Adopting Lone Worker Technology to Improve Safety in the UK Hotel Industry

Clare Shinton – Head of Safety

Contents

• Background• Lone Worker Situation• Incidents• Previous Solutions• Considerations• Trial• Challenges• Benefits of the System• Key Points• Successes in Practice

Travelodge Hotels Ltd

• Budget operator of 510 hotels• Room rates started at £19• City centre locations• Stag & Hen venues• No dedicated security resource

• Hours of 11pm – 7am most hotels operate with a lone worker

Lone Worker Situation

• Reception desk based• Podium / user friendly reception layouts• No smoking hotels• No room service offering• Fire walks• Annexe buildings

Antisocial Behaviour / Property Damage 2014

Smoking in Room Incidents

Previous Solutions

• Fixed panic button behind reception

• Mobile phone type device

Considerations

• Discreet• Easy to carry / wear• Ability to contact Police• Monitoring station• Full reporting and recording of incidents• Staff confidence• Ability to pin point location accurately• Reliability• Mobile workforce – maintenance operatives• Medical Issues

• Camera / recording of incidents?

Trial

•Trial in 10 hotels

•Feedback from staff

•Visited call centre

•Made adaptations as required

•Issued supporting posters

Challenges

• Resistance to change• Training all the staff• Police challenges• Reluctance to wear… “Its never happened to

me!”• Maintenance of information / data accuracy• Acting on information of non usage

Benefits of the System

• Accurate reporting• Reliability• Staff confidence• Site wide use• Man down facility• Support for medical issues• Dedicated administration support• Monitoring of amber and red alerts

Key Points

Assessment Criteria• Service Features:• Monitoring Centre• BS5979 Compliancy• Costs

Device Features:• Man Down Alarms• Panic Alarms• Battery Low Alarm• GPS Enabled• Choice of Carrier• BS8484 Compliancy

Trial CriteriaService Features:•Alarm Responsiveness•Vendor Responsiveness•Vendor Support•Device Administration

Device Features:•Look and Feel•Ease of Use•Battery Life•GPS Enabled•Mobile Coverage•Reliability

Successes in Practice

• Monthly reporting• 25 red alerts per week• Man down successfully used once• Police relationships improved• Staff confidence increased• Full coverage of all sites• Fully integrated into maintenance team

Questions