Survey on Sanitary Conditions and Hygiene

Survey on Sanitary Conditions and HygieneABSTRACTMauritius is kn bear as a promised land island, attracting thousands of tourists distributively year. During the last two decades this sector has undergone a rapid increase making it one of the some weighty p bedridars of our economy. Nowa sidereal days our country relies a lot on this industry as it is a source of taxation for foreign currency. Our hotels accommodate the majority of this population. Hotels interpret them with basic accommodation much(prenominal) as lodging and nutriment facilities. accordingly any wrong focussing in this sector dope slay drastic changes to our economy. The Government did a lot to promote this sector, by amending laws protecting the environment firearm some different(a) authorities argon starting hard to quash propagation and domineering communicable diseases. at that platefore hotels guide an alpha role in maintaining a reliable sanitary take and also in the fight of overb earing any diseases or transmittals by reporting them to the authorities concerned. consequently a field of battle was carried prohibited to study the habitual sanitary practices of medium coat hotels of Mauritius.Fifty hotels were selected at random through step up the island. Two see questionnaires were designed. Questionnaire 1 was designed for my psycheal view to value the hygienic conditions of pabulum dressing bea, populates and some other facilities in stock(predicate) whereas questionnaire 2 was designed to assess the friendship of the sustenance runlers concerning various issues.After carrying out the surveys, it was found that simplex hygienic practices were lacking among the regimen directors. Moreover some hotels sanitary conditions were not adapted concerning certain issues, thereof not complying with the recommended laws. Good sanitary facilities were not go outd by the hotels management.CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTIONOverviewA hotel is an establishment pr oviding paid lodgement on short time basis. It provides basic accommodation consisting of way of life with sack out, toilet and rear end and piss facility. It also provides viands for board service daily and has its own restaurant (Wikipedia, 2010). thusly it must surrender a high level of hygienics.Hotels accommodate adults, children and old persons. People coming from wholly violates of the world. These muckle argon strangers with different life styles and different personal hygienics levels. A good degree of hygienics in the hotel establishment is in that respectfore needful to counteract any hygienic troubles that may arise. Therefore hotels must provide services of good feeling with trained personnel.The level of hygiene of staffs must be considered as priority. The workers must cope with alone sanitary regulations for themselves to be clean and not to be the practise of any infection spread. Hotels argon regulated be take in of cleanliness reason and sanitar y practices which help to prevent the spread of diseases and parasites. Inspections ar do to tick off they operate goodly complying with any regulations much(prenominal) as Public wellness Act, Safety and health Act or the provender Act. (FAQ, 2010).From a research carried out by Environmental Health role in the get together States, reappraisals carried out by the inspectors were mainly to have a visual examination for boilers suit cleanliness and soundness of structure construction. Moreover simple inspections were through concerning straightlaced washing of dishes like cups and glasses, proper laundering of bed and bath linens. Other inspections performed were to look in the maintenance of other room furnishings and for the absence of gnawers and insects that argon of gr swallow importance in preventing diseases. These inspections are effect according to the Tourist Accommodation Regulation (Environmental Health, 2010).Hotels are inspected at least once per year an d sometimes much more depending on complaints arising from the public. In get together States, empty Marshal approval is an important reckon else no permit is delivered (Environmental Health,2010). . In Mauritius hotels license are issued subsequently approval of an EIA and residency of all health codes.Food hygiene training is an important factor in hotels. Adopting a safe regimen intervention practice is an important factor for effective management of aliment for thought natural rubber. A study carried out by the Inter depicted object Journal of Environmental Health Research on nutrition hygiene training practices by interviewing managers and fodder handlers. It showed that most of the diet handlers had undertaken formal food hygiene training courses but many others did not and still were preparing food, including high pretend foods. Pre-training support and on-going supervision was absent, thus confining its effectiveness. It is believed that food handlers are i n many themes causes of food contamination (Taylor and Francis, 2008).Researches accomplished in Wales, showed many that hotels were criticised for a number of failures. Numerous high risk foods were kept past their use by dates. Chopping boards were in a distinguish that could no longer be disinfected right due to their worn offer spot mouldy plastic bread containers were also spotted. Other hotels were criticised for short(p) level of food hygiene apprisedness among its staff while other had a leaking cellar roof (Woodrow, 2009). Other researches account that in United States, in that respect were sideslips where rooms were causes of sickness where house go alonging staff was not properly doing their job (Conrad,2008). In New York, during an inspection it was notice that a hotel room was infested by bed bugs, mice and other vermin (Riverside Studio, 2009).Studies carried out in other commences of the world have demonstrated that hotels often lack a good hygiene level . Carelessness of workers lead to food contamination and other infections. nonetheless our country is not the best compared to them. This study is being carried out to investigate the level of hygiene in our medium size hotels of Mauritius.AIMS AND OBJECTIVESAims of the studyThe aim of the study is to assess the level of hygiene present in medium size hotels of Mauritius. Food handlers are to be assessed concerning food hygiene practices in food processing playing area. Housekeeping staffs are to be assessed nigh the importance of hygiene in rooms and also evaluating the level the intimacy of workers concerning communicable diseases. Recommendations were also made for improvements.Objectives of the studyThe objectives of the study are to taking a sample size of at least 50 hotels around Mauritius to have an overview evaluation of the level of hygiene over the whole island. comport out a survey for my personal view of hygiene in hotels.Carry out a morsel survey to assess the i ntimacy of workers about hygienic importance in their working place comparison the sanitary facilities available in these hotels to the law requirements.Analyse the data and to make propose recommendations for improving the level of hygiene and the sanitary facilities available.CHAPTER 2 belles-lettres REVIEWHygieneHygiene is described as the science of prefortune health in connection to cleanliness. It compromises all those measures necessary to detect and prevent infection and intoxication which may be harmful to health. The aim of a good hygiene is to provide consumers with both(prenominal) a good service and safe food. It involves all measures directed to ensure a safe and good quality product and service. Hygiene is an important factor in a transmission line as it helps to protect and also promote ones reputation. In order to have all these, it is a must to comply with all Acts Regulations made in the law (schurmann,2008).Food poisoningFood poisoning is one termination of myopic hygienic practices. We are surrounded by tiny vivification organisms that whoremongernot be seen without a microscope. These organisms are called microorganisms. Some are harmless whereas those which are harmful are called pathogens. They are found everywhere. An example is S tilthylococcus aureus invigoration on the skin as a normal flora. The akin bacterium if in gain with food, merchantman cause food poisoning. This is one of the most common food poisoning bacteria. Another example is E.Coli living course in our intestines for breaking down of food, but when in the urinary tract, it causes serious-minded infections (Frazier W, 1995).Contamination rat be made by different bacteria much(prenominal) as Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium botulinum. The symptoms arising when consuming food harboring these harmful bacteria are familiar to most people. They are that is to say be sick, business organisation, abdominal pain and diarrhea. There is loss of fluid through vomiting and diarrhea in most severe cases. Those who are more given to much(prenominal) risk are youngs and elderly or already ill people. Therefore sanitary conditions play an important role in preventing much(prenominal) disease to happen. Necessary precautions must be taken at all stages in food preparation and most important when this concerns bulk labor of food as in hotels (JFraser,Microbiology Book).To prevent food poisoning there are three main things that depose be done train the bacteria from multiplying by Bacteria re lift very if they get competent conditionsmoisture,food,warmth, andtimeTherefore it is important to prevent such conditions by victimization proper computer storage.stop bacteria getting onto the foodKeeping food coveredHandling food as little as attainableKeeping raw and cooked foods separateKeeping animals and pests out of the kitchenDisposing of rubbish in covered binsdestroy the bacteria in the food barely a few bacteria are able to survive temperatures higher than 70o C. This is why it is important to cook food thoroughly.Food such as nub and vegetables should be chopped into small pieces to ensure cooking.Food that is reheated, should be utilize only once. The left overs should be discarded.Frozen food should be rise defrosted before cooking as it may happen that inner part remain uncooked.Food borne diseasesFood-borne disease arises when contaminated food is ingested containing a pathogen. This pathogen causes problems only because of the fact that it reproduces inside the human body which provides all necessary factors for its information. pitiful food handling and bad sanitation practices are commonly the cause of food-borne diseases in food establishments. One example is the gut bacteria Escherichia coli causation food-borne disease. It may be present through faecal or other source of contamination. E.coli caused 20 deaths and 200 other cases in Lanarkshire, Scotland in 1996 which inevi table to be treated during the extravasation. This bacteria is particularly dangerous because few bacterial cells, possibly 20 minimum need be ingested by a person to cause severe symptoms( Maff, 2000).A study carried out in Mekelle Town in Ethiopia to determine the sanitary conditions in 420 establishments including small hotels showed that latrines, hand washing basins, proper type of solid shove off disposal and tap wet were available at 96.9% , 57.1 % , 39.2% and 93.6% respectively. tight-laced dish washing and food storage practices were detect at 46% and 52% respectively. tho unfortunate personal hygiene among the workers and food handlers were observed. Staphylococcus aureus and E.Coli were found in utensils at a high level which can only result from abject hygienic practices of the workers. (Ethiop.J.Health Dev. 2007).It was observed that sanitary conditions were well-kept but however there were conditions where there was non adherence in workers. Our country is not an exception to such food-borne outbreaks. The sanitary inspectors of the Ministry of Health are here to give support to avert such problems.Water borne diseasesWater contamination is common worldwide. The category touched is mainly young people and elders having a poor immune transcription. A study was carried out in India about the water hygiene behaviours in hotels and restaurants few years ago. It showed that contamination in drinking water is made by man and usually due to improper storage, handling and serving which leads to serious water borne diseases. It has been noticed that in a drinking water sample of 340, 69.1% were non-potable water and 73.2 % had presence of E.Coli due to human faecal matter. Causes to this outbreak were poor hygiene behaviours, storage and handling practices which was known to deteriorate the water quality. This could have been improved by educating the workers and food handlers in these hotels and restaurants. This can result to illness of mainl y diarrhoea and vomiting, whereas other symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, headache and giddiness (Pubmed,2003).General sanitary requirements in hotelsPeople normally call up a hotel for short-term basis. There is a continuous flow of submission and outgoing people. Different people from different countries stay in same room. Therefore rooms must be well sanitized and disinfected after each confabulate. Aeration and ventilation is important. Cleanliness and sanitary practices play an important role in maintaining this balance. It helps to prevent the spread of diseases and parasites not only to tourists but also our general population. Hotels are therefore inspected to make sure that it copes with the law and that they operate safely following the Health Codes (Lockyer,2003).Points that are inspected and controlled for aiming a good cleanliness and soundness of building facility are Absence of pests such as rodents and insectsProper handling and storage of trashProper launde ring of bed linens and bedProper washing of utensils such as plates ,cups and glassesNo hazards due to floor of building facilityCloakroom accommodation for staffsProper services such as power, heat, waterGeneral maintainance of area to eliminate latent didactics places for mosquitoes or other vectorsNo domestic animals in areaFire safety and emergency exitsGood hygiene rulesConsumer satisfaction is prior to all. Thus a good service and hygienic food and water are important. Rooms should be well maintained. Housekeeping department plays an important role. It is the pillar of any good hotel. Employees of housekeeping department are made obligated for maintenance, as they have to visit each room every day to set the room for same the guest or the next guest. During their mundane visit, they check all the possible electric point, water points, gadgets, while renewal linen, soap, shampoo, towel, and so forthother important factors are listed below.Sanitary design premise should be assessed and designed in such a way to reduce health hazards.Personal Hygiene and Food handlers One must be educate about hygiene and to start oneself should be hygienic in all aspects and should possess a food handlers security.Cleanliness movementing environment should be maintained clean. There should be a high standard of cleanliness, most important for those handling food stuffs.Awareness knowledge of hygiene practices in work place, communicable diseases awareness. promontory on Skin Hand is the main route for contamination. Therefore to avoid food poisoning bacteria to get in contact with food, water and soap must be used for washing time to time.Mouth, nose ear it is the route for staphylococcus bacteria to enter food through coughing, sneezing and scratching. Therefore necessary precautions should be taken be avoid these during food preparation.Sanitary conditions in restaurantsA good hygiene is required in food premises to make sure food is safe. It prevents food poisoning and prevent spreading of any communicable diseases resulting from passing(prenominal) personnel or caterers handling food stuffs. Rules such as Cleanliness, Cooking, temperature reduction and Cross Contamination should be well observed while handling food. Food safety and hygiene practice using Hazard depth psychology Critical Control Points (HACCP) is recommended by WHO and FAO to maintain a good quality of food and services (Silva, 2001). Trained personnel should preferably be employed. Facilities such as proper dustbins, wash hand basins and toilets should be made available for the workers.Points that should be observed in aiming a good and safe food hygiene areood handlers CertificateFloors (smooth clean)Ceilings / Walls maintained properlyUtensils properly process sterilizedProper sanitary design of kitchenFly proof and rodent proofStorage accommodation of foodsDisposal of ache (Solid and Liquid)Drainage establishmentWash hand easily availableGood aeration / temperature /HumidityWork area spacious enough for workersShowers facility for workers( work Day / Night)Hygiene in kitchenAll employees working in food premises either in the task of preparation, handling or serving food should possess a food handler authentication after having followed a medical inspection by a doctor. They should have a satisfactory knowledge of hygiene and cleanliness and be aware of possible problems caused of improper food handling. Health pedagogy plays an important role in promoting food and personal hygiene. All staffs should be given appropriate training. Health inspectors have an important work in providing health fosterage by promoting awareness of dangers of food poisoning and poor hygiene practicesMedical certificateThe law states that every food handler involved in food business should be in self-discipline of a well-grounded medical certificate. This food handler certificate is issued by a G.M.O and is valid for only 3 years and has to be re- create each year. This certifies that its owner is in good health and is not despicable from any communicable diseases (Food Regulation, 1999) (refer to Appendix 2).Obtention of medical certificateThe person has to call at the Health Office of the Ministry Of Health of his region with his national identity card and with two photo passport. An appointment is given for a session of talk on hygienic practices and after due accomplishment, the last mentioned is examined by a Regional Public Health Superintendent (RPHS). thereafter if the person is observed to be in good health, the certificate is obtained(Food Regulation,1999)Working environmentThe standard of cleanliness of factory and its workers is a reflection of the standard of dexterity of management and the morale of the working population. Provision has been made in the occupational Safety and Health Act 2005 concerning welfare of workers and overcrowding in place of work. It says that a place of work shall not be overcrowded as it can cause risks of health injury of the employees. It is mentioned that the space allowed shall not be less than 11 cubic metres per workers (OSHA, 2005, Appendix 3). Kitchen is an example where there is often overcrowding of workers in hotels. fumeThe personnel should be well educated and trained about hygiene in a workplace. Employees should not smoke during work, mainly during preparation of food or while handling any food stuffs or utensils. sens is prohibited by law in any public places and save smoking in a food preparation area can pass diseases from an individual to another. Customers also can be contaminated. Smokers can channelise harmful bacteria from their mouth to food and thereafter, consumers of these foods may ingest these bacteria in turn. These bacteria can be harmless on the carrier but harmful to another person.Communicable diseasesAny person injury from a communicable disease, boils, sores, acute respiratory infection or bleed wounds should not be a llowed to work in any food premises. A list of these diseases is listed in (Appendix 4). All communicable diseases should also be reported to the Health Offices for treatment. Therefore all employees should possess their food handler certificate and renew it every year by a doctor to ensure that safe food and services are provided to customers. The law has made render concerning infectious or communicable diseases. It is said that the occupier of any premises in which a persevering resides shall give notice to Sanitary bureau or if visited by a medical practitioner and it is confirmed that the patient is suffering from an infectious disease, health inspector of the region shall made aware of the existence of the disease , name of the patient, the situation of the premises and name of the occupier. (Public Health Act,Appendix 5).Preventing food contaminationWe should not forget the motto PREVENTION IS transgress THAN CURE . Prevention of food contaminations is a must. Appropriate preventive measures should be taken. Employees should give attention to personal hygiene and the working habits in a hotel kitchen.Body should be kept clean by washing and bathing.Hands should be water-washed at least on every routine when entering food preparation zone.Hands and arms should he washed thoroughly using soap and water after each visit to the toilet.Avoid use of common towel (use paper that are disposable). get around clean and washable overall preferably whiteKeep detainment away from mouth, nose ,hair ,ear while workingDo not eat while handling food/ preparationDo not overfly hands on overallUse spoons, forks , tongs instead of hands in preparationAvoid useless blabbering while workingSmoking, expectoration should e avoided in working areaObey food safety signsKeep work area cleanStaff facilities maintained in good hygienic conditionsA research carried out in 2004 in a popular hotel of Egypt after a major outbreak of Hepatitis A where 351 tourists was contamina ted showed that there was poor sanitation, no proper health education and medical examination. An infected worker with imperfect hand hygiene and who was in contact with sewage-contaminated water was the source of this huge outbreak. (Eurosurveillance, 2006) Concerning food safety, the WHO has initiatives for surveillance platform with objectives of a development of an international food safety network, application of HACCP and development of a safety information system. (WHO, 2004).Storage of foodFood storage is important industrially. Hotels prepare food for hundreds of persons daily. Therefore a good storage system is necessary. Area should be pest proof, warm, clean and not humid. There are three main categories of food requiring different storage methods. juiceless food should be kept in a warm place and not humid to avoid spoilage by microorganisms growth.Chilled food should be stored at an appropriate low temperature, and precautions should be taken in case of electricity cu t.Canned food should be verified before using. contain rotation is important concerning canned products. It is important that you rotate and use your food storage (Caldwell M, 2006).Storage of waterAn ample supply of water should be provided with adequate facilities for its storage and adequate protection against contamination. Water is used both in food preparation and rooms for toilets and bathrooms. Many aquatic microorganisms can survive and flourish in water with minimal nutrients and can be transferred to people with poor immune system. A study conducted in United States described how gunmantroenteritis is a common outbreak in hotels. unsteady state flow and stagnation in distribution systems affect the biologic stability of drinking water which promotes bacterial accumulation (Dippold L et al, 2000). Therefore it is important that tanks are fitted tightly with lids and that they are regularly cleaned and sampled for chemical and bacteriologic analysis.Cleaning frequency is an important factor. The tanks should be verified in case of rusting of any parts and dates should be noted at each cleaning done. (Logan G, 2008). Tanks should be cleaned at least once every trimester for proper maintainance to avoid microorganism proliferation.Waste disposalA hotel can be considered as a microcosm in itself having the potential of producing all kinds of waste that is hazardous. risky waste comes in many different shapes and forms it can be liquid, solid, gas or sludge, and more often it is poured down strike downs directly or fulfill to regular waste stream (Patel A, 2008). The types of waste generated in hotels and their sources are listed below.However there are two main types of hotel waste, solid( ironic),known to be non-biodegradable and liquid(wet),biodegradable wastes. The risk and problem that arises are odour, unaesthetic and it acts as breeding place for vector of diseases (flies, rats, rodents), thus a nuisance to health (Wagh V, 2005).Solid waste Solid waste is described as materials of no longer value and which is not meant to be discharged through pipe. These dry wastes comprise of plastic bottles, papers, plastic wrappers, HDPE bags etc. These wastes should not be mixed with the wet waste which may produce bad odor and dirty look. They should be disposed in dry places for storage until collection is done (Wagh V, 2005).Liquid wasteLiquid waste is simply discharged in sinks. Wet waste comprises of food and vegetable. most hotels kitchen sinks are fitted with a garbage disposer (garburator) which is a device installed under the kitchen sink between drain and pipe which shred waste into pieces enough to pass them through plumbing. Grease traps are also fitted to prevent drains to be close up from fats, oil and grease. Some hotels also provide septic tanks to avoid potential problems that may occur in case there is blockage of main sewage pipes provided by the Government.Elimination of mosquito breeding placesThe hotels mana gement does the necessary to avoid spreading of diseases. Potential breeding places for vectors are eliminated by draining all roofs water accumulation at least twice a hebdomad and insecticides are sprayed. All ponds and garden water are regularly check into and all bottles or containers are removed and bushes like the grass are well maintained. The Ministry Of Health also provide services for spraying insecticides on a regular basis (MOH, 2009Health surveillance of touristsTourist can be responsible for spreading of diseases. One recent case notified was in 2009 where the first case of H1N1 flu virus was detected in a French tourist. The Ministry Of Health has provided officers for this specific duty. Health surveillance Officers are responsible to contact every incoming passengers in order to know their health condition on arrival to Mauritius. The hotel management plays an important role as they need to report any kind of communicable diseases occuring in their conformity (MO H Health, 2009).The Ministry Of Health has a list of infectious and communicable diseases that are controlled nigh as shown in (Appendix 4).CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGYMethodologyA survey was carried out and two questionnaires were designed where one was for personal view and prospect about the working place and food handlers and the second, to assess the workers and their knowledge to food hygiene.50 hotel in all were chosen throughout Mauritius. Random selection allow give a broader view of hygiene in hotels around the island. rock of hotel was obtained from the Tourism Authority at Port-Louis and some point in times obtained at the Municipality and Health offices.The QuestionnairesQuestionnaire for Personal View of Foodhandlers, Checklist for Kitchen and environment (room, garden, Swimming pool). (Appendix 6)Questionnaire for personal hygiene for the workers (Appendix 7)The questionnaire (Appendix 6) is a checklist concerning the number of workers, personal hygiene at sight, state of preparation area and toilet in the hotel kitchen. The workers who were pointed were mainly cooks, waiters and maids who work in hotel restaurant.A walkthrough was done where access was granted by the management in the kitchen to assess the level of hygiene of the workers and to inspect if they practice personal hygiene. The toilets were also seen and mess rooms. The second part of the questionnaire was dedicated for rooms and the environment such as garden.Points that were observed during the walkthrough inspection wereNo of PersonnelSanitary conditionsWater accessibility light upVentilationRefuse disposalToilets and bathroomsThe second questionnaire was designed for food handlers to assess their knowledge about hygienic practices and food poisoning.CHAPTER 4 RESULTSResults and FindingsPossession of food handlers certificate among workersGeneral personal hygiene among workersThe below bar chart shows the general personal hygiene maintained among workers at work and it can be c oncluded that 98% of them keep their hands clean, 94% keep their fingernails clean, 75% have their hair covered, 100% keep their body clean. But it could also be observed that only 25% of them keep their overall clean and 13% of them had nail varnish.Wall conditions of kitchensThe wall conditions of the kitchens were surveyed and was found to have the following structures 82% of them are waterproof, 88% can be observed to be clean, 93% are washable, 82% are without crevices, 94% are painted white and 86% of them are tiled up to 2 meters from floor.VentilationFrom figure 6, it can be seen that 83% of the hotels had adopted a good ventilation system using air conditioner for ease of workers while 17% of them did not have appropriate ventilation system.Lighting write in code 7 describes the lighting condition in the preparation area. 78% of the hotels were seen to provide a good lighting system for the workers and 22% had lighting system not satisfactory.Provision for refuse disposalR efuse disposal availability was surveyed and was found that 50% had foot operated pedal bins,70% of the garbage bins were cleaned and disinfected regularly,75% had their bins covered while 95% removed them daily.Room managementRoom conditions were observed to be at 72% satisfactory. 28% was seen to have a bad room management.Frequency of changing Blanket on bedFrom Fig 10. it can be observed that 80% of hotels changes bed blanket regularly,5% on a weekly basis and 15% when it seems necessary to do so that is when seen dirty. ass and toilets sanitary conditionsFrom the result obtained during the survey, it has been found that toilets and bathrooms in rooms are at 70% and 75% clean respectively..Detergents DistributionThe figure below gives detail of the type of detergents commonly used in hotels for sanitizing and cleaning purposes and their percentage used. experience of food poisoningDuring the survey it was observed that only 40% of workers interviewed had a satisfactory knowledge of food poisoning and answered yes to the question whereas the other part could not give explanation food poisoning.Validity of food handlers certificate Professional training by employerFrom the survey carried out among workers, it was found that among the 70% of workers who were in possession of a food handlers certificate, only 55% of them were valid while 15% of them were