Health & Safety
A comprehensive programme of health, safety and environmental standards and advanced cleaning protocols with the aim of additionally improving the efficient hygiene standards that Valamar implements in all its facilities.
Health & Safety is a programme of health, hygiene, safety and environmental standards applied by Valamar to ensure the highest level of guest safety.
Our Health & Safety programme covers
- Health&Safety Food ensures maximum food and drink safety in all restaurants and bars. The Health&Safety Food standard controls all food & beverages processes from production, delivery and preparation to serving. Our food & beverages management protocols have HACCP certification approved by SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. All our employees have the required health certificates and are regularly trained to ensure the highest standards of safety and quality.
- Health&Safety Management involves managing the overall safety of guests during their stay at Valamar properties, which includes the implementation of international standards and control of the use of children's playgrounds, swimming pools, beaches and other facilities in hotels, resorts and campsites. Each accommodation property has a Health & Safety Manager who is available to guests 24/7 throughout their stay, and who in case of need manages health care for guests.
- Health&Safety certificates The Health&Safety programme, through all four main areas of application, uses the best international practice, and includes the following most important standards: Health & Safety protocol in partnership with SGS; ISO 9001 – the international standard that specifies the requirements for a Quality Management System; HACCP – a food safety management system; ISO 14001 – the international standard that specifies the requirements for an Environmental Management System; ISO 50001 – the international standard that specifies the requirements for an Energy Management System; Travelife Gold - is a certificate awarded to a hotel for applying sustainability criteria; Travelife is a certification scheme, dedicated to achieving sustainable practices within the tourism industry; Sustainable Hotel by UPUHH (Association of Employers in Croatian Hospitality) – is prestigious certificate that promote sustainability in the hospitality industry with the active management of social and environmental impacts; EU Ecolabel – the European Commission’s label of environmental excellence confirming that Valamar's products and services with this label meet environmental standards.
1. Health & Safety Food
Health & Safety Food ensures maximum food and drink safety in all restaurants and bars. The Health&Safety Food standard controls all food & beverages processes from production, delivery and preparation to serving. Our food & beverages management protocols have HACCP certification approved by SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. All our employees have the required health certificates and are regularly trained to ensure the highest standards of safety and quality.
HACCP is based on 7 principles that, in themselves, define it and prove its effectiveness:
- Conduct a hazard analysis, make flowcharts, identify hazards and specify control measures
- Determine the control points and critical control points
- Establish critical limits
- Establish monitoring procedures
- Establish corrective actions if control is lost at a critical control point
- Establish verification procedures
- Establish record-keeping and documentation procedures
Key protocols
- Health & Safety Food implies a protocol whereby all employees who come into contact with food or toys must be under sanitary supervision and have their health status checked and sanitary certification verified once a year
- Health & Safety Food involves checking the safety of food and water in such a way that public health institutes regularly take samples of food and drinking water in all tourist facilities and check they are safe. Swabs of utensils, work surfaces and staff hands are also taken to assess the microbiological cleanliness of the facility
Training
- Regular training in good hygiene practices for all employees who come into contact with food. This training is provided by public health institutes and other health institutions
- Internal training on good hygiene practice and the application of the HACCP system is carried out by the employer’s professional staff or by a contractual partner
2. Health&Safety Management
Health&Safety management involves managing the overall safety of guests, with specific standards for the safety of children’s playgrounds, swimming pools, beaches and other facilities. A Health&Safety Manager is available to guests 24/7 throughout their stay and provides health care if necessary.
Health&safety manager key tasks
- A Health&Safety manager is available to guests and employees 24 hours a day at every Valamar property
- His or her primary task is to take care of the health and safety of guests and employees
- When necessary, provides healthcare at the destination with the doctor on duty
- Provides all the necessary support and guidance for emergency management
- Ensures and checks the readiness of the facility for proper emergency management
- Trains employees in the application of measures and procedures in the Health&Safety programme
- Ensures the presence of employees trained in first aid and use of AED devices 24/7
- Monitors the general health conditions and maintains a safe environment that meets all the prescribed standards
- Is responsible for the consistent implementation of the Health&Safety CleanSpace Programme
- Is responsible for implementing the Health&Safety culture through all processes and activities in the facility
- Oversees the application of measures of general safety, occupational safety and fire protection
- Regularly develops and supplements instructions on general and specific health and safety issues for a particular facility
3. Health & Safety certificates
The Health&Safety programme, through all four main areas of application, uses the best international practice, and includes the following most important standards: Health & Safety protocol in partnership with SGS; Safe stay in Croatia - a national safety label; "Safe travels" - is an international label created by the World Travel and Tourism Council ; ISO 9001 – the international standard that specifies the requirements for a Quality Management System; HACCP – a food safety management system; ISO 14001 – the international standard that specifies the requirements for an Environmental Management System; ISO 50001 – the international standard that specifies the requirements for an Energy Management System; Travelife Gold - is a certificate awarded to a hotel for applying sustainability criteria; Travelife is a certification scheme, dedicated to achieving sustainable practices within the tourism industry; Sustainable Hotel by UPUHH (Association of Employers in Croatian Hospitality) – is prestigious certificate that promote sustainability in the hospitality industry with the active management of social and environmental impacts; EU Ecolabel – the European Commission’s label of environmental excellence confirming that Valamar's products and services with this label meet environmental standards.
Health & safety protocol in partnership with SGS
Valamar has requested from SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, complete assessment of its cleaning & disinfection protocols and hygiene practices implemented to ensure compliance with international guidance.
SGS has inspected all Valamar’s facilities to ascertain that the identified measures are adequately implemented on-site.
Upon successful completion of the assessment and virtual inspection, SGS gave Valamar’s facilities the right to use the “In partnership with SGS” logo for co-branding.
The assessment checklist The checklist has been developed to serve all industries and business segments, and the questions have been designed in line with international guidance from WHO, CDC and ECDC. The questionnaire includes the following criteria:
- Management
- Cleaning and disinfection protocols
InspectionOnce the assessment was completed, SGS carried out the virtual inspection. The overall objective of the audit is to confirm all the protocols and measures that had been validated at assessment stage are correctly and fully implemented.
Issuance of the “IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SGS” label and verification statementThe “HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SGS” label gives Valamar the right to co-brand using the “In partnership with SGS” logo to communicate externally that international guidance and local regulations such as cleaning and disinfection protocols, workforce management and PPE use, have been implemented.
ISO 9001 is an international standard that specifies the requirements for a Quality Management System. Valamar has been applying the ISO 9001 standard and has been certified continuously since 2009 with the aim of constantly improving and consistently achieving the quality of its services. With the certification and effective implementation of this quality management system, Valamar demonstrates its commitment to increasing the satisfaction of its guests.
HACCP is a food safety management system with which Valamar has had certification of compliance since 2006. HACCP is the most prestigious international certification that analyses all food production processes from production to serving, and specifies the procedures to be followed to ensure complete food safety. The HACCP system was developed by NASA to ensure 100% food safety for its space programme. The Codex Alimentarius Commission has declared HACCP the most effective food safety system.
ISO 14001 is an international standard that specifies the requirements for an Environmental Management System. Valamar has been applying the ISO 14001 standard since 2009 with the goal of protecting the environment and balancing social and economic needs. By applying this standard, Valamar’s actions increase positive environmental impacts and prevent adverse impacts on the environment and on guests and employees.
ISO 50001 is an international standard that specifies the requirements for an Energy Management System. Valamar has been applying the ISO 50001 standard since 2016 with the aim of rationally using natural resources, improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Travelife Gold is a certificate awarded to a hotel for applying sustainability criteria. Travelife certifies hotels against a GSTC-recognised Standard containing 163 criteria. 28 of our hotels are certified or in the process of certification.
Sustainable Hotel by UPUHH (Association of Employers in Croatian Hospitality) is prestigious certificate that promote sustainability in the hospitality industry with the active management of social and environmental impacts. By introducing this certification label, Valamar has strengthened its green business practice while achieving a balance with environmental protection in the broadest sense and social inclusion in the local community.
EU Ecolabel is the European Commission's label of environmental excellence confirming that Valamar's products and services with this label meet environmental standards. The aim of introducing this standard is to more effectively manage the reduction of negative impacts on the environment, health, climate, and energy and resource consumption.
* Protocols related to the management of quality and safety of food and beverages, as well as energy and environmental protection, are implemented in the Valamar Obertauern Hotel and Kesselspitze Valamar Collection Hotel in accordance with Health & Safety standards, although these certificates are valid only for Valamar properties in Croatia. Health and safety measures are carried out in accordance with applicable regulations by the Austrian government.
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