Tag Archives: Bed Bugs

by | September 16, 2010 · 5:51 am

Hotel Industry Health Risk Management: Early Bed Bug Detection Is Critical For Successful Eradication Programs (Video)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OOZ8wBuF0k&feature=channel]

Bedbugs have made a comeback in the US due to increased international travel. Bedbugs can crawl out of a traveler’s suitcases and establish themselves in hotel rooms. A Bedbug problem can be quite expensive. In fact, an outbreak could lead to serious litigation and large settlements and loss of business. Can your property afford it? This program trains your employees to spot bed bugs so they can be caught in the early stages and remediated before a major infestation occurs.

2 Comments

Filed under Health, Insurance, Liability, Risk Management, Training

Tagged as , , ,

by | September 14, 2010 · 6:05 am

Hotel Industry Health Risk Management: Hotel Owners Should Negotiate “Loss Of Attraction” Or “Contingent Business Interruption” Insurance Coverage For Losses Arising From Bed Bug Infestation

“…many hotels have negotiated for “loss of attraction” coverage, which covers the actual loss a hotel might sustain if it had to cancel reservations or was unable to accept bookings due to an infestation.”

State inspectors have the authority to shut down an establishment that poses an "imminent health hazard" involving fire, flood, sewage backup, rodent infestation, bed bug infestation or "any other condition that could endanger the health and safety of guests, employees and the general public."

“I would say both business interruption and to some extent contingent business interruption are two of the most difficult values for a business to assess,” says Craig Lapsley, vice president at Travelers Global Technology.

In evaluating those risks, companies have to consider their earnings, operating expenses and payroll–which is often overlooked but should be included, he says. In addition, companies need to consider how long they could be out of business and how long it could take to get back up and running.

“It’s difficult for insurance professionals, who do it all the time, and it’s extremely confusing for insureds,” Lapsley says.

Whenever there are large losses or catastrophic events, a very large percentage of insureds invariably turn out to be underinsured when it comes to business income, he says.

What makes contingent business interruption particularly tricky to assess is that it involves operations that are outside the company’s direct control. A company’s own operations may be in fine working order, but it may nevertheless suffer a significant loss of business income because of a disruption in the neighborhood, or with one of its suppliers, or with one of its buyers.

 For more:  http://www.riskandinsurance.com/story.jsp?storyId=13708831

 

Comments Off on Hotel Industry Health Risk Management: Hotel Owners Should Negotiate “Loss Of Attraction” Or “Contingent Business Interruption” Insurance Coverage For Losses Arising From Bed Bug Infestation

Filed under Claims, Health, Insurance, Risk Management, Training

Tagged as , , ,

by | September 8, 2010 · 5:41 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Hotel Managers Are Finding Innovative Ways To Detect Bedbugs Early But Eradication Is Costly

“Short of putting a bedbug-sniffing beagle at your door to check everyone before they come in, you’re going to get bedbugs,” he said. “Dealing with them is the cost of doing business these days.”

State inspectors have the authority to shut down an establishment that poses an "imminent health hazard" involving fire, flood, sewage backup, rodent infestation, bed bug infestation or "any other condition that could endanger the health and safety of guests, employees and the general public."

The costs of coping with bedbugs are significant, and they are not covered by most insurance policies because they are seen as a maintenance issue. Hiring bedbug-sniffing dogs, which is considered the most effective detection technique, costs about $250 for a 1,200-square-foot retail store and as much as $10,000 for a million-square-foot department store.

 

Eliminating infestations is also costly, ranging from $750 for a few rooms in an office building to $70,000 for a large apartment complex. And that is just for the application of the cocktail of pesticides that kills bedbugs. It costs an additional 40 percent for the gold standard regimen of placing all the contents of an office or retail space into a heat chamber — bedbugs die at 120 degrees — and then spraying pesticides in the temporarily empty rooms.

An employee first discovered a bedbug in the 137-room hotel in 2003, and Mr. Tyler has since instituted a comprehensive bedbug detection program to find the blood-sucking insects before a guest does.

  • Mr. Tyler created a position called “bedbug technician” — an employee whose sole job is to go from room to room checking for bedbugs.
  • There is also a bedbug bounty of $10 paid to any employee who finds one.
  • If a bedbug is found, the room and all adjacent rooms are taken out of service for up to five days while they are steam-cleaned and chemically treated to eliminate the bugs and their eggs.
  • The mattresses in the rooms are also discarded. The total cost for each room is $2,500, including lost bookings.

“It sounds like a lot of money, but the value of a good reputation is infinite,” Mr. Tyler said. “Your biggest fear is that someone will get bitten and post something about it on an online travel site, and that’d be a killer.”

Bedbugs used to be solely a residential problem, but they are showing up in commercial settings, and not just in places with beds like hotels, nursing homes and apartment complexes. Increasingly, pest control companies report finding bedbugs in office buildings, movie theaters, clothing stores, food plants, factories and even airplanes.

“To stay ahead of bedbugs, I recommend having the dogs come through quarterly,” said Pepe Peruyero, chief executive of J&K Canine Academy in High Springs, Fla., which trains bedbug-sniffing dogs and offers inspections for large buildings like department stores and school dormitories. However, he added, many customers cannot afford it and instead choose to rely on the vigilance of employees after an initial dog check comes up clean.

“It takes about four to seven hours per room” for the combination heat and pesticide procedure and a couple of hours on three separate occasions if using pesticides alone, said Judy Black, technical director for the Steritech Group, based in Charlotte, N.C., which provides pest control and other quality control services to commercial customers. “Getting rid of bedbugs is not quick or easy.”

For more:   http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/08/business/08bedbug.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

2 Comments

Filed under Health, Insurance, Liability, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Training

Tagged as , , ,

by | September 4, 2010 · 6:00 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: National Public Radio (NPR) Airs “Conquering Your Fear Of Bedbugs” To Give Insight Into Bed Bug Histeria (Audio)

CLICK ON MICROPHONE TO HEAR NPR'S: "Conquering Your Fear Of Bedbugs"

With daily reports of bedbugs in movie theaters and clothing stores — let alone apartment buildings — bedbug hysteria seems to be reaching new heights. Psychologist Kevin Ochsner studies how people regulate emotion and shares tips for how to get your bedbug fear under control.

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Health Risks: National Public Radio (NPR) Airs “Conquering Your Fear Of Bedbugs” To Give Insight Into Bed Bug Histeria (Audio)

Filed under Health, Liability, Risk Management, Training

Tagged as , , ,

by | September 2, 2010 · 9:43 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Hotel Owners Must Must Undertake All Eradication Efforts To Avoid “Bed Bug” Infestation As Even “False Alarms” Are Reported

These are anxious times in the hotel industry. The pests — which hide in mattresses and bite people while they sleep — are

State inspectors have the authority to shut down an establishment that poses an "imminent health hazard" involving fire, flood, sewage backup, rodent infestation, bed bug infestation or "any other condition that could endanger the health and safety of guests, employees and the general public."

constantly in the news, and no place feels safe anymore.

Hotel and inn operators are feeling particularly vulnerable. Bedbugs have a habit of hitchhiking from place to place in suitcases. And disgruntled guests have a habit of broadcasting their bad experiences. A single negative posting on the likes of tripadvisor.com making a charming inn sound like a bedbug-and-breakfast can bring an establishment to its knees.

“I think the only people who were paying attention before were those who were dealing with it personally,’’ said Jeffrey White, an entomologist with BedBug Central, an online bedbug resource and host of “BedBug Central TV,’’ a weekly webcast. “With bedbugs popping up on buses and trains and theaters — places which everybody tends to use — it’s driving the media.’’

“Everyone has a right to voice their opinion, but it’s disheartening,’’ said Paul Sacco, president and chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Lodging Association. “It’s just awful that people can make claims that it takes forever to substantiate and forever to get them off when they’re false.’’

Another scourge in the industry is The Bedbug Registry, a public database of sightings in hotels and apartments in the United States and Canada. It was started four years ago by Maciej Ceglowski, a California computer programmer seeking revenge on bedbugs after being bitten by one in a San Francisco hotel. The sightings aren’t verified and are usually submitted anonymously. There have been 51 reports of bedbugs in Massachusetts hotels, Ceglowski said.

For more:  http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2010/09/02/

bedbug_fears_putting_the_bite_on_hotel_industry/

Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Hotel Owners Must Must Undertake All Eradication Efforts To Avoid “Bed Bug” Infestation As Even “False Alarms” Are Reported

Filed under Health, Insurance, Liability, Risk Management, Training

Tagged as , , , ,

by | July 28, 2010 · 5:18 am

Hotel Industry Health And Safety: Bedbug Infestations Have Risen Over 80% Since 2000 And Hotels And Motels Have Been “Hit Hard”

“A trained and knowledgeable housekeeping staff is one of the best lines of defense, along with having regular pest control inspections,”

Hotels and motels have been hit hard — CNN said 67 percent of nearly 1,000 pest control companies surveyed have treated bedbug infestations in hotels or motels, and overall, calls to deal with bedbugs have increased 81 percent since the year 2000.

Even four and five-star resorts have had problems with infestations, and researchers say it’s not an issue of cleanliness.

“It’s not a hygiene issue, and that’s a very important thing for all consumers to understand,” said Missy Henriksen, a spokeswoman for the National Pest Management Association.

The American Hotel and Lodging Association said that bedbugs are brought into hotels by guests, so the best way to avoid picking up the creatures on your clothes or luggage is to thoroughly check the mattress and sofa before settling into a new hotel room.

“A trained and knowledgeable housekeeping staff is one of the best lines of defense, along with having regular pest control inspections,” the association added.

For more:  http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/health/bedbug-infestations-on-the-rise-in-u.s.

2 Comments

Filed under Health, Liability, Risk Management, Training

Tagged as , ,

by | June 8, 2010 · 6:16 am

Hotel Industry Health And Safety Risks: “Bed Bug Infestations” Are Found In World Class And Small Hotels, Don’t Signify Unsanitary Conditions, And Are Difficult To Eliminate (Video)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak05xp72wX8&feature=player_embedded]

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) issues a warning to millions of Americans who plan to travel this summer — beware of the bed bug. The NPMA has seen a 71 percent increase in bed bug infestations since 2001, mainly due to international travel.  These “hitchhiking” pests can easily travel home with people in their suitcases.  While bed bugs do not transmit diseases, their bites can become red, itchy welts.

“Travelers can unknowingly bring bed bugs into their homes, giving the pests a new place to live and feed,” said Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for NPMA. “Bed bugs multiply quickly and can be difficult to eliminate.  We advise travelers to keep a few bed bug prevention tips in mind to avoid this most unwanted trip souvenir.”

A bed bug infestation is not a sign of unclean or unsanitary conditions. Bed bugs don’t discriminate and have been found in world class hotels and budget properties alike and wealthy neighborhoods as well as less affluent communities.

To prevent bed bug infestations, travelers should remember the following tips and check out this how-to video from NPMA:

·         Pull back the hotel bed sheets and inspect the mattress seams, particularly the corners, for telltale brownish or reddish spots. 

·         Thoroughly inspect the entire room before unpacking.  Do not put your luggage on the bed. 

·         If you change rooms, but choose to stay in the same establishment, be sure your new room is not adjacent to the possibly infested room. 

·         Use a large plastic bag to store your luggage.

·         When you return home, inspect and vacuum your suitcases thoroughly before bringing them into the house. 

·         Wash all your clothes — whether worn or not — in hot water.

·         If you suspect a bed bug infestation, contact a licensed pest professional.

For more information on bed bugs or to find a pest professional, please visit: www.pestworld.org.

Comments Off on Hotel Industry Health And Safety Risks: “Bed Bug Infestations” Are Found In World Class And Small Hotels, Don’t Signify Unsanitary Conditions, And Are Difficult To Eliminate (Video)

Filed under Health, Insurance, Liability, Risk Management, Training

Tagged as , , ,

by | May 19, 2010 · 4:11 am

Hotel Industry Health And Safety: Hotel Rooms Are A Haven For Germs And Potential Illnesses

 “A lot of times the cleaning crews will clean those glasses with the very same chemicals they’re using to clean your toilet.”

"There definitely can be hidden dangers in any hotel room, so you want to be smart,"

“…It might not just be germs lurking in your room. It could be infested with bedbugs. The problem is that you really can’t see them and they don’t just hide in the bed…”

 

Hotels, with their daily housekeeping, might seem like a haven from the dust, grime and filth of home. But be warned: germs can lurk in even the cleanest-appearing rooms. And you would be shocked where.

“…there is the TV remote control, probably the most touched item in the room. Not everybody is great about washing their hands and how thorough of a cleaning do you really think the remote gets?..”

For more:  http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/hidden-hotel-room-germ-magnets-tv-remote-water/story?id=10619191&page=1

Comments Off on Hotel Industry Health And Safety: Hotel Rooms Are A Haven For Germs And Potential Illnesses

Filed under Health, Insurance, Liability

Tagged as , , , ,

by | March 23, 2010 · 5:35 am

Hotel Health And Safety Issues: Education On The “Risks For Infestation” Of Bed Bugs May Help Keep Treatment And Legal Costs Down

“Based on the traveling behavior of bed bugs, any industry or travel destination with a high visitor turn over is particularly at-risk for infestation,” said White. “It will be especially important for the hospitality industry to be educated on this matter so they can respond competently to a situation where treatment and legal costs can spike quickly.”

(From a PCTOnline.com article)   Pennsylvania’s hospitality sector has recognized the risks bed bugs pose to their industry and will gather March 25 to attend a bed bug seminar hosted by the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association (GPHA) to learn how to combat this emerging issue.

GPHA is an association that represents the interests of the hospitality industry throughout Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. Their activities include civic representation, community partnerships and industry education.

The association’s statewide seminar titled, “Bed Bugs and the Hospitality Industry: Little Bugs, Big Problem” will be held at the downtown Marriott Hotel in Philadelphia, PA, March 25 at 8:30 a.m. The event will address the latest information on bed bugs and the most recent treatment breakthroughs to minimize cost. The seminar will also tackle the problems this pest represents that are unique to the hospitality industry.

Suzanne Geyer, an associate director with GPHA acknowledged that the bed bug seminar would present important information to industry management regarding the correct procedures needed to effectively approach dealing with bed bugs.

“This seminar will be especially important for practitioners because the information provided here is specific to hospitality and will provide a deeper understanding of bed bugs and some of the strategies needed to minimize the operational impact these pests can inflict,” said Geyer.

http://www.pctonline.com/Philadelphia-bed-bug-seminar.aspx

Comments Off on Hotel Health And Safety Issues: Education On The “Risks For Infestation” Of Bed Bugs May Help Keep Treatment And Legal Costs Down

Filed under Conferences, Health, Insurance, Liability, Training

Tagged as , , ,

by | February 27, 2010 · 6:48 am

Hospitality Industry Health Hazards: Hotels Must Maintain Health And Safety Plans To Protect Against Bed Bug Infestation, Mold, And Other Health Hazards

State inspectors have the authority to shut down an establishment that poses an "imminent health hazard" involving fire, flood, sewage backup, rodent infestation, bed bug infestation or "any other condition that could endanger the health and safety of guests, employees and the general public."

Becky Andrews checked into the Super 8 hotel in Bonner Springs last fall as she prepared to watch her son act in a play at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

For Andrews, a retired high school chemistry teacher from Colorado, the night turned into an ordeal.

“I had this sensation of things crawling on me, but I never saw anything,” she said. “It took a long time for me to realize what was going on.”

After several “itchy-twitchy” hours, she said, she captured a live bug in a plastic cup and took it to the front desk the next morning to complain.

She said that when the hotel didn’t appear to take her seriously, she filed a complaint with the state.

A Kansas Department of Agriculture inspector visited the hotel on Nov. 3 and confirmed that Room 406 was infested with bed bugs.

The hotel was ordered to fix the problem, and a follow-up inspection was scheduled for Dec. 3. But the follow-up never occurred.

The state announced that day it was suspending its lodging inspection program because of budget cuts.

Hotel law

In Kansas, hotels, motels and bed-and-breakfasts are governed by the Lodging Establishment Regulations, a 54-page document that regulates the water temperature in hot tubs, the liners used in ice buckets, and the markings that delineate the deep and shallow ends of hotel swimming pools, among other things.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture licenses more than 800 lodging facilities, and until last year each of those was required to submit to an annual inspection focusing on safety and sanitation issues.

Under the system, each violation was noted in an inspection report, and follow-up inspections were scheduled when problems couldn’t be corrected immediately. About 11 percent of last year’s inspections required follow-up visits.

In addition to the routine inspections, the Department of Agriculture last year investigated 132 lodging complaints, 35 of which involved bed bugs. Inspectors said 11 of the bed bug complaints — including the one submitted by Andrews — were valid.

State inspectors have the authority to shut down an establishment that poses an “imminent health hazard” involving fire, flood, sewage backup, rodent infestation, bed bug infestation or “any other condition that could endanger the health and safety of guests, employees and the general public.”

Last year, imminent health hazard violations were issued 24 times. Six of the violations involved bed bugs.

Constantine Cotsoradis, deputy agriculture secretary, said that discontinue-operations orders, particularly in bed bug cases, usually apply only to areas of a hotel affected by the problem.

“We want to protect the public but do as little economic harm as possible to the business,” he said.

State law gives regulators the authority to impose civil penalties on establishments that experience repeated violations. Last year such a penalty was imposed only once — a $1,350 penalty assessed to the Knights Inn and Suites in Leavenworth.

During its final 12 months of operation — December 2008 through November 2009 — the state’s lodging inspection program sent inspectors to nearly 800 businesses, and most inspections uncovered at least some violations.

The businesses collectively were cited for 3,251 violations including soiled linens, moldy showers, and unsafe levels of chlorine in swimming pools.

The most common violations — those dealing with smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers — accounted for nearly 20 percent of the total.

http://www.kansas.com/2010/02/21/1191720/no-state-money-for-hotel-inspections.html

2 Comments

Filed under Health, Liability, Training

Tagged as , , , ,