THE Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) has issued updated advice for the hospitality sector in a bid to help operators and staff protect themselves and others from the coronavirus.
The trade group has outlined a number of preventative measures for those working in the industry, including asking all staff to wash their hands immediately upon arrival at work, after clearing tables, after cleaning hotel rooms and touching bedding and towels, and after doing any laundry.
Additional guidance for hotels includes ensuring ‘hand contact surfaces’ in bedrooms, such as all door handles, taps, hair dryer and kettle handles, are sanitised using a chemical that is effective against respiratory viruses as well as bacteria; ensuring linen and bedding is bagged before it’s removed from bedrooms to reduce any risk of transmission in corridors; and ensuring staff protect themselves by hand washing immediately after cleaning each room.
COVID-19 advice for the hospitality industry
Handwashing
On arrival at work.
After clearing a table.
After touching anything that guests may have contaminated.
After touching hand contact surfaces such as handrails, door handles, etc.
After using the toilet or going into the toilet areas.
After cleaning.
After cleaning hotel rooms and touching bedding and towels.
After doing any laundry.Laundry
Uniforms should be washed at temperatures above 60°C or a laundry sanitising agent used if the fabrics can’t be washed at such a temperature.
There is more control if laundry is carried out in-house or professionally, rather than staff taking it home. Uniform must not be worn on the way to work as it could become contaminated.Reception
Have sanitiser on the desk for guests to use.
Make sure all reception staff have access to sanitiser behind the desk so they can use this between serving guests.Housekeeping
Hand contact surfaces should be sanitised using a chemical that is effective against respiratory viruses as well as bacteria. A check list should include:
Bedside tables
Remote controls
Taps
Flush handles
Door handles – inside and out
Hair dryer handles
Mini bar handles
Kettle handles
Ideally glasses and crockery should be removed and washed in a dishwasher not the room sink.
Linen and bedding should be bagged before being removed from rooms to reduce any risk of transmission in corridors.
Staff should protect themselves by hand washing or using sanitising gel immediately after cleaning each room.
The Scottish Government has launched a business helpline to answer questions related to coronavirus: 0300 303 0660
