Hotel Panic Buttons from Location Tech provide safety and security for hotels

According to a 2018 Illinois State Survey 58% of hotel employees and 77% of casino workers said they’d been sexually harassed on the job.

Location Tech solutions help bring hotels into compliance with rapidly spreading hotel workplace safety laws

Current legislation protecting hotel employees:

• New Jersey State: Starting in January 2020, state law mandates panic buttons for staff working at hotels with more than 100 rooms.

• California State: Statewide law failed to pass state assembly.

• Washington State: Starting in January 2020, state law mandates panic buttons for hotels with 60+ rooms. Hotels of all sizes must comply by January 2021.

• Illinois State: Beginning in January 2020, the Hotel and Casino Employee Safety act requires panic buttons statewide.

• Seattle, WA: Voter-backed ordinance requires hotels to provide ESDs. After a lawsuit backed by several hospitality associations, the law was overturned by the courts and remains in effect as verdict is appealed.

• Chicago, IL: “Pants On, Hands Off” regulation began on July 1, 2018.

• Las Vegas, NV: No city ordinance; union contracts may soon require panic buttons.

• New York, NY: No city ordinance; union contracts require panic buttons.

• Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance began October, 2022.

• Long Beach, CA: Starting January 1, 2020, city ordinance requires hotels with 50+ rooms to provide ESDs.

• Santa Monica, CA: Effective January 1, 2020, city ordinance requires hotels with 50+ rooms to provide ESDs.

• Sacramento, CA: City ordinance requires ESDs for hotels with 25+ rooms.

• Miami Beach, FL: City ordinance requires ESDs in hotels of any size.

In today’s hospitality landscape, the significance of location technology as a safety tool for hotel staff, particularly those like hotel housekeepers who provide in-room services, is increasingly being recognized. This technology serves as a cornerstone for employee well-being, especially in roles where isolation and the potential for unsafe interactions exist. It also offers an immediate and effective safety solution, enabling quicker response times in emergency situations involving violent or threatening conduct.

Location technology, often embedded in personal safety devices, allows for real-time tracking of hotel staff across the property, including in guest rooms which are often removed from immediate supervision or security oversight. These portable emergency contact devices are generally lightweight, easy to carry, and when activated, they can immediately notify emergency services and hotel security with pinpoint accuracy. This is vital when considering that hotel staff, including those who are part of the maintenance and front desk teams, often find themselves in varying locations throughout the hotel premises, far from the reach of traditional surveillance systems.

Major hotel chains and smaller establishments alike are beginning to see the incredible value in incorporating this state-of-the-art location technology into their operational protocols. Hotel employers, urged by both ethical considerations and increasing legislative mandates, like those seen in Santa Monica hotels, are adopting these personal security devices. Doing so not only prioritizes employee safety but also enhances a hotel’s reputation as a secure and trustworthy establishment.

This type of location technology serves a dual purpose. On one hand, it directly benefits hotel staff by providing them an immediate line to security personnel and emergency services when necessary. On the other, it indirectly elevates customer experience, as guests feel more secure knowing that the hotel takes staff safety, and by extension, overall security, seriously. Major hotel brands are therefore increasingly embracing this technology, seeing it as an investment in the irreplaceable value of human life and well-being.

Join nearly 60 of the largest hotel chains in taking the AHLA 5 star safety promise

Increase employee safety

Increase employee retention

Mitigate risk

Stay ahead of hospitality compliance legislation