Category Archives: Maintenance

by | January 14, 2012 · 2:10 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Chicago Hotel Pool Remains Closed Due To Failure To Comply With Federal Law Requiring Drains To Be Fitted With Large Covers And Backup Systems

“…The law requires drains to be fitted with larger covers and backup systems. It affects all public pools and spas, including those at apartment and condo complexes, hotels and health clubs…Since the law went into effect, the commission first removed the backup requirement, then reinstated it, bowing to pressure from the industry and then to safety advocates…”

Sunlight still bathes the mosaic tile, terra-cotta fountain and potted palms at the Hotel InterContinental’s iconic indoor pool. But no bathers ripple the water. Stuck in regulatory purgatory, the pool has been closed since October.

The junior Olympic-sized pool is one of the better-known in the city and once drew famous visitors like “Tarzan” star Johnny Weissmuller. Now, it’s among nearly 300 public pools across Illinois still listed as noncompliant with federal regulations designed to reduce the risk of swimmers being sucked into drains and drowning.

Hotel officials say their pool will reopen soon. And many of the other facilities are outdoors and would be closed in winter, anyway. But with so many affected sites, expensive fixes and delays in getting state approval, some pool operators wonder if they’ll be ready come spring.

For more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-pool-drains-update-20120115,0,7498748.story

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by | January 8, 2012 · 7:38 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Health Risks: Indiana Hotel Water Softener Malfunctions Producing "Chlorine-Like Smell" That Sickens Two Guests And Results In Fire Dept Hazardous Materials Teams Being Dispatched

 “… the water softener (which covers the entire building) was malfunctioning due to the high-pitch noise it was making… it was clogged, and instead of pushing its collections out as it’s supposed to do, it was sending them back into the system, producing the odd smell (similar to chlorine)…”

The Indianapolis Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials Team was dispatched to a Far-Southside hotel to investigate a possible chemical spill Saturday after two hotel occupants complained of difficulty breathing.

One person was transported to Community Hospital South, and a hotel worker was checked at the scene.

Rescuers were called to the Holiday Inn Express, 5151 S. East Street, at 2:25 p.m. after a guest told hotel workers there was a smell similar to chlorine coming out of the faucet. Based on that information, the call was upgraded because a chemical spill was suspected.

For more:  http://www.indystar.com/article/20120108/LOCAL/201080373/Hazmat-team-called-check-odor-Holiday-Inn-Express-Far-Southside?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CIndyStar.com

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by | January 7, 2012 · 8:11 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Pennsylvania Hotel Owner Settles "Wrongful Death" Lawsuit For Over $250,000 Of Man Who Was Trapped By "Suction Of The Pool Drain"

“…Mr. Williams’ widow… sued the club and its owner, Daniel Griffin, along with Elmhurst Corp., the hotel owner, claiming her husband became trapped in the suction of the pool drain…”

The settlement is confidential and lawyers would not discuss it, although court filings indicate that Mr. Williams’ daughter in Buffalo, N.Y., received $264,000, which represents part of the settlement.

A wrongful death suit against a Downtown hotel and a defunct athletic club involving the drowning of a Penn Hills man in 2009 has been settled for an undisclosed amount. Lorenzo Williams, 38, drowned on April 11, 2009, in the pool at the former Downtown Athletic Club adjacent to the Doubletree City Center.

Ms. Williams said Mr. Griffin, who rented the space for the club from the hotel, was negligent in not making sure the pool was safe by installing a drain cover as required by federal law.

The club closed in May 2009 after its lease expired.

The crux of the case was the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, a federal law passed in 2007 requiring all pools and spas to have special drain covers to keep children from getting trapped.

The law was created after Virginia Baker, the 8-year-old granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker III, drowned in 2002 after being trapped by a hot tub drain.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12007/1202018-53.stm#ixzz1imyIW57P

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by | January 3, 2012 · 6:35 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Security Risks: California Hotel Rooms Targeted By Thieves As Guests Leave "Patio Doors Open During Nice Weather"

“…(thieves) targeted first-floor Hotel Zoso rooms with open patio doors and took electronics, money and credit cards that were left out in the open…timing it so all the tourists were going to dinner and leaving their patio sliders open because the weather was nice…”

Most of the desert’s 17,000 hotel and motel rooms are expected to be filled from mid-January to early May as season kicks into high gear, leaving the door open for petty thieves to attack.

A number of people fell victim to a Palm Springs hotel burglary spree from April to November because they made two errors that police want current visitors to avoid.

He said eight of the 14 thefts were in October when temperatures were higher and guests left their doors open.

Visitors may not want to keep doors ajar now because of cooler weather, but simply having more people in town increases the amount of potential burglary targets, officials say.

Kazen suggested travelers lock all doors, hide property and be aware of their surroundings to ensure their safety. “They’re just kind of common sense things,” he said.

But they’re also steps that Howard Bianco learned to follow the hard way about five years ago.

The 48-year-old Indio man stayed at a Best Western Inn near Los Angeles International Airport and left his curtain open as he stepped out for dinner one night.

“Someone looked in, saw my iPod and camera, and, long story short, I found the door bashed in and they were gone,” he said. “Never saw them again.” The experience taught Bianco to be more discreet when staying in hotels. He encourages others to do the same, he said.

 In the case of the Hotel Zoso burglaries, the thefts appeared to be crimes of opportunity where the suspect took items from open rooms he came upon by chance.

After climbing over a front wall, Thompson entered first-floor rooms, flipped security latches in case occupants tried to enter from the hallway and took whatever he found, Kovaleff said.

“Stuff small enough to carry,” the sergeant said. “He was in and out.”

Thompson was arrested Nov. 11 after police set up a sting at the hotel. As two officers hid in the bathroom, the suspect entered a room through an unlocked patio door.

For more:  http://www.mydesert.com/article/20120103/NEWS0801/201030305/Hotel-season-can-also-bring-out-some-burglars?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage

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by | January 2, 2012 · 6:29 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Security Risks: Denver Hotel's "Room Key System" Malfunctions Locking Guests Out Of Rooms For Three Hours

“Shortly after midnight on New Year’s Eve, the hotel experienced a malfunction of the electronic room lock system. Once we became aware of the situation, we contacted the manufacturer of the system who provided technical support…”

Due to the inconvenience, the hotel gave guests refunds for the room.

Guests at the 628-room Denver Tech Center Marriott were locked out of their rooms when the clock struck midnight New Years. A room key malfunction kept guests out of their rooms from midnight until about 3 a.m.

Crowds of people packed into the lobby hoping to get key cards that worked. Others went to sleep in hallways. Hotel guests say it got pretty wild. “It was like a madhouse in there. It was crazy. I thought riots were going to start,” said Kyle Novak.

Denver Police say an officer called for assistance around 12:40 after a large disturbance in the parking lot. There were numerous reports of assaults and property damage.

In response to the incident Jennifer Atkins, the hotel’s general manager released the following statement.

 “We are sorry for the inconvenience this caused and are providing the night’s lodging free of charge to all registered guests. We will continue to work closely with the manufacturer of the lock system to better understand what may have caused the malfunction and will do what we can to prevent a similar malfunction from happening in the future.”

For more:  http://www.kwgn.com/news/kdvr-nye-guests-locked-out-of-denver-marriott-201211,0,7988711.story

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by | January 1, 2012 · 8:25 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Wisconsin Hotel Guests Hospitalized From "Carbon Monoxide Leak" As Swimming Pool Heating System Malfunctions

“…carbon monoxide levels of 800 parts per million were detected in the swimming pool area and 957 parts per million in a mechanical room where a heating system apparently malfunctioned, causing the leak…”

“…Levels of 9 parts per million usually will prompt officials to evacuate a building…”

As many as 16 people at a hotel near Lambeau Field were hospitalized Friday night after becoming ill from an apparent carbon monoxide leak, officials said. Battalion Chief Ed Jarosz of the Green Bay Fire Department said at least two of the victims were children who became ill in the swimming pool area at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1015 Lombardi Ave.

Two children were transported by ambulance, and 14 others were taken to a hospital by private vehicles, Jarosz said.

Children had been playing in the swimming pool area about 45 minutes before they began feeling sick, he said.

For more:  http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120101/GPG0101/201010565/Carbon-monoxide-leak-at-Hilton-Garden-Inn-in-Green-Bay-sends-16-to-hospital

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by | December 31, 2011 · 2:59 am

P3 Hospitality Industry Risk Report: "Hotel Cold Weather Checklist" Presented By Risk Manager Joe Fisco Of Petra Risk Solutions (Video)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMr9bfhZ3Z4]

Petra Risk Solutions’ Risk Manager, Joe Fisco, offers a P3 Hospitality Risk Report – ‘Hotel Cold Weather Checklist’. 

P3 ( Petra Plus Process) is the Risk Management Division of Petra Risk Solutions – America ’s largest independent insurance brokerage devoted exclusively to the hospitality marketplace.

 For more information on Petra and P3 visit petrarisksolutions.com or call 800.466.8951.

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by | December 30, 2011 · 5:59 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Texas Hotel "Service Elevator" Malfunctions Resulting In Housekeeper's Fatal Six Story Fall

In Texas, licensed inspectors must check elevators annually. The service elevator at the Crockett Hotel was installed in 1981 and its last annual inspection was in December 2010, according to the most recent records on file with the licensing department. Elevator inspector William McPherson did not note any concerns in his report.

In a 2008 inspection report, McPherson wrote that the service elevator needed a door restrictor — a device that prevents elevator doors opening when an elevator is stuck between floors. It prevents occupants from falling out of the elevator down the shaft, and from being injured if the elevator moves while they try to climb out.

The state’s chief elevator inspector will investigate a fatal incident at the Crockett Hotel, where a housekeeper fell six stories down the shaft of a service elevator Wednesday evening.

Brendel said the elevator was regularly maintained and inspected. He told police that the hotel “had been having problems with the elevators,” but they had been serviced and were working properly, according to a San Antonio police report.

The death stunned Rodriguez’s family, who described her as a warm, kind-hearted woman. She left behind four children, 10 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Family members say they have not received any explanation from hotel management about the cause of the death. Gloria Rodriguez’s daughter, Sara Ochoa, said the elevator had frozen with an employee inside it a few days ago, and it had gotten stuck in the past.

Lawrence Taylor, chief inspector for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which oversees elevator safety, was traveling to San Antonio on Thursday to investigate, department spokeswoman Susan Stanford said.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a federal agency that enforces safety standards for workers, also is investigating the incident.

Brendel said he couldn’t remember if the restrictor had been installed. But in a 2009 letter sent to state officials, he wrote that the hotel was planning to install one. More recent inspection reports did not find any problems regarding the door restrictor.

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Cause-unclear-in-death-at-hotel-2431280.php#ixzz1i1f7zxA3

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by | December 29, 2011 · 6:21 am

Hospitality Industry Employee Risks: Texas Hotel Uses Video Cameras To Identify Housekeeper Who Used "Portable Electronic Skimmer" To "Steal Guest Credit Card Numbers"

“…a number of guests who suspected someone had entered their rooms and stolen their credit card information, even though they were still in possession of their credit cards. Charges usually were applied to the credit cards several days after the guests had departed the hotel…”

“…While monitoring the hidden camera’s video feed real-time from the hotel security office, Jose Ramirez observed Margarita Fernandez Abreu remove a small device from her pants pocket and then slide approximately three of the debit cards through the device…”

The Stephen F Austin set up an elaborate ruse to trick a hotel maid into revealing she had stolen the credit and debit card numbers of hotel guests.

 Possible suspects in the case were narrowed down to maid Margarita Abreu, the only employee who had entered the room with an electronic key card. Knowing that, the hotel managers set up a hotel room that appeared to be occupied but wasn’t. A hidden camera was placed in the room that focused on the coffee table and debit cards.

 “Margarita also looked through the purse that was on the table as well. Margarita then concealed the device back in her pocket and continued cleaning the room.” After two detectives viewed the video and identified the object as a “card skimmer” that captured and saved the data. That data could be later downloaded and re-encoded to create “clone” credit cards.

Abreu was arrested on charges of credit card abuse, a state jail felony. Her bail was set at $15,000.

For more:  http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/crime/video-shows-credit-card-theft

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by | December 21, 2011 · 7:17 am

Hospitality Industry Food Safety: "Top Restaurant In America" Fails Inspection By Chicago's "Food Protection Division"; Results Posted On New "Online Reporting System"

“…the most common infraction is improper food temperatures…what’s important is how quickly they are corrected…”

Beginning this November the City of Chicago made it easy for residents to check in on the health and safety record of their favorite restaurants with a robust and detailed web site. At the end of November a surprising entry showed up on the city’s newly launched site: the Michelin-starred Alinea restaurant failed a November 30 inspection.(Full disclosure, their four violations were immediately corrected.)

CLICK ON "CHICAGO" TO VIEW INSPECTIONS WEBSITE

Alinea is often referred to as the best restaurant in America, and its chef, Grant Achatz, draws rock star acclaim for his culinary inventiveness.

But it’s not immune to heatlh department inspections. According to the report on Cityofchicago.org, Alinea was less than stellar on its food safety to close the month of November. No one from Alinea was available for comment by press time.

  • Inspectors observed black mold growing on interior surfaces of the ice machine.
  • Inspectors observed employees failing to properly wash hands.
  • Inspectors observed hazardous food storage of purple cabbage and potato soup.

 All of the items in the November 30 report were corrected immediately, according to Public Health Commissioner Bechara Choucair.

That’s the benefit of the new city website, however. In the past, restaurants who failed inspection were listed on a pass/fail basis. The new web site allows users to dive into information and find out exactly what violations face the restaurant.

Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/health/City-of-Chicago-Health-Departments-Online-List-Exposes-Alinea-135875908.html#ixzz1hBJvbBFy

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