Protection and hygiene concept

      To protect our guests and employees from the spread of the Covid-19 virus, we adhere to the

      following infection protection principles and hygiene rules.                       

1. We ensure a minimum distance of 1.5 meters between people

2. We make sure that our guests wear a mouth and nose covering masks.

3. We aim to ventilate the rooms regularly.

4. We check the vaccination / recovery certificate or a daily negative Corona test of every guest upon arrival.

5. We ensure that our staff wears a face mask in rooms where guests are staying and in the outside area, if the distance of 1.5 m cannot be maintained.

6. We keep people displaying COVID-19 symptoms and contact persons for Covid-19 cases isolated.

7. In cases of suspicion, we use a set procedure for clarification (e.g. in the case of fever).

    1.  Measures in the company to guarantee the minimum distance of 1.5 m

• Instruction of employees and guests about the distance rules
• Attachment of floor markings and way finding systems at the entrance area and in the restaurant, marking of movement areas for employees and customers
• Briefing of guests by the staff
• Entry control. "You will be seated" sign in the restaurant
• Do not occupy tables in highly frequented areas (entrance, corridor leading to the toilet)
• We remove tables and chairs or make it clear that they are not allowed to be used.
• Buffet offers are allowed under certain conditions.
• Display of information signs
• Use plexiglas walls or other materials
• Control of compliance regarding distance rules (e.g. in elevators)

2. Mouth and nose coverings

• Guests have to wear a mask covering the mouth and nose. This can be removed at the table
• The staff must also wear a face-to-face mask in rooms where guests are staying as well as in the outdoor area if the distance of 1.5 m cannot be maintained
• At workplaces and in situations in which it is difficult to keep the distance, do not primarily employ any employees with previous illnesses, in particular those with existing respiratory illnesses such as asthma
• Training of employees in the correct use of a mouth and nose cover
• Provision of suitable mouth and nose covers for employees and, if necessary, for guests

3. Instructions for action in suspected cases

• Requesting employees with symptoms to leave the company premises or to stay at home
• Request to the persons concerned to contact a doctor or the health department immediately
• Establishing regulations within the framework of company pandemic planning in order to identify and inform people in the event of confirmed infections who are also at risk of infection through contact with the infected person
• No admittance of guests with suspicious symptoms

4. Hand hygiene

• Posting instructions on hand hygiene
• Provision of dispensers with disinfectants for hand disinfection
• Instruction of employees in hand hygiene and training of employees in the correct use and disposal of disposable gloves
• Provision of soap that is gentle on the skin
• Provision of paper towels for single use (no hand dryers)
• Provision of disposable gloves

5. Reservation by the guest

• Direct acceptance of guests without prior notification is only permitted if queues are avoided
• Guest data must be collected from one person per guest group
• Guest data to be collected: first and last name, telephone number, number of guests, period of visit - recorded in the registration form
• The recorded data must be kept for a month
• Create table plans and guest lists
• Provide information for the guests to bring a mouth and nose cover

6. At the entrance

• Guests should be advised that if there are symptoms of any severity associated with COVID-19 or if they have been in contact with COVID-19 cases in the past 14 days, hospitality is not possible
• The guests are to be informed about keeping the distance requirement of at least 1.5 m and about cleaning their hands
• Have disinfectant dispenser ready at the reception entrance
• The guests must be informed that sitting together without observing the minimum distance of 1.5 m is only permitted for those people who are allowed to contact each other (e.g. people in a household)
• The guests have to wear a mouth and nose cover upon entering the establishment, except at the table
• Briefing of guests by the staff

7. At check-in.

• Agree on arrival times with guests to avoid queues and appearances at the same time
• Contacts between employees and guests and haptic contact with commodities (e.g. pens, registration forms) are limited to the bare minimum or are cleaned / replaced after each use
• Pay cashless if possible

8. In the restaurant / breakfast room

• Maintain a distance of 1.50 m between guests who are not seated at a table
• Only people who are allowed to contact each other are allowed to stay at a table (e.g. people in a household, families)

9. Toilet

• Close-knit cleaning frequency
• Set up soap and disinfectant dispensers
• Do not use reusable towels, use a towel dispenser
• Shortening of the cleaning cycles
• Disinfect door handles and fittings
• Observance of the minimum distance

10. Guest rooms and public areas

• In all public areas (reception, conference rooms, breakfast room) the distance rules between staff and guests as well as between guests are observed
• When cleaning the rooms, the applicable hygiene and cleaning standards are consistently adhered to and tightened.
• If possible, clean the guest and communal rooms in the absence of the guests in order to avoid contact
• The use of objects in the room that are used by a large number of guests (e.g. pens, magazines / newspapers, bedspreads, pillows) must be reduced to a minimum or designed so that they are cleaned / replaced after each use. This also applies in other areas (e.g. conference area)

11. In the kitchen

• Straighten work areas
• Maintain a minimum distance of at least 1.5 m between employees or wear mouth and nose covers, and mark workplaces if necessary
• In the scullery or washing area, care must be taken to separate clean and dirty dishes
• Clean work materials more frequently with hot water, as this counteracts the viruses
• ventilate regularly
• During wash cycles, it is ensured that the specified temperatures are reached in order to ensure safe cleaning of the dishes and glasses.

12. Personal contact with the guest

• No body contact, no shaking hands, no patting on the shoulder in passing
• Communication takes place with the minimum distance 1,5m
• If the minimum distance cannot be maintained, the mouth and nose cover must be worn, which is mandatory for service employees
• Avoid speaking when serving and clearing, if possible (virus is spread through the respiratory tract). Better to smile or nod your head
• Cough / sneeze in the crook of your arm
• Frequent, thorough hand washing and disinfection.

13. Work processes

• Observe distance requirements of 1.50 m, also among employees
• Where possible, work with permanent teams in shifts, otherwise there is a risk of the plant being closed in the event of an infection in the workforce
• Where possible, offer home office (reservation, accounting ...)
• Optimizing the processes of receiving / delivering goods in order to avoid contact with external persons
• Enable service without frequent inquiries: make table plans and serve food and drinks without speaking

14. Dealing with employees

• Fix measures and rules of conduct in writing and display them in a clearly visible manner for employees
• Train employees: hygiene and behavior rules and minimum distance
• Regularly hold employee interviews and provide information on the situation in the company
• Train employees so that they can also inform the guests about the hygiene measures and rules of conduct that have been taken
• Employees are requested to report the first signs of infection and seek medical advice
• Hold daily meetings and staff meetings at a minimum
• The minimum distance must also be observed in the break and smoking areas
• Equalize break times, serving of plate meals
• Provide sufficient protective equipment such as mouth and nose covers, gloves and sufficient washing facilities with liquid soap and disinfectant
• Allow more frequent hand washing and disinfection
• Separate work clothes from personal clothes in the changing rooms
• Look for suitable solutions together with employees with an increased risk (possibly change of job, change of task, home office)
• Develop a risk assessment in accordance with BGN specifications
• Develop a pandemic plan in accordance with BGN guidelines

15. Other measures when the hotel / catering business is resumed and further hygiene measures

• Compliance with the HACCP principles
• Checking the drinking water supply
• Checking and, if necessary, sorting out the existing stocks in cold, deep-freeze and dry storage
• Check for possible pest infestation and resume adequate pest control
• Storage and cleaning of work clothes as well as other laundry cleaning (e.g. table linen) are carried out in compliance with occupational safety and hygiene standards
• regular ventilation of the premises
• Notice of hygiene rules throughout the company
• Use of automatically opening doors as far as possible, possibly permanent opening of doors that do not open automatically
• Regular cleaning to be carried out at short intervals of all surfaces that are frequently touched (door handles and handles, handrails, tables, hand contact surfaces of the chairs, light switches)
• Creation of a risk assessment
• Appointment of a company hygiene officer
• Preventive occupational health care and protection of particularly vulnerable people

If you have further questions about cleaning and hygiene procedures, please write to us at info@upper-room.hotel.de.

Please stay healthy!

Your Upper Room Hotel team