Covid-19 action plan

In line with current government advice, we assess that the risk of catching and spreading the virus is vastly reduced if everyone practises basic and sensible personal hygiene. So that means:

• Regular hand washing with soap in hot water for a minimum of 20 seconds scrubbing time. Everyone must wash hands when they arrive for work or return to the hotel after going off site

• Carrying tissues with you to catch coughs or sneezes. Always bin the tissue immediately after use.

• Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes unless during or immediately after washing

• Do not mop your brow with your hands

• If you do cough or sneeze, please wash hands afterwards.

• Please avoid shaking hands, hugging or kissing when greeting guests.

Provided that no one actually sneezes or coughs onto you, the primary risk of catching Covid-19 will come from surface transfer. That is why hand hygiene is such an important and effective barrier to the spread of the virus.

Communal surface contact points

• All communal area light switches to be sanitised first and last thing each day.

• Any doors held on magnets to be sanitised first and last thing each day

• Repeated communal surface contact points to be sanitised regularly throughout the day. For example,

o Lift buttons and lift call buttons on each floor

o Front door inside and out

o Bannisters and finials

o Communal loo door handles, taps and flush levers

o Arms of armchairs and seat backs in lounges

o Table tops in bar

Housekeeping

Headline issue: room to room transfer, guest to staff transfer

We assess the overall risk of catching the virus in the workplace from someone else to be low as you generally do not have close personal contact with guests. The risk to you will come from possible transfer from surfaces. However, if you wash hands and then 

• Wash hands on arrival at work

• Each housekeeper will have their own bottle of sanitizer

• Clean one room at a time

• Hands to be sanitized before cleaning each room

• Open window in each room while cleaning (remember to close again afterwards)

• On stays, clean everything as normal

• On changes, clean everything as normal, but in addition use a sanitizing wipe on all surfaces where there will have been firm hand contact, so:

o Light switches

o Bedside light switches

o Plug switches which are on view (don’t worry about those tucked behind a bed for example)

o TV remote

o Telephone (handset as well as buttons)

o Door handles and latches, including bathroom and wardrobe

o Handles/knobs on bedsides and chests of drawers

o Taps and bath/shower controls

o Window latches

o Hospitality tray

• Wipe any parts of vacuum cleaner touched by hand during use at end of shift

• Wipe handles to all housekeeping cupboards at end of shift

• Wash hands after using laundry house

• Wipe down master keys and wash hands before leaving hotel

• Wearing gloves will not provide much further protection over and above hand washing and, if anything, might lead to greater spread by transfer.

Kitchen

Headline issue: preserve integrity of food preparation area

• Wash hands on arrival

• Wash hands every hour

• Wash hands before and after smoking

• Wash hands when returning to site

• Wear gloves for food preparation and immediately bin after use

• Do not touch communal contact points eg door handles, latches, while wearing gloves

• Do not mop brow with hands, gloved or otherwise. 

• Avoid hand contact with mouth, nose and eyes

• KPs sanitise light switches, plugs, appliance controls first and last thing

• KPs must wash hands when transferring from wash up to pans and food prep side

• Sanitise still levers every hour

Reception/Bar

Headline issues: guest to staff transfer, surface transfer in communal areas

• Wash hands on arrival

• Regularly disinfect phones and keyboards, including PDQ machine

• Wipe keys every time they are handed in

• Wash hands after carrying bags or any other similar direct contact with guests and their belongings

• Sanitise after handling guest payment cards or cash. Contactless comes into its own now!

• If a guest asks for a pen, wipe it down after use and then wash or sanitise hands

• Wash hands when returning to site

• Wash hands or sanitise after using laundry

• Sanitise after being in contact with any communal surface contact points, including obvious things like door handles and lift buttons, as well as the less obvious such as arms of armchairs and seatbacks

Restaurant

Headline issues: guest to staff transfer, surface transfer restaurant to kitchen, guest to guest transfer

• Wash hands on arrival

• Sanitise all items left on table when laying up, so salt/pepper, candle, napkin ring, bud vases

• Sauce bottles wiped between use

• Preserves wiped if unused

• Sanitise every time after bringing plates and cutlery back into the kitchen and before you take anything back into the restaurant

• Any clean or unused crockery or cutlery left in the restaurant must go through the wash

• Wash hands before laying up

• Wipe down cleaning utensils, eg vacuum cleaner after use

• Wash hands if you cough or sneeze during service

• Paper napkins for ALL groups

• Wipe seat backs on all chairs as well as arms on carver chairs when laying up

• Avoid hand to mouth, nose and eye contact during service

Note for Guests to accompany confirmations

We are operating a rigorous hygiene regime to protect ourselves and our guests from any possible infection from Covid-19. We ask that guests exercise the care and attention outlined in Government and NHS advice, namely:

• Wash hands regularly and properly

• Carry tissues and use them to catch coughs or sneezes (bin the tissue and wash hands afterwards)

• If you have returned from any of the published trouble spots, eg China, Northern Italy, Iran etc, or been in contact with someone who has been in those places, please advise the hotel before travelling. 

Note for Guests on arrival

We are operating a rigorous hygiene regime to protect ourselves and our guests from any possible infection from Covid-19. We ask that guests exercise the care and attention outlined in Government and NHS advice, namely:

• Wash hands regularly and properly

• Carry tissues and use them to catch coughs or sneezes (bin the tissue and wash hands afterwards)

• A fever, cough and shortness breath are symptoms of not just Covid-19. However, if you develop these symptoms whilst at the hotel, we ask that you remain in your room and immediately advise management, who will in turn seek the appropriate official advice.

Notice for rooms

Please wash your hands regularly with soap and hot water, in line with the current Government and NHS advice. Anyone failing to scrub for at least 20 seconds will be held back after school and made to write lines by Gerwyn.

Outstanding issues to be resolved

• Breakfast buffet, specifically items that might be used communally, eg serving spoons, tongs, milk bottles – solution, serve breakfast items directly to the guest

• Shared items at dinner, eg water carafes, serving spoons for vegetables, cheese and fruit- solution, serve items directly to the guest