Certification criteria of the Safehotel are defined in a catalogue of requirements, which includes the core statements of the MBS methodology for fire safety in European hotels published by HOTREC, the European umbrella organization of the hospitality industry. The assessment is carried out using the lists contained in the audit portal, based on a points system. The respective assessment criteria reflect the aim of ensuring fire safety in hotels and, consequently, the safety of guests and staff.
The quality seal is awarded subject to the following conditions
- Fulfilment of the requirements in lists M, B and S with a permitted deviation of no more than 2 points in each case (96–100 points)
- Fulfilment of the core requirements concerning fundamental organisational measures, the provision of fire and smoke detectors, and the constant availability of competent staff
- Achievement of a total of 300 points
You can view and test all the lists in the audit portal.
Good fire safety in hotels
To prevent fires in hotels as they develop, and to minimize their impact, particular attention should be paid to preventive fire protection in hotels. This ranges from the structural fire protection (e.g. compliance with special structural policies or the creation of fire protection concepts) to the technical fire protection systems (such as the installation of fire alarm systems and fire extinguishers) and to the organizational fire protection (e.g. as the creation of fire alarm plans).
Also the training of staff is paramount. The training goal is to inform the staff about the safety equipment of the hotel and to enable them to perform the tasks described in the fire alarm plans especially in a fire event. Only trained personnel understands the utmost importance of easily accessible and usable escape routes and will thus will pay special attention on this during housekeeping
As well as fire prevention also fire response – ie extinguishing and rescue in case of fire – plays an important role. However, this is primarily the task of the fire service; hotel staff has only limited potential.
The Safehotel-Star concept acknowledges good interaction of these components for fire safety in hotels.
Thus, in the catalogue of requirements aspects of the structural fire protection, technical fire protection systems and organizational fire protection are listed and checked. Also appropriate training of staff has a special significance in the checklist system