Hotel Safety Reopening Checklist

Reopening safety checklist for hotels, motels and hospitality businesses

Protecting the safety of employees, customers and facilities is a priority for companies as they move to reopen, recalibrate operations and drive growth after a crisis. UL Solutions offers the following suggested guidelines for safely resuming operations of hotels and other hospitality businesses.

General operations

1. Post signage of proper personal protective equipment (PPE) use and cleaning protocols, and mark floors to guide proper social distancing. 
2. Prop doors open to minimize touching handles. Remember to consider additional requirements for fire-rated doors.
3. Limit capacity in heavy traffic areas, implement strict disinfecting practices for high-touch surfaces, including elevator controls, and ensure proper stocking of cleaning products.
4. Mark floors to guide proper social distancing and traffic flows.

Reception and visitors

5. Install clear plastic barriers where social distancing cannot be maintained.
6. Provide touch-free visitor sign-in and disinfect reception equipment between each use. 
7. Provide additional portable hand sanitizing stations where needed.
8. Establish transmission mitigation protocols for visitors, including truck drivers, contractors and delivery drivers.

Laundry and housekeeping 

9. Establish pre- and post-stay guest room cleaning and disinfecting protocols and offer housekeeping by request only.
10. Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved cleaning supplies and vacuums with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. 
11. Leave rooms vacant for 24-72 hours after guest departure and isolate them after they are cleaned and disinfected.  
12. Wash linens at the hottest temperature per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.
13. Increase cleaning frequency for the back of house areas and clean and disinfect shared equipment during and after each shift or when transferred to a new employee.
     

Transportation

14. Reduce seating capacity for company-provided transportation and require face coverings for drivers and passengers.
15. Implement cleaning procedures after each trip.

Changerooms and washrooms

16. Identify separate washrooms for guests and employees and limit the number of staff in changerooms at one time.
17. Deactivate hand dryers and replace with disposable paper towels and use hands-free soap and water dispensing fixtures where possible. 
18. Provide additional portable hand sanitizing stations where needed.
19. Place signage for proper handwashing.

Foodservice

20. Increase space between tables where possible, while avoiding obstruction hazards, and place cleaning products on each table.
21. Consider grab-and-go alternatives and eliminate the use of coffee dispensers, counters and reusable kitchenware.
22. Evaluate communal kitchen compliance to health and safety practices and establish cleaning protocols for frequently touched areas, e.g., microwaves and vending machines. 

Conference and meeting rooms

23. Limit access to conference and meeting rooms by requiring advance scheduling, locking doors and removing chairs.
24. Encourage cleaning before and after the use of common areas.

Swimming and recreation

25. Schedule Legionella testing for swimming pools, hot tubs and indoor fountains per ASHRAE 188 guidance.
26. Suspend the use of all workout/fitness rooms unless a designated use and cleaning policy is determined.
     

Additional resources for foodservice safety:

• CDC Considerations for Bars and Restaurants 
• FDA Food Code (2017) for Food Safety
• Local Department of Public Health Guidance [section] Downloadable safety checklists (CRC documents)

Always review and follow local health guidelines, building codes and regulations when resuming operations in your facility.