[vimeo https://vimeo.com/107482118Â w=500&h=281]
Petra Risk Solutions’ Loss Control Manager, Matt Karp, offers a P3 Hospitality Risk Report – ‘Common Fire Code Violations’.Â
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.
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Management Update: “Common Fire Code Violations†(Video)
Filed under Fire, Hotel Industry, Insurance, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Training
“…There will be a brand new, state-of-the-art fire alarm system installed by the end of the year and will 
cost $99,950…the lack of self-closing devices installed in the doors may lead to a potential fire to jump to the other building, the audit noted…One of the problems that State Fire Marshal Chris Connealy reported was that there was a large quantity of combustible items stored in the unfinished basement area of the hotel (which) may overwhelm a fire sprinkler system if a fire occurs placing occupant safety and structural stability at risk…â€
The Sam Houston State University Hotel has fixed several fire hazards and are in the process of tending to the rest after they were discovered in a State Fire Marshal audit in February, according to Steve Shields, Director of Environmental Health, Safety, and Risk Management.
The University Hotel had nine fire safety problems that needed to be addressed, according to physical plant. Five of them have been fixed and the last two have been scheduled and funded. One problem that has yet to be fixed is the fire alarm system. According to the report, the fire alarm system in the hotel is inadequate and does not have the required detection devices and alarm placement.
The current alarm can’t be heard in all of the rooms, and there is no visual notification devices for the hearing impaired in the public areas. Also, the sprinkler system will not activate the building fire alarm upon activation.
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Filed under Fire, Guest Issues, Liability, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Risk Management
“…By installing (the Emergency Management Software), Doubletree provides Detroit’s first responders instant on-site access to site plans, floor 
plans, hazardous material details, utility shut-off locations, geographical maps, fire hydrants locations, persons with special needs, guests and residents, and other critical information. The pre-plan data will be on a touch screen computer in the lobby as well as on the mobile data computers in Detroit’s fire department and law enforcement vehicles…”
“Our adoption of this technology is an excellent example of the private sector bracing the public works,” said Shannon Dunavent, general manager of Detroit DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. “This new technology will be fully implemented by September 1st, making all critical building information quickly available to first responders. We are not only making a smart, cost-effective investment in our property and in the safety of our guests and staff, but in the city’s ability to respond to emergencies.â€Â
CommandScope allows building and facility owners, managers and first responders alike to easily add and upload building and site data. The information is shareable across organizations and city departments, and is updateable in real-time allowing first responders to act with knowledge rather than trial and error. First responders can save time and lives by immediately execute emergency procedures instead of wasting time locating managers or engineers on site.
Filed under Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Technology, Training
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Safety Solutions: Hotels And Restaurants With Ten Or More Employees Must Maintain A Written “Fire Prevention Plan” That Complies With OSHA Standards
Filed under Fire, Guest Issues, Health, Injuries, Labor Issues, Liability, Maintenance, Risk Management, Training
“…the hotel had a small fire in its basement over the weekend, and the fire alarms did not go off…(it was) found that the hotel’s electrical panel that controls the fire alarms was dead and the alarms didn’t work…the 
hotel’s general manager said they had to evacuate more than 70 guests Tuesday, and they’ve been working since then to replace the fire alarm system..”
A hotel in a Scranton shut down Tuesday night because of a problem with its fire alarm system. It turns out, that hotel may have been without fire protection for weeks, maybe even months.
Scranton firefighters received a tip call from a former employee of the Clarion Hotel in Scranton. That call unraveled what could have been a big problem for the hotel and city officials.
The city’s director of inspections and permits, Mark Seitzinger went with firefighters to check out the tip calls claim.
“It’s dangerous, as of the other day they had 75 occupants or patrons of the building, that’s 75 people not including employees that are at risk because there’s no fire system,†said Seitzinger.
On the city’s advice, hotel managers made the call to evacuate all of those 75 guests and sent them to nearby hotels. Among the displaced were realtors who were supposed to have a certification class at the Clarion, but they had to change their plans and move to another venue in Clarks Summit.
For more:Â http://wnep.com/2013/01/09/hotel-replaces-faulty-fire-alarms-following-small-fire/
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Pennsylvania Hotel “Fire Alarm System” Fails During Basement Fire; Over 70 Guests Evacuated After Electrical Panel Circuit Found “Dead”
Filed under Fire, Guest Issues, Liability, Management And Ownership, Risk Management
“…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:Â http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/19806893/grand-strand-hotels-reveal-fire-safety-plan
Filed under Fire, Guest Issues, Insurance, Labor Issues, Liability, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Training
“….the structure was old, making it more difficult to fully extinguish the fire…the roof material is wooden shake 
which made it burn faster…the fire caused about $1.4 million in damage…”
Maui firefighters spent their labor day battling a blaze at the Valley Isle Resort in Kahana. The fire was called in just after 6 a.m. Monday. Maui firefighters say it started on the second floor of a two-story building. Thick smoke and flames poured out from the roof which partially collapsed as more than 60 firefighters battled the flames.
Mainaga says a defensive tactic was necessary because the whole roof could come down, so firefighters had to stay outside. Firefighters evacuated the building as well as the Valley Isle Resort, a hotel and condominium building right next door.
The two-story building is part of the resort and has offices as well as a fitness center. “Yes that explains why the thing burned so fast.” said Mainaga.
Mainaga says no one was in the unit where the fire started and everyone was evacuated in time, so nobody was hurt.
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Hawaii Hotel And Resort Fire Starts On Second Floor Of Older Building With "Shake Roof" That Burns Quickly And Collapses; $1.4 Million In Damages
Filed under Claims, Fire, Insurance, Maintenance
 “…the fire was most likely caused by combustible items being stored too close to the water heater…resulting in over $1,000,000 in damage…”
Investigators believe a fire at a Lynnwood restaurant this week started near a water heater, officials said Friday.
The fire broke out about 2 p.m. Wednesday at The Local Yolk at 4025 196th Street SW.
Diners and staffers got out safely, but the fire caused up to $1 million in damage, according to the Lynnwood Fire Department.
Investigators were unable to pinpoint what exactly started the fire. Most likely, it was caused by combustible items being stored too close to the water heater.
For more:Â http://heraldnet.com/article/20120831/NEWS01/708319851/-1/NEWS01
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Washington Restaurant Fire Caused By "Combustible Items Near Water Heater"; Over $1,000,000 In Damage
Filed under Claims, Fire, Insurance, Maintenance, Management And Ownership
“…lift shafts provide a ready pathway for smoke and fire to travel upwards in multi-storey buildings. Buoyant fire gases in a lift shaft can quickly fill upper floors, and there is much evidence to suggest that the majority 
of fatalities in such fires occur on higher floors significantly removed from the seat of the fire…”
Fires involving lift shafts pose particular risk in hotels where there can be large numbers of people, some of whom may be elderly or infirm, and in an unfamiliar place. In 2007 alone, it’s estimated that one in 12 hotels and motels in the USA suffered a structural fire.Â
That was certainly true in 1980 MGM Grand Hotel fire in Las Vegas which claimed 84 lives, the worst disaster in Nevada history. In that incident, while the fire primarily only damaged the second floor, most of the deaths occurred on the upper floors, with elevator shafts and stairwells allowing toxic smoke to spread upwards.
It’s hard to overestimate the impact this fire had on both our understanding of vertical fire movement and on the building regulations to mitigate against fire risk. The fire in a garment factory in a tall building claimed 146 lives, and directly led to new laws on building access and egress, fire proofing requirements, the availability of fire extinguishers, the installation of alarm systems and automatic sprinklers.
Under current fire safety legislation it is the responsibility of the person(s) having responsibility for the building to provide a fire safety risk assessment that includes an emergency evacuation plan for all people likely to be in the premises, including disabled people, and how that plan will be implemented. Such an evacuation plan should not rely upon the intervention of the Fire and Rescue Service to make it work.
For more:Â http://www.glassonweb.com/news/index/16822/
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Safety Risks: Multistory Hotels Face Increased Fire Risk From "Elevator Lift Shafts" That Provide "Ready Pathway For Toxic Smoke And Fire" To Travel Upwards
Filed under Fire, Guest Issues, Health, Injuries, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Risk Management
“…some employees at closing time discovered a fire in the kitchen and attempted to put it out with extinguishers…the fire extended into the second floor that was mostly used for storage and contained a lot of combustibles…there was water damage to the basement and smoke and fire damage throughout the two-story structure….”
Firefighters arrived at Carvetti’s, 642 W. Main St. at 1 a.m., “they encountered heavy smoke and a heavy fire load on the second floor. The fire was pretty heavily involved,” said Capt. Mark Moller-Gunderson. The cause and origin of the fire is under investigation.
Lake Geneva Police Department Detective Ed Gritzner said the task force continues to investigate the fire, but “we don’t think any criminal activity is involved. We just need to talk to a few more employees to see what they have to say since the kitchen appears to be where the fire originated,” he said.
In fighting the blaze, fire crews made an aggressive interior attack while the ladder company opened the roof. Other firefighters chased down fire pockets before fire crews conducted overhaul and salvage work.
“They had the bulk of the fire knocked down in 15 to 20 minutes and prevented more serious damage from the fire that had a pretty good start,” Moller-Gunderson said.
For more:Â http://gazettextra.com/news/2012/jun/06/fire-damages-lake-geneva-eatery/
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Wisconsin Restaurant Kitchen Fire Spreads To Second Floor Storage Area; Significant Water And Smoke Damage
Filed under Fire, Insurance, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Risk Management
