Hospitality industry

Hotel Risk Management: Responding to Bed Bugs

PEE4395 — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 14:46:11 +0000

Hotel Risk Management: Responding to Bed Bugs PEE4395 Wed, 03/06/2019 - 09:46

A problem with bed bugs can turn into a crisis fast if the hotel management does not take proper action. This resource guide will help hotels create a Bed Bug Action Plan, including how to respond if a guest complains about bed bugs at your hotel.

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Business

admin — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 06:44:07 +0000

Business admin Wed, 02/27/2019 - 01:44

Liquor liability: Proper server alcohol training

PEE4395 — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 19:07:43 +0000

Liquor liability: Proper server alcohol training PEE4395 Fri, 09/21/2018 - 15:07

A customer sits down and asks the server for a sandwich and a beer. The server must assess both the customer’s legality and capacity to consume the drink. How do servers know what to look for? With proper alcohol server training.

Proper alcohol server training may be called TIPS, ServeSafe, Bassett, RAMPs or others. Some states mandate specific training and others leave it up to the business.

Who Should be Certified?

While you should consult your state’s requirements regarding which employees require certification, there is no downside to having all employees complete alcohol awareness training.
■ Bartenders
■ Servers
■ Managers
■ Security staff
■ Bar backs

If there is a state certification process, you should have a process in place to monitor certification expiration dates. It’s important that all employees’ certifications are current and up to date. Even if just one is not current, this can impact your liquor licensing and a safe harbor claims defense.

The goal is the same for any employee: stop someone who’s intoxicated from hurting themselves or anyone else.

What’s Covered in Alcohol Awareness Training?

■ Legal information.
Explains the legal responsibilities for servers of alcohol, describes the types of illegal sales, and provides information about checking IDs and documenting incidents.

■ Alcohol information. Describes how alcohol affects people, talks about signs of intoxication to look for, and explains relevant information about alcohol that a server can use to serve more responsibly.

■ Intervention information. Reviews guidelines for providing responsible alcohol service and managing customers who may need some sort of intercession.

How do Employees Get Training?

■ Check with your state’s Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) agency to find if a specific program is required for your establishment. Most states allow several third-party providers, which may also offer food safety training as an added convenience.
■ Most training is available in both online and classroom setting.
■ Estimated cost of certification is $30-$40.
■ Some training programs offer environment specific training (i.e. retail stores, casinos, gaming and concessions).
■ Participants complete a multiple choice exam. Those who pass get a certification card that should be kept with their personnel file. It is generally good for two to three years.

StateAuto.com/Restaurants

Liquor liability: Keep the "happy" in happy hour

PEE4395 — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 15:03:22 +0000

Liquor liability: Keep the "happy" in happy hour PEE4395 Fri, 09/21/2018 - 11:03

Happy hour is a great draw for restaurants and bars to bring patrons in during the typically slow hours between lunch and dinner. While it can increase customer foot traffic or sales, it may also increase the loss potential. For bars, this can be in the form of liquor abuse as well assault and battery. For restaurants, it’s those plus the standard slips and falls or food-borne illness claims. Either way, a business can be hit hard.

Establish Timeframes

Limiting the time in which people can buy discounted drinks can help reduce liability.

■ Set a timeframe that the happy hour occurs.
Some bars may have happy hour daily; restaurants may have it just once or twice a week. Limiting days can help to reduce the risk.
■ Set the length of the happy hour.

Restaurants tend to enforce a timeframe; they don’t leave it open ended. For example, from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. each Wednesday. Bars may be a little more flexible. Limiting the time can help reduce the risk.

Monitor Patrons

■ Implement a drink limit per transaction or per customer.
■ Make sure the staff receives certified alcohol safety training that includes common signs of impairment and how to handle unruly behavior. Plus, make sure that employees go through refresher courses if there are expiration dates.
■ Have employees look for signs of intoxication when the customers first show up.
■ Utilize security or bouncers, if needed. Make sure they’re trained to find signs of intoxication.

Use Cabs or Ridesharing

■ Keep a list with local cab numbers.
■ Use a ridesharing service if a cab can’t be reached quickly enough.

Document Everything

Thorough documentation of an incident provides more information for a potential claims defense so that the business is not responsible for something terrible that the customer did later.

■ Keep a record of every single altercation or irregular interaction an employee may have with a customer involving alcohol.
■ Maintain accurate drink counts for each person on a tab.

State and Local Laws

According to State and Local Laws, each state has the authority to regulate the sale of alcohol. This means state and local jurisdictions may be more restrictive than federal regulations and may have their own requirements in addition to federal requirements. Be sure to contact appropriate authorities for more information about federal, state and local requirements. For more information, check out the state Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) website.

Happy hours, while good for the registers, can be dangerous. Cover your tracks; the boost in business during slow hours isn’t worth it if you’re spending the profits on a lawsuit.

Managing risk in the food industry

SIL6504 — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 17:39:00 +0000

Managing risk in the food industry SIL6504 Fri, 06/22/2018 - 13:39

Businesses in the food industry face unique hazards and risks.

State Auto has a sophisticated risk review and management process focused on the food industry. Learn more about our insurance solutions for the food industry.

Reopening your restaurant after a natural disaster

SIL6504 — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 14:12:46 +0000

Reopening your restaurant after a natural disaster SIL6504 Fri, 06/22/2018 - 10:12

There are many challenges that restaurant owners face after a natural disaster. Damage equipment, unsafe building conditions and damaged or spoiled food can make reopening the doors to your establishment very difficult. Here are some best practices to use before you start serving dishes to hungry customers again.

With food products:

Discard all food and packaging materials that have been in contact with flood water. An exception would be if the food is sealed in a hermetically sealed container that hasn't been damaged.
Condemned food must be disposed of according with federal, state and local regulations for solid waste storage, transportation and disposal regulations. These products can never be used for human consumption.
Remove refrigerated and frozen foods that may have been in flood waters.
Inspect canned food and throw away any damaged cans. If you can't stack or open with a manual or wheel-type can opener it is likely damaged. Other signs to look for include any swelling, leakage, punctures, holes, fractures or rusting on the can.
Don't serve food with water damaged packaging, such as plastic, paper, cardboard, cloth or similar containers.
Commercially prepared food may be saved if it was packaged in all-metal cans or retort pouches.
If in doubt, throw it out.

With your equipment:

Confirm all open-top, refrigerated display cases and walk-in refrigerators will consistently hold temperatures below 41 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make sure your freezers can still operate at the required temperature.
Certify cooking equipment can heat food to proper temperatures.
Replace any equipment that is damaged beyond repair.

Invest in repairs now to save money later
Repairs and restocks can be expensive, but a lawsuit for a foodborne illness can be worse. Make sure you're at 100 percent operating ability before you open your doors.

Sources: FDA

State Auto Insurance makes no representations or guarantee as to the correctness or sufficiency of any information contained herein, nor guarantees results based upon use of this information. State Auto does not warrant that reliance upon this document will prevent accident and losses or satisfy federal, state and local codes, ordinances and regulations. The reader assumes entire risk as to use of this information.

Is your restaurant insurance program worth its salt?

SIL6504 — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 14:07:47 +0000

Is your restaurant insurance program worth its salt? SIL6504 Fri, 06/22/2018 - 10:07

When it comes to restaurant associations, it all started with eggs. Eggs, you ask? The price of eggs, in fact.

In 1917, egg brokers tried to demand 65 cents for a dozen eggs. Sounds great today, but in 1917 that was seen as outrageous. Fortunately, the industry's first association, the Kansas City Restaurant Association, had formed a year earlier. They were able to organize an egg boycott, which led to a price per dozen eggs of 32 cents. It also led to the development of the National Restaurant Association® we know today. (You can read the full and storied past of the NRA on their website.)

Today, there's a restaurant association in every state, as well as the national organization. These associations do a lot - lobby for legislation, provide educational resources, organize networking, and help with course and certification requirements such as ServSafe®. If you're part of an association, I recommend this article from FoodSafety MagazineTM, How to get the Most From Your Food Association Membership.

Associations may also provide another key benefit: partnerships with insurance companies. You might ask, why would an association want to partner with an insurance company? There are so many reasons, and here are a few:

Each restaurant holding a policy through the association may receive financial incentives such as premium discounts, risk mitigation devices and best-practice, cost-saving safety recommendations.
You might get other special incentives from the insurance company to encourage restaurant owners to join the association and the insurance program.
The insurance company can offer coverages specific to the members of the association. And, because the groups' performance can be tracked in aggregate, pricing for the restaurant classes can be very competitive.
Agents selling to the restaurant owners have an advantage over competitors who do not have companies with partnerships with associations. And, the agent can also be an advocate to help the association acquire new members.

For these reasons (and really, even more, that I haven't mentioned here), there's a lot of value to be gained when you put an association and its members together with an insurance company and independent agents. Another reason could be the similarities in our histories -- associations and insurance both have roots in a problem that people came together to solve. Our organizations have been based on relationships ever since.

And, in State Auto's case, we have eggs in our history books, too. Our founder-led our company to hand out free eggs to people in need during the Great Depression.

State Auto Insurance makes no representations or guarantee as to the correctness or sufficiency of any information contained herein, nor guarantees results based upon use of this information. State Auto does not warrant that reliance upon this document will prevent accident and losses or satisfy federal, state and local codes, ordinances and regulations. The reader assumes entire risk as to use of this information.

Crime prevention and protection for restaurants

SIL6504 — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 13:46:32 +0000

Crime prevention and protection for restaurants SIL6504 Fri, 06/22/2018 - 09:46

Most of the restaurant owners I've worked with got into the business because of their passion for food and the incredible social experiences surrounding food. Fortunately, a lot of them are also good business people (although unfortunately, I've met a chef or two whose dream of running a restaurant collided with a lack of business experience).

When it comes to insurance, even the most seasoned (pun intended) business people in the restaurant industry may be likely to focus only on the obvious things they know they need to insure.

General liability, property and liquor liability seem to be familiar terms with many restaurant owners. But there are many other exposures in a restaurant business that may require additional endorsements or policies in order to help cover their risks properly. One example is a restaurant's unique exposures to crime.

Because restaurants tend to be cash heavy businesses, they can be particularly vulnerable to robbery, burglary and theft. Many restaurants also carry expensive cuts of meat and bottles of alcohol as part of their stock. Fine dining restaurants may have expensive works of art or collectibles, or memorabilia if it's a sports restaurant, on the walls.

Cash, expensive stock and valuable items can potentially make restaurants a prime target for criminals. And as a restaurant owner, you should be concerned about theft losses of all of these items that you can sustain from outside the restaurant and from the inside (the unpleasant reality of potential employee theft).

It's natural for a business owner to want to believe that they can trust and rely on the honesty of all of their employees. Unfortunately, employee theft is a common criminal event in a restaurant. Employees may have the greatest opportunity to steal because they have access to the stock and are familiar with the operation of the restaurant.

There's a lot a restaurant owner can do - both taking action and setting policy - to protect themselves and their honest workers from a dishonest employee. Here are some things you may want to consider:

Are employees - even managers - allowed alone in the restaurant?
Do you have limits on how much cash is kept on hand?
What training do you provide regularly? Is it mandatory?
Do you have an alarm system? Is it working properly?
How does the design of your restaurant - both inside and out - help deter or encourage crime? You may want to think about things like landscaping, lighting and even where you place your waste containers.
Do you have a basic "honesty policy" that employees have to sign, acknowledging theft is unacceptable?
How is your hiring process aligned with crime prevention? Do you do proper employee screening and reference checks?
How often do you change the combination to the restaurant safe?
Is your inventory managed properly and checked regularly?

Even the most attentive restaurant owners could still have a loss related to theft. This is where a thorough insurance review will come into play. A restaurant that has adequate amounts of coverage like employee dishonestly, monies and securities, and property coverages may help restaurants be more prepared to continue successful business operations should the worst happen.

State Auto Insurance makes no representations or guarantee as to the correctness or sufficiency of any information contained herein, nor guarantees results based upon use of this information. State Auto does not warrant that reliance upon this document will prevent accident and losses or satisfy federal, state and local codes, ordinances and regulations. The reader assumes entire risk as to use of this information.

Crime exposures in U.S. restaurants

SIL6504 — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 13:42:30 +0000

Crime exposures in U.S. restaurants SIL6504 Fri, 06/22/2018 - 09:42

Restaurants are cash-heavy businesses that are often open longer hours than other businesses. Learn about the unique exposures to crime and what to consider in your restaurant's crime prevention plan.

Why your restaurant staff needs exit sign training

SIL6504 — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 19:24:16 +0000

Why your restaurant staff needs exit sign training SIL6504 Thu, 06/21/2018 - 15:24

For exit signs to do their job, employees and management need to be aware of not only their placement but how to properly maintain them as well. My examples come from the restaurant industry, but they would apply to other hospitality-related operations as well. Properly marked exit signs help protect a restaurant's customers as well as its employees. Signage must be present in both the "front of the house" (dining room) and the "back of the house" (kitchen).

From an occupational safety standpoint, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has set standards for "means of egress." There are very specific standards for exit signs included. Your management and employees need to understand the full set of maintenance, safeguards and operational features for exit routes according to OSHA.

When you read through the list of standards, you likely will not be surprised to see things like this: "Each exit must be clearly visible and marked by a sign reading "Exit". But did you know there are also standards for the size of the letters in the word "Exit"? How about the amount of light that illuminates the exit sign? There are also standards for keeping the exit ways clear of obstruction, including decoration. While your staff may not be in control of what type of exit sign is displayed, every person on your team needs to be aware of and follow requirements to keep the exits clear and unobstructed.

Take the time to read through the OSHA standards for exits. Then, make time to educate your entire restaurant staff.
Staff training of exit signs and exit routes is pretty straightforward but easy to overlook. Having an organized training program with regular reinforcement could help ensure signage is effective. Exit signs could be pointed out when performing new-hire orientations. And a great time to reinforce the importance of properly marked exit signs could be during quarterly staff meetings.

A good idea for both the "front of the house" and the "back of the house" daily management walk through forms may be to include a reminder to check exit signs throughout the building.
Also, if the restaurant is equipped with emergency lighting, these fixtures should be tested monthly to make sure they are functioning properly, and batteries are still working. A good time to do this could be during monthly inventory. Finally, from an insurance perspective, it may be easy to overlook the importance of properly marked and functioning exit signs when looking at an operation like a restaurant that has many other risk-related concerns. However, by simply observing the condition of a restaurant's exit signs and the areas around them, I think you may get a good idea as to how the operation is run. The bottom line is that properly maintained exit signage is critical in an emergency, and if it is in good working condition, it may be able to help save the lives of employees and guests.

State Auto Insurance makes no representations or guarantee as to the correctness or sufficiency of any information contained herein, nor guarantees results based upon use of this information. State Auto does not warrant that reliance upon this document will prevent accident and losses or satisfy federal, state and local codes, ordinances and regulations. The reader assumes entire risk as to use of this information.