Tui pool case shifts health and safety liability

A court ruling in January against Tui Travel has highlighted the difficulty faced by operators reacting to any illness outbreak.

The ruling found Tui liable for an outbreak of illness among holidaymakers due to cryptosporidium in a Majorca hotel pool. As a result, the heavy burden on operators and agents has increased.

 

 

Here’s an overview of recommended practice:

• Hotel self-assessment forms are the basis of health and safety reviews of hotels for operators – but operators can’t rely on them alone.
• It’s not possible for operators to continually audit hotel stock themselves. 
• Hotels should use independent health and safety consultants to implement auditing systems.
• This information should be shared with operators regularly, so they can respond swiftly to concerns.

 

 

The Tui Travel case could mark a turning point in how operators and hoteliers evaluate health and safety. To limit litigation and bad publicity, both parties must ensure reporting is performed regularly and take a proactive approach to resolving issues.