A renewed alliance between the V.I. Hotel and Tourism Association and UVI’s Safety in Paradise program hopes to create safer and healthier workplaces within the hospitality industry.
Through the alliance, association members will receive information, guidance and access to training resources to help boost the safety and health of hospitality workers, according to a press release from UVI.
"This alliance is an important step in providing our membership with the training and education that will help keep them safe at their worksites,” said the association’s executive director, Lisa Hamilton. “We look forward to forging a successful working relationship with the [Safety in Paradise program] to improve worker safety and health throughout the hospitality industry.”
This local alliance is part of a national effort to ensure that hospitality workers are given access to a safe and healthy working environment. The agreement focuses on reducing and preventing exposure to fire and electrical hazards and addressing personal protection equipment and hazard communication issues, according to the release.
According to association manager Nicole Friday, the training is also a "certification program" for restaurant owners and food and beverage departments within the hotels. Friday added that program trainers will provide instruction in specific areas having to do with the kitchen and safety, which is then followed by a certification test.
Friday said the initiative came out of the association’s education and training committee.
"We try to provide some training for people in our industry every year, ones that can be worthwhile for our members," she said.
The SIP program, administered by UVI’s Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning (CELL) center, will provide the expertise for developing training and education programs that prevent workplace hazards and provides assistance in developing ways to communicate such information to employers and employees in the industry, according to the release.
“It is important to educate the hospitality workforce about the safety and health hazards in the work environment,” Ilene Garner, UVICELL director and SIP program manager, said in a statement. “Together we can provide a sound framework for disseminating information about opportunities to reduce employee injuries and illnesses."
For more information on the alliance or the free consultation services offered, contact the Safety In Paradise Program at (340) 693-1146.