Hotel Engineering Notes-Water

WATER

Water (H₂O) is the most abundant compound on Earth's surface, covering about 70%. In nature, it exists in liquid, solid, and gaseous states. It is in dynamic equilibrium between the liquid and gas states at standard temperature and pressure. At room temperature, it is a tasteless and odorless liquid, nearly colorless with a hint of blue. Many substances dissolve in water and it is commonly referred to as the universal solvent. Because of this, water in nature and in use is rarely pure and some of its properties may vary slightly from those of the pure substance. However, there are also many compounds that are essentially, if not completely, insoluble in water. Water is the only common substance found naturally in all three common states of matter and it is essential for all life on Earth. Water usually makes up 55% to 78% of the human body.

Requirement of water in hotels:

A typical hotel water audit consumption:

Kitchen	Cold Room	Laundry	Steam Gen.	Public Toilet	Pool	Guest Room	HVAC
21%	6%	12%	4%	17%	2%	37%	1%

Importance of water in hotel industry:

For the existence and survival of human life, water is an essential commodity, next only to air. It is essential for life, health and sanitation. It is the principal raw material for food production. It is needed for drinking, bathing, washing body and clothes, washing floors, flushing of WC, gardening, vehicles and road washing,

fountains, air-conditioning, swimming pools, air coolers, brewing, cleaning, fire fighting etc.

	Water requirement in hotels is 180ltrs/bed/day approx. Water for restaurants is 70 ltrs/seat/day approx. Water for gardening is 17000-35000 ltrs/day/hectare.

 

Sources of water supply:

The main source of water supply is rainfall. Rain, snow, hail and sleet are precipitated upon the surface of the earth as meteorological water and may be considered as the original source of all the water supplied. This water gets collected in catchment areas like rivers, lakes etc. from where this water after getting proper filtration treatment by municipal corporation / water supply department / public health engg. department, is distributed for human consumption. The other source of water is underground water. Water, as source of drinking water, occurs as surface water and

ground water. Three aspects should be considered in appraising water resources e.g., the quantity, the quality, and the

reliability of available water. Surface water accumulates mainly as a result of direct runoff from precipitation (rain or snow). Precipitation that does not enter the ground through infiltration or is not returned to the atmosphere by evaporation, flows over the ground surface as direct runoff. Direct runoff is water that drains from saturated or impermeable surfaces, into stream. The rainwater that has percolated into the ground is brought to the surface for our needs. This water replenishes the soil moisture, or is used by growing plants and returned to the atmosphere by transpiration. Water that drains downward (percolates) below the root zone finally reaches a level at which all the openings or voids in the earth's materials are filled with water. This zone is called the zone of saturation. The water in the zone of saturation is called the ground water. The upper level of water in the ground is called ground water level /table. For bringing underground water to the surface, wells are to be dug. A ground well is defined as an artificial hole / pit in the ground for the purpose of tapping ground water. The various types of wells are: a) Shallow wells, b) Deep wells, c) Tube wells, d) Artesian wells. A well that penetrates the water table can be used to extract water from the ground basin.

The extraction of ground water is mainly by:

1. Dug well with or without retaining walls

2. Dug cum bore wells

3. Cavity Bore

4. Radial collector wells

5. Infiltration galleries

6. Tube-wells & bore wells.

Ground water that flows naturally from the ground is called a Spring.

	A tube well is a type of water well in which a long 100–200 mm (5 to 8 inch) wide stainless steel tube or pipe is bored into the underground aquifer. The lower end is fitted with a strainer, and a pump at the top lifts water for irrigation. The required depth of the well depends on the depth of the water table. An artesian well allows water that has travelled through porous rock from a higher elevation to rise to the surface. This pumpless well seems to defy gravity because the pressure that builds up between layers of rock gets relieved when the water finds a path to the open air. For nearly a thousand years, people have drilled wells to drink this cold, filtered water that doesn't need to be hauled up from the depths.
		Rain Water Harvesting: The areas which have a fair amount of natural rainfall, but do not have geographical conditions to absorb and impound the rain water, should have rain water harvesting system. Here the natural rain water is channelised into the sub-soil near the bore-wells / tube-wells, so that the ground water level rises and these wells do not dry up in summer season.

 

Water Quality:

When toxic substances enter lakes, streams, rivers, oceans, and other water bodies, they get dissolved or lie suspended in water or get deposited on the bed. This results in the pollution of water whereby the quality of the water deteriorates, affecting aquatic ecosystems. Pollutants can also seep down and affect the groundwater deposits.

Raw water obtained from lakes etc.  is not potable and has many defects. These can be:

>>           Volatile and oxidizable impurities

>>           High salt content

>>           Corrosivity and scale formation

>>           Acidic content

>>           Hardness

>>           Bacterial contamination

>>           Odour and foul taste

>>           Suspended impurities

>>           Dissolved impurities

Soft:	0–60 mg/L
Moderately hard:	61–120 mg/L
Hard:	121–180 mg/L
Very hard:	≥181 mg/L

Hard water is water that has high mineral content (in contrast with soft water). Hard water has high concentrations of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions. Hard water is generally not harmful to one's health but can pose serious problems in industrial settings, where water hardness is monitored to avoid costly breakdowns in boilers, cooling towers, and other equipment that handles water. In domestic settings, the hardness of water is often indicated by the non-formation of suds when soap is agitated in the water sample.Hard water interferes with almost every cleaning task from laundering and dishwashing to bathing and personal grooming. Clothes laundered in hard water may look dingy and feel harsh and scratchy. Dishes and glasses may be spotted when dry. Hard water may cause a film on glass shower doors, shower walls, bathtubs, sinks, faucets, etc. Hair washed in hard water may feel sticky and look dull. Water flow in pipes may be reduced by deposits due to hardness. Hardness can be quantified by instrumental analysis. The total water hardness, including both Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions, is reported in parts per million (ppm) or mass/volume (mg/L) of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) in the water. Although water hardness usually measures only the total concentrations of calcium and magnesium (the two most prevalent divalent metal ions), iron, aluminium, and manganese can also be present at elevated levels in some locations. The presence of iron characteristically confers a brownish (rust-like) colour to the calcification, instead of white (the color of most of the other compounds).

For the reasons discussed above, it is often desirable to soften hard water. Most detergents contain ingredients that counteract the effects of hard water on the surfactants. For this reason, water softening is often unnecessary. Where softening is practiced, it is often recommended to soften only the water sent to domestic hot water systems so as to prevent or delay inefficiencies and damage due to scale formation in water heaters. A common method for water softening involves the use of ion exchange resins, which replace ions like Ca²⁺ by twice the number of monocations such as sodium or potassium ions. There are two ways to help control water hardness: use a packaged water softener or use a mechanical water softening unit. Packaged water softeners are chemicals that help control water hardness. They fall into two categories: precipitating and non-precipitating.

Precipitating water softeners include washing soda and borax. These products form an insoluble precipitate with calcium and magnesium ions. The mineral ions then cannot interfere with cleaning efficiency, but the precipitate makes water cloudy and can build up on surfaces. Precipitating water softeners increase alkalinity of the cleaning solution and this may damage skin and other materials being cleaned.

Non-precipitating water softeners use complex phosphates to sequester calcium and magnesium ions.  There is no precipitate to form deposits and alkalinity is not increased. If used in enough quantity, non-precipitating water softeners will help dissolve soap curd for a period of time.

Mechanical water softening units can be permanently installed into the plumbing system to continuously remove calcium and magnesium.  Water softeners operate on the ion exchange process. In this process, water passes through a media bed, usually sulfonated polystyrene beads. The beads are supersaturated with sodium. The ion exchange process takes place as hard water passes through the softening material. The hardness minerals attach themselves to the resin beads while sodium on the resin beads is released simultaneously into the water. When the resin becomes saturated with calcium and magnesium, it must be recharged. The recharging is done by passing a salt (brine) solution through the resin. The sodium replaces the calcium and magnesium which are discharged in the waste water.

Water conservation in hotels:

Hotel Areas for Water Conservation

Cooling Towers, Laundry facilities, Guest Rooms, Toilets/urinals, Showers, Sinks, Laundry needs, Swimming Pools & Spas, Restaurants, Landscaping.

Guest Rooms

Low-volume toilets use 6 ltr per flush (lpf) or less; Dual flush toilets 3.6 lpf or less; Toilet leak repair schedule (deterioration of rubber and thermoplastics from chloramines); Low-volume showerheads use a maximum of 10 lpm (@80 psi); Low-volume bath faucet use a maximum of 10 pm (@80 psi).

Laundry:  wastewater recovery and recycling system options.

Water cooled Icemakers are inefficient unless the refrigeration system recirculates the cooling water.

Swimming Pool: An average uncovered outdoor pool loses about an inch of water a week during the summer because of evaporation! Other losses are: Splashing; Filter Backwashing; and Leaks.

Restaurant Areas for Water Conservation:  Faucet maintenance; Hands-free controls; Presoak instead of running water;

Automatic shut-off for bar sinks; Reduce flows to minimum in wells and troughs; Turn off continuous flows (drain trays); On-demand, point-of-use hot water dispensers; Promptly repair leaks and malfunctioning equipment; Eliminate thawing frozen food with water unless required by law; Avoid running water to melt ice in sink strainers; Wash-down hoses can be

retrofitted with a throttling valve; Use full loads in sanitizers, sterilizers, dishwashers, and washing machines; Replace worn-out fixtures and appliances with water-saving models; Use minimum wares to reduce dishwashing loads; Provide water conservation signs for staff and customers! Water used in hot food buffet tables can be reused for floor cleaning!

Linens: Even if you have linens washed by a commercial laundry – water is being used somewhere! Only wash what you need to wash. Disposables may be an option during the drought!

Point-of-Use Hot Water Demand Units: Hot water supplied to certain faucets, showerheads, and tubs is sometimes used

inefficiently because of heat losses that occur when hot water pipes are poorly insulated or water must travel through long lateral lines to the user. Instantaneous hot water demand unit may prevent this loss!

Landscaping:  Native and Low-Water-Use Turf and Plants; Re-direct condensate to landscape; Electronic Irrigation System Controllers; Rainfall Shutoff Devices; Soil Moisture Sensors; Drip Irrigation; High Level of Maintenance!

Rain Barrels – Cisterns:  A 1000-square-foot roof can collect 150 gallons of water during a quarter-inch rain. Landscapes can be graded to create depressions to catch runoff for redirection to lawn. Cistern water can be used in cooling towers; plant watering; fountains, etc.

Bureau of Indian Standards  IS 10500 : 1991

Some Characteristics For Drinking Water

Parameters	Desirable limits	Permissible limit
Colour Hazen Unit	5	25
Odour	Unobjectionable
Turbidity NTU	5	10
pH	6.5 – 8.5	6.5 –8.5
Hardness (as CaCO3) mg / ltr	300	600
Chloride (as CaCO3) mg / ltr	250	1000
Total Dissolved Solid TDS mg/ltr	500	2000
Calcium (as Ca) mg/l,	75	200
Fluoride (as F) mg/l,	1.0	1.5
Magnesium (as Mg), mg/l,	30	100

Water Distribution Systems in hotels: These are

I) Gravity Systems: It is useful when the source of water supply is situated at a higher level than the distribution area. The water is conveyed through pipes by gravity. Distribution reservoirs / tanks are provided in the distribution system to store clean treated water before it is taken for use by consumers. These reservoirs may be constructed by brick masonary, cement concrete or RCC. Reservoirs may be Surface reservoirs or Elevated reservoirs.

II) Pumping Systems: Water is directly pumped into the mains leading to the consumers. The disadvantage here is that in case of power failure, the total water distribution system collapses.

III) Gravity & Pumping combined: The treated water is pumped and stored in elevated reservoirs and distributed through pipes by gravity. Here the advantage is that even if power fails, water supply is maintained by gravity.

Waste water drainage systems:

Sludge and Rain / Storm water drains: i) Street drains placed alongside the road kerbs, discharging into the main sewer.    ii) Soak pits in permeable ground. iii) Surface water drains connected to main sewer through a sediment chamber. iv) They are less hygienic as they are open and exposed to atmosphere. v) They should be laid at a gradient / slope for easy flow.

Sanitary Fittings and accessories:

These are appliances used in a hotel building plumbing system to receive human excreta and waste water from bathrooms, kitchens of the buildings.

Water Closet: (WC)  (Also called Flush Toilet) This is a water flushed plumbing system fixture designed to receive the human excreta directly and is connected to the soil pipe by means of a Trap. (Trap is a downward looped section of pipe of U-shape, in the lower part of which remains a quantity of water, acting as a seal for foul smelling gas).

A flush toilet is a toilet that disposes of human waste by using water to flush it through a drainpipe to another location. Flushing mechanisms are found more often on western toilets (used in the sitting position), but many squat toilets also are made for automated flushing. Modern toilets incorporate an 'S','U', 'J', or 'P' shaped bend that causes the water in the toilet bowl to collect and act as a seal against sewer gases. Since flush toilets are typically not designed to handle waste on site, their drain pipes must be connected to waste conveyance and waste treatment systems. A flush toilet may be euphemistically called a lavatory, a loo, a john or a water closet, abbreviated to "W.C."

 Figure of a Trap

Trap: Because of its shape, the trap retains a small amount of water after the fixture's use. This water in the trap creates a seal that prevents sewer gas from passing from the drain pipes back into the occupied space of the building. Essentially all plumbing fixtures including sinks, bathtubs, and toilets must be equipped with either an internal or external trap.

Flushing Cisterns: The flushing cistern of a water closet is a device which releases a fixed quantity of water under pressure so as to flush and clean the pan and trap of the toilet. There are two types of flushing cisterns: a) High Level Cistern : Made of cast iron minimum height 2.25 mtr. Bell Type. Now a days made of plastic / PVC with fibre glass reinforcement for greater strength. These are operated by pulling action of chain. The discharge capacities are 5, 10 & 15 litres. They should discharge at an average rate of 5 litres in 3 secs.  b) Bell Type cisterns: These are siphonic types consisting of a C.I. tank of 10 to 15 litres, provided with a central outlet stand pipe covered by bell shaped C.I. vessel. This bell is connected to a chain through a lever arm arrangement. When the chain is pulled the bell receives a jerk and splashes some water down the central pipe. This water takes some air alongwith it and a partial vacuum is created at the top of the bell (at its crown). This starts the siphonic action and all water inside the cistern is sucked rapidly through the large opening at the base of the bell. The emptying action takes only a few seconds causing a powerful flush in the water closet. This cistern is supplied with water through a float ball valve arrangement so that the water inlet closes when the cistern is full.

                                               

Hotel Engineering Notes- SECURITY IN HOTELS

                                                SECURITY IN HOTELS

Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. A definition of security as "a form of protection where a separation is created between the assets and the threat". Security has to be compared to related concepts: safety, continuity, reliability. The key difference between security and reliability is that security must take into account the actions of people attempting to cause destruction.

Security concepts

Certain concepts recur throughout different fields of security:

Assurance - assurance is the level of guarantee that a security system will behave as expected.

Countermeasure - a countermeasure is a way to stop a threat from triggering a risk event.

Defense in depth - never rely on one single security measure alone.

Exploit - a vulnerability that has been triggered by a threat - a risk of 1.0 (100%)

Risk - a risk is a possible event which could cause a loss.

Threat - a threat is a method of triggering a risk event that is dangerous.

Vulnerability - a weakness in a target that can potentially be exploited by a threat security.

Security measures are formulated to safeguard the normal business operations of the hotel industry to ensure the safety of the lives and belongings of guests and to maintain public security.

All restaurants, hotels, guest houses, hostels. passenger and cargo stop-over stations, inns, public bath houses, etc. (hereinafter referred to as hotels), which provide accommodation to guests shall comply with these measures, regardless of whether they are State operated, collectively operated, partnership operated, individually operated.

When setting up a hotel, the construction of its rooms, fire-fighting equipment, entrances, exits and thoroughfares, etc., shall all comply with the relevant provisions of the country’s regulations.

All hotels shall make appropriate arrangements to look after property left behind by a guest. If unable to be returned to the original owner or not claimed within three months of announcing the finding of lost property, a list of the goods shall be compiled and registered and sent to the local public security organ for handling as lost property. Contraband and questionable goods shall be reported promptly to the public security organ for handling.

If hotel personnel discover someone violating the law, behaving suspiciously or an offender wanted by the public security organs, the matter shall be reported immediately to the local public security organ. Concealing knowledge of a case or harbouring an offender shall not be permitted.

Equipment for security:

Security equipment can be roughly divided into two types: equipments that prevents (or attempts to prevent) unauthorized access to an area and equipment that detects the presence of unauthorized people. The first classification refers to locks or locking systems. Rather than depend on permanent, unchangeable, metal keys, many hospitality facilities now use either computer-coded plastic cards or push button devices encoded with different combinations whenever a new guest checks in. The combination may be set at random or by the guest himself. The second classification refers to sensors of various types that identify an event and transmit a signal for appropriate action to be taken. These can be photo-beam sensors, proximity sensors, heat sensors, RFID chips etc.

A wireless sensor network (WSN) consists of spatially distributed autonomous sensors to monitor physical or environmental conditions, such as temperature, sound, vibration, pressure, motion or pollutants and to cooperatively pass their data through the network to a main location. The more modern networks are bi-directional, enabling also to control the activity of the sensors. The development of wireless sensor networks was motivated by military applications such as battlefield surveillance; today such networks are used in many industrial and consumer applications, such as industrial process monitoring and control, machine health monitoring, and so on.

Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner. With respect to hotel industry, it most usually refers to observation of individuals or groups movement. The word surveillance may be applied to observation from a distance by means of electronic equipment (such as CCTV cameras), or interception of electronically transmitted information (such as Internet traffic or phone calls). It may also refer to simple, relatively no- or low-technology methods such as human intelligence agents and postal interception.

Hotel Association of India Guidelines (2008)

The guidelines framed by the Hotel Association of India for proper security measures in hotels and hospitality sector, have the following broad parameters.

1. External Access Control: Limiting Access / Entry Points to the hotel premises (provision of CCTV cameras),

2. Perimeter Security:  Road barriers, Checking cars  and boot space with mirrors, CCTV installation, Patrolling

3. Material Access Control: Guest baggage check, Material Supply checks

4. People Access Control: Walk in guests check, Guest profiling, Employee Verification, Visitor Management.

5. Internal Access Control: Restriction on movement in prohibited parts of hotel, Use of proximity cards and magnetic interlocks, Entrance to boiler room, Computer room, Control room, Switch board room, Lift usage to be monitored.

6. Other Measures: Room key scanners, Trash management

7. Crisis Management Plan: Emergency action plan to be ready, Trained and motivated staff, Information system in emergent conditions to prevent rumours.

8. Liasion with Local administration: Nodal officer to coordinate with local administration for support, Intelligence sharing.

Hotel Engineering Notes-SAFETY

                                                           SAFETY

In the fast-paced environment of hotels and

restaurants, a common attitude is that accidents are inevitable and a part of doing business. But injuries mean losses. Lost money, lost time, and lost productivity. And more importantly, they mean that workers and their families suffer pain and have their lives disrupted. If accidents are prevented, the savings can be significant — less overtime, less retraining, and less time spent investigating accidents, to name a few. The other benefits are also rewarding — morale improves and workers feel valued.

Some causes of accidents Overexertion — 27 percent of time-loss claims. These are injuries resulting from the application of force to an object or person — such as lifting, pushing, pulling, and carrying. Being struck by an object — 16 percent. With this type of accident, the worker is injured by a moving object such as equipment and tools. Falls on the same level — 14 percent (e.g., slips). Falls from elevations or heights — 10 percent.

 

Safety tips for preventing common accidents

Following are some safety tips for preventing accidents that commonly occur in the hotel and restaurant industries. Safety tips are included on:

• Cuts • Knives • Slips and falls • Floors • Stairways • Storage areas • Burns and scalds • Ladders

 

Cuts: These can occur from: • Knives • Furniture • Equipment • Counters • Utensils • Glassware • Preparation areas • Dishes • Cleaning equipment

Do

Do not

• Throw away broken or chipped glassware. • Use a cutting board for safe cutting and chopping. • Lock out or disconnect the power source before cleaning equipment such as meat slicers. • Make sure that you receive proper training in operating equipment and safe job procedures. • Consult the manufacturer’s instruction manual for operating, cleaning, and maintaining the equipment. • Make sure that cutting blades are sharp. • After cleaning, make sure that all guards and safety devices are put back in place. • Place a warning tag on defective and unsafe equipment and do not re-start the equipment. Inform your supervisor.

• Do not operate equipment if you feel unwell or drowsy. (Remember, some cold remedies can make people feel sleepy.) • Do not place hands near the edge of cutting blades. Make sure you can always see both hands (and all fingers) and the cutting blades. • Do not try to catch falling objects. • Do not try to clean or "just brush something off" a moving part such as cutting blades or beaters in mixers. • Do not push or place your hand in feed hoppers or delivery chutes. Use food pushers. • Do not try to cut anything in a slicer that becomes too thin. Use a knife to finish cutting. • Do not wear loose or frayed clothing, gloves, or jewellery that can be caught in a moving machine.

Knives:   Potential injuries: cuts and amputation.

Do

Do not

• Use the right knife for the job. • Always use a proper chopping board or block. • Make sure the knife is sharp. • Carry only one knife at a time, tip pointed down at your side. • Store knives securely in proper racks in a visible place. • Hold the knife with your stronger hand. • Cut away from your body when cutting, trimming, or boning. • When not using knives, place them at the back, with the sharp edge away from you. • After using a knife, clean it immediately or place it in a dishwasher. • Use protective clothing such as mesh gloves.

• Do not leave a knife in dishwater. • Do not use a knife as a can opener. • Do not try to catch a falling knife. Let it fall and then pick it up. • Do not engage in horseplay with a knife in your hand. • Do not carry knives while carrying other objects. • Do not carry a knife in your pocket. • Do not leave knives where they could be accidentally covered. • Do not talk to your co-workers while you are using a knife — you could become distracted.

Slips and falls: Slips and falls can occur from: • Slippery and cluttered floors and stairs • Loose or bumpy carpets and floor mats • Defective ladders and footstools • Poor visibility

Do

Do not

• Keep floors and stairs clean, dry, and non-slippery. • Keep floors and stairs clear of debris and obstruction. • Use slip-resistant waxes to polish and treat floors. • Make sure that carpeting, rugs, and mats are free of holes, loose threads, loose edges, and bumps that may cause tripping. • Use adequate warning signs for wet floors and other hazards. • Make sure that wooden duckboards and railings are in good repair and free of splinters. • Make sure that ladders and footstools are in good repair and have non-skid feet. • If possible, immediately remove or clean up any tripping or slipping hazard you notice. If it’s not possible to take care of the hazard yourself, report it immediately to your supervisor.

• Do not use defective ladders or footstools. • Do not use chairs, stools, or boxes as substitutes for ladders. • Do not leave oven, dishwasher, or cupboard doors open. These may present a tripping hazard for you or your co-workers.

Floors:  Potential accidents: slips and falls.

Do

Do not

• Make sure that walking surfaces are uncluttered, non-slippery, clean, and adequately lighted. • If you drop or spill something, clean it up immediately. • Mop floors with the recommended amount of cleaning product in the water, or cleaning fluid, to ensure grease and other slippery substances are removed. • Make sure floors are free from trip hazards such as raised or broken sections. • Treat floors with slip-resistant products if the floors must be waxed. • Place wet floor warning signs to prevent people from slipping. • Use non-slip mats and floor finishes. • Replace doormats regularly. • Walk — don’t run. • Mark swinging doors with in and out signs.

• Do not leave carts, boxes, trash cans, or other objects on the floors and in the aisles.

Proper footwear prevents injuries • Wear footwear that is closed at the toe and without a pattern of holes. • Wear shoes that protect against spilled liquids, including hot ones. • Wear slip-resistant shoes. For wet surfaces, the sole should have a well-defined pattern as more edges will provide a better grip. • Don’t wear shoes that are dirty or worn out as this affects their slip-resistance. To preserve your shoes, leave them at work and wear other shoes to and from work. • Wear shoes with low or no heels. • Wear shoes or boots with internal steel toe caps if you lift and carry heavy objects

 

Stairways:  Potential accidents: slips and falls.

Do	Do not
• Ensure that stairways are well lit. • Keep stairs clear of obstructions. • Use handrails. • When carrying a load up and down stairs, make sure that the load does not block your vision. • Report tripping hazards to your supervisor and place warning signs.	• Do not store boxes and supplies on the stairs. • Do not throw things up or down stairways. • Do not switch off lights in the stairways.

Storage Areas:  Potential hazards: collapse of stored goods; slipping and tripping.

Do

Do not

• Make sure the shelves are firmly secured in place against walls and on the floor. • Ensure adequate lighting. • Store chemicals, detergents, and pesticides in a separate area away from foodstuff. • Ensure that chemicals that are notcompatible with each other are not stored together. (Check the material safety data sheet.) • Store heavy items on lower shelves, particularly when cartons contain fluids. • Use bins and racks as much as possible. • Leave adequate clearance space between the top of the stored goods and the ceiling in areas protected by a sprinkler

• Do not block passages in the storage area. • Do not stack loose items on the top shelves. • Do not overload shelving units. • Do not store cardboard cartons in damp areas. • Do not overstock.

Ladders:  Potential accidents: falls from portable ladders; splinters; slipping.

Do

Do not

• Inspect a ladder before and after each use. • Reject a ladder if it has loose, broken, or missing rungs; loose hinges; or loose or missing screws or bolts. • Reject and tag defective ladders. Have defective ladders repaired or thrown out. • Use a ladder designed for your task. Consider its strength and type. (eg. insulated ladder for electrical work) • Set up barricades and warning signs when using a ladder in a doorway or passageway. • Clean muddy or slippery footwear before mounting a ladder. • Face the ladder when going up or down and when working from it. • Keep the centre of your body within the side rails. • Place ladder feet 30 cm (1 ft.) from the wall for every 1 m (3 ft.) of height. • Extend the ladder at least 1 m (3 ft.) above the landing platform. • Locate the ladder on a firm footing using slip-resistant feet or secure blocking, or have someone hold the ladder. • Rest both side rails on a top support, and secure the ladder to prevent slipping. • Use a three-point stance, keeping both feet and at least one hand on the ladder at all times.

• Do not use ladder in a horizontal position as a scaffold plank or runway. • Do not carry objects in your hands while on a ladder. Hoist materials or attach tools to a belt. • Do not work from the top two rungs. The higher you go on a ladder, the greater the possibility that the ladder will slip out at the base. • Do not use makeshift items such as a chair, barrel, milk crate, or boxes as ladders.

Burns and scalds:  Burns and scalds can occur from: • Stoves • Toasters • Ovens • Boiling hot liquid • Hot utensils

• Pressure cookers • Cooking pots • Hot dishwashers

Do

Do not

• Assume that all pots and pans and metal handles are hot. Touch them only when you are sure that they are not hot or when you are using proper gloves. • Organize your work area to prevent contact with hot objects and flames. • Keep pot handles away from hot burners. • Make sure that handles of pots and pans do not stick out from the counter or cooking stove. • Use oven mitts appropriate for handling hot objects. Use long gloves for deep ovens. • Follow electric and fire safety guidelines. • Follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions. • Use only recommended temperature settings for each type of cooking. • Open hot water and hot liquid faucets slowly to avoid splashes. • Lift lids by opening away from you. • Wear long-sleeved cotton shirts and cotton pants. • Report problems to your supervisor.

• Do not overfill pots and pans. • Do not leave metal spoons in pots and pans while cooking. • Do not spill water in hot oil. • Do not overstretch over a stove, grill, or other hot area in order to reach an uncomfortable distance. • Do not use a wet cloth to lift lids from hot pots. • Do not open cookers and steam ovens that are under pressure. • Do not lean over pots of boiling liquids. • Do not leave a hot electric element or gas flame of stove "on" all the time.

Preventing overexertion accidents:  Risk factors

The key to preventing injuries is to reduce or eliminate the risk factors contributing to the injuries. Workplace factors associated with overexertion accidents to the back include:

• Awkward back posture held for a period of time or repeated due to poor working heights and reaches. Examples include

reaching for linen or supplies located on high shelves.

• Heavy or frequent lifting, pushing, pulling, and carrying. For example, lifting and carrying bulk food containers.

• Prolonged sitting or standing. Examples include:

- Sitting — front office staff working on computers

- Standing — a restaurant worker whose duties consist of greeting customers and working the cash•

- Whole body vibration. For example, delivery truck drivers.

The time to complete a task, how often it is repeated, and the worker’s perception about time pressures can also influence workplace risk factors.

How to reduce overexertion accidents:

Reducing risks need not be a complicated process. Following are examples of solutions in hotel and restaurant industries:

• Store heavier or frequently used items at a height between workers’ hips and chest to reduce awkward postures when

handling these items.

• Place smaller loads in laundry washing machines to reduce tangling and the subsequent heavy pulling needed to remove the laundry from the washer.

• Use laundry carts with spring-loaded bottoms that rise as the cart is unloaded. This reduces repetitive, awkward bending.

• Install platforms at the base of laundry chutes to eliminate repetitive bending and lifting from the floor while sorting laundry.

• Use long-handled tools to reach the walls and tub when cleaning showers to decrease reaching and stooping.

• Ask a co-worker for help when moving heavy furniture. Employers should set a policy to give guidance in these situations.

• Ensure cleaning products and equipment are efficient and do not require extra force to use. For example, use a window

cleaner that doesn’t streak to reduce the number of wiping motions, or use a cleanser that removes dirt and grime with one swipe.

• Use smaller banquet trays to lighten loads and to make them easier to handle.

• Store clean plates on spring-loaded dollies to reduce repetitive bending.

• Use carts to move heavy products from storage coolers and freezers.

• Don’t store heavy items in small, confined areas where the worker may not be able to use safe lifting techniques.

• Design or alter “pass through” windows in restaurants to reduce the risk of back injury. If they are too high or too deep, workers are forced to use long reaches and awkward postures to pick up orders.

• Lower storage racks at dishwasher stations to minimize awkward lifting and reaching. Lowering the racks or using a sturdy step stool can help to reduce the height of the lift.

• Add a footrest or matting to a hostess counter to give some relief from prolonged standing.

• Reduce risks through organizing work differently. For example, room attendants could unload laundry from their carts more often to lighten the loads they handle and to reduce the amount of pushing needed to move the cart.

• Train and supervise workers in safe work practices that have been developed to reduce their exposure to risk factors.

BAD WORKING HABITS: Some common working habits that can be identified in catering situations as safety hazards are as below:

#- Habit of lighting cooking gas ranges without placing anything on the burner for cooking.

#- Habit of keeping electric switches “ON” while dismantling an equipment for cleaning or repair.

#- Placing knives and other sharp kitchen tools in the sink for washing, along with other equipment can cause cuts.

#- Not wiping the spillages immediately can result in slips and falls

#- The tendency to dispose of broken glass pieces along with other wastes can cause cuts.

#- Inserting loose wires into electric sockets, especially with moist hands can result in fatal shock.

#- Replacing hot electric bulbs immediately upon fusing, can cause burns on the hand.

#- Lifting lids off hot pans suddenly poses threat of getting burns through hot steam.

      

Preventing exposure to HIV/AIDS, and Hepatitis ‘’B and ‘C’ at work:

Hotel and restaurant workers sometimes find used needles between bedsheets, under beds, in garbage containers, and hidden in washrooms. Sometimes cleaning staff come into contact with condoms when they try to unclog toilets. These items could be contaminated with blood and body fluids infected with tiny organisms that can cause disease in humans. These micro-organisms are known as bloodborne pathogens. The bloodborne pathogens of most concern are the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the Hepatitis B and C viruses. HIV causes the disease AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), and the hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses cause diseases with the same names. Since exposure to blood and certain body fluids may spread these viruses, these diseases are also called bloodborne diseases. Most hotel and restaurant workers won’t ever contact, at work, blood and certain body fluids that can spread HIV and the hepatitis B and C viruses. But even employers and workers in settings where contact with blood and these body fluids is not expected should be aware of some basic precautions because it is possible to become infected with a single exposure incident — that is, harmful contact to infected blood and body fluids. Hepatitis B and C should not be confused with hepatitis A — a food / water borne illness. That means that you can become infected with the hepatitis A virus if you eat food that has been prepared by someone who is infected with the virus. Hepatitis A is primarily a public health concern. Hotel and restaurant owners who would like more information on how to prevent the spread of hepatitis A should contact their local health units.