3rd week @ Accommodation

Module 5 - Fire Prevention 

This week we learned more about fire prevention in the workplace. This Module covers the cause of fires, fire detectors, different fire extinguishers and equipment and the action to be taken when you come across a fire or a possible fire.

The possible causes of fire includes:

·        Lack of maintenance - maintenance not cleaning up after working or working with faulty equipment

·        Electrical sparks- equipment that is faulty or open wires close to water

·        Human error - not disposing of cigarette buds correctly

·        Cleaning - wrong chemicals mixed or stored in the wrong place

Fire detection and alarm systems:

·        Detectors - heat, flames, smoke

·        Alarms - manual alarm where you have to break the glass and pull the leaver

            - automatic goes off when 2 or more of the detectors are picked up

·        Testing - regular fire drill should be done to make sure everybody knows the company procedure to follow and where the assembly points are.

Fire fighting equipment:

·        Fire blankets

·        Backpack sprayers

·        Flaps

·        Extinguishers     -           Red - Water – Wood, grass etc.

                                    -           Green - Halon - Electical fires

                                    -           Blue - Dry Powder/ DCP - Electrical/ Flammable liquid fires

                                    -           Cream - Foam - Flammable liquid fires

-               Black – CO2 – Electrical fires

·        Protective clothing        -           Helmet

-           Goggles

-           Mask

-           Balaklava

-           Overalls

-           Boots

Action to be taken in discovery of a fire:

·        Report to internal and external customers – management, staff and then guests

·        If authorized or verbally informed raise the alarm

·        Evacuate to Assembly points starting with disabled persons first.

·        Do a roll call to see if everyone is there

·        Write a report

·        Do a follow up

2nd week @ Accommodation

This week we finished Module 2 - Customer Care and Module 3 - Personal skills

There is alot of detail around these two modules including good personal presentation, customer confidentiality and appropriate heatlh and hygiene practices only to name a few. Here is some of the questions we had to answer in the tests for these two modules:

1.  What is customer confidentiality?
     Confidential information that is not allowed to be given out unless the police hae a warrant.

2.  Four types of information that contains customer confidentiality:
    Email address
    Telephone number
    ID number
    Salary

3.  What is the procedure fore reporting any incident?
    Stay calm
    Assess and assist the situation
    Report to supervisor
    Write a report
    Follow up

4.  Four characteristics required of staff to perform successful customer care:
    Politeness
    Promptness
    Respectfulness
    Willingness to assist

5.  Five elements of good personal presentation:
    Clean uniform
    Good posture
    Clean and neat appearance
    Good body language, be patient
    Responsible hygienically

6. What are five appropriate health and hygiene practices?
    Balanced diet
    Relaxation
    Sufficient sleep
    Personal hygiene
    Good ue of leisure time

7. What is the difference between verbal and non verbal communication?
    Verbal - talking face to face or on the phone with guests/staff
    Non verbal - communication by email and your body language

8. Five benefits of effective and efficient working methods
    Customer satisfaction
    Word of mouth factor
    Increase in sales
    Increase in profit
   Good compny reputation

9. Five examples of a professional attitude:
    Self organized
    Follow instructions correctly
   Clean and neat appearance
   Good body language
    Always on time and work hard

10.Identify 3 basic elements of good teamwork:
     Good communication
     Organized
     Co-operation

This week me and my teammates had a few chances to work in the laundry and chemical store rooms. In the laundry we learned how they work. When the soiled linen comes in it is packed in blue bags. After it is washed the linen gets ironed with the industrial iron. I ironed a few pillowcases, flat sheets and fitted sheets with this industrial iron and it was so much easier than normal ironing!

 In the chemical store room we helped Lukie devide the chemicals into smaller bottles so it can go to the team leaders and/ cleaners when they go to clean the chalets and makhato's. The different chemicals include swish, descaler, carpet shampoo etc.

Tonight my group will have our 2nd customer service where we go out to the chalets and make sure the guests are happy and if everything was cleaned properly and take down any complaints if they may have.

Looking forward to this weekends working experience and what next week holds in store!

First week @ Accommodation

I have finished with Conservation and started my certificate in accommodation services last week with a bang. I wrote both my test on module 1 and 4 today covering Safety and Security in the workplace.

Things I have learned this past week include..........

Security hazards in the workplace:
1. Bomb threats
2. Suspicious items
3. Suspicious persons etc.

Safety hazards in the workplace:
1. Slippery surfaces
2. Open wires
3. Obstructions in doorways and passages etc.

There are different security procedures for handling equipment and materials. Only certain people are allowed in our storerooms. They have to sign the keys out when they go in. The items they take must also be written down in the issue sheet. If these items are taken back it must be written into the issue sheet again> When they are finished in the store they have to sign back th keys again.There is a few benefits for this procedure including reducing theft and costs and more effective care of the equipment and materials we use.

5 Basic procedures for dealing with any emergancy:
1. Stay calm
2. Report to your supervisor
3. Do not touch the item
4. Assess and assist the situation
5. Write a report & follow up

Different master sets of keys we learned about:
1. Grand master
2. Master
3. Sub-master
4. Floor master
5. Section master

Lost and found procedure is as follows:
1. Report to supervisor
2. Details: where was item found, time and date, description (size, color etc.)
3. Keep in a safe place and write it down in the lost and foun book.
4. Holding period is 6 months and if the item is not collected it goes to the person who found it.

Characteristics you should have to deal with ongoing security:
1. Vigilant
2. Observant
3. Honest
4. Attention to detail

What are the reasons for protective clothing?
Safety and protection to yourself
Protection to the company (legal requirements)

Protective clothing we use:
1. Dust masks - covers your nose/ mouth
2. Gloves - protects your hands
3. Goggles - protects your eyes
4. Apron - protects your clothing

Two reasons for carrying out good housekeeping practises?
Cleanliness
Customer expectations

Correct way for lifting heavy containers is to bend your knees and keep your back straight. If the container is too heavy you should ask for help.

The correct way for storing potentially dangerous substances:
1. Cool, dry area
2. Well ventilated
3. Sealable container
3. Items must be correctly labelled

The three basic principles of fire:
1. Oxygen
2. Fuel
3. Heat

This is the basic knowledge requirements we needed to know to pass these two modules.
Lets see what this next week holds in store!!!

1st week at Species Care !!

Our first week at the Wildlife Center went by so quickly..

The first day was a blur. We were told how things work, how to prepare the food for the animals and how to do spot checks.  When we prepare food we have to cut up fruit, vegetables, meat and baby chicks.  Then we also have to make bottles for the babies we have.  Spot checks is when we go into each cage and clean them and make sure the animals water bowl is clean and filled up and take out the empty bowls to go wash them. Before we could go into the cages we had to have a lesson about animal behavior. After lunch we were lucky enough to observe a sable operation. The sable broke his leg and we had the chance to watch the Vet do the best he could.  After that everything fell into place, we feed most of the animals at the Center and we can go into their cages to do our spot checks.

This weekend I went on two lion cub walks. This is where we take Sierra and Sahara out for a walk in the 400 hc. We had a few feeding tours as well and had to keep the area clean for visitors.  My favorite thing to do at Species Care is feeding the animals their bottles and playing with Sierra and Sahara and the baby servals!!

Feeding the springbokkies

Lefty - Serval

 

Lilo - Steenbokkie

Feeding Mkaidi 

 

 Sierra

Sierra and Sahara 

Serval kitten

 Check out for next weeks blog!!!

RG 9 week - Certificate

Resource Guardianship – 9week Certificate

I can’t believe the RG is over and all our work is done!!  We have grown so much during the past 9 weeks and we are seeing nature in a whole different way than before.

This is some Unit Standards that we have covered in RG:

1.         Harvesting of fauna (252455)
2.         Harvesting of flora (252458)
3.         Collect field specimens and environmental data (252451)
4.         Combat problem plants (252453)
5.         Combat soil erosion (252457)
6.         Conservation Ethics (8336)
7.         Conservation in Society (252468)
8.         Identify and Monitor local wildlife (252462)
9.         Implement cultural heritage resources management (252460)
10.       Orientate and Navigate (252456)
11.       Perform Conservation Guardianship (252452)
12.       Non-dangerous damage causing animals (252459)
13.       Fences (252454)
14.       Fire (252461)

Harvesting of fauna (252455)

The most interesting thing about this U/S for me was the different game captures.  The first one is Active Game Capturing. Where a boma is put up in a V-shape with a few sections.  A helicopter flies above and chases the animals into the boma and when all the animals is in the helicopter signals the people on the ground to close the different sections.  The animals then gets chased onto the loading truck.  A Passive Game Capture is where you use food to lure the animals into the boma and the people closes the curtains when all the animals has passed and then they are chased onto the truck. This boma is usually left like this for a few days so the animals can get used to it.  Then there’s the Chemical Game Capture where the animal is darted and sedated and loaded onto the truck. A vet must be present with this capture.

Harvesting of flora (252458)

There is a few things we learned with the harvesting of flora.  We had to pick up hay barrels on the ‘Blou Buffel Lande’.  This is part of a sustainable system Sondela has.  We harvest the Foxtail Buffalo grass and put them into barrels and use them for food for the cattle in the winter months.  It also poses as a fire hazard since it is a very good fuel for fire.  We also had to clean the donkey camp, cutting down trees and branches.  This gives the old plants a chance to grow more healthily and it gives new plants to come up and renew the area. OHS is also important in this U/S because of the equipment we use like the brush cutters we need a mask, gloves, shin guards etc…

Collect field specimens and environmental data (252451)

This was a fun and interesting U/S in RG.  We went into the bush and collected different specimens like the golden orb spider and melkbos.  We had to write it down on our own data collection sheets. We learned different ways of collecting specimens f.e. the line method, mole traps and mist netting.  After collecting the specimens we learned how to preserve plants in the plant press.  When collecting these specimens we always have to remember that we can’t disturb the animals or environment around us and we have to use ethical collecting practises.

Combat problem plants (252453)

There are a few problem plants on Sondela.  Sweetbos, Sicklebush, Silver Cluster Leaf and Inbessie only to name a few.  I had the chance to use a chemical control method to combat the inkbessie by dabbing it with round-up.  But first we had to use the mechanical method to cut them off before applying the chemical on the stem.  We learned about the 3 categories of problem plants. Category 1 is weeds that must be destroyed f.e. Lantana camara. Category 2 plants may be grown with a permit like the Eucalyptus tree.  Category 3 may be grown but not within 30 meters of water f.e. Jacaranda mimosifolia.  We learned about pioneer plants and how they help an area to go into ecological succession.

Combat soil erosion (252457)

There are 3 types of soil erosion. Sheet, rill and gully.  There’sa few methods of controlling soil erosion.  Reducing grazing pressure, control the run-off, use gabions (wire baskets) and covering barren siol.  We have a few conservation projects on Sondela where we used dead plant material to cover the soil and to control the run-off. This dead plant material goes back into the ground and leads to new plants coming up.  The areas has improved a lot and pioneer plants are starting to grow like the sweetbos on the ‘Springbok vlaktes’.

 

Conservation Ethics (8336)

This unit standard is a lot about doing to others as you would want to be done onto yourself and about the different cultural perspectives.  Like the Rhino poachers.  The poachers kill them for their tusks and the conservationists try to stop them because it is not ethical. Their perspectives differ in what is right and wrong.  We have to understand the interaction between man and the environment and the impact we have on it. The only way we can do this is by acting responsibly and use our resources properly and with care.

Nature Conservation i.t.o its role & function (252468)

First we have to know what nature conservation is.  Nature conservancy protects the Earth’s natural resources and beauty.  It is the ethic of using, allocating and protecting our resources and beauty for future generations.  There is different organizations that fight for this purpose.  NGO (Non-governmental Organization) operates independently and isn’t subsidized by the government at all.  IUCN’s (International Union of Conservation of Nature) function is to find solutions to our most pressing challenges.  TRAFFIC (The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network) makes sure that the trade of wild plants and animals don’t pose a threat to nature conservation. WWF·SA’s ( World Wildlife Fund, South Africa) aim is to save endangered species and to reduce our impact on the environment and to conserve the beauty of the world.  CITES ( Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) ensures that the trade doesn’t threaten their survival.

 

Identify and monitoring local wildlife (252462)

We learned how to differentiate between male and females of different animals.  F.e.  the impala males have horns where the females don’t.  The zebra females’ stripes are thicker around her back than the males’ stripes.  It is important to be able to identify and monitor wildlife because we have to know what animals we have and the balance between males and females for mating purposes.  Monitoring can also be important to know how many animals there are on a certain space of land, so that there isn’t overgrazing which causes soil erosion.  It is also important to write a report about the monitoring of wildlife including what the weather conditions were and the amount of animals we found of each species.  We sat on the cruiser and counted the animals.  The people on the left counted the animals on the left and the people on the right counted the animals on the right.  We had to write down what we found for record purposes.

Implement cultural heritage resources management (252460)

There is a strong connection between cultural heritage and nature conservation because they can be destroyed by humans.  Both is very important for our future generations and needs to be protected.  Cultural heritage can deteriorate when the site is badly managed and because of the weather that can damage buildings and artifacts and it can cause soil erosion.  But the most important factor is when the importance of the place disappears and people don’t care about their heritage anymore. 

 

Orientate and navigate (252456)

Maps are very important because it can help give you directions and plot certain areas you have worked in. You have to be able to read and interpret maps to be able to do that.  You also have to be able to draw up simple maps with a suitable scale and a key/ legend with symbols defining certain things plotted on the map.  You have to use the right language when communication directions using the phrases “left/right”, “up/down” etc.  You have to be able to select appropriate routes and also have an alternative route available for when the first one doesn’t work out.

Perform conservation guardianship (252452)

This is the unit standard we learned about anti-poaching and the right procedures to follow when you find poachers on your reserve.  Conducting patrols are very important in detecting illegal activities and identifying/finding evidence.  There is an appropriate way of reacting when you find a suspect.  Disarming him/her and following the lawful arresting and questioning procedures.  Collecting evidence is also important as it is used in court against the suspect.  There is a variety of techniques you can used to communicate.  There is also a verbal debrief that needs to be conducted.

 

Non-dangerous damage causing animals (252459)

There is 3 non-dangerous damage causing animals on Sondela f.e. flies, ticks and warthogs.  We learned about their habits and what they do to cause damage on a reserve.  A warthog damages fences when they try to get through to the other side. That’s why we build warthog highways (this is a steel frame with small chains hanging down to the ground) in the fences.  The ticks makes animals sick when they find their hosts, we put down lick blocks (salt licks/ molasses) to lure the animals to the water where we have pressure plates, dip applicators and Duncan applicators. These applicators spray or dip the animals with amiphor to kill the ticks.  We also have to be able to identify the spoor of different animals so that we can determine which animal it is and what measure to take to minimize the damage they can cause. 

Erect, monitor and maintain wildlife fences (252454)

We learned different erection skills and that the prep for fencing is very important.  The ground must be level and the area must be de-bushed.  Before fencing you have to make sure you have all the equipment ready. When you dismantle a fence you have to be very careful when taking the wires off.  When you are done with the dismantling you have to check all the equipment to see if it can be re-used again.  Fence patrols are very important and needs to be done once a week.  Broken strands should be repaired or replaced immediately.  You have to fill holes underneath fences with rocks so that animals can’t climb through. Tracks and signs of animals moving through fences must be reported.  Two animals that usually cause damage on fences are kudu’s and warthogs.  With kudu’s you can put more horizontal wires on the fences so that he can’t see an opening to get through.  For the warthogs we build the warthog highways in the fences to let them go through the fence easily without breaking the fence.

Ignite, control and extinguish fires (252461)

There is different factors that influence fire. The slope is important to know how the fire will react.  Fire always burns uphill quickly so when you fight a fire on a slope you always fight from the bottom.  The wind is also a very important factor.  It will determine in which direction the fire will go. The speed of the wind will predict how fast the fire will spread.  We always have to fight a fire with the wind.  There are also different times a day that you burn depending on what type fire you want.  If you want a hot fire you should burn midday.  If you want a cold fire early morning or early afternoon will be time to burn. By law we have to have fire breaks to prevent fires from jumping to different areas or neighbouring farms.

What we learned in RG really opened my eyes and taught me a lot about nature and everything that can have an impact on it.  All these lessons made my life richer and I will never forget them. 

Next up, SPECIES CARE!!!!!!