Methods Used For Controlling Dust

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Housekeeping is the customer’s first and last impression of the hotel. According to Margaret Lennox et al (1988), housekeeping is the provision of clean, comfortable environment. But due to the changes in guest needs and demands housekeeping can be defined as a provision of a clean, comfortable, safe environment using a more sophisticated equipment and personalized services such as a shoe shine service, making of bed and turning down of bed, well equipped hotels to expand and also increase the provision of accommodation to guest. A good housekeeping makes customers feel comfortable and satisfied.

HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

Kappa, Nitschke and Schappert(1997),Efficiently managed housekeeping departments ensure the cleanliness, maintenance and aesthetic appeal of lodging properties. The housekeeping department not only prepares clean guest rooms on a timely basis for arriving guest, it also cleans and maintains everything in the hotel. Rutherford et al (1995) also affirm that housekeeping department is an important department and plays a vital role in the lodging industry. Its sole responsibility is to service guest room, public and special areas and maintain the standard of cleanliness within the establishment. In some establishment, they operate laundry, recreational facilities. The housekeeping department is usually managed by an executive housekeeper who operates, control and supervises the housekeeping laundry and recreational department. The housekeepers operate and control the department in the most efficient manner through the effective application and enforcement of establishment policies and the use of effective methods of cleaning. The responsibilities of the housekeepers are to provide cleanliness to the entire establishment and the supervision of all personnel assigned to the housekeeping, laundry and recreational department.

HOUSEKEEPING OBJECTIVES

According to CTH (Confederation of Tourism and Hospitality) the following are some of the objectives of housekeeping.

Ensure all areas are clean at all times.

To minimize build up dirt

To make customers feel comfortable

To clean at the convenient times in the most efficient way

To reduce any opportunities of infection

To use good quality, safe cleaning chemicals

To promote a healthy and safe environment.

To prolong the life of furniture, fixtures and fittings

To improve the appearance of the operation

CLEANING

Joan et al (1995), Cleaning is the removal of dust, grease, dirt and any foreign matter such as dead flowers, rains, and the content of ashtray and waste-paper basket with the intension of providing hygienic and safe environment for guest to stay and maintain the original appearance of the surface cleaned. It is necessary for hygienic reasons, for the sake of appearance and to prevent deterioration of the articles or surfaces. Dust consist of loose particles, some of which may cause abrasion e.g. grit. Most dust is airborne and may be moved around by air currents, movement of people, equipment and other articles. Dust can be removed through vacuum cleaning, mopping or dusting. Dirt is dust or other material which adheres to a surface by moisture o grease and the most appropriate way of removing dirt is by washing, scrubbing, mopping or shampooing. In another development Johns et al (1995) state that cleaning help an establishment an inviting, cleaning and a well-cared-for appearance at all time.

Cleaning is done to promote health and hygiene, improve the appearance of a surface and prolong the life of the fixtures and fittings.

TYPES OF CLEANING

Daily cleaning: rooms and public areas (this is the routine cleaning).

Weekly cleaning: cleaning task that are not required on a daily basis.

Periodic /deep cleaning: in depth cleaning mostly carried out in low season. Periodic cleaning also known as spring, special or deep cleaning is carried out at specific times during the year.

Deep cleaning: cleaning that is pre scheduled and in depth. E.g. window cleaning, turning mattresses, moving furniture etc.

INITIAL CLEANING: is carried out in a new building before an area is used by the guest or in an existing one after a period of redecorating or refurbishing.

PRINCIPLES OF CLEANING (CTH)

Remove all surface soil and obstruction before cleaning.

Follow the least obtrusive method of cleaning, especially earl in the morning.

Restate all surfaces to as a near perfect condition as soon as possible.

Always use the simplest method of cleaning and the mildest cleaning agent.

Beware of safety hazards.

Remove all dust and dirt; do not transfer to another area.

Carry out cleaning in the quickest possible time.

CLEANING METHOD

Methods used for controlling dust

Dust cannot be totally removed; it can only be controlled by the following methods:

HIGH DUSTING

This is the control of dust from the surface which is beyond arms reach when the operator is standing on the floor.

What happens is that dust is dislodged from the surface and falls to lower level where it is collected and disclosed off. A cornice brush is used for high dusting ceilings and top of walls and feather are used to high dust walls.

LOWER DUSTING

This is the control of dust from surface which is within arm’s reach when the operator is standing on the floor. Dusters, cotton check or flannelette, are suitable for lower dusting or polishing wooden metal surface.

CLEANING SPECIFICATIONS

It is a detailed description of work to be carried out in a particular area. It should specify all the routine and periodic tasks which need to be done, the frequency of the tasks required to achieve the standard, exactly which tasks are included and any special area which needs to be considered carefully.

PLANNING

According to kappa et al (1995), planning is looking ahead and trying to predict the future of an organization. One of the functions of the housekeeping manager is to plan for the housekeeping department. Based on top management formulated policies, he/ she sets more specific objectives, set standard, analyses tasks and assigns responsibilities to the staff and establishes line of authorities for the department. One of the primary objectives of planning the work of the housekeeping department is to ensure that all the employees carry out their cleaning tasks in a consistent manner.

The executive housekeeper uses available resources to attain the objective set by top management. That is, the executive housekeeper uses objectives set by management as a guide in planning more specific measurable goals for the department. The housekeeper establishes a basic plan from which she draws the initial plan and the resulting documents.

The resulting documents list the area inventory list, the frequency schedule that is how often the item within the area needs to be clean, whether weekly, daily or monthly. The performance standard, which states what, must be done in order to clean the item within the area. The productivity standard that states how long it will take trained employees to complete an assignment task based on performance standard. The housekeeping department needs to be planned and organized so that the tasks are carried out to the standard which the customers expect and in the cost-effective way.

In other development Johns et al (1995) states that, planning the work of the housekeeping department relies on, the ability of the department head to plan and organize the work effectively, the ability of the supervisor to control and carry out the work efficiently and the ability of the operative to carry out the work correctly. During planning of cleaning program, the scope of the task to be prepared must be considered. To be able to plan and achieve the above plans, the standard of service required the availability of resources and range of service provided must also be taken into consideration.

FREQUENCY SHCEDULING

Jones et al(1989), explains, it is always easy to share or assign tasks to the housekeeping staff only when the housekeeping department is staffed with employees who have requisite skills and abilities to do a well-defined job, Which encourages performances and will be willing to expand effort in carrying out duties. Unless employees are available to do the assigned tasks at the appropriate time then performance will still not be optimized. Kappa et al (1995), also emphasizes that frequency schedule determines how often the item in the area must be cleaned, whether daily, weekly, or monthly. To schedule a work to be done by an employee in the housekeeping department must be taken into consideration.

Jones et al (1995), again indicate that based on the standard set and the forecast of demand it should be now possible to prepare rosters to have the right number of staff on duty at the right time. They must be seen as a simple manpower planning exercise but it is one which must consider the behavioral requirements of the staff as well as the functional requirement of the housekeeping department.

There is the need to staff for the peak period this enables flexibility in the schedule. Flexibility can be explained in two ways, functional flexibility, this is concerned with the versatility of employees and their ability to adjust the number of workers or the number of hours worked in response to changes in demands.

The scheduling of the workforce is an important area that has received relatively little attention but which makes a significant impact on employee’s performance. Whole job flexibility provides opportunity for coping with unpredictable demand fluctuation experienced by the department.

WORK SCHEDULE

With this concept, John et al (1995), define as an outline of the work to be carried out either by one or more members of staff or for a particular area. Work schedule list down the work in the order in which it should be done and show that the routine works are organized to achieve the appropriate standard set by the department. Work schedule should include;

An indication of the times of meals and refreshment break.

Time for collecting and clearing easy equipment.

Work which has to be carried out on a weekly basis stating the actual day when this is to be done.

The work schedule should show limiting but should make allowances for unexpected events.

PERFORMANCE STANDARD

Kappa et al (1995), performance standard states what must be done in order to get work done or maintain the major items within the area. It also states the procedure or the order in which the work must be done.

Performance standard establishes the quality of work that must be done. It is the key of consistency, which the executive housekeeper develops, communicates and manages.

Employees will not perform the assignment task in the most effective and efficient manner when performance standards are not properly developed. Performance standard should be effectively communicated and consistently managed. To ensure that the degree or standards are reached, executive housekeeper must ensure that all employees carry out their cleaning task in the consistent manner.

When standards are missed there is always lack of arrangement or expectations and this gives rise to an ineffective corporate culture. No one agrees on what work is to be performed, let alone how well it should be done and what method are appropriate.

If there is no consensus on standard, it cannot be measured. Yet measured employees’ conformity to standards is a responsibility of the executive housekeeper. Performance standards differ from establishment to establishment and are based on grades of the establishment.

PRODUCTIVITY STANDARDS

This refers to the acceptable quantity of work to be done by a trained staff. They perform their work according to established performance standard. It is important that standard is linked with performance productivity standard. According to Kavanaugh (2001), performance is the level of quality established by the establishment, which is acceptable to employer/supervisor and employee. Productivity standard deals basically with quantity whilst performance standard deals with quality.

Productivity standard states how long it will take an employee to perform an assignment. Performance requirements vary in relation to the unique needs and requirement of each establishment. It is possible to measure productivity standard for the housekeeping department. The level of service and the size of the housekeeping department vary among economy or limited-services, mid-range service and world-class-service hotel due to the difference in room size and finishing. It is very easy for a trained employee to complete an assigned task within the required time period as compared to untrained staff. Based on the performance standards of the housekeeping department which state the work to be done and the procedure to follow. The executive housekeeper now determines how long it would take a fully trained room attendant to meet performance standards when cleaning one guest room. She then presents productivity work sheet which shows how productivity standards can easily be measured.

Firstly, it determines how long it would take to clean one guest room according to performance standard. Secondly, the total shift time, the break time and other activities that take place within a shift period that need to be deducted from the time to come out with the actual available time for guest room cleaning. The actual available time for cleaning room is divided by the time taken by room attendant to clean one guest room according to performance standard, the result is the number of room’s one room attendant can clean within a shift

fig: An example of the format of a productivity standard work sheet for a room attendant

step1

Determines how long it would take to clean one guestroom according to the department’s performance standards …………………………. Minutes

step 2

Determines the total shift time in minutes ………….. hours x 60 minutes = …………………

Step 3

determines the total available for guestroom cleaning

Total shift time ……………….. Minute

less: beginning-of-shift duties…………. Minutes

Morning break ……………………… minute

Afternoon break …………. Minute

End of shift duties……………………... minute

Time available for guestroom cleaning ……………………………………………..

Determines the productivity standard by dividing the result of step 3 by the result of step 1. The answer is the number of guestrooms that can be cleaned within a shift by one staff.

WORK MEASUREMENT

Johns (1995), determines that work measurement techniques are use to establish time needed for an employee to complete an assigned task. The executive housekeeper takes work measurement and method study to allocate task to the employees.

METHOD STUDY

According to Johns (1995) the method of study is the systematic recording and critical examination of existing proposed methods of work. Method study is used to develop and apply more easier and effective method and also for reducing cost. It is used for publishing or determining a standard time for completing different kinds of tasks

THE STANDARD TIME

This is the time required to do job by an experienced worker using the agreed method of work, the correct equipment, chemicals and working to pre determined standard. This is to determine by method of study. Example, it takes an experienced employee 1.8 minutes to make a bed or 3.9 minutes(CTH) when putting clean sheet on. This time was established by watching a number of employees making beds. They would have been studied at various times of the day, at the beginning when they were fresh and at the end of the day when they are more tired. The resulting figure is an average of all the studies.

ALLOWANCE

An extra time is added for relaxation and rest. This allows employees to recover their energy and it also takes account of environment problems such as bad lighting, awkward work position and the need of constantly lifting heavy loads or to climb up and down stairs. This time also covers the time needed for coffee breaks, for changing in and out of uniform and for visit to the cloakroom. This will add 22 percent to the bed making times but 22.5 percent when resheeting the bed.

CONTINGENCY ALLOWANCE

Another extra 10 percent allowance is added for contingency. This covers up when

Situations like unforeseen interruption or delays such as a room attendant to wait for People to vacate their room before being able to clean them.

The formula is as follows;

Basic time + Rest allowance + Contingency allowance = Standard Time.

ORGANIZATION

Kavanaugh et al (2009), states that organization involves establishing the line of authority and communication between people and organizational level. In another development kappa et al (1995), claims that organization in the housekeeping department is the implementation stage where the executive housekeeper puts what is planned into action by assigning duties and responsibilities to the line authorities drawn at the planning stage. The executive housekeeper ensures that set standard, formulated policies, and objectives are reached. This helps in assessing the performance standard of housekeeping department and also restructuring the department staff so that everyone gets a fair assignment to ensure that all the work can be finished at required time.

Executive housekeeper delegates authority to supervisors and must ensure that each employee recognizes the authority structure of the department. An organizational chart provides a clear picture of the line of authority and the channel of communication within the department. This differs from property to property, for instance in economic or limited service properties the title of the housekeeping department manager depends on the specific duties and responsibilities of the position. Properties that provide average service generally have a large housekeeping staff supervised by the executive housekeeper. Also properties that provide world class service have an entire housekeeping division with general managers led by director of the housekeeping department. The organization chart of the housekeeping provides a systematic direction of orders protects employees from being over directed and shows that each employee takes orders only from person who is directly above him or her in the department organization. An organization chart also shows how communications are channeled through the department.

STAFFING

Staffs are a group of people working together in an organization. Staffing involves recruiting and hiring those who are best qualified for the job. Housekeeping department with highly efficient staff are likely to meet performance standard. According to Brandon et al (1995), believes that the hours a housekeeper use in cleaning will vary based on the areas to be maintained by the department and the type of service to be given. And these have a greater effect on the number of staff and the amount of work that can be done by each employee. During staffing, the job must be defined according to the specific tasks to be performed.

An effectively plan staff within the housekeeping department enables the housekeeper to determine which position within the department are fixed and those that are variable. That is those that can be handled by full time employee and those that can be handled by part time. Staffing is an important factor to be considered by the supervisors as it helps them to know the correct number of employees to work within the department. Actual number of room attendant scheduled to work on any given room. It will vary depending on the number of full time and part time employees the supervisor scheduled to work.

Kavanauh (2000) again proposes that, when the hotel is at 90% occupancy, they will schedule more full time and less part time in room attendant within each shift to enable the housekeeping department meet productivity standard. During staffing it is important to make provision for employees who might be sick or otherwise unavailable to work within their scheduled hours a shift. Another important adjustment relates to the effect of turnover on productivity.

John (1995) states that the most expensive resources are staff and difficult to keep and deal with. Staffs provide varieties of services such as, cleaning and servicing of all types of rooms, linen and laundry facilities, maintaining the premises, supplying customers with personal services such as baby sitting and facilities for conference.

To be able to provide any of the above services, the right number of staff should be on and to maintain the standard required and to ensure safety and security.

JOB LISTS AND JOB DESCRIPTION

Kappa (1995), a job list identifies the task that must be performed by an individual occupying a specific position within the department. Organizing the department staffs becomes a relatively straight forward when the executive housekeeper effectively plans the work of the department. Job list state what the employee have to do in order to get the job done. The range of duties and the responsibilities of the executive housekeeper at various sizes and types of properties vary enormously. Most of the management functions are carried out by the manager in most of the small, independent economy limited service hotels. Written job description can ease employee’s anxiety by specifying responsibilities, requirements and peculiarities of their jobs. It is important to involve employee in writing and revising of job descriptions and to make aware of the content of the job by giving them a copy of the job description from the basic step for developing job break down that is, specific, step- by- step procedures for accomplishing a task, training plans and effective performance evaluation forms.

A JOB PROCEDURE

Jon’s et al (1995) states that a job procedure is a description of a specific job to be done by a particular person. Job procedures are frequently presented as order of work cards which are pocket sized, giving detail of the cleaning equipment, chemicals and method of work either for a specific task or area. The choice of the chemical, equipment and method of work are made by executive housekeeper and everyone doing that task must follow the same method using the same type of equipment and the same chemicals. Order of work cards is used extensively during training and in the week when an employee is new to the job. Experienced staff needs them only when a new system of working or new piece of equipment is introduced.

SAMPLE JOB LIST:

JOB LIST

Position: housekeeping room attendant

Tasks: employee must be able to:

Park in designated area

Wear proper uniform

Punch in

Pick up click board and key

Meet with supervisors

Obtain supplier

Plan your work

Enter the room

Prepare the room

Make the beds

Gather cleaning supplies

Clean the bedroom

Dust the room

Clean or replace paper supplies and amenities

Clean windows

Inspect your work

Vacuum the room

Lack the door and make 9our report

Take breaks at designated times

Return and restock cart

Punch outMorning shift room attendant

JOBTITLE: ROOM ATTEDANT

BASIC FUNCTION: performs routine duties in the cleaning and servicing of guestroom and baths under close supervision of an inspector.

Duties and responsibilities

Enter and prepare room for cleaning

Make the bed

Dust the room and furniture

Replenishes guestroom and bath supplies

Clean the bathroom

Clean the closet

Vacuum clean the carpet

Check and secure the room

Relationships

Reports direct to inspector, assistant housekeeper and executive housekeeper.

SUPERVISOR

Housekeeping supervisors are responsible for the room attendants. The role of a housekeeping supervisor is to direct the department staff on the designed tasks. Most of their time is spent on managing the work of others, effectively dealing with employees on a personal and professional level. To be able to meet objectives, supervisors must work effectively through others. Supervisors need technical skills to enable them perform their job and effectively supervise the work of the employees.

Acquiring human relation skills enable the supervisor to understand his or her responsibilities deal fairly with the housekeeping staff through communication, leadership and also understanding how people work in a group. Conceptual skills also enable the supervisor to make decisions within the right time without making a hasty decision. He or she understands the housekeeping departments long and short term goals and the strategies designed to attain them. Supervisors fail when they lack the ability to effectively manage and relate to their employees. When supervisors do not get along with their employees, low productivity, low morale and high employee turnover are likely to be encountered. When these problems occur, work is not completed on time and performance standard cannot be achieved. Supervisors sometimes fail to meet performance standard because of character and personality shortcoming. That is when the supervisor is faced with personal problems; he or she cannot perform or be able to handle the responsibilities and pressures associated with another job.

When supervisors do not meet management tasks such as planning, organizing, coordinating, motivating, staffing, directing, controlling and evaluation, The job performance standard set cannot be measured properly. For the housekeeping department to operate effectively and efficiently to meet productivity standard, the supervisor must understand how to respond to the task assigned to him/her by the executive housekeeper. Supervisors must also know how to deal with employees, understanding that these employees come from different background, with different interest and needs. Furthermore employees must be provided with safe working environment. Supervisors must represent staff to higher manager.

Head HousekeeperOrganizational chart of a typical housekeeping department

Assistants

Linen Maids

Linen Keeper

Florist

Assistant Housekeepers

Deputy Head Housekeeper

Ladies cloak aatendants

Valets

House Porters

Staff Maids

Room Maids

Cleaners

Joan Branson and Margaret Lennox (2005)In hotels it is generally accepted that a head housekeeper is the one who supervises three or more assistant housekeepers. The housekeeper is responsible for the following members of staff:

Assistant housekeeper (floor housekeeper or floor supervisor) who supervise the maids and carry out work delegated b the housekeepers. While the total number will vary according to the type of hotel, a general rule is one assistant housekeeper to 50 rooms.

Room maids are responsible the servicing of the guest bedrooms, private sitting rooms and often private bath rooms, and are also on call for service to uests. A maid ma be expected to service 10- 15 rooms in an eight hour shift, example 7am to 3pm or 8am t0 4pm.

Staff maids who clean the rooms of the living in staff

Cleaners are usually part time and whose job is to clean offices, public rooms, bathrooms and ladies cloakrooms. In some hotels this work used to be done by full time house maids or corridor maids. The firms which undertake contract cleaning and some hotels use this service, but the housekeeper still vets the work.

Linen keeper who supervises the work of the linen room and who may have several linen maids to assist her in providing clean, presentable linen throughout the house.

Cloakroom attendant looks after the ladies powder room. He or she attends to the requirements of the guests, guards their belongings and keep the powder room neat and tidy.

House porter’s attendant work consists of the removal of rubbish, the shifting of furniture, heavy vacuum cleaning and other odd jobs.

Valets, who usually only work in first class hotels, are responsible for the veleting of the clothes of the guests and combine this with some of the less dirt jobs of the house porter. Valets may be members of the uniformed staff.

A florist may be on the housekeeping staff, but in some hotels the housekeeper or her assistants and may arrange the flowers and in others there may be contract arrangements.

Organizational structure of a three star hotel

General Manager

HR Manager

F&B Manager

Financial controller

Chief engineer

Sales and marketing

Rooms Division

Sales personnel’s

Purchasing Dpt.

Chief Accountant & Account Team

Executive housekeeper

Restaurant Manager

Executive chef

Front Office MGR

Cooks & stewards

Assistant Chefs

Supervises & Receptionist

Reservation

Laundry Manager

House supervises

Waiters & waitresses

Banqueting & Bar personnel’s

Public Area cleaners

Room Maids

Porters

Door Man

Casuals and other staffs