Hospitality Workplace Health & Safety

There are so many great places to visit and things to see around the country and the world. As seasons change, a multitude of viruses and infections can be transmitted via physical contact and airborne pathogens. Diseases are particularly pervasive in the hospitality industry, especially in places where people arrive from all points around the world; people who work in the hospitality services sector are often exposed to unexpected health threats.

Employer Resonsibility

• The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 requires that no matter the size of the company, employers must provide a workplace that is free of hazards and will not jeopardize the health of its employees. Employers are required to review their processes and recognize any potential hazards that can or may cause employee injury, death or any other physical harm. OSHA recommends that employers post their safety policies where all employees can see them.

Health and Safety

• Security officers in many hotels and tourist attractions have been specially trained in hand-to-hand combat, CPR and the use of defibrillators, and are able to respond in a moment's notice to avert threats and render medical assistance. It has been said that if a person were to have a heart attack, a tourist attraction is one of the best places for it to happen because the response would be immediate.

  For example, with visitors carrying drinks from one location to another, spills often occur and slip and fall accidents are prevalent. The employees are trained to immediately report any spills when they happen and someone is immediately dispatched to take care of the problem.

Who Is Responsible?

• The responsibility for the health and safety of hospitality workers and the people they serve lies squarely on the shoulders of the business. Most companies involved in the hospitality industry have developed checklists to help them maintain a safe working environment for everyone, from the ergonomic design of employee workstations to the hard hats and steel-toed boots that construction workers wear. Another part of safety in the workplace includes providing proper disposal of toxic and corrosive materials, eye protection and limiting exposure to extremes in heat and cold.

Particular Problems in Casinos

• One major concern for the health of hospitality workers, particularly in the casino industry, is the exposure to secondhand smoke. Casinos are one of the few places remaining where smoking remains unregulated. Even with limited exposure, secondhand smoke can be particularly harmful to pregnant women and nonsmokers. Ventilation within the casinos does little to reduce the risks involved with exposure to secondhand smoke. Some studies have shown that there is no consequence to businesses that become smoke-free, but nonsmoking casinos have opened and failed miserably.

Other Health Concerns

• Many hospitality workers are unionized but even employees who are not members of the unions have access to some of the best health-care plans available. Good benefits don't prevent the workers from getting sick, but they do help for speedy treatment and recovery. With every new health concern--from the H1N1 (swine flu) virus to avian flu (bird flu) and SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome)--hospitality workers are more susceptible to contracting these diseases since they come in contact with people from all over the world. Some employers have enacted on-site employee screenings that take place several times yearly in which they provide low-cost or free vaccinations for their employees.