Hotel Operational Procedures: Maintenance, Security, and Efficiency
SOME IMPORTANT OPERATIONAL SUBJECTS
Repairs & Maintenance Storeroom
Keeps track record of the various trade employees’ tool boxes. Maintains at proper levels stocks of most common spare parts, following manufacturers and/or suppliers recommendations, to avoid rupture in the functioning of technical utilities and appliances needed to the operation, such as bulbs, nails, screws, bolts…
Maintenance, Technical Utilities and Equipment History Record
Every existing and working technical utility, appliance and equipment item must have a maintenance history record. Each one of these is updated when a checking or maintenance is made. It is an essential and helpful tool of preventive maintenance
Technical Utilities and Equipment Blueprints and Technical Specifications
Blueprints and specs of these are kept in files under Engineering & Maintenance control. These are consulted in instances of repairs or maintenance. Modifications, if any, are recorded.
Security Rules and Regulations
Security regulations regarding hotel buildings may be modified frequently. The Engineering & Maintenance department, in coordination with the management, is responsible for updates of these at all times.
Some Security Regulations:
- Workmanship security – protection (Head helmet, insulating gloves, shoes)
- Fire alarms and firefighting
- Alarms, other physical risks
- Security in handling machinery and equipment
- Security in wall protection/covering in production, service & public areas
- Security in handling electricity panels
- Emergency exit ways
- Security in machinery rooms (boilers, motors, pumps, other)
- Security in handling tools and utensils
- Security in handling dangerous and health harmful products (chemicals)
Drinkable Water: Quality, Consumption, Analysis
Drinkable water is a resource essential to the hotel operation. The system requires constant care.
Drinkable water quality may vary following the sources and supply conditions. Usually, the source of supply guarantees its fitness to human consumption; however, its quality and composing elements (chemical) may vary. It is highly recommended to periodically analyze it to ensure its drinkability and, further, detect calcareous elements that produce scale and/or oxidizers which may affect equipment or distribution piping.
To Control:
- Water consumption of hotel guests
- Water consumption of the hotel operation
- Rationalize technical utilities and equipment working with water
- Preventive maintenance in order to prevent leakage and waste
According to water analysis results, and following recommendations of water experts, implementation of (a) program(s) of water softeners is recommended for the building’s general input connection or at the input connection of specific utilities (boilers, other) or equipment (dishwashers, steamers, bain-marie, laundry machines, others).
Periodical controls of water tanks, boilers and, in general, equipment working with water, are to be performed. This prevents health risks (legion illness, gastric troubles and other risks) and degrading of equipment (scale, calcareous piping, others).
Emergency Electricity Power Generator
In locations at risk of city electricity power cuts, the hotel should have an Emergency power generator to be used in case of power cuts. If its capacity allows, it is connected to the total electricity power needs of the hotel. If its capacity is insufficient, it should be connected to the hotel priority requirements, which, in first place should be the connection to:
- Elevators
- Refrigerators and freezers
- Water pumps
- Emergency lighting
- Communications system
Preferably, independent wiring nets are recommended in these instances.
Energy, Fuels, Water Savings Programs
Expenses of these items are an important part of the operation’s expenses. Therefore, all technical utilities, appliances and equipment functioning with these must be operated keeping in mind economic/savings criteria. Savings opportunities can be identified by Engineering & Maintenance and the concerned department heads.
Some Examples:
- Air-conditioning schedule programming
- Technical utilities schedule programming
- Programs saving lighting in general
- Drinkable water savings planning
- Guest lodging illumination planning individual electricity panel
Savings May Be Planned By Subject:
- Buildings: Temperature insulation techniques; design of economic use/consumption of power, fuel and water.
- Proper maintenance: technical utilities, appliances & equipment.
- Proper dosing: of chemicals, where used.
Outsourced Maintenance Contracts
In some instances and depending on the property, it does not justify employing some kind of technicians on a permanent schedule. In such instances, maintenance may be performed by external technicians, most frequently part of the manufacturer/supplier team. In general, they are responsible for proper maintenance during the guarantee period and, most usually, continue to do so after, on a maintenance contract basis.
Most Usual Outsourced Maintenance Contracts:
- Elevators
- Computers
- Alarms and firefighting equipment
- Office equipment
- Kitchen equipment
- Laundry equipment
- Telecommunications
- Pest control
- External advertising signs
- Audiovisuals
- Security systems
The size, concept and physical design of the hotel and its operational and economic convenience, may determine outsourcing maintenance of areas / trades such as:
- Refrigeration
- Air-conditioning
- Landscaping
- External: walls, carpentry and windows
- Drinkable water, boilers and pumps
Electricity: Supply Contract
When signing the electricity power supply contract with its supplying company, it is advisable to previously study capacity of transformers, hotel Kw/h load requirements; schedules and shifts of equipment operation and type of voltage required by given equipment (mono-phase 220 – 240; or three-phase 320- 340 v supply). This is essential to the negotiation of the power rates that the supplying company will propose.