Reopening guidelines for Accommodation

9th June 2020

Categories: Member News

COVID-19 SECURE

Re-opening your Accommodation and producing your Risk Assessment

This document has been produced in conjunction with the English Riviera BID Company based on DRAFT Government guidelines to help Serviced Accommodation members become COVID Secure if it is possible to do so, and produce a RISK ASSESSMENT for their own business before re-opening.

Final Government guidance will follow (published on the Government’s website here) but this document will allow you to start thinking about your own safety, as well as that of your staff and customers before 4^th July, which, remains a ‘conditional’ date for the Tourism and Hospitality Sector to re-open, subject to emerging medical and clinical advice.

This advice is for serviced accommodation businesses only.  If your business includes other services such as a bar or a restaurant providing evening meals, you will also need to read the appropriate guidelines for that business sector. On request we can share with you the other Guidance details. 

Summary of the guidance

It will be a legal requirement of re-opening that a lead manager has ensured your business demonstrates compliance and understanding of the COVID-19 Secure guidelines by producing a written RISK ASSESSENT document and implementing it.

Every accommodation business will be different and need to think carefully about their own needs and circumstances. 

A Government representative can request to see your Risk Assessment at any time.

Staff Safety

Staff must not come to work if they have symptoms of coronavirus or live in a household where someone has coronavirus. Your staff need to be regularly briefed and offered training to ensure that the guidelines are implemented.

Staff return and fitness to work

Businesses must carry out a return to work conversation, before re-opening, to ensure doing so would keep themselves, their families and other staff safe.  They should also consider their journey to work. 

Hand washing

Proper hand washing continues to be vital to the reduction of transmission and should be done at regular intervals.  Hand sanitiser, if used needs to be anti-viral with a high alcohol content.

Staff protection 

• Frequently touched items in staff areas should be regularly disinfected with staggered timings for break areas
• Disinfect shared items such as keyboards before and after use
• Maintain social distancing at lunch or smoking breaks

• Uniforms should be washed at temperatures above 60°C 

PPE

Provision and use of protective clothing and equipment for staff will be entirely compliant and in line with Government and PHE guidance. We understand there are publicised issues of PPE stock, to help you find materials we have worked with TDA to find a local supplier. Edmundson Torquay has excellent stock levels of sanitiser, masks and cleaning products, as well as having good stock of Perspex screens. The Company has the Royal Warrant to supply the Crown and is also a supplier to the NHS. The Company are very supportive and will prioritise English Riviera tourism and hospitality businesses orders. To find out more and to discuss your requirements in the first instance please visit http://www.edmundson-electrical.co.uk/ and contact David Martini, david.martini@eel.co.uk, mobile 07956 492480.

Training

Training should be given to ensure that all staff understand the new risks.  This need not take long but should include details on 2m social distancing, routes of transmission and the importance of hand washing and surface disinfection at key times.  All staff should be instructed about not coming to work if they have a fever, new cough or loss of taste or smell. They should stay at home for seven days (or for as long as prevailing guidance dictates).

If staff develop symptoms when at work

• You must have a plan in place for this eventuality.
• They must be sent home and must follow Government ‘stay at home’ guidance.
• Using gloves and a disposable apron, clean and disinfect any touch points that may have been contaminated by the infected person as soon as possible. Wash your hands after removing PPE.

Advice to staff working in hotel kitchens

• As much as possible, social distancing of 2m should be observed which may require planning and rearranging.
• Examples include one person at a time is allowed in the chilled stores or the staff changing room.

Customer safety

To manage expectations, information should be made available to guests via pre-stay communications, as to the additional measures in place regarding Coronavirus.

Reception

• Where appropriate screens between staff and guests must  be used.
• Reduce touch points, collateral and complementary items to a minimum in receptions e.g. leaflets, sweets, pens.
• Increase signage / floor markings so guests know what is expected of them.
• Make sure hand sanitiser is available to staff and guests.
• Social distancing should be observed wherever possible.
• Encourage pre-check in via email and settling bills remotely as opposed to the guest signing documents / using the chip and pin machine.  If essential, staff should step back. Pens and card machines should be disinfected before the next guests, and staff should sanitise their hands.  Promote contactless, discourage cash.
• If staff help guests with luggage, they should maintain the required social distance apart from guests, staff should wash their hands or use a hand sanitiser afterwards.
• Consider central key card deposit box placed in lobby for disinfection or room keys.

Lifts

• Minimise lift usage and have extra signage.
• Lift panels and buttons will be frequently disinfected.
• Hand sanitiser to be made available near to lifts.

Room Service

In-room dining if applicable has advantages in terms of social distancing and to reduce risks of transmission/infection.

• Ensure guests know that staff will not be enter the room. Explain what your process will be including what to do with the tray afterwards.
• Staff must wash hands before and after room service / tray collection.
• If you can, use butlers’ trays which can be left off the floor, or think of other ways to protect the order, for example a small light table, or a folding luggage rack both of which have been disinfected first.
• Staff should knock on the door, leave the tray outside and step away while the guest picks up the tray.
• Avoid any paperwork.  Tips should be done on the bill. Handling cash is a risk.
• Where guests are advised to leave trays outside their doors for collection, a system will be in place to ensure regular, timely collection.
• When trays are picked up, they must be taken to the relevant area and disinfected
• Single use items should be used where possible and disposed of safely afterwards.

Housekeeping

• Hotels may want to review the frequency of room cleaning.
• Housekeepers should wash hands regularly or use hand sanitiser where this is not possible, as there is a risk of contamination/transmission from surfaces, linen and towels.
• Room cleaning shall be undertaken in the absence of the guest, unless it is difficult for the guest to leave the room (e.g. due to mobility constraints) whereupon social distancing shall be observed.
• The frequency of cleaning, requirement for the guest to vacate the room and any other relevant criteria shall be communicated appropriately, including in pre-arrival communications.
• Hand contact surfaces should be disinfected. Make a check list of all the touch points which could include, but is not limited to, remote controls, light switches, handles and hair dryers.
• Room collateral should be kept to a minimum.
• Glasses and crockery should be removed and washed in a dishwasher not the room sink.

Air Conditioning
Consider air filtration – review latest WHO guidance, keep spaces and rooms well-ventilated

• Where possible and appropriate, natural ventilation solutions to be applied.

Transportation of Guests
 

• Provide sanitiser dispensers with signage in shuttle bus service
• Vehicle to be disinfected subsequent to each journey
• Amend vehicle capacities to ensure social distancing
• If driver helps guests with luggage, maintain 2m distance where possible and use a hand sanitiser afterwards.

Health clubs/fitness/pools

• Pre-Opening: Train all Spa Managers and Spa Attendants in Infection prevention and control.
• Numbers permitted into a spa/gym will be within safe guidelines and monitored through the day; booking times for staggered spa/pool usage is encouraged.
• Residents encouraged to change in hotel bedrooms to minimise crowding of changing rooms.
• Plastic screen to those reception desks that cannot adopt the required social distance
• Reception to use clicking device to count number of guests/ members allowed at one time.
• Floor markers to assist with distancing around reception desk, lifts and in changing rooms.
• Overshoes to be worn by all guests/ staff at entrance.
• Where feasible, move fitness equipment to achieve a two-metre distance in between. Every other machine should be out of action or removed to maintain distance.
• Increase provision of alcohol-based equipment wipes, sprays, tissues and lidded bins with signage and communication to encourage guests to wipe after each use.
• Treatment rooms sanitised between each client to include all surfaces are wiped, including door handles and chair handles. Spa attendant/ Therapist to be trained in how to do this.
• Chlorine use as normal in pools.
• Relaxation areas - all sweet treats to be individually wrapped or removed and disposable products only for tea and coffee facilities.
• PPE worn by Therapist for massage and facials to include protective glasses.
• Manicure areas to have protective plastic shields or clients wear masks for manicure, pedicure and waxing.

Suspected Coronavirus cases at your accommodation business

If a guest presents themselves with symptoms of COVID-19 or is asymptomatic but declares the need to self-isolate, they should be advised to check out and return home to self-isolate according to current government guidance.  If the guest shows acute symptoms, has breathing difficulties or their life is at potential risk, seek medical help immediately.

Where a guest is UNABLE to check out, then the following guidelines must be followed:

• The guest must stay in their room and not visit any public spaces
• Arrangements should be made for meals / food to be provided to the room as per protocols previously stated or use of local food delivery services.  Food should be served with disposable plates and cutlery, nothing to be returned to the kitchen.
• Arrangements should be made to ensure the guests are able to make requests for service or assistance remotely (e.g. via telephone or text).
• The staff will not provide cleaning or housekeeping services during the stay.  Additional room amenities to be left at the door.
• Provide large rubbish bags for disposal of guest rubbish. Guests should be informed to should keep the rubbish bags in the room (not placed in corridor) until a coordinated time for pick-up is arranged.
• Guests should limit outside visitors to their guest room to medical personnel only.
• The guest should contact hotel management prior to checking out / departure from the hotel to provide an update on their condition.
• If the fire alarm sounds, normal evacuation procedures should be followed, but the guest is to be isolated from other guests at the assembly point.
• Disposable gloves should be used whenever staff come in contact with an item the guest handled.  
• Where possible, provide remote checkout services or other means to avoid the need for the guest to checkout via the reception desk.

Hotel cleaning after a suspected contamination

Bedrooms - do not allow anyone to enter the room for 72 hours to significantly reduce the risk of the virus surviving on surfaces including soft furnishings which can’t be disinfected easily. If you do this, current UK Government guidance is that you can follow normal room cleaning regimes, as detailed above.

HVAC units - at checkout of a suspected guest infection, the HVAC unit filter should be changed, and the old filter bagged and disposed of properly. All vents and louvers should be wiped down and cleaned with a disinfectant. Appropriate protection worn throughout.

If you can’t keep the room unoccupied -

• Make sure housekeeping staff are protected with disposable gloves and aprons.   Masks and eye protection may also be deemed necessary where there is evidence of bodily fluids.
• Don’t shake laundry and bag up in double bags and leave for 72 hours before washing.
  Steam clean soft furnishings and mattresses.
• Using a disposable cloth, clean hard surfaces with warm soapy water, then disinfect with the disinfecting / sanitising products you normally use paying particular attention to frequently touched areas and surfaces.
• After cleaning dispose of single-use protective clothing, cloths and mop heads and any other waste in the room by double-bagging, and then store securely for 72 hours then throw away in the regular rubbish.

Food & Beverage (Breakfast Service)
 

Your RISK ASSESSMENT should also look at food and beverage offerings such as breakfast, creating a plan to ensure social distancing controls and training for all staff.

• Ensure the maximum number of people based on social distancing requirements is calculated and never exceeded. Where queues may form or within waiting areas, measures must be taken to maintain the minimum distances.
• Consider staggered time slots to limit the queues with guests arriving at acceptable intervals and potential pinch points identified.
• Signage should denote one-way systems, maximum capacity, remind customers to use hand sanitiser at the entrance and maintain social distancing including floor distance markers and barriers where applicable.
   
• Deliveries should preferably be back of house or before or after guests with care taken to cross contamination and social distancing.
• Social distancing should be maintained between customers at different tables.
• The risk assessment must include reference to customer toilets if available.  They should be regularly monitored to ensure compliance with social distancing requirements and regularly disinfected, though guests should be encouraged the use their hotel room toilets wherever possible.
• Customer contact with collateral such as menus, trays, napkins etc. should be limited to what is necessary or designed in such a way that cleaning / replacement is carried out after each use.
• Self-service buffets should be prevented as far as possible. If buffet service is still required, they should be limited as far as possible with strict social distancing and food hygiene procedures in place to minimise contamination.
• Where a counter service system is operated e.g. Reception Desk
  • Customers should step back from counters so staff can serve them safely.
  • Plates should be picked up only by hospitality staff to fill.
  • When the food is plated, the plate can be placed on the customer’s tray and, then the member of staff moves back, and the customer picks it up.
  • Individually wrapped condiments and sauces could be offered on request.
  • Cutlery to be brought to the customer rather than customers helping themselves.
  • Space out tables in the canteen to operate the current social distancing rule.
  • Promote contactless payments wherever possible.

Template - COVID-19 Secure Risk Assessment

You will need to complete one for your own individual business.

Risk Assessment Approach

Whilst every business is different, there are two things in common – the staff and the customer. Both will have “journeys” through the premises.

The risk assessment document could form the basis of discussions with the local authority prior to opening to ensure that there is agreement on the risk-based approach and controls set up. By setting concerns and control measures in a logical way this will give confidence to enforcement officers and customers and show that due consideration has been undertaken. 

This will also be useful to ensure that customers know what the new “rules” are so that everyone’s expectations are managed in advance.

The hazard

Coronavirus is a respiratory disease that can invade a host via the respiratory route or via hand to eye / mouth / nose contact. People who appear healthy may be carrying and shedding the virus, this means we need to assume that anyone could be carrying the virus.

The main controls are:

• Social distancing (currently 2 m)
• Disinfecting hand contact surfaces
• Hand washing and hand sanitiser use

Journey - By plotting out the routes taken by staff and customers in your business, you will have a clear idea of where the potential issues may arise, particularly in relation to social distancing.  Create a flow list for customers and then for staff.

After doing this you may find that your business needs to be adapted because you can’t manage social distancing rules effectively, and you may need to reconsider your whole business, or part of it to make it work. It is likely that you may then have to re-draw the “new normal” customer or staff journey.

Controls - based on the above principles and your own enhanced measures, list what actions you are taking to make your business COVID-19 Secure.

You can support this document with photographs of your control measures where appropriate.

Your Risk Assessment is a living document that will be continuously edited and updated as our understanding of the virus improves and government guidance changes.

Detailed below are some examples of COVID-19 ‘Controls’ you need to consider, these will need to be adapted and added to as appropriate for your own business.

Guest Journey	Controls (examples in blue)
Pre-booking	Page on website detailing COVID-19 Secure plan
Pre-arrival	Sending a pre-arrival email explaining the new procedures
Arriving on the car park and queuing outside	Closing out every other parking space, tape on floor to denote 2m spaced queueing areas
Entering the business	Hand sanitiser next to front entrance
Reception / check in	Screen on reception, signage to let guests know to queue 2m apart, paperless check in procedure
Key allocation	Keys sanitised since last guest
Journey to the room / corridors / stairs	Directions given to room rather than showing to the room, keep left signs for corridors and stairs
Help with baggage	Bags placed in room whilst guests wait in reception where safe to do so, hands washed afterwards
Bedroom	Welcome letter to explain new room servicing policy, and level of cleaning since room last used
Bathroom	Remove cotton wool/buds, individual toiletries
Tea tray / amenities	Simplify offering – e.g. lemon/mint tea on request, ask for mugs/spoons to be left outside with rubbish
Room service / in room food	Ensure enough butlers’ trays and setup process for cleaning after use to avoid cross-contamination
Room cleaning / rubbish	Put a black bin bag in each room and ensure guests are aware their room will not be serviced daily
Breakfast offering	Remove buffet and offer an enhanced menu including cereals / fruit salad that they can ask for
Breakfast service	Space tables in the dining room, print disposable menus, offer sugar, salt and pepper sachets
Check out	Request BACS transfer before check out or contactless payment where possible

Staff Journey	Controls
Before returning to work	Contact all staff, check they are not suffering from any symptoms and discuss mode of transport
Pre-arrival	Ensure staff think about limiting contact with other people on route to work
Arrival / offices / staff areas	Staff to wash hands on entering and change into clean uniform, taking care around common areas
Training	Ensure all staff are trained in any new procedures and able to answer guests’ queries
Kitchen areas	Check staff can remain 2m apart where possible and extra opening/closing cleaning procedures in place
Food storage areas	Only one person to enter at a time.  Hourly cleaning of handles and shelf frontages
Work benches / tables	Wipe down of all work areas in between staff changes and at least hourly
Equipment	Equipment to be wiped or washed before and after use
Outdoor areas	Staff to remain 2m apart in the smoking area and whilst on breaks
Deliveries	Deliveries to be dropped off and driver left before staff handle delivery, care not to cross contaminate
Front of house	Staff to take orders from a 2m distance where possible and place food on a table next to diners
Toilet use	Staff toilets to be limited to one person and sanitised in between use particularly all touch points
Interaction with customers	Staff to be aware of social distancing at all times, masks to be worn where this is not possible
Interaction with work colleagues	Staff to keep a 2m distance wherever possible and sanitise their work area at the end of their shift
Feeling unwell	Staff should advise their manager immediately if they feel unwell or have any known C-19 symptoms

What you need to do now…

• Complete a Risk Assessment for your business
• Produce a plan of action to implement the Risk Assessment
• Contact all staff and begin training
• Source suppliers and purchase PPE and other equipment (such as screens, hand sanitiser, masks, disinfectant wipes, disposable aprons and gloves, signage, hazard tape and condiment sachets)