november-2011

Health & safety while abroad
Your Holiday Accommodation
Never leave your key where someone can note your
room number
Do not leave your window open, especially if your
room is on the ground floor or has a balcony
Remember to lock your room door, even when you
are inside the room
Balcony
Children should NEVER be left unsupervised
on balconies
Do not climb or stand on balcony furniture.
Keep all furniture away from the balcony wall/railings
Never lean over, sit or climb on the balcony
or railings
Bathroom
Take care in bathrooms as condensation and water
spray can make surfaces slippery and bath or floor
mats may not be provided
Do not use mains electrical appliances near
to water
Cooking
Never leave cookers unattended while they are
in use
Ensure all cooking appliances are switched off
when leaving your apartment or when retiring at night
Never leave shopping or other items on the cooker
On arrival at your accommodation
Familiarise yourself with all escape routes and
locate the nearest fire exit to your room
Do a practice walk of the nearest escape route
from your room
Study the fire instruction notice displayed in
your room
Identify the method of raising the alarm on
discovering a fire
Ensure that all smoking materials are safely
extinguished, and do not smoke in bed
If a fire occurs
Evacuate the room/area immediately. Do not stop
to collect personal belongings
Close any doors behind you
Raise the alarm
Proceed to an assembly point outside and well clear
of the building
If you cannot leave your room, close all doors,
put wet towels or clothes around the door seals
and shout for help from the window or telephone
reception
Glass windows and doors
Be aware that glass doors and windows may not
necessarily be equipped with toughened glass.
Caution should be taken at all times
Take extra care in bright sunlight as it may not be
obvious whether the window/door is open or closed
Lifts
Children should not use any lift unaccompanied
Not all lifts have internal doors. When using this
type of lift, stand well back from the exposed wall as
there is no protection from the lift shaft when the car
is in motion
In the event of a fire, use the staircase,
not the lift
THOMAS COOK WELLBEING
Poolside safety/out and about
Every pool is different, but most hotels and
apartments do not employ lifeguards, so please
supervise any young members of your party
Familiarise yourself with the layout of the pool to
identify the deep and shallow areas before use
Ensure that children use the toilet BEFORE entering
the pool and take regular toilet breaks throughout the
day. In the event of a faecal accident in or around the
pool, please report it immediately, as this will assist the
hotel management in ensuring the highest level of
pool hygiene
Shower before entering the pool
Do not swim (or allow children to swim) if suffering
from an upset stomach
Do not change nappies at the poolside
Young children and babies must wear appropriate
swimwear such as rubber-lined swimming trunks.
Swimming in nappies and nude bathing are
unacceptable
Wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet
and changing nappies
Have fun, but avoid unruly behaviour. Observe pool
rules and information signs at all times
Pool surrounds can be very slippery – do not run
around them
Do not swim immediately after a meal, and never
swim when you have been drinking alcohol
When jumping or diving into the pool, check the
water depth first and never dive from the deck side
into water less than 1.5m deep
Do not jump or dive from any raised features or
from poolside furniture
Do not use the pool after dark or when closed, even
if it has underwater lights
In the event of an emergency, know how to call
for help
BEACH
1) Spot the dangers
Check out the beach when you arrive
Take care when bathing and swimming
Be aware of dangerous rip currents and strong tides
Do not swim near or dive from rocks, piers,
breakwaters and coral
2) Take safety advice
Swim where there are lifeguards on patrol and take
their advice
Look out for information – warning flags and signs
– and adhere to them at all times
Never swim where a sign says not to, for example
zoned areas for high-speed vehicles such as jet boats
or jet skis
3) Don’t go alone
Never swim alone – make sure there are other
people around
Children must be supervised by an adult at all times
Never swim at night, after drinking alcohol or on a
full stomach
4) Learn how to help
If you see someone in difficulty, tell somebody,
preferably a lifeguard if there is one nearby
Find out what to do in an emergency, such as calling
the local coastguard or equivalent
5) Sun safety
Avoid sunbathing during the hottest time of day
Apply high-factor sunscreen, and re-apply frequently
Never expose babies to the sun and always take
extra care with children
Remember it is possible to burn in the shade, when
it is cloudy and while swimming
At the first sign of burning get out of the sun
immediately
Always drink plenty of water
DRIVING ON HOLIDAY
Check the vehicle is roadworthy and familiarise
yourself with all controls before use, as they may differ
from cars in the UK and Ireland
Check that the car-hire insurance cover you take
out provides adequate cover for the driver and all the
passengers
Always wear a seatbelt
Familiarise yourself with local traffic laws
Pay particular attention when at junctions and
roundabouts
Always carry emergency breakdown telephone
numbers
Always carry a spare set of spectacles (required by
law in Spain)
NEVER drink and drive
Stick to well-travelled and well-lit roads
We advise against the independent hiring of
mopeds, motorbikes, quad bikes and jet skis
Pedestrians
Be vigilant at all times. Familiarise yourself with the
direction of traffic
Be aware that in some countries traffic is not
required to stop at pedestrian crossings
SERVICES OF
LOCAL VENDORS
In many holiday resorts you may find that services,
such as henna tattoos, are available from places
like street vendors. Although not recommended by
Thomas Cook, if you choose to have a tattoo done or
use the services of a local vendor, we would advise you
to do so with caution. In the case of tattoos, ensure
you ask for a test application before any larger-scale
tattoos are applied. If you have any pre-existing skin
conditions, check with the vendor before agreeing to
any application.
GENERAL
If you haven’t done so already, take a few minutes
to complete the emergency contact details in the
back of your passport
Keep important documents in your hotel safe
Be aware of who is around you. Pickpockets and
opportunists will target anyone
Don’t leave your common sense at the hotel. Don’t
lose sight of your drink, don’t walk around by yourself,
avoid dark places and don’t take unnecessary risks
Look after yourself and your friends
If hiring a car/scooter/quad bike, ask yourself
whether you have adequate insurance
Do not leave belongings unattended (in cars,
restaurants, hotel lobby etc)
Don’t sign anything until you seek advice from
experts. The chances of winning a luxury holiday
anywhere in the world just by scratching a card in the
middle of the street, for example, are very remote
Find contact details for your local embassy, in case
of emergency, at fco.gov.uk
Be aware that the laws and customs of the country
you’re visiting may be different from home. Read up
on country-specific advice at fco.gov.uk/travel
Thomas Cook Travel
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