The importance of safety Have safety-related factors affected your own travel plans? Travel destinations number in the thousands most tourists can freely choose where to go The travel industry is extremely cyclical and a good image is of primary importance Finland cannot afford bad news Press clipping Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services The safety chain service chain The tourist is served by a large number of different companies/actors. Each must do their own part to ensure the safety of travellers. Destinations Ski resorts Programme service providers Restaurants and cafes Accommodation Land transport Guides Airport services Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services The safety chain service chain If one link fails, everybody suffers. Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Safety risks in the travel industry General conditions in the target region Factors associated with the tourism industry Tourists own information and actions Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Safety risks Target region Wars, terrorism Organised crime, violence, theft Social, political and religious conflicts General security services (e.g. the police) Infrastructure (transport, heath care, economy, etc.) What could happen in Finland? Is Finland a safe country? Press clipping Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Safety risks Travel industry Safety standards (e.g. buildings, fire safety, hygiene, operating guidelines) Standard of companies and employees, training and operating culture Insufficient tidiness and neglect of environmental protection Swindles and contractual fraud Strikes What is the safety status of the Finnish travel industry? Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Safety risks Tourist 1 Strange language, alien culture theres almost no possibility of avoiding some language and communications problems Far-away visitors will have difficulties in immediately understanding the culture, norms, customs and laws of Finland Cultural differences also have to be considered in association with domestic tourism Communicate Confirm Prepare Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Safety risks Tourists 2 Care-free attitude Risks heightened by new experiences Testing limits Ignoring safety guidelines Travel is hard, both physically and mentally Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Tourism risk statistics 3% of European tourists fall victim to a serious crime (WTO) 15% fall ill during a two-week vacation Deaths some 50% are heart-related (risk factors: age 45-75, male, coronary disease, forenoon) about 25% are accident-related (traffic and drowning) Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Legislation on tourism 1. SAFETY MANUAL - companys safety knowledge 2. RESCUE PLAN - For buildings, public events 3. SAFETY PLAN - For individual functions, events, performance venues Slope safety manual (ski resort safety) In-house control plan (food safety) Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Rescue Act/rescue plan (Rescue Act 468/2003) The Rescue Act demands that everybody, small companies included, work to prevent accidents and prepare for rescue activities The intention is to pre-empt the creation of dangerous situations and to prepare for the protection of people, property and the environment at times of danger. A rescue plan must be drafted For catering establishments that can serve more than 50 Accommodation establishments with more than 10 beds Companies whose premises usually house at least 30 people A plan must also be prepared for individual public events The rescue plan and safety manuals can be combined Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Document Be familiar with the contents of the rescue plan Know the location of: Exit routes The assembly area Preliminary fire extinguishing equipment First aid kit Observe safe working practices Notify supervisors about any shortcomings Know how to: Report an emergency Act appropriately in the event of an accident, danger or casualty Use fire extinguishing equipment Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Each employee must Act on the Safety of Consumer Goods and Consumer Services A consumer good or service being provided may not endanger consumers or other people who are affected by the service in question Applies to all professional operators (companies, associations, organisations as well as in part to schools, hospitals, day-care centres) The business practitioner is responsible for the safety of the product or service (diligence requirement) Consumers must be provided with sufficient information in an understandable form Press clipping Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Document Safety manual Programme service providers must draft a safety manual for their activities It defines, for example: the division of responsibility among staff risk evaluation safety plans accident accounting procedures for calling for assistance Employees must study the safety manual read and sign the manual follow its instructions in their activities Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Safety manual - Know the contents of the safety manual - Know who is in charge of safety at your company - Ensure the safety of activities at all times - Be aware of the risks associated with the activity and take measures to minimise them - Take care that your language, first aid, rescue and preliminary fire-extinguishing skills are sufficient Know the maximum allowed number of participants and any limitations to who is allowed to participate - Know the requirements placed on employees Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Safety manual Press clipping - Know if environmental conditions limit the activity and what to do if conditions change - Inform customers about appropriate methods, how challenging the activity is, the use of safety gear and how to act in the event of an emergency - Be able to communicate with the participants using understandable language - Study the safety plan drafted for individual functions - Know how to act in the event of an emergency - Intervene if you notice a shortcoming - Report accidents and near-misses to your employer Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services You must: Safety plan Instructions for individual functions and performance venues; drafted by business practitioner The safety plan specifies the information presented in the safety manual The more challenging the activity, the more specific the plan (e.g. high-risk functions) Takes into consideration variable conditions and factors If a route is in question, a map is attached that includes all of the key information Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Document Other regulations and guidelines The Finnish Consumer Agency has issued guidelines (in ) on promoting safety in association with the following activities, which involve more risk than others karting ski slopes programme services riding services public swimming pools and spas The Consumer Agency also evaluates the safety of an activity on the basis of guidelines issued by the respective sport federation. The Agency examines whether the guidelines are appropriate and depict good practices Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Risks and their management Danger a factor or circumstance that may cause a harmful event Risk the likelihood of a dangerous or harmful event and the severity of the consequences Risk management comprises three sectors: 1.Identification of dangers 2.Their evaluation 3.Measures undertaken to remove dangers and to reduce risks Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Risk coefficient Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Principles of risk management Get to know your activities as closely as possible Find out what has happened before (near-miss reports, colleagues, other events) Divide the activity into small components and think over what might happen. Focus on significant risks. Think about how you might reduce risks. ACT! Constantly practice risk management update the plan Press clipping Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Risks common to all branches of the industry Inexperienced employees Experienced employees can become numb and set in their ways Large numbers of customers Safety-endangering demands made by customers customer pressure Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Programme service risks In the final analysis, the safety of customers is ensured by the guides competence Both hard and soft skills must be mastered Competence is measured in exceptional circumstances Customers put their faith in the guide sometimes too much so The guide must ensure his or her own ability to function Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Programme service risks Programme services often take place in a challenging, risk- prone environment Conditions may change rapidly Help may be slow to arrive Press clipping Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Programme service risks How do you ensure safety with a group comprising people of differing levels of ability? Customers in holiday mood Possible performance-hindering factors not revealed Equipment not always appropriate (guide must check this) Communications difficulties may lead to very dangerous situations Peer pressure may force individuals to do things that they are uncomfortable with Groups comprising people of differing levels of ability can be very challenging Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services Programme service risks Safety stumbling blocks for companies: Lack of sufficient resources Lack of sufficient training Indifferent attitudes If you notice shortcomings in the activities of a firm, dont hesitate to point them out Accommodation and catering Ski resortsProgramme services