Hotel industry in mauritius

Chapter 1

Introduction

The hotel industry in Mauritius can be an important industry since it is tightly linked to travel and leisure and business travel. As such it can be an important part in the economy of Mauritius. There are a number of people, whether it is a contract employee or in your free time worker, work in the industry. The travel and leisure industry is of great importance to the local economy. Tourism is still very much a rise industry in Mauritius. There is no doubt that tourism has contributed much to the monetary improvement of the island and the general welfare of its inhabitants. Indeed, travel and leisure is the third pillar of the Mauritian economy and foreign income from tourism. It is obvious that travel and leisure will still be an important contributor to the economy in the approaching decades.

Government and most operators in the sector expect tourism arrivals to increase significantly in the approaching years. Because of the possible increase in arrivals, it becomes important to review and understand the dynamics of that industry, its impact on the environment whether physical or interpersonal and the manifold implications a rise in arrivals will bring about for Mauritius. There is also a need to go over, at all levels of Mauritian society, the continuing future of this industry and whether the route it is taking is ecological and desirable for all those concerned.

Nearly all hotels have been built on the coast because the main attraction for tourists in Mauritius is the sea and its own beaches. There is a amount of hotels in the north-west ( The Trou-aux-Biches to Grand Baie region), the west (Flic en Flac up to Le Morne) also to the east ( Belle-Mare).

This distribution of hotels is due to the actual fact that the most beautiful and scenic beaches should be bought at those locations.

As the amount of arrivals of travellers is expected to increase gradually over another few years there may be significant pressure from property designers to obtain agreement from administration for the building of more hotels surrounding the coastline.

However, one major characteristics of hotel building in Mauritius is the actual fact that a lot of hotels have been and are being built directly on the sea entry. This means that the hotel is sandwiched between the seashore and the coastal highway. In effect, more hotel engineering means reduced general public usage of the same beach locations.

In view of the fact that due to an increase in wealth and standard of living of the local population, more and more people spend time at the seaside on weekends and holiday seasons, there can be an increased demand by the general public for more public beach locations and better amenities on site. This clearly conflicts with the demand from property coders for much more sea frontage.

Prospect of conflicts is now real. The further development of tourism will require with respect to government new plans that can reconcile the genuine demands of the population for much more leisure amenities which of the tourism industry.

In that perspective, the federal government is encouraging the introduction of inland travel and leisure and eco-tourism. The theory is to encourage visitors to visit the interior of the island and its own sites. The island has much to provide in that respect.

There are several main departments doing with different functions within the hotels. For example, housekeeping, front office, food and beverages, kitchen, stewarding, laundry and maintenance.

The employees are affected by a broad varieties of dangers and dangers in their place of work resulting in injuries and diseases depending on their responsibilities they performed. These staffs from the Hotels can be exposed to health hazards like noise, chemicals, physical, stress as well as the musculoskeletal diseases and injuries. In their work they could have the dangers of damages like electrocution, flame and explosion, slips, journeys, knocks and falls, cuts, burns up and scalds, occupational damages and diseases. As a result causing absenteeism, sickness, impairment and even fatality.

Objectives

The goals of the mini job is to provide information and help with the:

• Identification of risks and its prevention
• Safety and health programmes

As per the occupational basic safety and health work 2005,

Section 5

* Every company shall, as far as is fairly practicable, ensure the safe practices, health and welfare at the job of most his employees.

1. The company shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, provide and keep maintaining a working environment that is safe and without dangers to health and to provide information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure the protection and health at work of his employees;

And

In section 14,

2. bind the employees while at the job to take fair care for the safe practices and health of himself and of the persons who may be afflicted by his acts omissions at work

Aspect of health

It is defined as the signs of anticipation, acknowledgement, analysis and control of risks arising in ao from the work area that could impair medical and wellbeing of personnel, considering the possible impact on the surrounding neighborhoods and the general environment.

The general classification of health is "circumstances of complete physical, mental, and communal well-being rather than merely the absence of disease or infirmity" by the WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION.

You will find 2 types of health:

• mental health
• physical health

Mental health:

Mental healthrefers to your cognitive, and/or emotional wellbeing - it is all about how we think, feel and react. Mental health, if somebody has it, can also signify an lack of a mental disorder. Your mental health make a difference your daily life, associations and even your physical health. Mental health also contains a person's ability to enjoy life - to realize a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve subconscious resilience.

TheWorld Health Organizationdefines mental health as "circumstances of well-being in which the individual realizes his / her own ability, can cope with the normal tensions of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can contribute to his / her community". It had been previously stated that there is no one "official" classification of mental health. Cultural differences, subjective assessments, and fighting professional theories all affect how "mental health" is defined.

Physical health:

Physical health is the entire condition of a living organism at a given time, the soundness of your body, liberty from disease or abnormality, and the condition of ideal well-being. People want to operate as designed, but environmental pushes can attack your body or the person may have genetic malfunctions. The primary concern in health is avoiding injury and healing damage brought on by traumas and biological disorders.

Modes of hazards present:

A risk is usually used to describe a potentially harmful situation, however is not usually the function itself - after the incident has began it is classified as a crisis or incident. There are a variety of modes for a risk, which include:

• Dormant - the risks are present but not harmful to them and the surroundings.
• Potential - That is a situation where the hazard is in the positioning to affect persons, property or environment.
• Active - The threat is certain to cause injury, as no intervention is possible before the occurrence occurs.

Chapter 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

The workplace has a legal & morale work to care for his staff, employees and visitors as far as reasonably practicable to make certain they are not injured or afflicted by the actions of work they perform. Hotel workers are engaged in a number of types of just work at their workplace.

This mini job provides informations on significant risk areas to look for and prepares and provides practical examples of solutions that may be applied in the hotel work environment.

The main statutory requirements

Provide a safe place of work

The hotels should be considered a place free from risks so that noone will preserve injuries

Provide a safe system of work

• Every work should be done as methods and instruction

Provide safe place and equipment

• Equipment used over there must be found in a good functional system
• Staff training and supervision for the work they are doing
• The company shall instruct and coach their employees at their workplace

Provide adequate welfare facilities

• Provide satisfactory facilities to the workers

Types of Hazards

Various types of hazards have been recognized and are the following:

• the risk of musculoskeletal disorders,
• injuries
• health dangers such as chemicals,
• noise and thermal stress
• the risk of damages from slips and travels,
• knocks and comes,
• cuts,
• burns and scalds,
• electrocution and
• fire and explosion.

Occupational injuries and diseases can result in:

• suffering,
• sickness absenteeism,
• productivity damage,
• disability or
• Even loss of life.
• Dermatitis

The main causes of injury

MANUAL HANDLING

Manual handling requires any activity that requires the utilization of pressure exerted by way of a person to lift up, lower, push, yank, carry or elsewhere move any fill. Manual handling can result in injuries to any part of the body. Back injury and strains and sprains are extremely common. It was recently thought that the weight of a load and whether it was raised 'correctly', were the main causes of personal injury.

A blend of factors can increase the risk of accident due to manual handling:

• actions and motions
• workplace and workstation design
• working good posture and position
• duration and regularity of manual handling
• location of lots and distances shifted
• weight of lots, and makes exerted
• characteristics of tons and equipment
• work company
• work environment
• skills and experience
• age
• clothing
• special needs.

SLIP, Vacations AND Comes

Slips, outings and comes are a standard occurrence in workplaces. People slide and trip on slippery, rough or uneven areas and may collapse stairs or off ladders.

The results of slips, vacations and falls include destroyed bones, abrasions, contusions, strains, sprains, back or spinal incidents and other serious accidents. During a slide, trip or show up accident, injury may be caused by over stretches joints, bones and ligaments. Some incidents are caused when hurt employees try to appropriate their balance or try to stop slipping.

A combo of factors can raise the risk of accident due to slips, journeys and falls:

• insufficient friction between an employee's shoes and floor surface
• slippery surfaces (eg. wet surfaces)
• sudden change in floor floors from difficult to soft (eg. from carpet to polished timber)
• downwards slopes (eg. ramp) or dissimilarities in floor levels
• rubbish, dirt, overseas materials or unprotected matting/carpeting on the floor surface (eg. loose mat or ripped carpet)
• a film of fine dust particles of the floor
• fine development (eg. moss on outside pavements or walkways)
• inadequate floor cleaning methods giving grease build-up or detergent residue
• employees' shoes not slip resistance.

ELECTRICAL Safeness

Electrocution

Electrocution occurs when the human body becomes part of a power circuit by which current passes. Electrical power equipment and appliances should be regularly inspected by a qualified electrician to ensure that they stay in good working condition and will not cause a hazard to unsuspecting personnel. Extreme good care should be taken in workplaces where personnel touch fluids that may be good conductors of electricity.

Electricity is a major cause of fatalities and serious accidental injuries in industry. Electricity can cause:

• electric shock resulting in death, melts away and injury
• fire
• electrical explosion.

HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES

Hazardous substances and dangerous goods are chemicals used and/or produced at the job that have the actual to harm medical and safety of men and women at work. They could be gases, liquids, solids, fumes, dusts, fibres or vapours either by natural means occurring, or manufactured pure substances or mixtures.

The hospitality industry is exposed to numerous hazardous chemicals including adhesives, cleaning real estate agents, solvents, oils and pesticides. Some examples include:

• disinfectant used as cleaning agents
• carbon dioxide gas cylinders found in cellars for draught beers and bulk mineral dispensing systems
• oven cleaning agents used in the kitchen

HOUSEKEEPING

The main reasons for housekeeping activities are to ensure general cleanliness and sanitation of facilities. Cleaning procedures are made to remove bacterias and some other contaminants, leaving floors dried out and minimising bacterial survival.

Along with the spread of infectious diseases, personnel should take special health care when handling or cleaning anything that might have got contact with someone else's blood or other body liquids.

This might include razor blades, syringes, sanitary napkins, soiled linens and towels, vomit or excreta. It is essential that cleaning steps do not merely transfer bacteria in one surface to another.

This means:

• maintaining good personal health
• cleaning equipment (including clothes) completely after use and and can dried out where appropriate
• cleaning high risk items such as toilets, baths, palm basins, food and drinking preparation equipment and surfaces with items/cloths reserved for that particular purpose.

KITCHEN, FOOD PREPARATION AND SERVICE AREAS

Much of the gear used in organizing, cooking and portion food in wedding caterers establishments, outlets and restaurants is so familiar so it is not hard to forget the potential hazard it can present during use, cleaning and maintenance.

Different sorts of accidents take place in workplaces where food is well prepared and served. They can cause a range of injuries including:

• strains
• scalds
• serious burns
• lacerations
• fractured bones
• amputated limbs/fingers.

A mixture of factors can boost the risk of accident due to the working environment in kitchens, food preparation and service areas. These include:

• poor kitchen design

• limited space to go safely and prevent collision with staff and equipment
• cramped or limited working areas - personnel using knives and other palm tools must have sufficient room to work carefully without threat of accidentally stabbing themselves or another employee
• insufficient room to move trolleys and to carry trays properly, especially around uncovered hot areas such as griddle tops
• obstructing thoroughfares with safe-keeping cupboards that have side and lower part hinged entrances that open up into them
• incorrect positioning of equipment (eg. profound fats fryer next to a kitchen sink)
• IN and OUT doors not clearly designated
• catering equipment installed on uneven floors or an unprotected base or inappropriate position
• poorly maintained equipment, especially whatever is installed with casters and brakes (eg. wedding caterers or laundry trolleys)
• floors

• worn, slippery or uneven floor surfaces
• inadequate drain/garbage disposal systems to eliminate water, heavy steam and other kitchen wastes
• minimal provision for spillage
• inappropriate ft. wear i. e. without protecting slip resistant bottoms
• insufficient storage space/layout resulting in hot pots and pans being placed on to the floor
• lighting

• inadequate, uneven lighting that reduces managing and cleaning of equipment and products
• inappropriate position of light fittings that produces glare or shadows
• temperature
• high temperature, humidity and poor ventilation.

STRUCK AGAINST OR BY OBJECTS

Injuries may appear when folks are hit by hard, heavy or sharp things. When materials aren't properly stacked, they may collapse, causing accidental injuries to persons nearby. Narrow and cluttered passageways can donate to the risk of such incidents. When trolleys and carts aren't handled with care, accidents could also arise.

FIRE AND EXPLOSION

There is a risk of open fire and explosion in workplaces which use flammable substances like LPG and Town gas or high-pressure applications. Inappropriate usage or faulty electrical installations may possibly also cause fires.

Section 3

Proposed methodology

Identifying Risks

A threat is anything that may cause harm or illness to you, your staff, or your visitors either in the short or the future.

You will discover three ways you can do this:

• Inspect the office with your staff utilizing a checklist like the main one provided in Appendix C. The inspections are not done to choose fault, they are really to identify dangers that may present a risk to the people working in the area.
• Talk with your staff about the dangers they have seen or know of in their work place.
• Accidents and automobile accident data can also be very useful for discovering where risk areas are.

Next you will need to make a list of the hazards you have recognized in your place of work called a Risk Register.

3. 4. 2. Assess the Risks

Risk is a blend of the likelihood that the threat will cause an injury and the severe nature of the accident.

• First you have to determine how likely it is the fact that someone may be exposed to the risk.
• Then you consider how severe the actual injury or disease may be and you also work out the severity using this table.

You should track record the number in Column B of the Risk Register, which will determine the severe nature.

Whatever you get ranking as a 1 - you need to fix immediately.

Hazards that get ranking at 2 - you need to be fixed but are not that urgent.

Hazards that get ranking 3 - may not require repairing as the risk may be negligible.

Recommendation

MANUAL HANDLING

Control actions include:

• general ideas

• minimise lifting and lowering pushes exerted
• avoid the necessity for bending, twisting and achieving movements
• reduce pushing, decreasing, pulling, holding and positioning
• job redesign

• modify the thing to be treated
• modify the work area layout
• use different activities, movement and makes
• rearrange materials or work flow
• modify responsibilities using mechanical equipment or team lifting
• lighten tons
• provide basic and specific trained in the ideas of correct manual handling, popularity of manual handling dangers and/or specific manual managing training
• use other administrative control buttons that consider special needs (eg. job rotation).

SLIP, Travels AND FALLS

Control procedures include:

• increase the texture of floor coverings
• improve cleaning methods to prevent build-up of grease/detergent
• provide facilities for umbrellas at entrances
• initiate strategies to ensure regular particles removal or immediate removal of spills accompanied by 'dry out mopping'
• minimise variations in floor levels
• design stairs to meet the requirements of regulations
• apply non-slip nosing on stairs
• ensure adequate lamps for interior and exterior stairs
• provide slip immune floors on ramps
• provide ample storage space, to avoid materials being put in aisles/walkways
• provide fixed matting in areas where employees must stand on concrete for long hours
• set absorbent floor coverings materials into access areas
• use commercial products to effectively remove moss and lichen progress
• remove trip dangers by providing ducting for electricity, cell phone and computer cabling and repairing worn or ripped carpet
• wear appropriate work shoes.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY

Control options include:

• switching off or disconnecting (isolating) all possible sources of electricity
• treating all wiring as live and testing the circuit immediately
• using appropriately trained and competent electrical power workers and providing sufficient training, instruction and supervision of most employees
• ensuring supply remains isolated by using lock out equipment, tagging and isolating devices
• using suitable insulation materials and equipment
• ensuring proper maintenance, cleaning, inspecting, examining and storing of all electrical power equipment
• using caution notices and safeness signs
• working in pairs when working with electricity
• implementing appropriate medical procedures
• being aware of the risks of working near overhead electric power lines
• using PPE (e. g. insulated gloves and footwear)
• Not allowing extension brings about be coiled securely and overheated when used
• not allowing cables to be places on floors without safeguard or permitting trucks or trolleys to perform over electrical cords
• replacing frayed or destroyed electrical cables and leads.

ELECTROCUTION

• Report any ruined plugs, wires, electrical equipment
• Keep vitality cords from heat, water and oil
• Do not clean electrical power equipment with flammable or dangerous solvents
• Provide a system for inspection and maintenance of electro-mechanical appliances
• Establish a set of lockout-tagout methods for the repair and maintenance of electro-mechanical equipment
• Do not overload electro-mechanical points

HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES

Control options include:

• using physical rather than chemical procedures
• using alternative substances or processes which are less hazardous
• using engineering handles (eg. local exhaust systems)
• using obstacles or isolation
• minimising the quantity, duration and consistency of employees shown
• regular cleaning and housekeeping
• providing different eating and drinking amenities for employees
• ensuring appropriate safeness signs, training, education and provision of Materials Safety Data Bed linens (MSDS) and labels
• using appropriate PPE.

HOUSEKEEPING

Control options include:

• placing indicators around floors being cleaned
• loading trolleys carefully so that items will not fall off or obstruct the operator's view
• maintaining good housekeeping - don't clutter floor with items taken off shelves
• using color coded cleaning cloths (eg. red cloths for toilets, yellowish cloths for baths and palm basins, and green for general purpose areas)
• wearing gloves when working with hazardous substances, handling items or cleaning floors that might be contaminated
• disposing of distinct objects in metal or clear plastic bins
• disposing of or sterilising cleaning equipment used to completely clean spills of blood vessels, vomit or other body essential fluids.

Struck Against or by Objects

Control options include:

• Ensure goods and materials are stacked in a safe manner
• Make use of the right personal protective equipment
• Do not rush through swing entrance doors, especially with trolleys

FIRE AND EXPLOSION

Control methods include:

• Ensure vapor boilers are inspected at least one time every a year by an Authorised Boiler Inspector
• Ensure air or vapor receivers are inspected at least one time every two years by an Authorised Boiler Inspector
• Ensure that the boiler attendants are properly trained and certified
• Provide workers working in the boiler rooms with hearing protectors

SAFETY AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT

Management of safe practices and health should be no different from just how other areas of the hotel and restaurant companies are managed. Employers should develop and put into practice a comprehensive safe practices and health program to prevent work place crashes and work-related ailments and to set up a safe and healthy working environment.

SAFETY POLICY AND ORGANISATION

The management's dedication is important to ensure the success of the safe practices and health programme. There must be a written insurance plan which clearly states the management's dedication and approach towards establishing a safe and healthy work place. The plan should express the organisation's safe practices and health viewpoint and composition, including goals and goals to be achieved. It should explain the duties and responsibilities of both management and staff. The written insurance policy should be endorsed by the top management and communicated to all or any levels of restaurant personnel, including contractors.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES

Employers have a work to guarantee the protection and health of their employees and should take the business lead in promoting safeness and health, whether it is in the hotel.

Safety workers should be appointed to recommend management on all occupational safe practices and health matters and help out with the implementation of safety and health programmes.

Employees should understand that security and health is not simply the duty of the company. They too have a job to play.

SAFE WORK PROCEDURES

Employers should create safe work strategies for the many types of work carried out in the hotels and restaurants. Wherever possible, these methods should be incorporated into the standard operating procedures for staff to follow. Safe work methods should be effectively communicated to all staff.

SAFETY AND HEALTH TRAINING

Safety and health training is important in providing staff with the data and skills to work in a safe manner. A program to identify the basic safety and health training needs for every single level of personnel is useful to make training programs.

Safety and health training can and should be incorporated in to the functional training of the staff. Such training can be carried out on-the-job, by trained supervisors, or by external trainers. Training documents should be kept and training materials researched frequently.

SAFETY AND HEALTH INSPECTION

It is important to establish an effective program to carry out periodic inspections to recognize potential risks, unsafe works and conditions at work, as well concerning monitor any changes in the work process.

Such inspections should require both management and the employees. The conclusions from such inspections should be registered and analysed.

MAINTENANCE PROGRAMME

An effective maintenance program should be proven for everyone equipment, machinery and gadgets used. This will help prevent accidents resulting from the failure of such equipment and machinery.

The program should include the establishment of any complete set of equipment and equipment used within each premises, inspection and maintenance schedules and information. There also needs to be considered a system for staff to report any faulty or damaged tool or equipment throughout their work.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Occupational Health insurance and Safety Management concentrate on prevention of health problems, injury and harm to plant or the environment. However unplanned happenings can and do happen. The company should plan for such emergencies in advance and occasionally test these ideas to ensure that enough response occurs during a genuine crisis. Emergencies in the hotel industry must be properly and adequately designed and well prepared for - an urgent, significant and coordinated response is necessary. Aside from employees at work, the hotel industry usually has many people/tourists that must definitely be considered in an emergency.

An disaster is a situation due to an actual or imminent occurrence which:

• endangers or threatens to endanger, the safeness and health of people, or
• is a dangerous situation that requires urgent focus on bring it in order, fix the reason and set up a safe work place.

DOCUMENTATION AND OVERVIEW OF PROGRAMME

There should be a system for the documentation and regular review of the programme. That is to accomplish retrieval of relevant documents and to ensure that the programmes stay relevant and effective. All revisions to the protection and health manual should be dated and endorsed by authorised workers. Recommendations that derive from such reviews is highly recommended and implemented whenever we can.

References

1. http://www. mom. gov. sg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . occupational basic safety n health guidelines
2. http://internet-stg. wshc. gov. sg place of work safety recommendations Chinese
3. http://www. safework. sa. gov. au
4. Occupational safeness and Health Work 2005
5. http://www. worksafebc. com
6. http://www2. worksafebc. com/publications/OHSRegulation/WorkersCompensationAct. asp
7. http://www. hse. gov. uk/catering/index. htm