When was the last time you rifled through papers to track an order, or opened a folder to confirm payment of an invoice? Our everyday, personal and business transactions can usually be verified online. No more searching through files or asking someone else if they had the paperwork.
In the business environment, automated systems remove the guesswork (and human error) by providing an electronic database for important records. This ability to store valuable information provides owners and management an irreplaceable sense of security.
In the hospitality industry, the necessity for computer tracking has extended beyond basic inventory needs. The ability to execute specific equipment inspections and document repairs has become a matter of life and death. The stories are all too real.
In April 2013 a couple checked into a hotel in Boone, NC. They didn’t realize carbon monoxide was leaking into their room from an improperly vented pool heater located below their room. This poisonous gas has no odor, color or taste, making it extremely hard to detect.
Less than two months later, an 11-year-old boy and his mother were exposed to carbon monoxide at the same hotel, in the same room. The boy died.
Legal action was taken against the management company overseeing the property and the company is now defunct.
Five years after the deaths of these three hotel guests, only 14 states require carbon monoxide detectors in hotels.
Taking basic precautions against this “Silent Killer” can save lives. First of all, carbon monoxide detectors should be installed throughout all hotels. Secondly, these detectors should be inspected regularly. Many hotel companies also require verified proof of monthly inspections.
Would you trust this vital inspection process to a slip of paper in a clipboard? Having an electronic system in place adds convenience, but also removes liability from any “missing” or incomplete paperwork.
Without proper documentation of inspections, hotel management, or the owners, could be held legally accountable for injuries resulting from carbon monoxide exposure.
To protect your business and your guests, utilize an electronic system to automatically schedule, remind and track inspections. This process should be as fundamental as having the carbon monoxide detectors themselves. Your team can enter inspection reports into a program that gets safely stored and backed up. There’s no chance for misplaced or lost paperwork due to human error or even mother nature.
With a professional tracking system in place, your management team can receive real-time stats on carbon monoxide equipment and inspections. This investment helps your business stay compliant and provides the reassurance that you are keeping your staff and guests safe.
Is your business prepared to save lives?
