Hyatt appoints top firm to conduct fire, safety audit

Moideen (second left) and Velosi officials yesterday at the press briefing

Hyatt Plaza has appointed the fire, health, safety, security and environmental audit company Velosi to conduct an independent safety and security audit on its premises, including all its outlets.
Hyatt Plaza management took their mission to benchmark safety, security and quality standards by engaging international certification specialists Velosi and management experts Velosi-QCCD, in a strategic alliance.
At a press briefing yesterday, Hyatt Plaza general manager Feroz Moideen, expressed confidence that this alliance would serve not only to consolidate safety standards and measures already in place at Hyatt Plaza Shopping Mall but elevate them into a continuous process of safety audits and improvements.
“We have always taken our responsibility towards our visitors, tenants, employees and their families very seriously. But I believe that the time has now come to go one step further. We believe that we must take full ownership and complete responsibility of securing the safety of those visiting or working on our premises. Periodic checks for the purpose of gaining a certificate of safety alone will not work. We must take ownership of our patrons as we take ownership of our properties. We owe this to society and look at it as a social responsibility,” said Moideen.
Moideen highlighted that upon completion of the audit, the company intends to form a Mall Management & Tenants Safety and Security Steering Committee that will play the role of a “self-regulatory” body.
“This body will identify and highlight strengths and weaknesses in our own safety, security and quality systems and practices and keep us on our toes,” he pointed out.
Velosi regional manager Sudhir Pandra expressed confidence that his team of international safety and security auditors and consultants can help put in place systems and measures that are proactive, rather than reactive, and establish zero-risk benchmarks.
Dr Shaukat Chandna, managing director of Velosi-QCCD, said: “While institutions have responsibility towards the society, individuals have an equal and perhaps greater responsibility towards each other. Our duty is to create this awareness in the minds of all who visit the mall and public places, and those who work or conduct their business here.”
Velosi’s Mark Kenyon, chartered safety and health practitioner, who is heading the project team, said: “Our main objective is to improve the existing processes and identify areas or gaps where improvements can be made. We will undertake audits and verification inspections of all of the interior and exterior areas of the mall, its tenants, kiosks and common areas. Recommendations for improvement will be reported to the Mall Management and monitored by Velosi for implementation.”