6.

SYMPTOMS OF DIGESTIVE DISORDERS WHERE THE ORIGIN IS:

 Viral (acute gastroenteritis for example)

 Bacterial (group food poisoning for example)

NOTICE
This guidance is an aid to managing sensitive situations.
Its recommendations may be followed simultaneously, or in a different order, as the situation requires.
Swift action is essential: the first hour is crucial.
The top priority is to take effective action.
Managing sensitive situations is a team effort involving all levels of the organisation.

Definition: This guidance deals with situations where the key feature is symptoms
indicative of digestive disorders arising in several guests (while staying in the
hotel or post-departure) and/or members of staff.

The symptoms of acute gastroenteritis (within 24 to 72 hours) are diarrhoea, sometimes accompanied
by nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and occasional fever. Vomiting and abdominal pain may on
occasion be the only symptoms. The illness typically lasts for a few days. The main complication is acute
dehydration, which arises in infants and the elderly usually.

These symptoms show the presence of either a virus (acute winter gastroenteritis, stomach flu) or a
bacteria transmitted by ingesting food or drink contaminated by pathogens.

In both cases, the main individual preventive measure is hygiene, especially of the hands, which are to
be washed:
 after going to the toilet
 after changing a baby
 before preparing food
 before looking after the ill and infirm
 after handling soiled items
 returning to a workstation previously left.

If initial research indicates contamination after eating the same dish and if more than two individuals are
taken ill within the same period of time, then the food poisoning is notifiable.

>> First of all

If the illness is reported by a patient who has left the hotel:

 If the person taken ill has already undergone a stool test, ask for the results (to help direct the
investigation to determine the cause of contamination).

ACCOR | Safety and Security Department May 2021 - 1/4

 Digestive disorders

If the illness is reported by a patient who is still staying at the hotel:

Assist those taken ill

 Call the emergency services or a doctor.
The doctor will take charge of any possible hospital admission or prescribe tool tests to identify possible
pathogens.
Remember to retain any written documents relating to recommendations made by qualified medical staff.

Identify the causes of the contamination

 Ask those affected to identify the suspect food through cross-checking.
 Ask them the exact time symptoms of the disorder first appeared
 Ask for a description of everything eaten
 Ask if those affected have eaten outside the hotel.
Questionnaire template downloadable from AccorLive/Safety and Security Department/Crisis Management/Hotels.

>> Once the first measures have been taken

 Designate the Crisis Committee, convene a meeting with the members to coordinate the next
steps to take.

If a virus is suspected:
 Take immediate steps to disinfect the premises and equipment and remind staff of Good Hygiene
Practices.
 Find out the local epidemiological situation.

If collective food poisoning is suspected:

 Take protective measures regarding the food or drink suspected to be the cause (take samples
as evidence) to enable biological tests to be run.
 Trace suspect products using the packaging and labels to find out the numbers of suspect
batches of products consumed.
 Stop using suspect products until all doubts have been eliminated.
 Find and temporarily remove any employees with any kind of condition (skin infections, digestive
disorders) whose role entails handling food.
 In conjunction with qualified medical staff (occupational health practitioner or the environmental
health office), find any potential carrier of pathogens, healthy or otherwise, among the employees
whose role entails contact with foodstuffs of animal origin.
Stool tests will need to be conducted.

If any deaths occur, please refer to the Death of a guest/employee guidance.

Organise help for those taken ill

 Designate a member of staff to greet and guide the emergency services and authorities.
 If anyone is taken seriously ill, collect key information about the individuals in question.
Name, address, people to contact, medical information, etc.

 Ensure family/friends are looked after (especially children and dependent adults) if they are in
the hotel.
 Inform hotel staff about the health situation.
 Keep to the facts to prevent rumours.
 Remind them to make no comment if asked questions by the media or other guests.

ACCOR | Safety and Security Department May 2021 - 2/4

 Digestive disorders

Report to immediate line manager and hub crisis coordinator

 Contact the hub management (immediate line manager and HR if staff are affected) and the
crisis coordinator as soon as possible.
If they cannot be reached, contact the Worldwide crisis permanence on +33 609 100 200 (24/7)
for country or worldwide crisis situations.
Assess the situation with the person contacted:
o What is the presumed cause of the infection?
o How many hotel guests and staff have been taken ill?
o Do those taken ill include any vulnerable people (pregnant, infants, elderly, etc.)?
o Has anyone been admitted to hospital?
o Have samples been collected as evidence? Can the food served be traced and tested under proper
conditions?
o What is the impact on the hotel’s business?
o Are any of those affected, or any of their family and friends, a celebrity 1?
o Is there media coverage or a media presence?

 Send the Report on initial information.

Template downloadable from AccorLive/Safety and Security Department/Crisis Management/Hotels.
Recipients: immediate line manager and hub crisis coordinator:
Copy: Worldwide crisis permanence (alert.hotline@accor.com) if necessary.

Manage the event

 Open the log book at the earliest possible opportunity.
Template downloadable from AccorLive/Safety and Security Department/Crisis Management/Hotels.
Record events, decisions taken, steps taken and names of the persons involved, in detail and with exact
timing, as and when they occur.
Always record the identity of persons involved in on-site operations (excluding the emergency services).

 Give guests and hotel staff the means to inform their families.
 If an individual taken ill cannot do so himself/herself, and with his/her agreement:
 If domestic regulations so require, the police will inform the family.
 In the absence of specific regulations and with the agreement of the police, the GM (or the hub HR Dept. for
an employee):
o Will inform the family for a guest or employee who is a national of the country.
o Will contact the consulate or embassy of the guest’s or employee’s home country, which will take
charge of contacting the family.
o In respect of an organised trip, will inform the family in conjunction with the trip organiser or tour
operator.
 In the various situations described above, pass on a direct telephone number for contacting the GM without
going through reception.
 Keep to the facts.

 Ensure the family/friends of those affected are looked after if they go to the hotel.
 Ensure the victims’ personal effects are kept securely.
Prepare a joint inventory of the personal effects of those taken ill in the presence of a manager and possibly a
police officer or member of the emergency services.

Manage communication and potential media pressure

 Contact the hub Communications Department and follow their instructions.
 Pending specific instructions:
 Avoid making any comment. The following response can be used to deal with inquiries:
“We are providing all necessary help to those taken ill and taking full precautionary
measures. We are working closely with the environmental health office to identify the
exact cause of this outbreak of ___________.”
Even if the media make repeated inquiries, it is advisable not to agree to any interviews and repeat the
“holding message” until instructions are received from the Communication Department.
 Remind staff of this directive.
 Provide a suitable, separate holding area for the media.

1
The involvement of a celebrity does not change the assistance provided by Accor, but it might have an effect on how information and
communication are handled.

ACCOR | Safety and Security Department May 2021 - 3/4

 Digestive disorders

 Check call handling at the switchboard/reception (call forwarding or collecting of contact details).

>> Monitoring the situation

Keep an audit trail of events, decisions and actions
 Continue to update the log book, and keep it and all documents related to managing the event
secure.
(In case of any legal proceedings.)

 Keep guests and staff regularly informed of the facts as known.

 Seek out and collect useful witness statements from guests and staff.
Note their contact details: full name, address and telephone numbers (see witness statement guidance
template).

 Compile such documents as the authorities might request.

For example: food safety guide, lab test results, results of self-testing, audit contracts, cleaning contracts,
rodent control contracts, cleaning plans, food traceability and identification, temperature records, etc.

 If the food poisoning is related to improper handling, improve kitchen and restaurant premises
disinfection procedures, and brief kitchen staff on food hygiene.
 Submit a claim to the insurance company and/or broker.

Assist those taken ill with future arrangements

 Obtain regular updates on their progress in the event of hospitalisation (or sick leave).
 Offer to support and guide those affected in their future arrangements.
For example, subsequent medical consultations, airport transfer, repatriation, etc.
Remember to retain documents providing evidence of assistance offered.

 Offer counselling to staff and guests who might need it.

Remember to retain documents providing evidence of assistance offered.

If applicable in the country in question, convene a meeting of the Occupational Health and
Safety Committee.

ACCOR | Safety and Security Department May 2021 - 4/4