Tag Archives: Health Hazards

by | August 19, 2011 · 6:11 am

Hospitality Industry Continues To Face "Threat Of Bed Bug Infestations" As 80% Of Pest Professionals Have Treated Bedbugs In Hotels During 2011

CLICK ON “BED BUG” TO VIEW ONLINE REGISTRY

* 99% of pest professionals have seen bedbug infestations in the past year (up from 95% in 2010)

*80% of pest professionals have treated bedbugs in hotels/motels, compared with 67% in 2010

*73% of pest professionals believe bedbugs are the most difficult pest to treat
*54% have treated bedbugs in college dorms, up from 35% in 2010
*46% have treated bedbugs in nursing homes, vs. 25% in 2010
*38% have treated bedbugs in office buildings, compared with 18% in 2010
* 36% have treated bedbugs in schools and day care centers, vs. 10% in 2010. That’s an amazing increase, as is the 31% who say they’ve found bedbugs in hospitals, vs. 12% in 2010
*18% have treated bedbugs in trains, buses or taxis, compared with 9% in 2010
*17% have dealt with bedbugs in movie theaters; 5% in 2010

For more:  http://pestworld.org/Bed-Bug-Survey-2011

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by | July 17, 2011 · 8:10 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Nevada Hotel Guests Exposed To "Bacteria Causing Legionnaires' Disease"; Water Treatment Capabilities Increased

“…Spokeswoman Stephanie Bethel of the Southern Nevada Health District said Thursday that six cases of the sometimes-deadly form of pneumonia have been reported among Aria guests by the Centers for Disease Control….”

The hotel says in a letter to guests that it added additional water treatment and the latest tests show no detectible levels of the bacteria.

The Aria Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip is warning guests who stayed during a two week window that they may have been exposed to high levels of the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease.

Bethel says all six people were treated and have recovered. Hotel officials say water tests in several guest rooms between June 21 and July 4 detected elevated levels of the bacteria Legionella.

For more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/9748294

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by | July 6, 2011 · 8:23 am

Hotel Industry Pool Safety: Risks Of Dangerous "E. Coli" Outbreaks In Hotel Pools Increase As Chlorine Levels Decrease, pH Levels Rise Due To "Sunlight, Dirt And Material From Swimmers' Bodies"

“Because of the risk for outbreak of illness, it is essential that public pools and water parks follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for adequate chlorine and pH levels.”

Sunlight, dirt, debris and material from swimmers’ bodies can all reduce chlorine levels in pool water. That is why chlorine levels must be routinely measured. As pH goes up, the ability of chlorine to kill germs goes down, so pH levels also need to be tested. Specific regulations regarding testing timetables and testing procedures would prevent illness.

“…E. coli O157 can cause severe dehydration, hemorrhagic colitis (may require removal of part of the colon), and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), sometimes referred to as E. coli kidney failure. In addition to uremia and renal failure, HUS can cause seizures, strokes, encephalopathy, acute respiratory distress syndrome, heart attack and heart failure, blindness, paralysis, pancreatitis and death…”

E. coli attorney Fred Pritzker is calling for better regulations for public swimming pools after fifteen people were sickened at the Opelika SportsPlex and Aquatic Center in Opelika, Alabama. Parents should be able to bring their children to a public swimming facility without the children getting exposed to E. coli O157 or another dangerous pathogen,” said Pritzker. “Better regulations regarding chlorine and pH testing would help prevent E. colioutbreaks.”

To date, thirteen children and two adults who either played in the Splash Park or swam in the pool at the Opelika SportsPlex and Aquatic Center between June 4 and June 22 were identified with severe gastrointestinal illness consistent with E. coli O157 poisoning. Five children have been confirmed positive for E. coli O157:H7 infection.

Four children were hospitalized, and two remain hospitalized. “Based on the information that we have now, it appears that the common source of exposure was the Aquatic Center,” said State Health Officer Dr. Donald Williamson.

For more:  http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110630006874/en/E.-coli-Lawyer-Calls-Regulations-Wake-Opelika

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by | May 13, 2011 · 8:11 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Kentucky Hotels "Annual Inspection Reports" Are Now Posted "Online" With Scores And Violations Easily Accessed

Scores from annual inspections of more than 70 Northern Kentucky hotels and motels can now be found online.

Information on the inspection process, along with the scores, can be viewed on the Northern Kentucky Health Department’s website.

CLICK ON "INSPECTIONS" TO VIEW ONLINE INSPECTION REPORTS

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by | April 19, 2011 · 5:16 pm

Hospitality Industry Guest Health Risks: Hotel Management Must Remain Proactive In "Bed Bug Infestation" Prevention Through Use Of Professionals, "Good Passive Monitoring" And Detailed Action Plans

Trip Advisor, Bed Bug Registry, Bed Bug Database and other websites allow users to upload and track bed bug sightings and encounters online.

Bed Beg infestations at hotels can result in guilty verdicts against hotel owners if conscious and deliberate behavior led to infestations going untreated.

There is even a Bed Bug iPhone App that was launched late 2010.  

There are a number of proactive approaches that can be implemented to lessen their impact on your operations when they arrive. EcoGreenHotel spoke with Michael Merchant, PhD an urban entomologist for the Texas AgriLife Extension in Dallas to discuss ways to reduce your risk:
 

  1. Work with a Pest Management Professional (PMP) that has experience combating Bed bugs. Rely on the PMP’s experience and knowledge to guide you through all of the steps needed to prevent or eradicate an infestation. Bed bugs are complicated pests and are resistant to many traditional chemicals and treatment protocols.  An over-the-counter chemical remedy applied by an untrained hotel staff member could be a recipe for disaster.
  2. Employ good passive monitoring in your guest rooms. Glue or deadfall traps allow hotel owners to identify potential problems quickly and without great expense. If bed bugs are spotted in a trap, a well-trained PMP can quickly identify if the infestation is limited to one room or if it has spread to adjacent rooms. Canine units trained to detect bugs can also be brought in to help identify the extent of the infestation.
  3. Develop a bed bug action plan to educate all hotel staff members what to look for in the guest rooms and how to react quickly and effectively if a guest makes a complaint in person or online. Simple visual inspections by trained housekeepers looking at sheets, mattresses and other hiding areas is an inexpensive first line of defense.
  4. Use of mattress, pillow and box-spring encasements effectively eliminates the most common breeding grounds. A typical encasement set for a king bed can be purchased for around $150. It is extremely important that the mattress encasement be placed on both the mattress and the box springs. Encasements can also help eliminate allergens and dust mites that improve indoor air quality in your green hotel.
  5. Until a nationwide eradication strategy is implemented, we will continue to see this epidemic in hotels and other lodging facilities, homes, movie theaters, dormitories, and all of the other uninviting areas they reside nationwide. Hotels will definitely be subjected to bed bugs arriving with guests on a continual basis. The problem will not go away without a fight.

For more:  http://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article54128.html

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by | April 6, 2011 · 4:45 pm

Hospitality Industry Pool Health And Safety: Illinois Hotel Pool Shut Down By Health Officials For "Numerous Ongoing Violations"

The order is against ABVI Management, Inc., owner of America’s Best Value Inn, 140 Venita Dr., in O’Fallon. According to Madigan’s statement, the order came after the Illinois Department of Public Health and St. Clair County public health officials found…

“numerous, ongoing violations of state law that protects public health and safety and attempts to prevent the spread of infection.”

“One of the more glaring violations alleges an inspector with the St. Clair County Health Department observed on Feb. 11 that hotel management had reopened the swimming pool and had removed the IDPH closure order notice after the agency inspected the pool and shut it down Jan. 19 for failing to address violations found in earlier inspections.”

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has obtained a temporary restraining order against an O’Fallon hotel, ordering it to keep its swimming pool closed until health officials get to the bottom of “numerous, ongoing violations” involving health and sanitation violations.

From the statement: A hearing on the injunction will be held April 6. “If you travel with children as I do, where’s the first place they beg to go after check-in ─ the pool, of course,” Madigan said in the statement. “Travelers and parents shouldn’t have to worry about hotel management not doing its job to keep pools safe, clean and free of hazards.”

An employee of the hotel contacted this evening said the pool is closed. A spokesman for management of the hotel wasn’t immediately available.

For more:  http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/political-fix/article_cff335ea-5b2f-11e0-a0dd-00127992bc8b.html

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by | February 17, 2011 · 12:20 pm

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Hotels Increasingly Going "Smoke-Free" As Guests Demand "Healthy Environments"

The American Hotel & Lodging Association says, however, that there are 50,800 lodgings of 15 or more rooms throughout the country. Many lodgings not rated by AAA are likely to be smoke-free, says AAA’s Michael Petrone.

A growing number of state and local governments have recently passed laws restricting smoking in hotels and other public places. And AAA, which annually inspects lodgings and has the most extensive list of smoke-free ones, approves and rates only about 31,000 lodgings.

  • Westin Hotels & Resorts said it was responding to guests’ demands for a healthy environment and became the first chain to go smoke-free at its U.S. hotels.
  • Marriott, the nation’s largest hotel company, made nearly all its more than 2,500 U.S. hotels smoke-free several months later.
  • Marriott subsidiary The Ritz-Carlton, Walt Disney, Sheraton, Comfort Suites and a few other chains followed with all smoke-free U.S. hotels.”

We will continue to see either properties go entirely smoke-free or increase non-smoking rooms not only in the United States but around the world,” says Joe McInerney, president of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.Hyatt Hotels & Resorts — which has two smoke-free brands, Hyatt Place and Hyatt Summerfield Suites — agrees.

“The smoke-free hotel trend has finally caught up with the rest of the movement,” says Bronson Frick, associate director of the Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights. “Airlines went smoke-free in 1990, and California was the first state to enact a strong smoke-free law that included restaurants and bars in 1994. It took the hotel industry until 2006 to catch on that there was public demand and support for smoke-free hotels.”

For more:  http://travel.usatoday.com/hotels/story/2011/02/More-hotels-go-completely-smoke-free/43823744/1

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by | February 14, 2011 · 3:48 pm

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: "Bed Bug" Workshops Planned By Hotel Industry Association And National Pest Management Association (NPMA)

http://www.npmapestworld.org/

From identifying bed bugs to inspection techniques to public relations issues and legal ramifications, nationally-recognized experts will provide management tips to help hoteliers make informed decisions and stay out of the newspaper – and the courtroom. Many of AH&LA’s partner state associations are assisting in providing local speakers to lead hotel-specific discussions. Additionally, a marketplace component enables attendees to learn latest in bed bug products and management services. And, AH&LA members can earn recertification points by attending.

“Although last year’s headlines of bedbugs have abated, our industry and others are grabbling with how to best combat this most resilient pest,” said AH&LA President/CEO Joe McInerney. “From developing a targeted action plan to having an effective media response plan in place, these workshops will provide hoteliers with invaluable resources.”

For more:  http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/154000320/4050187.html

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by | February 9, 2011 · 8:36 am

Hospitality Industry Health Issues: Hotel Management Must Recognize The Growing Importance Of Having "Smoke-Free" Rooms And Public Spaces As Publicized By Websites Such As "FreshStay.com"

“…FreshStay.com will only list hotels that are 100% smoke-free as part of its industry-leading directory of  non-smoking hotels…”

“…members of FreshStay.com have eliminated smoking not just in guest rooms, but also all meeting rooms, restaurants and other public spaces…”
 

“The difference between a non-smoking room and a 100% smoke-free hotel can make all the difference to a health conscious traveler, or to the growing number of Americans who suffer from allergies, asthma and other sensitivities,” says Ray Burger, Founder of FreshStay. “Members of FreshStay.com consistently receive outstanding feedback from their guests, which is why we always say Frequent Breathers prefer FreshStay. Those guests are then more likely to return because they know their room will be clean and smoke-free every time – guaranteed.”

Below are states with smoke-free laws and the percentage of rooms that must be “smoke-free”: 

  • 100 percent: Michigan, Wisconsin
  • 80 percent: Arkansas (only if there are more than 25 units), Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska (see story), New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio
  • 75 percent: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington
  • 65 percent: Montana
  • 50 percent: Arizona, Louisiana (casinos and gaming centers excluded), Rhode Island
  • 35 percent: California 

For more:  http://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article52093.html

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by | February 2, 2011 · 10:33 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: "Bed Bug Summit" Being Held In Washington DC Focuses On Need To Develop And EPA To "Approve" Effective Commercial Pesticides

Hotel operators, public-health officials and leaders of an industry spawned to combat bedbugs urged tighter U.S. regulations and development of effective pesticides during the second National Bed Bug Summit.

“Given the difficulty of exterminating bedbugs, we are calling upon” the EPA “to conduct further research and development of effective pesticides,” Council Speaker Christine Quinn wrote in a Jan. 31 letter to the EPA with fellow members.

“Given the difficulty of exterminating bedbugs, we are calling upon” the EPA “to conduct further research and development of effective pesticides,” Council Speaker Christine Quinn wrote in a Jan. 31 letter to the EPA with fellow members.

 

 

  • The Environmental Protection Agency convened the meeting as New York City Council members urged the agency to set regulations for better use of insecticides.
  • There are over 300 pesticide products registered to get rid of bed bugs, according to the Office of Pesticide Programs at the Environmental Protection Agency
  • Research shows that bed bugs may be developing resistance to some pesticides.

“It remains a huge concern,” said Joseph McInerny, chief executive officer of the American Hotel and Lodging Association at the two-day conference in Washington that ends today. Housekeeping and maintenance staff are the “first line of defense,” spotting speckles of blood that signal rooms may be closed for weeks by an infestation, he said yesterday.

Bedbugs — wingless insects that feed on the blood of sleeping animals — invaded stores of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Victoria’s Secret and Nike Inc.’s Niketown in New York City last year as well as hotels, offices and homes.

The insects can cause reactions through bites, as well as blister-like skin infections and, in rare cases, asthma and anaphylactic shock, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW AGENDA OF BED BUG SUMMIT

“2010 was definitely the year of the bedbug,” Natalie Raben, marketing director of M&M Environmental, a New York pest- management company said at the conference.

For more:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-02/bedbugs-bite-on-hotels-spurs-call-for-more-effective-pesticides.html

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