Industry Protocols (TBCSA)

The TBCSA released a summary of the main focus points of their Safety Protocols, which we copy here. You can download the summary here.

NightsBridge was part of the process of putting these in place. We reported back all of the input  we received from our own clients to try and ease the burden on small properties.

While reading through these, keep in mind that the protocols are set up for the whole industry. It is written to include the 1-roomer to the multi-room hotel. Our advice is to read it with the intention of taking out what would be applicable to your own situation. For instance, with “Dedicated laundry” they refer to the large laundry of a big casino or big hotel. Not applicable if you’re using your washing machine in your house.

TOURISM INDUSTRY STANDARD PROTOCOLS FOR COVID-19 OPERATIONS — The developed standard protocols for COVID-19 operations apply to the tourism and hospitality industry:

General

• All tourism and hospitality businesses will comply with all applicable COVID-19 State of Disaster Regulations, Guidelines, Notices and Directives as issued by the Department of Employment and Labour (DoEL) with respect to staff and the workplace, and the Department of Transport (DoT)with respect to vehicle operation and transport of passengers.
• Furthermore, all tourism and hospitality businesses which open for operation will:
  • Appoint a Covid-19 Safety Officer.
  • Require all guests, visitors, passengers or clients (GVPCs) to wear cloth or other suitable masks at all times, other than in the privacy of an accommodation unit or room, in a car hire vehicle, while eating and drinking, or when in connected small travel groups in open space situations.
  • Obtain name and contact details, information with respect to trip details, COVID-19 status and risk profile, and answers to COVID-19 screening questions from all GVPCs staying in properties, hiring vehicles and / or traveling on tours.
  • Obtain name and contact details of all non-overnight GVPCs visiting attractions, casinos or restaurants, travelling on a transfers or shuttles, participating in a guided activity or attending a business event.
  • Take and record the temperature of all GVPCs daily, or per visit for non-overnight GVPCs, unless there is no GVPC contact with staff on check-in and/or during the days of their travel or stay.
  • Ensure that all GVPCs are adequately informed, via either leaflets, signs, posters, apps and/or briefings of the COVID-19 operating protocols, why they are necessary and how they affect them.
  • Ensure that all staff are trained on COVID-19 operational requirements including: The virus, how it is spread, the symptoms and how long it survives on surfaces. The required sanitisation and distancing procedures for themselves and for guests. The effective use of PPE and what PPE they must use. Any special procedures applicable.
  • Ensure that the space between any persons in public areas and back of house areas is a minimum of 1.5 metres at all times, with two metres preferred, unless the persons concerned are small groups of connected friends or family travelling or staying together.
  • Provide staff who may temporarily be closer than 1,5 metres to GVPCs at any point during the performance of their duties, with additional PPE, such as visors or goggles, or provide physical barriers such as Perspex or similar.

• Appropriate effective disinfectant surface cleaners are to be used and hand sanitisers must be 70% alcohol.
• Capacities of service and public lifts must be controlled at the higher of 30% of person capacity or 3 people per lift.
• Where any business in one sub-sector, operates other non-core elements, then the directives for that sub-sector apply. Eg casinos and attractions operating restaurants, guided activities operating vehicles, lodges and hotels operating vehicles, hotels operating meeting rooms etc.
• In the event of a GVPC showing COVID-19 symptoms and/or has tested positive for COVID-19 the industry will follow detailed protocols to handle the situation, ensuring the GVPC obtains appropriate medical support, and is transferred to, or housed in, isolation or quarantine facilities as required and that other GVPCs or staff who have been in contact with a COVID-19 positive GVPC are quarantined, and tested where possible.
• The core principles which apply across the industry for GVPCs and staff are:
  • Correct PPE use.
  • Effective and regular hand sanitising.
  • Regular surface cleaning of all types of surfaces.
  • Physical distancing through-out all facilities and sites, and in all types of crafts and vehicles.
  • Obtaining required COVID-19 GVPC information.

Tourist Accommodation

• Members of staff serving guests and using an area or a facility continuously, such as a counter or desk, must sanitise their work surface after every guest use.
• Sufficient sanitiser or sanitising wipes must be provided for guests through-out public areas to enable them to sanitise their hands on arrival and after touching any surfaces.
• Surfaces:
  • All non-manned surfaces which guests or staff touch, in public areas or back of house areas must be sanitised regularly. The frequency of sanitisation will depend on the extent of usage and nature of the surface and must be determined and monitored.
  • Luggage: All luggage should be disinfected before or after off-loading from vehicles, or on guest arrival and staff handling luggage should sanitise or wash hands immediately before and after touching luggage. If the guest handles their own luggage to move it into or out of, their own vehicle or a separate room/unit/chalet, and it is not entering a shared building or touched by staff, then disinfectant is not required.
  • Handling of items must be minimised with use of on-line reservations, e-check-in and e-check-out, and any types of non-contact processing to reduce the need for proximity of people and touching. Cash handling should be minimised or eliminated.If a guest or staff member handles paper, cash, pens etc, hand sanitising should happen immediately afterwards.
  • The extent of surfaces requiring sanitisation after touch or use should be reduced where feasible and practical. This can include removing softs, magazines, newspapers, games, and decor items, having staff operate touch buttons and leaving doors open.
  • Any areas which are not in use, or which can be taken out of use, should be locked or taped off to eliminate usage.
• All premises must be kept well ventilated by natural or mechanical means and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems must be regularly cleaned, including filters, serviced professionally, and operating effectively.
• The capacities of all public areas, including terraces and poolside, must be determined and managed to ensure a minimum 1,5 metres distancing is implemented. Capacity limits should not be exceeded and reduced seating, and reservation and queuing systems must be introduced where required to manage spacing and capacity limits.
• General:
  • Any swimming pools operating must be at maximum safe levels of chlorine or other anti-bacterial agents.
  • Water reticulation systems, fridges, dishwashers, and laundry equipment must be regularly cleaned, serviced and operating effectively.
  • Where dormitory style bedrooms are used and shared between non-group/non-family members, a maximum number of occupants per room, at approximately 50% of capacity must be implemented.
• Rooms & Accommodation Units:
  • Surfaces in rooms should be reduced eg remove excess softs and décor items, and guest amenities other than basic requirements, should be on request.
  • Cleaning and linen changes should be reduced in frequency, mini-bar stock should be reduced to a minimum or mini-bars emptied and turn-down service should be suspended.
  • Increased cleaning and sanitisation procedures must be introduced for stay-over and check-out cleans to ensure all surfaces which are touched regularly are sanitised during the clean.
• Food Service:
  • Buffets should be discontinued if possible and food should be plated and/or provided in covered single portions only. Guests may pick-up pre-portioned items and any other buffet service should be handled by staff only, from behind Perspex or similar protective shields.
  • Menus should be revised to reduce complexity e.g., reduced buffet options, Table d’Hôte meals. Offering deli-type take-away/grab-and-go style meals and option, with disposable containers, crockery, cups and cutlery should be instituted where possible.
  • Menus must be replaced with non-touch options or sanitised after each guest use.
  • Tables must be sanitised before and after each guest use.
  • Where possible and for instance while taking orders, waiting staff must stand at least a meter from tables.
  • As much as possible should be removed from tables, e.g., tablecloths, and only essential items such as salt and pepper should remain on tables and be sanitised after each guest.
  • Clearing and cleaning systems must be implemented with designated containers for different items cleared and sealable refuse containers for food waste.
  • Room service should be to deli/take-away style with disposables.
• Kitchens:
  • To ensure spacing 1,5m spacing, staffing levels may have to be reduced and menus should be simplified to reduce production complexities and therefore number of staff required.
  • Workstations should be demarcated to indicate the physical spacing required and Perspex or similar protective shields can be used to separate facing and side-by-side stations.
  • Equipment must be sanitised frequently using surface sanitisers (handles, knobs, dials, switches and static equipment) and utensils, pots and pans, and receptacles,
    should undergo more frequent hot washing.
  • Kitchen equipment and guest crockery and cutlery should be washed separately; both on deep, high temperature wash cycles.
  • The exteriors of any packaged food item, not completely used up, and of all containers of food, should be sanitised with wipes after each use.
• Goods Receiving/Loading Bays:
  • Any supplier who enters a business premises must have their temperature taken, be screened for COVID-19 symptoms, be entered into a register of visitors and undergo sanitising in an identical procedure to staff.
  • Staff members manning the loading and off-loading should wear shoe protection/gum boots, protective boiler suits, aprons or gowns, and wash hands frequently between and before and after each delivery or offload.
  • All goods must be fully sanitised before entering the stores and refrigerators.
  • The entire area, and all its surfaces should be sanitised at regular intervals.
• Dedicated In-House Laundry:
  • Laundries should preferable be demarcated with separate soiled linen processing areas and clean linen processing areas. Laundry attendants must use additional PPE, ie gloves and overalls or aprons, while handling soiled laundry and remove
    these and wear a mask only when handling clean laundry.
  • All laundry equipment, trolleys and containers must be sanitised before and after use.
  • Hot cycles (70oC or higher) with good detergents, preferably peracetic, should be used for laundry.