I. Introduction Loss Prevention Surveys

Large Groups

It is not unusual for hotels to be required to store large quantities of baggage for groups

pending their check-in or departure. When this occurs, care should be taken to ensure the

security of the baggage. Procedures similar to the normal baggage claim policy should

be followed. If possible, the hotel should arrange for a vacant meeting or guestroom to

be used as a temporary bell closet. A hotel may also choose to use restaurant or lounge

areas if they are closed during these hours. The baggage should be placed in this area and

secured in a manner similar to a bell closet. In the event a secure room is not available,

the hotel should select a single area for the bags to be stored. This area should be

cordoned off to create a designated perimeter. A member of the hotel security or bell

staff should be assigned to continuously monitor the baggage until it is either picked up

by or delivered to the guests.

Guest Security

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Cleaning of Guest Rooms

To help ensure the safety of employees and guest property, room attendants and

engineers should work in rooms with the doors closed unless the guest is present. A sign

indicating “Guestroom being serviced” should be posted on the door. If the guest returns

when the employee is in the room, the employee should ask the guest for their key and

dip it in the lock. If the key works in the lock, the employee should allow access and

offer to return later. If the guest does not have a key or the key does not work, the guest

should be referred to the front desk. At no time should the employee be in the room with

the guest with the door closed.

When housekeeping is being performed, the cart should be placed so it blocks the doorway.

Guestrooms should never be left unsecured. The practice of opening multiple guestrooms

simultaneously for cleaning should be avoided. Employees should be instructed not to

smoke, make phone calls, utilize the bathroom facilities, or watch TV while in a

guestroom.

In performing their assigned duties, the employees should note whether or not any hotel

property has been removed or damaged. This applies whether the room is occupied or

vacant. If property has been removed or damaged, the employee should call their

supervisor or security immediately. A lock interrogation should be preformed and the guest

should be billed for any missing or damaged property. If desired, hotel management may

choose to block the room.

Guest Keys

If an employee discovers a key in a guestroom door, they should make contact with the

guest and return the key. If the guest is not present, the key should be returned to the front

desk.

Open Doors

If a guestroom door is found ajar, the employee should approach the room, announce their

presence and make contact with the guest. If the guest is present, they should inquire if

they can be of assistance. If the room is vacant, the door should be closed and the incident

reported to either security or the MOD.

Room Service Trays

If room service trays are present in the corridors, hotel employees should pick them up and

remove them to a service area or contact room service for pickup. Room service trays

should not be left in the hallway as this might provide indication that a guest is present in

the room or may create a trip hazard.

Security Check

Before leaving the guestroom, employees should check to see that all locks and/or security

devices on windows and connecting and sliding glass doors or windows are in the locked

position.

Guest Security
V-18

Do Not Disturb Signs

Each room should be serviced and inspected each day. A daily room-status report should

be implemented and completed by the housekeeping department after the normal, posted

guestroom checkout time. The report should indicate each guestroom, whether it is

occupied and whether it was serviced. After the posted checkout time, housekeeping

should review the report and the rooms that were not serviced should be called. If there is

no answer to the call, the room should be entered and serviced.

Taking into account long shifts, unusual working hours and airline crews, the question

often arises regarding what action should be taken when a guest asks not to be disturbed.

A guest may give notice at the front desk, via telephone or with a simple sign on the door.

No matter how the guest indicates their desire for privacy, to help ensure their safety and

to protect hotel property, several important procedures must be followed. Failure to

follow these procedures could have serious consequences, including delayed medical

treatment for a guest, discovery of a deceased guest and legal actions taken against the

hotel.

To ensure the safety of guests, rooms must either be checked once each day or contact

made with the guest. In the morning, rooms for which the guest has requested privacy

should be bypassed. If at the end of the shift, a privacy sign is still posted on the door,

contact must be made. The room attendant or the housekeeping supervisor should call

the room and ask if the guest requires anything. If the guest inquires about the call after

having asked for privacy they should be told: "To help ensure your safety, it is hotel

policy to make contact with our guests on a daily basis". If there is no answer, the

housekeeping supervisor should proceed to the room and again attempt contact. If there is

no answer at the door, it should be opened in the presence of a witness. Often this is the

result of a guest oversight or early checkout. If the door is deadbolted or the secondary

latch is engaged, attempts at contact should be made through the door. If there is no

response, the MOD, security, and the chief engineer should be contacted. The room

should be checked to determine if it has a connecting or exterior door which could have

been used to exit the room. If none exist, or they are locked, the emergency key should

be used to unlock the door. If necessary, the night chain or latch should be disabled or

cut. If the room is discovered vacant, a note should be made in departmental logs and the

MOD report.

If a non-responsive guest is discovered, attempts to awaken the guest should be made. If

there is no response, Emergency Services (EMT's, Police, etc) should be immediately

contacted and CPR/First Aid procedures implemented by qualified personnel. Care

should be taken so employees do not expose themselves to bodily fluids. If the guest is

discovered deceased, the room should be immediately vacated and sealed and the local

authorities contacted.

In the event that contact is made with the guest and the guest does not want their room

serviced, consideration should be given to the use of a "Guest Refusal of Service" card.

If there is concern about possible theft or damage, the hotel has the right to enter and

inspect the room each day. In the event there is evidence of contraband or other crimes,

the police should be contacted.


Guest Security

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Non-Responsive Guests

From time to time a room attendant may open a room and discover the guest sleeping in

the room. In the event that contact is not made with the guest, a note should be made to

recheck the room later. If contact has not been made by checkout time (for due outs) or

the by the end of the business day, the door should be opened. If the guest is present in

the room and does not respond, Security or the MOD should be contacted. Two

employees should enter the room to make contact with the guest. The guestroom door

should remain open. If the guest is non-responsive, Emergency Services (EMT's, Police,

etc) should be immediately contacted and CPR/First Aid procedures implemented by

qualified personnel.

Housekeeping and Maintenance Carts

If, for any reason, an employee must leave the floor, their cart should be moved to a linen

room or service area for safekeeping. Carts should not be left in guest areas or stairwells.

Housekeeping carts should be provided with a secure lock box in which the room attendant

should place all room keys found in vacant rooms or public areas.

A member of management should inspect employee carts on a random basis to ensure the

cart is properly maintained and to check for inappropriate or lost and found items.

Guest Security

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Guest Room Security

Care should be taken by the staff to ensure that all safety and security features in the

guestroom are functioning properly and engaged, where appropriate.

Guestroom Door

Guestroom doors should be equipped with multiple security devices. These include an

electronic lock, secondary latch, one-way viewer and self-closing mechanism.

Guestroom doors should be equipped with an approved electronic lock. Locks should be

inspected on a regular basis to ensure its proper operation. Special care should be taken

to ensure the latch aligns properly to the strike plate and the anti-shim device is operating

properly and is depressed when the door is closed.

A secondary latch such as a night latch or a security chain should be securely fastened to

the door and frame. Latches should be inspected on a regular basis. Staff should be

trained not to use the latches to hold doors open.

The one-way viewer (viewport) is designed to allow the guest to identify persons at their

door without opening it. The viewer should be installed five feet from the floor. In

rooms used for handicapped guests, an additional viewport should be installed 42 inches

from the floor. The viewport should be of a tamper resistant design to prevent

individuals from removing or reversing it.

Guestroom doors should be equipped with an automatic, self-closing mechanism. The

mechanism should be capable of closing and latching the door when released from a 45o

angle. When testing its effectiveness, care should be taken to ensure that all windows are

closed and that the air conditioning is turned off.

Connecting Room Doors

Connecting room doors should be of a solid core design. They should be secured with a

mortised, 1-inch dead bolt lock. A tamper-proof cover plate should be installed to guard

against unauthorized entry.

Sliding Glass Doors

Sliding glass doors should be supplemented with a secondary latch, such as a “Charlie

Bar” or “J” hook. To ensure guest safety, the secondary latch must be visible to the

guest. Charlie bars should be installed at the midpoint of the door and “J” hooks should

be installed above the primary door lock. Security pins and track bars may not be readily

visible to the guest and should be avoided. Sliding glass doors or large panels of glass

may appear to be open passageways and should be equipped with a decorative decal to

keep guests from walking into the glass. Sliding glass doors which open on the ground

level or open onto a balcony which may be accessible from adjacent balconies should be

equipped with a notice reminding guests to secure the door when they are sleeping or are

not present in the guest room.

Guest Security

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Windows

To prevent loss or injury, guestroom windows should either be sealed to prevent their

opening, or equipped with a stop which limits their opening to 4 inches. In some

jurisdictions, the local authority may require windows to be fully operable. In this event,

the hotel should comply with the local authority, and maintain documentation of the

requirement.

Lighting

Lighting capable of partially illuminating the guestroom should be operable from the

entrance door. Corridor lighting should be sufficient to allow guests and employees to

identify individuals at their door or in the corridor.

Educational Mater ial

Materials designed to educate guests as to their safety and security should be available in

the guestroom. Emergency procedures should be posted on the back of the door and in

the guest directory. An informational sheet, such as the AHLA’s Traveler’s Safety Tips,

should be conspicuously placed in the room

Guest Security

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Automobiles & Contents

To help prevent crimes of opportunity and to educate guests, signs should be conspicuously

placed throughout parking areas. Signage should remind motorists that parking is provided

for guest use only, and that the user assumes all risk and liability. Often, reminding guests

to remove valuables from their vehicles may help deter crime. Suggested verbiage

includes:

“Parking for Guest Use Only. Please Remove Valuables From Your Vehicle. The hotel is

not responsible for loss due to theft or damage.”

Valet attendants should make sure each guest's car is locked when parked, and the keys

secured to prevent theft of the car or its contents. Valet attendants should ask guests to

remove from their vehicles, or ask guests to place out of sight, any articles in the vehicle

that might attract burglars or vandals.

Security patrols in all parking areas should be alert for loiterers and should determine the

reason for the individual's presence in the parking area. Frequently a thief has a lookout

with him in the area while he is in the process of rifling the contents of a car. If the

individual says they are "waiting for a friend" or offers another suspicious excuse, security

should determine if the individual or his "friend" is a registered guest and obtain their room

number. If the information furnished by the individual cannot be supported, security should

request that they leave the property. If the situation warrants, the police can be contacted to

escort an individual from the property. All incidents should be documented in the officers

patrol log.

Security personnel should be alert for incidents involving damage to an automobile. A

report should be prepared that includes the license numbers of the automobile(s) involved

and all other pertinent information. If a vehicle has been damaged or entered illegally, the

front desk should be notified so the guest can be advised. Any claim for damages to an

automobile by a guest should be thoroughly investigated. Attempts to blame the hotel for

existing damage may be made. All incidents involving guest loss or injury should be

reported to the hotel’s insurance carrier.

Guest Security

V-23

VIP Security

Special considerations may be required for handling visits by government officials,

dignitaries, personalities in the entertainment industry, spokesmen for newsworthy groups,

and other individuals who are the subject of controversy.

When notified of the visit, the General Manager should designate one member of

management to act as the hotel's representative. This contact should be assigned to

coordinate all preparations for the VIP's stay. If an organization or government agency is

involved, its representatives should be directed to the hotel's contact.

The visiting organization should be asked by the contact to appoint their representative to

act as a liaison. This will allow continuous communication between both parties.

Cooperation among all departments is critical when VIP guests are on property. VIP

guests may require additional security personnel to be present. The hotel may wish to

request the assistance of the local police. If the individual has a personal security staff,

armed or otherwise, arrangements and accommodations may need to be made by the

hotel and the local police. The General Manager and the Director of Security should be

made aware of all armed persons in the hotel.

Properties expecting the arrival of a controversial guest should also review emergency

evacuation and bomb threat procedures with the hotel staff, Safety Committee, and ERT

before the guest arrives. Management should review the hotel’s guest privacy and media

policies with all appropriate staff prior to the guest’s arrival. All media inquiries should

be directed to the General Manager or the hotel’s designated contact.

Special Security Considerations

Additional manpower and/or equipment may be required to increase security in the affected

lobby, parking and hotel areas. Expect curious passers-by, and arrange for the control of

extra car traffic. Appropriate law enforcement personnel should be alerted if an unusual

volume of traffic is expected.

Location of rooms and/or suites should be chosen to provide necessary conveniences for

the VIP and a minimum of inconvenience to the other guests. If possible, select

accommodations at the end of a hallway. This allows a check point desk, manned by the

VIP's staff, to be set up for screening visitors to the VIP area. Depending on the security

requirements, rooms above, below, and on either side of the VIP's room may be secured.

Extra room keys may be needed, but the number of keys issued should be controlled so all

keys can be accounted for. Prior to arrival, security personnel and the General Manager

should inspect assigned rooms and elevators. In certain situations, employees having direct

contact with the VIP may need a special security clearance.

Pre-registration may be desired. This can be handled in conjunction with prearranged room

assignments and allows the VIP and his party to be escorted directly to their rooms. When

the VIP arrives, the hotel's contact should furnish the VIP's representative with the room

assignments, arrange for card signatures, distribute room keys and provide secure baggage

Guest Security

V-24

handling. To minimize time spent in the lobby area, an attended elevator should be waiting

to provide express service to the assigned floor. Depending on the circumstances, a discreet

arrival through a side entrance may be desired.

Communications can be handled by establishing a "command post" or room for use by the

VIP staff. All incoming inquiries, telephone calls, deliveries, and visitors should be referred

to this “command post”. Hotel personnel who should have access to the restricted area are

also cleared through this command post. The telephone switchboard and front desk clerks

should be instructed regarding their responses to inquiries by the press and to telephone

inquiries. Security of house telephone equipment and supplemental telephone lines should

also be considered. Inspection of all deliveries (flowers or packages, for example) should

be arranged.

In the event that the VIP represents a highly controversial viewpoint or organization,

security may contact the telephone company security department. The telephone company

can be prepared to initiate action in the event of harassing telephone calls.

Special parking arrangements may be established as necessary for the VIP and any staff

cars. If this is required, security should be provided for these vehicles.

Security posts may include the VIP parking area combined with outside observation of VIP

rooms to prevent harassment. Increased property patrols (outside and inside) and

preparation for crowd control may be considered if a public gathering is planned. If

appropriate, security should also contact local police to advise of the duration of the visit of

the VIP and to determine if the police have any intelligence information that would be of

assistance (such as planned demonstrations). Through the hotel's contact, security can

determine from the VIP's appointed staff member whether special precautions are needed

elsewhere by the VIP, and the extent of these precautions.

It is vital for all personnel to cooperate with the person appointed as the hotel's contact

with VIP guests. All departments should channel requests through this liaison to

eliminate confusion and duplication of effort.

Senior security personnel should be available for immediate decisions if necessary.

Adequate communication methods (preferably cell phones or 2-way radios) should be

available for use by security personnel.

The hotel’s contact and the VIP’s liaison should develop contingency plans to be

implemented in the event the fire alarm is activated or bomb threats received during their

stay. These plans should not interfere with the hotel’s emergency management plan or

negatively impact safety.

VI. Guest Emergencies

Guest Incidents ..................................................................................................................2

Guest Illness and Injuries .................................................................................................4

Attempted Suicide .............................................................................................................5

Death of a Guest.................................................................................................................6

Guest Emergencies

VI-2

Guest Incidents

When a guest makes a claim of any type, the responding employee should be courteous yet

firm and follow company policy. All pertinent information should be obtained about the

incident by asking who, what, when, where, and how much. If appropriate, a description or

statement of what occurred should be obtained from the guest. The guest should only be

provided with a copy of his or her own statement. A guest who wishes to file a complaint

should complete a guest “Notice of Report on File” form. Once the form is completed, the

guest may receive a copy. Guests should not be provided with copies of any hotel

documents, including investigative reports and witness statements.

A hotel employee should never offer an opinion on the cause of an incident. When the

claim involves a theft, assault, or other criminal violation, the police should be contacted.

Hotel employees should not discuss insurance settlements or argue with the guest. If

appropriate, the guest should be referred to the hotel’s claims department.

The guest should be asked to complete a detailed statement in writing if the loss is in

excess of $1,000, or if the guest makes any statement indicating responsibility for the

incident.

Hotel management is responsible for obtaining all information in order to complete a report

of the incident. The guest should not be given a copy of this report.

This report should also be used both to note any outstanding characteristics of the claimant,

such as bifocal glasses, types of shoe, unsteadiness while standing or the smell of alcohol,

and to describe the condition of the area where the incident took place. At the discretion of

hotel management, photographs of the area may be taken.

In addition to the completion of the report, the claims department should be notified. If the

situation dictates, a claims representative may be asked to come to the property.

Before the General Manager elects to settle any claim by a guest, the Risk Management

Department should be contacted or reference should be made to the Claims Procedures

Manual.