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Guests protected from filthy hotel rooms by new safety systems
Customers will no longer need to worry about dirty hotel rooms thanks to a new hygiene system devised by health & safety expert Check Safety First. The room hygiene module will regularly assess a number of criteria to ensure that high standards are kept at all times.
Rigorous monthly audits will monitor the cleanliness of surfaces, bedding and bathrooms as well as identifying problems associated with pests. Following the various news stories that emerged last year surrounding bed bug infestations, hoteliers are looking for new ways to avoid similar occurrences in 2012. The room hygiene module will protect a hotel's reputation and offer a defence against fraudulent customer complaints.
Jason Burnett, Technical Director at Check Safety First explains: "2011 was a year when websites such as TripAdvisor wrestled power away from official rating schemes into the hands of consumers. Cases of guests blackmailing hoteliers by threatening to post negative comments about their stay on the internet were rife. The room hygiene module provides a form of due diligence to protect hoteliers from these false claims and keep their reputations intact."
The main advantage of the system is that it allows users to monitor the effectiveness of their cleaning. This is vital, as hotel rooms with poor hygiene standards can cause specific health risks (mould, bed bugs) and also be a route for transmission of infections (Staphylococcus aureus, E. Coli, Norovirus).
The system is rigorous enough to discover poor hygiene invisible to the naked eye. Forensic techniques such as illuminating stains and other problems via ultraviolet light mean that no hygiene issue is left unidentified.
This is the first module devised by Check Safety First that assesses hygiene outside of kitchens. Establishments that successfully demonstrate and maintain high standards of room hygiene will be listed on www.checksafetyfirst.com - thought to be the only site to provide the public with access to a database of venues that have obtained high standards.
Check Safety First supplies health and safety risk management audit systems to hotels, holiday properties and restaurants around the world.
The company enables these organisations to meet and exceed local and international legislative and best practice requirements for health & safety, through the implementation of HACCP and compliance management systems. Check Safety First also offers training, ongoing assessment and appraisals in accordance with the Cristal Mark, a standard developed in line with the World Health Organisation's guidelines and the benchmark for food safety since its launch in 1997.
In November 2007 the company launched Via Cristal, a health & safety system developed specifically for overseas holiday properties. Based on the best practice principles of the Cristal Mark, Via Cristal enables property owners to mitigate the risk of guests becoming unwell or injured during their time in the accommodation by providing comprehensive health and safety guidelines backed by annual audits.
Check Safety First is a member of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's 'Know Before You Go' campaign and an ABTA Travel partner.
T: +44 (0) 1291 629 863
F: +44(0) 1291 629 627
E: [email protected]
W: www.checksafetyfirst.com
16th February 2012