Category Archives: Maintenance

by | October 20, 2012 · 6:38 am

Hospitality Industry Security Risk Management: Hotels Face Increased Risk Of "Guestroom Burglaries" From Electronic Door Lock Hacking Devices

By Todd Seiders, CLSD

http://www.petrarisksolutions.com/

As many of you may have heard, the computer “hacking” community has made a small device that can open Onity hotel guestroom door locks. It costs approximately $50 in readily available electronic parts, and the device has been concealed in an iPhone case and a Dry Erase marking pen body (yes, the felt tipped dry erase pen used on whiteboards).

The hacking device plugs into the door locks, and opens the door. It shows up on the lock readout as a “portable programmer” use, but no serial number for the portable programmer is noted.

**We are now experiencing actual guestroom burglaries and guest thefts by use of these devices in Texas. Multiple rooms have been hit at several hotels. An arrest was made in Houston on some of these burglaries, so I hope to have additional info on that very soon.

**I am also receiving reports from hotels in Florida that a similar “hacker” has been seen carrying a laptop computer and using a key card (possibly connected to the laptop) to open guestroom door locks. There have been several guestroom burglaries and actual witnesses who saw the suspect with his laptop, using a key card to access locked guestrooms.

Please TRAIN and notify your hotel staff that these burglaries are spreading across the country. Hotel staff should be vigilant while they are on the guest floors and paying attention to guests walking through hallways. Take time to watch guests walking through your hallways to ensure they are going to a room and entering it. Be very suspicious of someone carrying a laptop or small bag wandering the hallways. Greet guests and ask them if they need assistance. If they appear nervous, or cannot tell you what room they are looking for, escort them to the lobby, or escort them to where a security camera is, so you can get a picture of them. If they leave the hotel, follow them and try and write down a vehicle license plate on their vehicle. Your hotel staff has to be more active on your guest floors when they see people walking around.

Onity locks is not accepting liability for the defect in their hotel locks, and have offered a software fix for the problem. Onity is charging hotels to supply the fix.

I’m sorry to say that this burglary issue will only get bigger as the hackers share their tales and their build your own device details in the future.

I’ll keep you posted on this topic…..

Todd Seiders, CLSD
Director of Risk Management

Email: ToddS@PetraRiskSolutions.com
Phone: (800) 466-8951 ext 207

Direct: (562) 623-0976
Fax: (800) 494-6829
Lic #0817715

 

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by | October 17, 2012 · 5:58 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: North Carolina Hotel Fire Caused By "Electrical Short In Air Conditioner"; 18 Rooms And $15,000 In Damage

“…Officials said 18 rooms were destroyed after an electrical short in an air conditioner unit caused a fire in a room on the third floor…about $15,000 in property damage and about $30,000 in content damage was reported…”

Fire officials said 18 adults were displaced and one injury was reported after a hotel fire Tuesday night in Winston-Salem. Authorities said 24 firefighters from various units had the situation under control within about 30 minutes.

Authorities said the Red Cross responded and the victims were moved to the Quality Inn in Winston-Salem and the Village Inn in Clemmons. Details on the reported injury were not released.

For more:  http://myfox8.com/2012/10/17/officials-18-adults-displaced-in-winston-salem-hotel-fire/

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by | October 16, 2012 · 6:02 am

Hospitality Industry Safety Risks: Texas Hotel Sued For "Negligence" After Man Slips And Falls Down Flight Of Stairs; Failure To Post Warning Of Wet Carpet

“…According to the lawsuit, the hotel had washed, shampooed or cleaned its carpets prior to Steele’s arrival and left them in a wet and slippery condition without any warning to Steele…”

The defendant is accused of negligence for failing to inspect its premises to be sure that they were free of unreasonably dangerous conditions, dry its floors after cleaning, limit access to areas in which the floors were not yet dry, warn its invitees of the existence of the wet floors, select and hire competent contractors in such a way as to ensure that they were not creating an unreasonable risk of harm to invitees.

A Louisiana man has filed a lawsuit against the owners of a Comfort Inn claiming that they failed to warn him that the carpet was wet, which caused him to fall down an entire flight of stairs. Walter Steele filed suit against Laxmi Lodging Inc. on Oct. 12 in the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division.

The incident occurred on Sept. 9, 2012 as Steele was attempting to exit a Comfort Inn in Palestine, Texas, owned by the defendant by the way of the staircase when his foot slipped on the wet flooring causing him to fall down an entire flight of stairs and onto the concrete floor.  The fall caused Steele serious and permanent disabling injuries to his back and spine.

The plaintiff is seeking damages for medical expenses, lost earnings, physical impairment, pain, suffering, mental anguish, and lost earning capacity.

For more:  http://setexasrecord.com/news/275705-hotel-owner-sued-after-patron-falls-down-flight-of-stairs

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by | October 13, 2012 · 6:17 am

Hospitality Industry Fire Safety Risks: South Carolina Hotels Implement "Preventative Maintenance" Program Including Housekeeping Checking Smoke Detectors After Guests Depart

“…the resort says it follows a detailed preventative maintenance program with a 300 item checklist, ensuring that everything from electric outlets to appliances inside guest rooms are safe to use…upon the departure of each guest, housekeeping is instructed to check the smoke detector for safety to make sure it’s still in working condition…”

Studies show that working smoke detectors cut your chance of dying in a fire by half.

When it comes to hotel fire safety, Springmaid Beach Resort on Ocean Blvd learned just how important smoke detectors are, after a small electrical fire broke out in the boiler room this past summer.

“We had to clear all those rooms out of people that were right around it and move them to a different property,” says Donald Hovis, the marketing manager for the establishment.

It’s a safety measure more hotels are starting to do. In Georgetown, the fire department has teamed up with hotels requiring cleaning staff to check smoke detectors after each guest checks out of the room. The staff also leaves a card stating the test has been done for the next occupant to see.

While Myrtle Beach doesn’t require it, the fire department says it’s been working with hotels for years on getting housekeeping to check the devices, and the fire marshal says he’s confident Grand Strand hotels are ensuring guests’ safety.

Several hotels we checked with along Ocean Boulevard say they check them regularly. Hovis says following this summer’s small fire, they learned another valuable lesson.

For more:  http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/19806893/grand-strand-hotels-reveal-fire-safety-plan

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by | October 3, 2012 · 6:33 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: South Dakota Restaurants Report $6,000 In "Bathroom Piping" Thefts

“…two men, one with a black backpack, were caught on surveillance standing next to the restroom Monday at the Russell Street and Minnesota Avenue restaurant…when a worker checked the restroom soon after, the toilet piping was missing…”

A local fast-food chain is out $6,000 after five of its restaurants were hit by a recent string of thefts of toilet piping in Sioux Falls. Five of the 11 local Burger King restaurants have reported thefts from men’s restrooms since Thursday. The most recent was Monday. Mike Leslie, director of operations for the local Burger King cooperate office, said the suspects might be caught on surveillance.

Police spokesman Sam Clemens said Monday’s two reports push the amount of restroom thefts to 14 since Thursday. Monday’s other theft was from the Ramkota Hotel in northwestern Sioux Falls. A public restroom was hit in the hotel, Clemens said.

Leslie said he has shared surveillance with police.

For more: http://www.argusleader.com/article/20121003/NEWS/310030051/Restaurant-chain-reports-6-000-lost-bathroom-thefts

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by | September 27, 2012 · 6:08 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: "Wrongful Death" Lawsuit Filed Against Illinois Hotel For Legionnaire's Disease Outbreak Tied To Fountain In Lobby

“…Health officials tied the outbreak to the main fountain in  the hotel lobby. The plaintiff …alleges the  hotel didn’t properly maintain the fountain and said the company neglected to  prevent visitors from walking near the fountain when the hotel should have known  about the bacteria…”

The family of a Florida man who died after catching  Legionnaire’s disease at a Loop hotel has filed a wrongful death suit against  Marriott International. Luis Enrique Acevedo Muro was one of three people who died  after being exposed to Legionella bacteria at the JW Marriott Chicago Hotel, at  151 W. Adams St., according to the lawsuit and public health officials.

Acevedo Muro, of Key Biscayne, Fla., contracted Legionnaire’s  disease after  staying at the hotel from Aug. 1 to Aug. 3, the suit claims. He  died Aug. 14.

The eight-count suit, filed Wednesday in Cook County Circuit  Court,  claims wrongful death and survival action against Marriott and   Chicago-based developer The Prime Group, Inc.  It seeks an unspecified  amount in  damages. Neither company could be reached for comment Wednesday evening.

Legionnaires’ disease is contracted by breathing in mist or  vapors from water contaminated with the Legionella bacteria and usually develops  two to 14 days after exposure. It frequently begins with headache, high fever  and chills, and progresses by the second or third day to include a cough, chest  pain and shortness of breath.

Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/legionnaires-disease-outbreak-chicago-hotel-marriot-171439911.html#ixzz27g7k8GHy

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by | September 26, 2012 · 6:17 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: "Strong Smell" Leads Police To Meth Lab In Florida Motel Room

“…It’s  a huge public safety issue. The chemicals involved are volatile, can be volatile especially when mixed together. People that don’t know what they’re doing, even people who are experienced at cooking, still cause fires, explosions…”

Two men are accused of setting up a meth lab in a Tallahassee motel. It happened at the Super 8 motel on North Monroe Street.  Deputies say a tip led them to room 229 and the strong smell led them to a meth lab inside.

Jack Peppers and Kevin Smith – both of Thomasville – are accused of trafficking in meth, manufacturing meth and having the ingredients to make more. Deputies say one batch of the meth was ready and divided up for use.  Another batch, they say, was being chemically cooked upstairs.

“The dry product, we had about 16 grams which is worth about $1600 on the street which is pretty significant for what they consider a small lab,” said SGT Ed Cook with LCSO’s Vice and Narcotics Unit. “They also had another 500 grams of product that was still cooking.”

Deputies had to ventilate the room for hours before going inside to clean it up.  They say all of the adjoining rooms were vacant so they did not have to evacuate any other motel guests.

For more:  http://www.wctv.tv/news/headlines/Meth-Bust-at-Tallahassee-Motel-171177501.html

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by | September 25, 2012 · 6:28 am

Hospitality Industry Risk Solutions: Oklahoma Restaurant Roof Fire Causes Extensive Structural, Water And Smoke Damage

“…Firefighters arrived quickly, but struggled with the fire because flames became trapped between two layers of the roof toward the back of the building…”

A popular Oklahoma City pizza restaurant is closed following a fire early Tuesday morning. A police officer driving down N. Western near Nichols Hills first reported heavy smoke coming out of the Hideaway Pizza restaurant around 3 a.m.

Once they doused the flames, crews surveyed the damage. It appeared most of the heavy fire damage is in the rear of the structure near the kitchen area. There is smoke and water damage throughout the building.

Firefighters are still trying to figure out what started the blaze; arson investigators and a State Health Department representative spent several hours at the scene.

Fire investigators say it appears the fire had smoldered inside the building for quite a while.

For more:  http://www.newson6.com/story/19631479/fire-heavily-damages-popular-okc-pizza-place

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by | September 21, 2012 · 6:22 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: North Carolina Restaurant Fire Caused By "Outside Neon Lighting Electrical Short"; Extensive Exterior And Smoke Damage

“…the fire started on the half of the building that serves as the dining area…it went inside to the attic space…in addition to a sizable hole in the building’s roof, the building sustained smoke damage; siding closest to the flames melted and peeled down…”

An electrical short associated with the neon lighting attached to the facia of Peaden’s restaurant and catering service building on McArthur Road caused significant damage to half the building on Thursday, fire officials said. When they responded about 5:30 p.m., the building already had been evacuated, and no one was injured.

“When we first arrived, fire was showing from the gable in the front,” Southern said. Firefighters then attacked the fire from the front and back of the building, he said. The 23 firefighters who responded were quick to bring the fire under control in 15 minutes, he said. That quick response spared the rest of the building from further damage. City health officials visited the building and spoke with the business’s owners, who didn’t want to comment Thursday night, and evaluated the damage. Southern could not say whether the business could reopen today.

However, the restaurant side of the building would need “extensive repair” before it could be usable again, he said.

For more:  http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2012/09/20/1205576?sac=fo.home

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by | September 19, 2012 · 6:18 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Massachusetts Hotel Evacuated After "Generator Room Fire" Causes Hotel To Lose Power

“…The fire caused to hotel to lose power and prompted the chief to order an  evacuation of the hotel…with the loss of the generator and the power out in the hotel, no elevators  or any electrical systems were working at all. without power, smoke alarms and other life safety  systems were not working, necessitating the evacuation…firefighters used  master keys to go room by room, floor by floor…”

The Boston Fire Department responded to a fire Wednesday morning at the  Doubletree Hotel on Soldiers Field Road in Allston for a fire in the generator  room. The generator was on the second floor in the adjacent parking garage. The  fire was contained to the electric panels and diesel fuel. With the help of the building’s staff the Boston Fire Department shut off  the fuel supply.

Firefighters were shifted over to help with evacuation once the fire was  knocked down. One extra engine and ladder were ordered to the scene. The Doubletree Hotel is a 15-story building.

The Boston Fire Department worked with the hotel to relocate the guests. The Boston Fire Chief ordered a building and an electrical inspector to the  scene to check out the generator room where the fire was. The Doubletree Hotel  had an electrical contractor and their building engineer on scene looking at  damage and rerouting power to the hotel.

Read more: http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/12008575511876/allston-hotel-evacuated-after-fire-in-generator-room/#ixzz26vOilXwX

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