high-rise: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Avoid windows and other hazards.
Do not use elevators. Do not be surprised if sprinkler systems or fire alarms activate.

In a store: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Getting next to a shopping cart, beneath
clothing racks, or within the first level of warehouse racks may provide extra
protection. For more details, download a simple PDF fact sheet about Earthquake
Safety in Stores.

Outdoors: Move to a clear area if you can safely do so. Avoid power lines,
trees, signs, buildings, vehicles, and other hazards. Then, Drop, Cover, and Hold
On. This protects you from any objects that may be thrown from the side, even if
nothing is directly above you.

Driving: Pull over to the side of the road, stop, and set the parking brake.
Avoid overpasses, bridges, power lines, signs and other hazards. Stay inside the
vehicle until the shaking stops, then proceed carefully by avoiding fallen debris,
cracked or shifted pavement, and emergency vehicles. If a power line falls on the car,
stay inside until a trained person removes the wire.

In a stadium or theater: Drop to the ground in front of your seat or lean

over as much as possible, then Cover your head with your arms (as best as possible),
and Hold On to your neck with both hands until the shaking stops. Then walk out
slowly, watching for anything that could fall during aftershocks.

Near the shore: Follow the instructions above for your particular location.
Then as soon as shaking reduces such that you are able to stand, walk quickly to
high ground or inland, as a tsunami may arrive soon. Don’t wait for officials to issue
a warning. Walk, rather than drive, to avoid traffic, debris, and other hazards.

 Practice these safe earthquake procedures (i.e., drop, cover, and hold-on) at least twice a
year. Frequent practice will help reinforce safe behavior. When an earthquake or other
disaster occurs, many people hesitate, trying to remember what they are supposed to do.
Responding quickly and automatically may help protect you from injury.
 Make a plan for workers to follow in the event of an earthquake and be sure that it includes
the following precautions:
 Wait in your safe place until the shaking stops, then check to see if you are hurt. You will be
better able to help others if you take care of yourself first, and then check the people around
 you. Move carefully and watch out for things that have fallen or broken, creating hazards. Be
ready for aftershocks.
 Be on the lookout for fires. Fire is the most common earthquake-related hazard, due to
broken gas lines, damaged electrical lines or appliances, and previously contained fires or
sparks being released.
 If you must leave a building after the shaking stops, use the stairs, not the elevator, and look
for falling debris. Earthquakes can cause fire alarms and fire sprinklers to go off. You will
not be able to rule out whether there is a real threat of fire, and the elevators may have been
compromised. Always use the stairs.
 If you're outside in an earthquake, stay outside. Move away from buildings, trees,
streetlights and overhead lines. Crouch down and cover your head. Many injuries occur
within ten feet of the entrance to buildings. Bricks, roofing and other materials can fall from
buildings, injuring persons nearby. Trees, streetlights and overhead lines may also fall,
causing damage or injury.
 Inform workers of the plan and discuss earthquakes with workers. Everyone in your
workplace should know what to do if an earthquake occurs. Discussing earthquakes ahead
of time helps reduce fear and anxiety and lets everyone know how to respond.

Develop an Emergency Action Plan

A disorganized evacuation can result in confusion, injury and property damage.

An emergency action plan is critical. An emergency action plan checklist can assist this process.

When to evacuate:
 If emergency response authorities indicate specifically to do so.
 If emergency response authorities indicate there is time to do so.
 If you can reach a safe location before an event is expected to occur.
 When environmental conditions would not expose evacuees to a dangerous environment.
Evacuation plans should include:
 Conditions under which evacuation would be necessary (considering the above
information);
 When sheltering in place may be a better alternative;
 A clear chain of command and designation of the person in workplace authorized to order
an evacuation;
 Specific evacuation procedures, including routes and exits;
 Specific procedures for employers and workers in high-rise buildings (if applicable);
 Procedures for assisting visitors and workers in evacuating, particularly those with
disabilities or who do not speak English;
 Designation of which, if any, workers will remain after an evacuation alarm to shutdown
critical operations or perform other duties before evacuating; and
 Special equipment for workers, including personal protective equipment and respiratory
 protection (e.g., escape respirators), if needed.

RESPONDING DURING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

Basic Life Support for Hospitality and Tourism Professional

DRSABCD

The DRSABCD action plan is a vital aid to the first aider in casualty management.
The plan helps you find out if the casualty has any life threatening conditions and helps you
give any immediately necessary first aid.

Assessing the Danger

At an accident site, first aiders must make an assessment of the possible

danger to themselves, bystanders and to any casualties. Always ensure your safety.

Examples of dangers to look for include:

 Other traffic
 Fire
 Smoke or fumes
 Damaged vehicles
  Spilled fuel or chemicals
 Fallen or damaged overhead power lines and high voltage electricity
 Unstable structures
 Distraught or potentially violent people

Response

Checking for a response means trying to determine whether the casualty is

unconscious. An unconscious person is unable to respond to sound and touch. To
determine if the casualty is conscious, ask the casualty their name. Gently squeeze
the casualty’s shoulder or ask the casualty to squeeze your hands.

Send For Help

Call ambulance. When managing a casualty, you may need to call for an
ambulance and ask bystanders to assist you.

You may be asked the following questions while an ambulance is being dispatched:

> Location of the emergency?

> Cross street or landmark?
> Call back phone number?
> Nature of the emergency?
> Number of people involved?
> Is the casualty conscious?
> Is the casualty breathing?

You must wait with the casualty until the ambulance arrives.

Airway
 è If the casualty is unconscious, the first thing to do is open their airway so
that they can breathe. If the brain does not receive oxygen for three to five
minutes, the brain cells begin to die.

è Keep the airway clear and open. Check the airway for foreign material, for
example, blood, vomit or broken teeth. To check the airway, open the
mouth with your hand.

è If no foreign material is found, leave the casualty on their back and open
the airway. If foreign material is found, turn the casualty onto their side
while supporting their head and neck.
è Support the casualty’s head with your hand and open their mouth. Clear
any foreign objects with your fingers. Do not remove dentures unless they
are loose or broken.

è After ensuring the airway is clear, ensure the airway remains open. The
casualty may either be on their side or on their back. Place your hand high
on the casualty’s forehead. Support the chin with your other hand. Gently
tilt the head backwards to bring the tongue away from the back of the
throat. Lift the jaw forward and open the casualty’s mouth slightly.

Breathing

When the airway is clear and open, the casualty should be able to breathe
normally. Check to make sure they’re breathing normally. You must look, listen and
feel for normal breathing for up to 10 seconds.

If the casualty is breathing normally and unconscious, place the casualty in

the recovery position to maintain an open airway. The recovery position ensures the
airway remains clear and open. In this position, any fluid in their mouth will drain
out by itself.

If you leave an unconscious person on their back, the tongue or any mucus,
saliva, blood, vomit or any loose object that is in their mouth or throat may block
their airway.

If the casualty is not breathing normally, ensure that your local emergency
services telephone number has been called for an ambulance.

CPR
 If the casualty is not breathing normally, you will need to begin
cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, which is a combination of compressions and
breaths.

CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION – COMPRESSIONS

 Kneel beside the casualty.

 Locate the lower half of the breastbone
 Place the heel of your other hand on top of the first.
 Interlock fingers and raise fingers.
 Position yourself vertically above the casualty’s chest.
 Press down on the breastbone to depress it about one third on an
adult, this is four to five centimeters.
 Release the pressure
 Repeat this 30 times then give two breaths.

GIVING BREATHS
 Ensure the head is tilted, and the chin lifted.
Place your hand on the casualty’s forehead and pinch the soft part of the nose
closed with the index finger and the thumb.
 Open the casualty’s mouth and maintain chin lift
Take a breath and place your lips on the casualty’s mouth, ensuring a good seal.
 Blow steadily into the casualty’s mouth for about one second, watching for the
chest to rise.
If the chest does not rise, check the airway is clear and tilt the head further back.
 Turn your head to watch the chest fall and to listen and feel for signs of air being
expelled.
Take another breath and repeat the sequence

CPR IS PERFORMED AS FOLLOWS:

 Perform 30 chest compressions

 Give 2 breaths.
 Continue compressions and breaths in a ratio of 30 to 2.

ü You should complete five sets of 30 to 2 in about two minutes.

ü Only stop giving CPR if the casualty shows signs of life, if qualified help arrives,
or if you become physically unable to continue and no one is available to assist
or take over.
ü If the casualty starts breathing and shows signs of life, you should:

 Firstly, turn the casualty into the recovery position.

 Secondly, call medical aid as soon as possible if they have not already
been called.
  Finally, check for bleeding or injuries. Always monitor breathing.

When do you stop CPR ?

 When qualified help arrives (can offer further assistance)
 The patient regains signs of life
 You are unable to continue
 The scene becomes unsafe

WOUNDS AND BLEEDING

External Bleeding

The first step to controlling bleeding is to apply direct pressure to the wound. If
possible, ask the casualty to apply direct pressure with their fingers or hand. This will give
them something to do and leave you free to get a bandage.

If the patient is not able to apply pressure, use your hand. Wear gloves if you have
them; if not, you can improvise with plastic bags over your hands.

Manage External Bleeding

In most cases, external bleeding can be controlled by simple direct pressure. It will
be an extremely serious injury in which the bleeding needs to be controlled by a constrictive
bandage. It is important to control bleeding before cleaning the wound and applying a
dressing. If the wound is severe or bleeding cannot be stopped, or there is internal bleeding,
seek medical aid.

1. Lie patient down if the bleeding is severe.

2. Remove or cut clothing to expose the wound.
3. Apply a dressing to the wound.
4. Apply a pad with direct pressure to control bleeding (use gloves if available).
5. Bandage pad in place.
6. Raise and rest the injured part when possible
7. If bleeding continues - If bleeding continues and soaks through the bandage, leave
initial pad in place and apply a second pad over the first ensuring that the bandage
is not too tight by checking the blood supply beyond the bandage.

Wound Management
 If you need to control the bleeding, you should apply pressure to the surrounding
areas, but not actually on the foreign body. You can do this by placing pads around the
object, or by placing a ring pad over it.
Once the pads are in place, you should secure them with a roller bandage. You must
make sure that the roller bandage does not place pressure on the foreign object.

Internal Bleeding
Severe internal bleeding usually results from injuries such as a car accident or fall. It
can also occur when an object such as a knife penetrates the skin and damages internal
organs.

Signs and Symptoms of Internal Bleeding

 Pain
 Tenderness
 Rigidity of abdominal muscles
 Coughing up red, frothy material

Management of Internal Bleeding

 Lie the casualty down. If they are coughing up blood, the most comfortable position
will normally be half sitting.
 Raise the legs or bend the knees
 Loosen tight clothing
 Call your local emergency services telephone number for an ambulance

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE EXPLAINING WHAT TO DO IN A CHOKING EMERGENCY.

Choking occurs when a foreign object lodges in the throat or windpipe, blocking the flow of
air. In adults, a piece of food often is the culprit. Young children often swallow small objects.
Because choking cuts off oxygen to the brain, give first aid as quickly as possible.
The universal sign for choking is hands clutched to the throat. If the person doesn't give the
signal, look for these indications:

 Inability to talk
 Difficulty breathing or noisy breathing
 Squeaky sounds when trying to breathe
 Cough, which may either be weak or forceful
 Skin, lips and nails turning blue or dusky
 Skin that is flushed, then turns pale or bluish in color
 Loss of consciousness
 If the person is able to cough forcefully, the person should keep coughing. If the person is
choking and can't talk, cry or laugh forcefully, the American Red Cross recommends a "five-and-
five" approach to delivering first aid:

 Give 5 back blows. Stand to the side and just behind a choking adult. For a child, kneel down
behind. Place one arm across the person's chest for support. Bend the person over at the waist
so that the upper body is parallel with the ground. Deliver five separate back blows between the
person's shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
 Give 5 abdominal thrusts. Perform five abdominal thrusts (also known as the Heimlich
maneuver).
 Alternate between 5 blows and 5 thrusts until the blockage is dislodged.
The American Heart Association doesn't teach the back blow technique, only the abdominal thrust
procedures. It's OK not to use back blows if you haven't learned the technique. Both approaches are
acceptable.

To perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) on someone else:

 Stand behind the person. Place one foot slightly in front of the other for balance. Wrap
your arms around the waist. Tip the person forward slightly. If a child is choking, kneel
down behind the child.
 Make a fist with one hand. Position it slightly above the person's navel.
 Grasp the fist with the other hand. Press hard into the abdomen with a quick, upward
thrust — as if trying to lift the person up.
 Perform between six and 10 abdominal thrusts until the blockage is dislodged.
 If you're the only rescuer, perform back blows and abdominal thrusts before calling 911 or
your local emergency number for help. If another person is available, have that person call for help
while you perform first aid.
If the person becomes unconscious, perform standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
with chest compressions and rescue breaths.
To perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) on yourself:
First, if you're alone and choking, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
Then, although you'll be unable to effectively deliver back blows to yourself, you can still perform
abdominal thrusts to dislodge the item.

 Place a fist slightly above your navel.

 Grasp your fist with the other hand and bend over a hard surface — a countertop or
chair will do.
 Shove your fist inward and upward.
To clear the airway of a pregnant woman or obese person:

 Position your hands a little bit higher than with a normal Heimlich maneuver, at the
base of the breastbone, just above the joining of the lowest ribs.
 Proceed as with the Heimlich maneuver, pressing hard into the chest, with a quick
thrust.
 Repeat until the food or other blockage is dislodged. If the person becomes
unconscious, follow the next steps.

To clear the airway of an unconscious person:

 Lower the person on his or her back onto the floor, arms to the side.
 Clear the airway. If a blockage is visible at the back of the throat or high in the throat,
reach a finger into the mouth and sweep out the cause of the blockage. Don't try a finger
sweep if you can't see the object. Be careful not to push the food or object deeper into
the airway, which can happen easily in young children.
 Begin CPR if the object remains lodged and the person doesn't respond after you take
the above measures. The chest compressions used in CPR may dislodge the object.
Remember to recheck the mouth periodically.

To clear the airway of a choking infant younger than age 1:

 Assume a seated position and hold the infant facedown on your forearm, which is
resting on your thigh. Support the infant's head and neck with your hand, and place the
head lower than the trunk.
 Thump the infant gently but firmly five times on the middle of the back using the
heel of your hand. The combination of gravity and the back blows should release the
blocking object. Keep your fingers pointed up to avoid hitting the infant in the back of
the head.
 Turn the infant faceup on your forearm, resting on your thigh with the head lower
than the trunk if the infant still isn't breathing. Using two fingers placed at the center of
 the infant's breastbone, give five quick chest compressions. Press down about 1 1/2
inches, and let the chest rise again in between each compression.
 Repeat the back blows and chest thrusts if breathing doesn't resume. Call for
emergency medical help.
 Begin infant CPR if one of these techniques opens the airway but the infant doesn't
resume breathing.

If the child is older than age 1 and conscious, give abdominal thrusts only. Be careful not to
use too much force to avoid damaging ribs or internal organs.
To prepare yourself for these situations, learn the Heimlich maneuver and CPR in a certified
first-aid training course.
FIRST AID

Follow the first-aid requirements that apply to your small business.

Effective first-aid treatment often reduces the severity of work- related injuries, helping to
minimize the financial costs associated with extensive medical treatment or the need to replace
employees who are unable to work.

All small businesses in hospitality must keep appropriate first-aid supplies on site. The type
of first-aid kit and the need for a first-aid attendant depends on the number of workers and the
travel time to the nearest hospital. Most hospitality small businesses require only a basic first-aid
kit that includes items such as bandages, scissors and disposable gloves.

Employers must follow these basic first-aid requirements:

A. Develop and implement first-aid procedures, including:

o The location of first aid and how to call for it;

o How the first-aid attendant is to respond to first-aid calls;
o The authority of the first-aid attendant over the treatment of injured workers and
the responsibility of the employer to report injuries;
o Who is to call for transportation for the injured worker, as well as the methods of
transportation and calling; and
o Prearranged routes in and out of the workplace and to medical treatment.

B. Post first-aid procedures conspicuously in suitable locations throughout the workplace

or, if posting is not practicable, adopt other measures to ensure that the information is
communicated to workers.

C. Ensure that the first-aid attendant and all other persons authorized to call for
transportation of injured workers are trained in the procedures.
 D. Keep a first-aid register and record all work-related injuries or occupational diseases.

First-Aid Kits

Most hospitality small businesses only require a first-aid kit containing standard supplies, a
manual, a register and emergency information some require minimum plus a Class A attendant
and supplies others require minimum plus a Class B attendant and supplies. Each class is more
comprehensive than the last.

Standard minimum first-aid kit

Keep these items in a weatherproof container that can be taken readily to the scene
of an injury. Maintain adequate quantities of the following supplies and equipment for
expected emergencies in a well-marked container:

 Antiseptic, wound solution or antiseptic swabs

 Bandage - adhesive strips and hypoallergenic adhesive tape
 Bandage – triangular, 100-centimetre folded and safety pins
 Bandage – gauze roller, various sizes
 Dressing – sterile and wrapped gauze pads and compresses, various sizes
including abdominal pad size
 Dressing – self-adherent roller, various sizes
 Pad with shield or tape for eye
 Soap
 Disposable latex or vinyl gloves
 Pocket mask with disposable one-way rebreathe valves
 Forceps – splinter
 Scissors – bandage

Additional first-aid supplies and equipment

CLASS A QUALIFICATION

 Bag – hot water or hot pack

 Bag – ice or cold water
 Bandage – elastic, 5-centimetre and 10-centimetre widths
 Sterile burn sheet

Include any other first-aid supplies and equipment appropriate to the dangers and
other circumstances of the workplace and commensurate with the training of the first-aid
attendant.
 CLASS B QUALIFICATION

 Bag – hot water or hot pack

 Bag – ice or cold water
 Bandage – elastic, 5-centimetre and 10-centimetre widths
 Sterile burn sheet
 Stethoscope with a bell
 Sphygmomanometer
 Thermometer
 Where there are potential causes of spinal injury, short and long spine boards
with adequate restraining straps and medium and large cervical collars
 Emergency oxygen system
 Bag valve and mask resuscitator

Include any other first-aid supplies and equipment appropriate to the dangers and
other circumstances of the workplace and commensurate with the training of the first-aid
attendant.

First-Aid Attendants

If your workplace requires a first-aid attendant, the attendant must hold a valid first-aid
certificate for the level necessary for your workplace.

Transportation of Injured Workers

Your business needs written procedures for transporting injured workers. Post these
procedures in your workplace. These procedures should include who and how to call for
transportation.

Employers must ensure that a means of transportation for injured workers from the
workplace to the nearest source of medical treatment is available .

HANDLING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

Apart from fire and bomb threat etc. the front office staff at some point of time have to
handle a lot of unusual situations also. Some such situations may be death and illness of guests,
theft in hotels etc. and many others.

Death of a Guest in the Hotel/ Any Hospitality and Tourism Establishment :

R Once the information comes to the front desk it should directly be reported to the front
office manager.
 R The front office manager will then report it to the GM or resident manager
R The security manager should also be informed immediately
R The police is informed and the hotel doctor is summoned who will check and confirm
the death
R Meanwhile the hotel will locate the residential address of the deceased and will inform
the relatives.
R Once the police complete all formalities and activities and gives the permission, the
dead body is fully covered and then removed from the room on a stretcher. For this
purpose the service elevator and not the guest elevator is used
R A death certificate is obtained from the doctor
R A report should be prepared as to who informed of the death, time,, room number and
date of death. In case there is any luggage of the deceased in the room a list should be
prepared and the luggage should be kept in the luggage room and the person
performing this activity should sign this report

The guest room is locked and sealed.

After obtaining clearance from the police the room is opened and thoroughly
disinfected and spring cleaned and only after permission of the police and subsequent
permission of the GM or resident manager the room should be sold.

Some important facts to be kept in mind are:

R Do not enter the room alone always take the lobby manager and security
officer with you
R In case you are aware that the deceased was under the treatment of a
specific doctor, the same should be called instead of the hotel doctor. His
physician will also be helpful in knowing and notifying the incident to the
relatives and people known to him
R Do not disturb the body or touch anything before the arrival of the police as
this may be a murder or suicide case.

HANDLING ACCIDENT CASES:

R A knowledge of first aid would come very handy in such situations. In general the following
points should be taken care of
R Remove the person who has met with accident from the site of accident {as early as possible
and take him to a more comfortable area, use a stretcher in case the need be.
R Call the doctor and if possible give him the details of accident and gravity of the accident.
R Take someone along with you to the site of the accident as you may need help
R Keep alert you must serve the victim immediately by providing first aid
R Try to protect your establishment from any false allegations
R Prepare a full report of the whole accident giving details of the date and time who reported
the incident, room no., site of the accident etc. Also make your comments as to the reason of
 the accident and how could it have been prevented and what action is to be taken to avoid
the same in the future.

The accident book:

R An accident book is usually maintained in all organizations and the receptionist
should record all details of accidents which have occurred to employees whilst
carrying out their daily activities.
R The book must be kept in a place easily accessible by any injured person or a person
bonafide
R Particulars of an accident may be entered here in either by the injured person
himself or by a person acting on his behalf
R The accident book when filled up should be preserved for a period of three years
after the date of the last entry
R Every employer is required to take steps to investigate the circumstances of the
accident recorded and if there happens to be any discrepancy between the
circumstances found by him and the entry made, he is required to record the
circumstances so found.

INTOXICATED GUEST

How to Handle Intoxicated Guests

 Stay calm.
 Don’t argue with the intoxicated guest.
 Don’t embarrass the guest, especially in front of other people.
 Invite the problem guest to an area away from other guests, where you can talk.
 Deal with the situation in a calm, friendly way. Speak to the person directly, and
firmly explain that what they are doing is unacceptable at your party.
 Listen and empathize with your guest. Acknowledge your guests anger or
frustration, but also remind them that it is your house, and you are responsible for
their safety and don’t want to see them get hurt.
 Point out that if they were sober they would agree that what they are doing is a bad
idea.
 If you cannot calm the guest down or convince them to stop what they are doing, ask
a friend of theirs to try.
 If you decide to ask this person to leave, remember that you are still responsible for
their safety (call a cab, get someone to drive them home, or if the situation gets out
of control – call the police).

DROWNING
 What does drowning look like?
“Drowning is a silent event. Typically, you don’t hear or see someone flailing in the
water like it is portrayed on TV or in the movies,”.
People are who drowning — whether an adult or child — are often too busy trying
to breathe and trying to stay afloat to be able to call out for help.

If you suspect someone is drowning, follow these USSSA guidelines:

R “Throw, Don’t Go”— Never just jump in because a drowning person can
accidentally pull their rescuers under with them. Tossing a lifesaving device,
rope, towel, or even pool noodle helps the drowning person without increasing
risk to others.
R Get backup — Call 911 or inform others that someone is drowning, so they can
call 911, and let them know you're helping. Alert lifeguards; they’re trained to
assist.
R Help from behind — When drowning people see a rescuer coming toward
them, they clutch and pull them under the water. Approaching them from
behind is safer for both the rescuer and the victim.
R Use a life jacket — Wearing a Coast Guard-approved life jacket prevents a
rescuer from being pulled under by a drowning person or an undercurrent. Life
jackets are essential for rescues in water with currents, such as lakes, rivers, and
oceans.
R Look for signs of secondary drowning — If drowning is prevented, the victim
might still have water in his lungs and can suffocate hours later. Look for
labored breathing, lethargy, and coughing hours afterward, which can indicate
secondary drowning.

“Secondary drowning is very uncommon”. But it is still important for people to be

aware that it can happen even after it seems an accident was avoided

On-Site Treatment for Drowned Person

Get Help
 Notify a lifeguard, if one is close. If not, ask someone to call 911.
 If you are alone, follow the steps below.

1. Move the Person

R Take the person out of the water.

2. Check for Breathing

 R Place your ear next to the person's mouth and nose. Do you feel air on your
cheek?
R Look to see if the person's chest is moving.

3. If the Person is Not Breathing, Check Pulse

R Check the person's pulse for 10 seconds.

4. If There is No Pulse, Start CPR

R Carefully place person on back.

R For an adult or child, place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest at the
nipple line. You can also push with one hand on top of the other. For an infant,
place two fingers on the breastbone.
R For an adult or child, press down at least 2 inches. Make sure not to press on
ribs. For an infant, press down about 1 and 1/2 inches. Make sure not to press
on the end of the breastbone.
R Do chest compressions only, at the rate of 100-120 per minute or more. Let the
chest rise completely between pushes.
R Check to see if the person has started breathing.
R Note that these instructions are not meant to replace CPR training. Classes are
available through the American Red Cross, local hospitals, and other
organizations.

5. Repeat if Person Is Still Not Breathing

R If you've been trained in CPR, you can now open the airway by tilting the head
back and lifting the chin.
R Pinch the nose of the victim closed. Take a normal breath, cover the
victim's mouth with yours to create an airtight seal, and then give 2 one-second
breaths as you watch for the chest to rise.
R Give 2 breaths followed by 30 chest compressions.
R Continue this cycle of 30 compressions and 2 breaths until the person starts
breathing or emergency help arrives.

AN OVERVIEW OF RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS

Effective Risk Management Plan: Why Is It Important for Your Business?

All businesses and non-profit organizations face the risk unexpected events, such as a
natural disaster, loss of funds through theft, or injury to staff, customers, or visitors on your
premises, could impact operations. Any of these events can cost your organization money or cause
your organization to permanently close.
 With a risk management plan, you can prepare for the unexpected, minimizing risks and
extra costs before they happen. By considering potential risks or events before they happen and
having a risk management plan in place, you can save money and protect your organization’s
future.

What is risk management?

Risk management is the process of identifying possible risks, problems or disasters before
they happen. This allows business owners to set up procedures to avoid the risk, minimize its
impact, or at the very least help cope with its impact. A business or organization should make a
realistic evaluation of the true level of risk and plan accordingly.

What should a risk management plan include?

A successful risk management plan should recognize and address potential risks and
threats. These plans don’t have to be expensive or very time consuming. The risk management
process can be as easy as answering the following few questions:

Risk Management Process: Questions to Answer

 Risk identification – What can go wrong? (Risks can apply to your workplace or from the
particular work you do)
 Risk analysis – How will it affect us? (Consider probability and impact to your operations –
is it high or low?)
 Risk control – What should we do? (Both to prevent the loss from occurring or to recover if
the loss does occur)
 Risk treatment – If something does happen, how will you pay for it?

Risk Management Plan: What All it Should Include?

R A commitment from all levels of the organization

R Policies and procedures established and clearly defined for all staff
R All staff should have clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and accountability
R Adequate resources and tools allocated for the plan
R Ongoing training, testing and monitoring of the risk management plan

What are the benefits of a risk management plan?

R Saving valuable resources: time, income, assets, people and property can be saved if fewer
claims occur
R Creating a safe and secure environment for staff, visitors, and customers
R Reducing legal liability and increasing the stability of your operations
 R Protecting people and assets from harm
R Protecting the environment
R Reducing your threat of possible litigation
R Defining your insurance needs to save on unnecessary premiums

RISK MANAGEMENT: 7 STEPS OF RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS

The process of evaluating and selecting alternative regulatory and non-regulatory

responses to risk.

The selection process necessarily requires the consideration of legal, economic, and
behavioral factors.

“Risk management is the decision-making process involving considerations of political, social,

economic and engineering factors with relevant risk assessments relating to a potential
hazard so as to develop, analyze and compare regulatory options and to select the optimal
regulatory response for safety from that hazard.”

Essentially risk management is the combination of 3 steps:

1. Risk evaluation,

2. Emission and exposure control,

3. Risk monitoring.

A systematic approach used to identify, evaluate, and reduce or eliminate the possibility of an
unfavorable deviation from the expected outcome of medical treatment and thus prevent the injury
of patients as a result of negligence and the loss of financial assets resulting from such injury.’

Risk Management Definitions

 “Risk management is an integrated process of delineating specific areas of risk, developing a

comprehensive plan, integrating the plan, and conducting the ongoing evaluation.”-Dr. P.K.
Gupta

 “Risk Management is the process of measuring, or assessing risk and then developing
strategies to manage the risk.”-Wikipedia
  ‘Managing the risk can involve taking out insurance against a loss, hedging a loan against
interest-rate rises, and protecting an investment against a fall in interest rates.”-Oxford
Business Dictionary

 ‘Decisions to accept exposure or to reduce vulnerabilities by either mitigating the risks or

replying cost-effective controls’- Anonymous

 The future is largely unknown. Most business decision-making takes place on the basis of
expectations about the future.
 Making a decision on the basis of assumptions, expectations, estimates, and forecasts of
future events involves taking risks.
 Risk has been described as the “sugar and salt of life”.
 This implies that risk can have an upside as well as the downside.
 People take a risk in order to achieve some goal they would otherwise not have reached
without taking that risk.

On the other hand;

Risk can mean that some danger or loss may be involved in carrying out an activity and
therefore, care has to be taken to avoid that loss.

This is where risk management is important, in that it can be used to protect against loss or
danger arising from a risky activity.

For proper control and management of risks, as insurers, we should always keep the
following in mind with regard to any project or subject-matter of insurance:

 What are the possible sources of loss?

 What is the probable impact of a loss should it at all occur?

 What should be done when a loss takes place? Should the loss be allowed to enhance or
something should be done to minimize it? The question of protection of salvage in the
best possible way and also the question of checking the future possibility of such events
should be considered.

 The probable expenditure or the economy of loss prevention, (it should be

remembered that any extra expenditure for loss prevention would be economically
justified so long the expenditure made is smaller than or at best equal to the savings
made by way of loss reduction.

7 steps of risk management are;

 1. Establish the context,

2. Identification,

3. Assessment,

4. Potential risk treatments,

5. Create the plan,

6. Implementation,

7. Review and evaluation of the plan.

The risk management system has seven(7) steps which are actually is a cycle.

1. Establish the Context

Establishing the context includes planning the remainder of the process and mapping out
the scope of the exercise, the identity and objectives of stakeholders, the basis upon which risks will
be evaluated and defining a framework for the process, and agenda for identification and analysis.

2. Identification

After establishing the context, the next step in the process of managing risk is to identify
potential risks. Risks are about events that, when triggered, will cause problems.

Hence, risk identification can start with the source of problems, or with the problem itself.

Risk identification requires knowledge of the organization, the market in which it operates,
the legal, social, economic, political, and climatic environment in which it does its business, its
financial strengths and weaknesses, its vulnerability to unplanned losses, the manufacturing
processes, and the management systems and business mechanism by which it operates.

Any failure at this stage to identify risk may cause a major loss for the organization.

Risk identification provides the foundation of risk management.

The identification methods are formed by templates or the development of templates for
identifying source, problem or event. The various methods of risk identification methods are.
3. Assessment

Once risks have been identified, they must then be assessed as to their potential severity of
loss and to the probability of occurrence.

These quantities can be either simple to measure, in the case of the value of a lost building,
or impossible to know for sure in the case of the probability of an unlikely event occurring.

Therefore;

In the assessment process, it is critical to making the best-educated guesses possible in

order to properly prioritize the implementation of the risk management plan.

The fundamental difficulty in risk assessment is determining the rate of occurrence since
statistical information is not available on all kinds of past incidents.

Furthermore;

Evaluating the severity of the consequences (impact) is often quite difficult for immaterial
assets. Asset valuation is another question that needs to be addressed.

Thus, best educated opinions and available statistics are the primary sources of
information.

Nevertheless, a risk assessment should produce such information for the management of
the organization that the primary risks are easy to understand and that the risk management
decisions may be prioritized.

Thus, there have been several theories and attempts to quantify risks.

Numerous different risk formula exists but perhaps the most widely accepted formula for
risk quantification is the rate of occurrence multiplied by the impact of the event.

In business, it is imperative to be it’s to present the findings of risk assessments in financial

terms. Robert Courtney Jr. (IBM. 1970) proposed a formula for presenting risks in financial terms.

The Courtney formula was accepted as the official risk analysis method of the US
governmental agencies.

The formula proposes the calculation of ALE (Annualized Loss Expectancy) and compares the
expected loss value to the security control implementation costs (Cost-Benefit Analysis).
4. Potential Risk Treatments

Once risks have been identified and assessed, all techniques to manage the risk fall into one
or more of these four major categories;

A. Risk Transfer

Risk Transfer means that the expected party transfers whole or part of the losses
consequential o risk exposure to another party for a cost. Insurance contracts
fundamentally involve risk transfers.
Apart from the insurance device, there are certain other techniques by which the
risk may be transferred.

B. Risk Avoidance

Avoid the risk or the circumstances which may lead to losses in another way,
Includes not performing an activity that could carry risk.
Avoidance may seem the answer to all risks, but avoiding risks also means losing
out on the potential gain that accepting (retaining) the risk may have allowed. Not entering
a business to avoid the risk of loss also avoids the possibility of earning the profits.

C. Risk Retention

Risk-retention implies that the losses arising due to a risk exposure shall be retained
or assumed by the party or the organization.
Risk-retention is generally a deliberate decision for business organizations inherited
with the following characteristics. Self-insurance and Captive insurance are the two
methods of retention.

D. Risk Control
Risk can be controlled either by avoidance or by controlling losses. Avoidance
implies that either a certain loss exposure is not acquired or an existing one is abandoned.
Loss control can be exercised in two ways.

5. Create the Plan

Decide on the combination of methods to be used for each risk. Each risk management
decision should be recorded and approved by the appropriate level of management.
For example,
 A risk (concerning the image of the organization should have a top management decision
behind it whereas IT management would have the authority to decide on computer virus risks.
The risk management plan should propose applicable and effective security controls for
managing the risks.
A good risk management plan should contain a schedule for control implementation and
responsible persons for those actions.
The risk management concept is old but is still net very effectively measured. Example: An
observed high risk of computer viruses could be mitigated by acquiring and implementing antivirus
software.

6. Implementation

Follow all of the planned methods for mitigating the effect of the risks.
Purchase insurance policies for the risks that have been decided to be transferred to an
insurer, avoid all risks that can be avoided without sacrificing the entity’s goals, reduce others, and
retain the rest.

7. Review and Evaluation of the Plan

Initial risk management plans will never be perfect.

Practice, experience and actual loss results will necessitate changes in the plan and
contribute information to allow possible different decisions to be made in dealing with the risks
being faced.
Risk analysis results and management plans should be updated periodically. There are two
primary reasons for this;

 To evaluate whether the previously selected security

controls are still applicable and effective, and,
 To evaluate the possible risk level changes in the business
environment. For example, information risks are a good example of the rapidly changing
business environment.