Linda
Bankoski, Managing Directer of Education and Assessment for SpaQuality
LLC, shares some of the questions she has been asked regarding the
management of hygiene in spas:
What type of criteria does SpaQuality LLC provide for spas in terms
of cleanliness and hygiene regulations?
The
International Standards of SpaExcellenceSM requires the
protection of health and safety for spa guests and staff. The criterion
for ensuring that a spa is safe and clean begins with the management
and how the management establishes their spa's culture. The management
must actively identify and eliminate or minimize health, safety and
ergonomic risks and control the conditions that create hazards for staff
and guests. Protection of health and safety are required and are measured
and monitored by the management.
The spa management must ensure that the spa staff are aware of and
responsible for meeting all local, state, and federal laws and industry
and regulatory requirements. Because regulations and laws differ so
much, SpaQuality's requirement is that spas must know and comply with
those that apply to them. Management is also required to define roles,
responsibilities and authority so that it is clear who "owns"
cleanliness and hygiene. Additionally, effectiveness of the methods
and techniques must be demonstrated.
Procedures for cleaning and sanitation are required to define what
and how cleaning and sanitation are done. Records must be kept. For
example, the records should clearly document what was done, when it
was done, and by whom. Only competent staff are to be assigned and the
level of competency must be defined.
What are the most important steps a spa should take in order to
maintain a high level of safety regarding hygiene?
The spa management must ensure that the spa staff know exactly what
they are responsible for and that they can do what is asked of them.
If a staff member knows how to do a competent job and does not do it,
it is not a matter of training, it is a management issue. The level
of expectation is set by management
It is human nature for the staff to pay attention to what the management
pays attention to. The key way that staff knows what matters to management
is that they watch what managers measure. If the only thing measured
is money, then the staff will not spend much effort on cleaning and
hygiene. If the manager establishes and uses an activity log then posts
a chart showing the activity, staff will notice and slowly change behavior.
The following demonstrates what often happens to the rating of cleanliness
when the spa director or manager charts the performance where staff
can see it.
Do you have questions for Linda?
Email them to info@spaquality.com.
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