The Safeguarding Of

Assets: Concerns For

Safety And Security In
Housekeeping
Operations.

CHAPTER 6
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After studying the chapter, students should be able to:
List and describe the primary concepts of risk management
and the safeguarding of assets.
Describe the inherent problems associated with
maintaining safety and security in hotels and hospitals.
Describe how to minimize theft in guestrooms.
Describe how to make guests and guestrooms secure.
Describe common emergencies that can occur in hospitals
and hotels.
List actions to be taken in case of an emergency and tell
how to safeguard against potential disasters.
SECURITY VERSUS SAFETY(THE DIFFERENCE)

The concept of security in hospitality operations has

many times been addressed in tandem with that of
safety, even though the general thrust of each term is
somewhat different. The current trend today uses the
term safety in discussing matters such as disaster, fire
prevention, fire protection devices, and conditions that
provide for freedom from injury and damage to property.
Security, however, is used more as a means to describe
the need for freedom from fear, anxiety, and doubt
involving ourselves, as well as the protection and defense
against the loss or theft of guest, employee, and
company property. Both terms are, however, more
generally recognized as only parts of a greater whole.
THE BASIC FUNCTION OF SECURITY
The security function in the hospitality industry today is best described as
that major preventive and proactive activity used to protect the assets of the
organization. But who would have thought 40 years ago that the asset list
would evolve to include our guests and invitees, our employees, and the
property of all three, in addition to supplies, equipment, and funds, as well as
our reputation and goodwill.
To fulfill this function, those involved in security work must be able to
foresee and assess (even predict) threats, then make recommendations to
ownership and management regarding the most appropriate action to take
that will safeguard both life and property. In addition, personnel of all
departments must search out and alert operational management of the need
to prevent unreasonable and imprudent operation that could result in liability
for incautious action and negligent behavior.
NATURE OF THE SECURITY
FUNCTION
Few facilities are more vulnerable to security hazards
than hotels with restaurants, lounges, casinos, parking
garages, and theme parks. The nature of a business that
involves the presence of large numbers of people, most of
whom are not known to the manager, poses an ever-resent
threat to the security of other guests, employees, and the
property. The risks of fire and natural disaster, riot, theft,
embezzlement, civil disturbance, or bomb threats, have
increased in recent years, all of which can cause serious
injury or loss of life, theft, loss or damage to property
belonging to the guests, employees, or the facility itself.
Security from Theft in the
Housekeeping Department
EMPLOYEE THEFT: NATURE OF
THE PROBLEM.

No other hotel employees have as much access to

hotel assets and guest property as do members of the
housekeeping department.
EMPLOYEE CONTAMINATION: A
REAL AND PRESENT DANGER
1. When one employee is known to be stealing, others will tend to follow.
2. Employees who are frustrated and angry at the way they are being treated by
management think nothing of talking with each other about how easy it is to
rip off the firm. These employees receive the plaudits of peers for their ability
to beat the system. Once an employee starts to beat the system, he or she will
brag about it to companions or will even put him or herself in a place in which
companions can view the theft. When word gets around that management
cannot uncover the stealing, others join in.
3. Borderline honest employees do not think it dishonest to get even with a
greedy, impersonal, giant company that is indifferent to employee needs for
recognition and support.
4. Low morale is a sickness sign that forewarns of contamination of employees
regarding theft.
5. The problem of contamination is considerable in firms with a highly
authoritarian management style, because authoritarian management is only
successful where punishment and threats of punishment are primary controls.
Here are the characteristics of employees likely to be dishonest often have in
common.

1. They wear an air of dissatisfaction with someone or something.

2. They dont identify with the hotel. The hotel is they rather than we.
3. They lack respect for people or property, dont tend to accept
responsibility, and are self-centered.
4. They resent criticism.
5. They have financial difficulties.

An additional point might be added to an effective theft-prevention

program by maintaining profiles on employees who display the
characteristics enumerated by Powers. Such profiles may prove useful in
establishing a likely list of suspects when things start to disappear and no
further indication or evidence is immediately at hand, if only to know whom
to watch more closely in the future.
THEFT BY GUESTS AND OTHERS

There is some question about who might be more to blame

for theft losses: employees, guests, or other people bent on
dishonesty. The degree of loss from each source seems to
depend more on the attention paid by management to each of
the sources than any other factor. Management cannot assume
that theft losses will come more from one source than any other
source. Guest bent on stealing linens can bring as much havoc to
inventory cost as can employees or outsider who have targeted
the hotel as a source for contraband.
TV THEIVES
The most expensive item that attracts the attention
of thieves in hotels is the television set. This is
especially true of television sets in rooms that are first-
floor drive-up rooms, with sliding glass doors that open
directly into parking areas. There is only one thing that
can improve on this setup as far as the thief is
concerned not to have to unbolt the television to
remove it.
Security within Hotel
Guestrooms
 Innkeepers have a common-law responsibility to provide
secure premises within which guests may abide. Security is
defined as the measures that are required to promote a state of
well-being relative to an establishment to protect life and
property, and to minimize risks of natural disasters or crime. The
protection of guests within their rooms must be paramount.
Several states have become quite specific in what constitutes
adequate security for hotel guestrooms. In addition, most major
hotel companies have set minimum standards relating to
locking devices for guestroom doors. Holiday Inns, Inc., specifies
about 16 criteria that door locks must meet or exceed before
they may be used in Holiday Inns.
Reasonable security for guestrooms includes the following:

1. Automatic closing doors

2. Automatic latching devices on latch bolts that require a key or other
specialized device to open or unlock the door from the outside.\
3. Dead bolts that are an integral part of latch bolts; set from inside the
room; must be capable of being opened from outside the room with an
emergency passkey,.
4. A door chain or other mechanical locking device that may be set from
inside the room, such as the mechanical locking device that has replaced
door chains in the Los Angeles Airport/Marriott Hotel. When the lever
attached to the door frame is thrown across the ball attached to the door,
opening the door will catch the ball up in the track slot, allowing the door
to be opened only three inches.
5. A peephole installed in the room door whereby the guestroom occupant
may see who is on the outside of the door before opening it.
6. Drapes that fully close and are capable of blacking out the room in bright
sunlight.
7. Locking latches and chain locks on all sliding glass doors.
CARD ENTRY SYTEMS
The greatest change to have come about in many years for
guestroom security is the card entry system. The large numbers of
manufacturers that are now involved in producing such systems is a
testament to the need for some technique that will replace the
antiquated systems of guestroom door keys.
The difficulty in making a system of guestroom keys secure,
especially in hotels that have lavish key tags hanging from keys, is
well known. The replacement cost for lost, misplaced, stolen, or
simply carried-away keys as souvenirs is in itself a major cost
problem, to say nothing of the lock of control resulting from such
practices. Hotel maintenance departments usually have to establish
a routine lock cylinder change program, whereby cylinders from
locks on one floor are swapped with cylinders form locks on other
floors and new keys are manufactured and stamped with new codes,
if any controls is to be maintained at all.
The Do-Not-Disturb Sign Completes
with the Need to Foresee
THE GUEST ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO PRIVACY

Most common laws affecting hotels in America stem from

the English Common Laws of Innkeepers, which originated in
the seventeenth century. One such law deals with the guests
right to privacy and is quoted frequently even to this day. On
occasion, guest, and more to our surprise, many hotel
operators, presume that the guest has an absolute right to
privacy, and when in his or her room should never be disturbed.
Actually, research indicates that the English Common Law was
not constructed to guarantee that the guest would never be
disturbed, only that he or she would be guaranteed sole
occupancy of the assigned quarters. Prior to the laws being
enacted, it was common practice.
SAFETY
NATURE OF EMERGENCIES

The two most important aspects of emergencies are that

they are unforeseeable and uncontrollable. Both of these
factors produce unwanted and unanticipated side effects, since
reactions to emergencies by guest and, at times, employees are
equally unanticipated and (sometimes) unwanted. It is therefore
imperative that there be advance planning and that training and
drills be held in combating all types of emergencies.
In order to maintain safe premises, management must be ready
to cope with four types of emergencies;

a) Fire
b) Bomb threats and bombings
c) Natural disasters
d) Riots and civil disturbances.
NATURE OF EMERGENCIES (CONT)
Because property is replaceable but life is not, it is obvious where
most concern must rest. The burden is first to prevent any occurrence
that may bring about one of the aforementioned emergencies. If
prevention
Is impossible, the burden shifts to minimizing 1) risk of death or injury, 2)
property damage.
Because housekeeping are usually in the vicinity of a large number of
guests during daytime hours, it is imperative that they be well trained in
procedures that command confidence in order that they set the best
possible example for guests who may be caught in an emergency. For
example, some housekeeping personnel are afraid of using handheld
extinguishers because of the noise generated and the cloud of white
smoke created when activated. Such fears require training and drill to
quell. Drills should be regular and should not be concealed from guests.
Rather, guests should be informed when drills are to take place in order
that those present can see what precautions are taken to deal with
emergencies.
FIRE PROTECTION AND THE HOTEL GUEST

Recently, hotel guests have been bombarded with information about

how safe hotels have become. Although fire protection and prevention and
training have been highly upgraded, the manner in which some guest will
receive and accept the information can be dangerous. Guests are inclined to
let their guard down if or when someone else implies that there is nothing to
worry about. It is not necessary to scare hotel guests into an early departure,
but there is excellent reason to counsel guests gently about what to do in
what-if situations.
An excellent what-if publication was recently created and published by
the James H. Barry Company, San Francisco. This publication may be
customized and made available for hotels to place in guestrooms. It is simple
yet appropriate publication that subtly reminds guest that fire can happen
and, it if does, what they should do.
A great concern for training in the housekeeping department is an
understanding of the panic emotion.
FIRE PROTECTION AND THE HOTEL GUEST

Here are four situations causing the fires and related hotel rule
violations:
1. An intoxicated smoker in bed set a mattress on fire. Violation: Renting a
room to an intoxicated guest without taking away all smoking materials.
2. Late-night fire in a satellite linen room. Violation: Failing to dispose of
trash properly at the end of the work day and leaving a service door
unlocked.
3. Late-night fire deliberately set in an elevator. Violation: Leaving a
known safe environment when a fire is reported without protecting your
ability to retrace your path.
4. A television exploded within a guestroom. Violation: Leaving a
television in operation in a vacant room.
KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SMOKE AND FIRE AS A FOUNDATION
FOR TRAINING PROGRAMS

Contrary to what has been seen on television or in the

movies, fire is not likely to chase people down and burn them to
death. It is almost always the by-products of fire that kill. Smoke
and panic will more likely be the cause of death long before a
fire arrives, if it ever does. It is most important that all
employees, especially housekeeping employees, be drilled
about the effects of smoke and be taught how to avoid smoke
and panic in order to set a proper example for guests.
There are articles about fire prevention and safety available
through the local fire department. This agency can provide the
latest state-of-the-art information to support training programs
in fire protection in hotels.
Fire drills should be conducted and should include but not be
limited to, the following;
1. Demonstration of blindfolded employees leaving a hotel
from any known point within the hotel.
2. Demonstration of proper action when there is reduced
visibility in a hotel hallway due to smoke.
3. Under the supervision of local fire department personnel,
demonstration of the use of hand-held extinguishers to put
out an actual preset fire (Fires set in a trash can in the hotel
parking lot can usually provide insights about employee
behavior when using these extinguishers.)
4. Showing any of the numerous films available from local fire
prevention agencies for housekeeping employees.
5. Making demonstrated knowledge about fire protection and
the use of fire equipment a part of performance appraisal.
METHAMPHETAMINE LABORATORIES

Methamphetamine laboratories (meth labs) are simple to

build, and the supplies are easy to obtain and very inexpensive.
Best of all for the aspiring drug lord, the profits are enormous.
The only problem is that the process of cooking is extremely
hazardous. The chemicals are highly flammable and even
explosive. Some of the by-products are so toxic that when a
laboratory is discovered, the cleanup team arrives in HazMat
protective gear. One of the possible by-products of a Red P lab
is phosgene gas the same gas that was used to gas the troops
in World War I.
BOMB THREATS

The hotel personnel who will be involved during a bomb

threat will probably be the PBX department and hotel
management, along with the fire or police department. Whether
a hotel should be evacuated is the decision of the on-scene
commander, who is usually a member of the local police or fire
department. The decision as to who will order an evacuation is
not made on the spur of the moment. It is usually prearranged
that the on-scene commander will order any evacuation that is
considered necessary.
NATURAL DISASTERS

Floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and sometime high

temperatures and snowstorms are natural disasters has its own
set of rules. When such event happens hotels tend to empty,
whereas others fill up, depends on the location and type of
problem.
RIOTS AND CIVIL DISTURBANCES

Civil disturbances may originate in the hotel or start miles

away and drift into the hotel. People an unruly crowd at a
football game may return to their accommodations and
continue their unruliness. Housekeeping personnel should be
exposed to possibilities that such events could take place and
should be trained in techniques that will calm unruly people.
THE SPECTOR OF TERRORISM
Most hotels will never experience a terrorist attack. Terrorists tend to select
high-profile targets that will produce the most publicity and, correspondingly,
public fear. However, some hotel, are on the terrorists list of possible soft
targets because of their symbolism. The world has witnessed attacks on hotels
around the world including the JW Marriott in Jakarta, a hotel identified as a
symbol of US imperialism by Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), an organization allegedly
affiliated with al-Queda. The Marriott Hotel bombing occurred on August 5, 2003,
in Setiabudi, South Jakarta, Indonesia. A suicide bomber detonated a car bomb
outside the lobby of the JW Marriott Hotel, killing 12 people and injuring 150.
The housekeeping department, along with all departments in the hotel,
should be constantly on guard for suspicious activities. The departments major
role is to act as the eyes and ears of the hotel and immediately report any out-of-
the-ordinary behavior on the part of employees or guests, including the
discovery of unusual equipment in the guestrooms and packages or luggage in
public areas.
In the case of an attack, there should be an emergency plan in place with a
well-defined role for the housekeeping department. Training of all personnel
must be in place if the plan is to succeed.