Tag Archives: Illnesses

by | April 29, 2014 · 8:40 am

Hospitality Industry Liability Update: ” Hotel Horrors, Avoiding the Silent Killer”

“…The organization issued a statement about the deadly gas saying  in part: proper installation andImage maintenance of fuel-fired equipment including adhering to the manufacturers  product warnings are the best measures to ensure no adverse carbon monoxide exposure occurs…”

South Carolina hotels will become a home away from home for many across the nation this summer. But a nice relaxing vacation and time by the pool could turn deadly.

“It depends how much you breath in,” says Columbia Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins. Columbia Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins is talking about Carbon Monoxide. It’s often called the “silent killer.” That’s because you can’t smell the gas or see it.

For more: http://www.wach.com/news/story.aspx?id=1036737#.U1_CNK1dXnw

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by | April 17, 2014 · 9:01 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Update: “Recent Hotel Incidents Serve as Cautionary Tales of Carbon Monoxide Health and Legal Risks”

“…Should a hotel have to contend with the unthinkable, a catastrophic incident, such as carbon monoxide poisoning, it is advisable to immediately conduct a detailed and thorough investigation. Preferably, counsel should be retained at the outset to shepherd the investigation, retain appropriate experts Image and serve as a liaison between the hotel and the investigating authorities. The benefit of counsel conducting the investigation is that everything learned during the course of the investigation falls under attorney client privilege in the likely event that a lawsuit is initiated…”

Recently media exposure regarding the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning in hotels, motels, and resorts has seemed to increase. The issue has garnered attention among such major media outlets as ABC News’ 20/20, USA Today, and CNN. With good reason – a 2013 USA Today Investigation showed that, “eight people have died and at least 170 others have been treated for carbon monoxide poisoning in the past three years in hotels.” A concerning statistic given that according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Comission, approximately 170 people die each year from carbon monoxide produced by non-automotive consumer products overall.

Carbon monoxide, also known as CO, is a colorless, odorless, gas with toxic consequences for people and animals. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a risk that hotel, motel, and resort operators must take seriously, most importantly to ensure the safety and well-being of guests. But also because of the potential legal exposure carbon monoxide poisoning poses, both to business entities and individual owners, should the unthinkable happen in their hotel.

For more: http://hlconverge.com/index.php/component/k2/item/815-recent-hotel-incidents-serve-as-cautionary-tales-of-carbon-monoxide-health-and-legal-risks

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by | February 14, 2014 · 8:30 am

Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Miami Hotels Use Technology to Help Sick Guests”

“…Creator Dr. Ramsey Saffouri is launching the program in South Florida ahead of a worldwide release. Saffouri demonstrated the broad, Image multilingual medical technology, which he said also has wide diagnostic capabilities, at a press conference at the iconic Delano Hotel on Wednesday…”

Some Miami hotels are teaming up with a program to offer out-of-town guests who are feeling under the weather a convenient way to hook up with a doctor.

If travelers are suffering from anything from an earache to the flu, they can contact the hotel concierge or front desk to co-ordinate a new medical technology platform.

SKYdoc enables a doctor to receive vitals, such as blood pressure, pulse, and EKG reads for non-life threatening illnesses. The technology allows a doctor to communicate in a way that’s similar to Skype one-on-one with their patients 24-hours a day.

For more: http://www.theprovince.com/travel/Miami+hotels+offer+sick+guests+convenient+doctor+with+technology/9508105/story.html

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by | January 17, 2014 · 8:34 am

Hospitality Industry Food Safety Update: “Under New Food Safety Law, Bartenders Have to Wear Gloves”

“…In an effort to educate restaurant operators and health inspectors, the law will undergo a “soft roll-out” during the next six months to a year,Image according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. No points will be deducted when food handlers are not wearing gloves, but restaurant operators will receive a warning instead…”

Chefs aren’t the only ones affected by a new food safety law that bans culinary workers from touching certain foods with their bare hands. Like chefs, bartenders have to wear gloves or use other utensils to make their drinks. No touching ice, fruit garnishes or anything else that goes directly into your glass.

Changes to the California Retail Food Code that went into effect at the beginning of 2014 require disposable gloves or utensils such as tongs, paper or scoops to be used when handling “ready-to-eat” foods, which include sushi, bread, deli meats and fresh fruit and vegetables. Basically, nothing that won’t be cooked or reheated before it goes out to diners can be touched with bare hands.

For more: http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-under-new-food-safety-law-bartenders-have-to-wear-gloves-20140114,0,7520647.story#axzz2qTxmrCcS

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by | August 3, 2013 · 5:43 pm

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Texas Restaurant Sued By Customer Claiming Sickness From “Cyclospora”; Parasite Traced To Tainted Salad Mix

“…According to her lawsuit, (the plaintiff) dined at an Olive Garden restaurant in Addison, Texas on July 1 and suffered nausea, fatigue and Restaurant Cyclospora Outbreaksdiarrhea a few days later. Tests confirmed that her gastroenteritis was caused by cyclospora, the lawsuit states…Cyclospora is a single-celled parasite that attacks the small intestine, causing diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, gas, nausea and fatigue, health officials said…”

A Dallas woman is suing Darden Restaurants, claiming she became sick with the rare parasite cyclospora after she ate at an Olive Garden restaurant.

Suzanne Matteis contracted the severe gastrointestinal sickness in July and tested positive for the parasite, said her attorney, Ryan Osterholm. Nationwide, there are at least 378 confirmed cases of illness from cyclospora in 16 states since mid-June.

On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that cyclospora cases in Iowa and Nebraska have been traced to a tainted salad mix supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico to Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants in those states. Both restaurant chains are owned by Darden Corporation.

For more: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-salad-darden-cyclospora-lawsuit-20130803,0,4967942.story

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by | March 26, 2013 · 5:19 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Restaurants “Cause 250% More Foodbourne Illnesses” Than Eating At Home A New CSPI Study Finds

“…the CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) found there are roughly two and half times more illnesses caused by outbreak_alert_2013_final-page-001foodborne illnesses picked up by dining at restaurants than by eating at home…restaurants were involved in 1,786 outbreaks during the decade, events associated with at least 32,919 illnesses. Private residences were involved in 922 outbreaks resulting in 12,666 illnesses…another 1,229 outbreaks occurred in multiple locations —schools, jobsites, catered events, etc.—and were responsible for at least 42,301 illnesses…”

Some of CSPI’s other findings include:

  • Foods regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were responsible for twice as many fully investigated outbreaks as those regulated by the U.S.Department of Agriculture.
  • Dairy and produce outbreak levels remained relatively unchanged, while most of the declines came in seafood, beef, pork and poultry,
  • Pound for pound, seafood remains the most risky food, followed by poultry, produce and dairy.
  • The most common contaminant/vehicle pairing is Salmonella in poultry.

For more:  http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/03/fewer-people-may-be-getting-sick-from-poisoned-food/#.UVGbf0nn8eE

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by | January 20, 2013 · 8:52 am

Hospitality Industry Employment Risks: Hotels And Restaurants Providing “Paid Sick Leave” Benefits Reduce Employee Illnesses, Work-Related Injuries And Turnover According To Latest Studies

“…it (is) better for an employee to call in sick, take care of their illness and not contaminate the other staff. The number of employees struggling to work while sick was drastically reduced. The H1N1 virus in 2009 Paid Sick Leave In Hospitality Industrydemonstrated the value of keeping sick employees out of the workplace…And best of all, according to the Centers for Disease Control, workers with paid sick leave are 28 percent less likely to suffer work-related injuries. People in construction, restaurants or hospitals who do physically demanding jobs are more likely to injure themselves (or someone else) if they are working while sick, weak and fatigued…”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics tells us that 39 percent of people employed in private industry do not have paid sick leave as a benefit.

And 81 percent of service workers earning $10.50 or less have no paid sick leave. These are the people behind the cash register, serving you food in a restaurant, cleaning offices and hotel rooms and handing you your ticket when you go out to see a movie.

The information comes from studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Women’s Institute of Policy Research study of San Francisco’s paid sick leave ordinance. Before San Francisco enacted its ordinance in 2007, the restaurants and mom-and-pop businesses fought hard to prevent it. They predicted the cost of paid sick days would put them out of business. In 2011 a detailed study was done and employers are happy their fears were not realized. There was no discernible increase in payroll costs.

Turnover decreased because employees didn’t need to change jobs to get paid sick leave. The city ordinance requiring paid sick leave leveled the field for all employers, and good employees stayed in place longer.

For more:  http://union-bulletin.com/news/2013/jan/19/sick-pay-benefits-employers-bottom-lines/

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by | November 28, 2012 · 7:24 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Illinois Restaurant Connected To "Salmonella Contamination Through Human Transmission" Closed Down; Employees Must Be Cleared To Work

“…the (restaurant) was found to have a suspected connection to the salmonella cases…the health department discussed the situation with the franchise ownership, at which time they chose to voluntarily close in an abundance of caution…the link does not seem to be a certain food, but rather human transmission…”

A McDonald’s eatery in Bloomington, Ill. in McLean County was shuttered before the Thanksgiving weekend as investigators look into a suspected case of salmonella contamination. It remains closed.

Pantagraph.com writes that a range of confirmed salmonella cases were reported at several different restaurants in Central Illinois between October 18 and November 11, and “substantial information connecting the [McDonald’s] to the cluster of salmonella cases was discovered last week.” Investigators believe the sickenings were a result of human transmission rather than a specific food item.

Every employee at the McDonald’s is being tested and the restaurant will not reopen until enough staff have been cleared to work.

“People that are sick, they know they’re sick,” Simon said. “They’ve been sick for a period of time.” For about a week, these individuals have been suffering from particularly nasty cases of Salmonella Stanley, a rare strain that Food Safety News writes is rare outside of Southeast Asia and usually appears only in people who have traveled there.

For more:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/mcdonalds-bloomington-salmonella_n_2197920.html

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by | October 14, 2012 · 7:07 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Washington Restaurant Closed Down By Health Department After Confirmation Of Salmonella Poisoning

“…(the Health Department) closed the restaurant this morning as a further precaution to reduce the risk of Salmonella spreading to others. Our staff is interviewing employees and patrons to learn more about the possible source of this outbreak, such as a contaminated food source.”

The Clark County Public Health Department is closing the On the Border Mexican restaurant in Vancouver, Washington after an outbreak of Salmonellaamong patrons. The restaurant is located at 1505 SE 164th Avenue. So far, there are 11 confirmed cases and 5 probable cases associated with this outbreak. Public health officials are asking that anyone who ate at the restaurant between September 20 and October 8, 2012 and experiencing symptoms of salmonellosis contact a health care provider.

The symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning include diarrhea, which may be bloody, fever, chills, abdominal cramps, and vomiting. People usually become ill one to three days after infection. Attorney Elliot Olsen said, “facilities that sell food are supposed to ensure that their product is safe. Food contaminated with pathogenic bacteria is not fit to eat.”

Since Salmonella infections can spread person-to-person, government officials are stressing the need for thorough hand-washing after using the bathroom, and before and during food preparation. Anyone who is ill should stay home and not prepare food until their symptoms have disappeared.

For more:  http://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2012/vancouver-wa-mexican-restaurant-on-the-border-closed-after-salmonella-outbreak/

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by | August 12, 2012 · 7:05 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: California Hotel Sued By Nine Guests Claiming They Contracted Meningitis From Hotel Pool; Suit Seeks Damages For Premises Liability And Negligence

“…The plaintiffs claim the hotel failed to sanitize the pool, fill it with clean water, use purification chemicals or “obtain proper certification of health & safety codes to reopen pool and water park facilities after pool closure.”

They seek medical costs, damages and punitive damages for premises liability, negligence, gross negligence, public nuisance and loss of consortium.

Nine people claim they contracted meningitis and/or other deadly diseases two years ago from a pool at the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort in Carlsbad. Lead plaintiff Gerald Green claim that during their stay in August 2010 the hotel failed to properly sanitize its family swimming pool. Plaintiff claim that hotel staff told them later that “the pool had been closed due to prior fecal or other form of contamination.”

“Plaintiffs were caused to sustain severe personal injuries, including, but not limited to symptoms of fever, headache, myalgias [muscle pain], vomiting and diarrhea, resulting in diagnoses to include meningitis and aggravated multiple sclerosis,” the complaint states.
Meningitis is a potentially fatal disease caused by inflammation of the protective membranes of the brain and spinal cord. Multiple sclerosis, which causes damage to nerves in the brain and spinal cord, is a debilitating disease with no known cure.

For more:  http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/08/06/49015.htm

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