One morning a valet was pulling a vehicle from the valet lot. As he was driving out of the garage he did not stop at the stop sign for pedestrian traffic. As he drove out of the valet lot the vehicle struck a fellow team member who was walking on the sidewalk into the garage to clock in for his shift. The valet who was walking to clock in for work was seriously injured and had to be transported to the emergency room. The valet that was pulling the vehicle knew the purpose for the stop sign being at the exit of the garage was because the sidewalk could not be seen from inside the valet lot. The stop sign was a safety measure to prevent a pedestrian from getting hit by a vehicle leaving the valet lot. This accident could have been prevented if the valet would have stopped at the sign and looked for any pedestrian traffic at this blind corner of this location.

Blind spots are everywhere! It doesn’t matter what job duties you perform, you need to be aware of all blind spots. In the story above, the blind spot was caused by the parking garage. There is a sidewalk that runs along the side of the garage and the valets all know to obey traffic signals, stop before exiting the garage, and look both ways for pedestrians. In other parking garages we have blind spots as you drive in the parking areas. Whether blind spots are due to sharp turns in the garage or the ramps that lead to another level of the parking garage, valets need to remember to use their mirrors because once you are in a vehicle safety should be your number one concern.

Minuteman Parking Company has put in safety measures at your locations to help prevent accidents from happening in areas that have blind spots. We have put stop signs in areas where you may or may not be able to see a guest or patient. We have installed mirrors so that you can see an oncoming vehicle as you are parking or pulling a vehicle. We have also put mirrors on some of our self parking booths so that you can see if a vehicle is approaching the booth so you do not walk out of the booth and get hit.

While the company does want it can with our clients to put safeguards in place to expose the blind spots, we cannot control the HUMAN part, which comes down to YOU.  YOU must obey the stop signs and look so that someone is not hit.  When we have mirrors installed, YOU must take the time to look in the mirror for someone in the way of your vehicle.  Safety and avoiding injuring others still mostly comes down to YOU being alert at all times when in a vehicle doing your jobs.

For over 15 years Minuteman Parking Company has been rated top-tier in parking management. As the parking industry continues to grow, MINUTEMAN will remain true to its name and do exactly what it was born to do: start a revolution. Minuteman Parking Company is “Revolutionizing Hospitality.”

Minuteman Parking Company takes its name from the American troops who were able to mobilize and fight “at a minute’s notice” during the Revolutionary War. Christopher Fox, Minuteman’s President, is a native Bostonian and grew up not far from where Minutemen played a key role in the birth of our nation. The teams of Minutemen were tough and well-trained masters of their environment.

After proving itself as the premier provider of parking services on the West Coast, Minuteman looks to further its operations and expand back east. Minuteman continues to replicate its superior model of service from fine hotels to hospitals and medical facilities. “We believe that you can experience the same level of service when you pull up to a medical facility that you would at a 5-star hotel,” says Fox. Minuteman Parking Company has added five hospitals to its growing portfolio in the past year alone.

Let the revolution begin!

A Near Tragic Incident Involving a Valet and a Parked Vehicle

A Valet was retrieving a vehicle during the busiest part of the day and in the mist of all the parking, pulling and stack parking of vehicles surrounding him, one of his fellow teammates parked a vehicle on an end cap. It is normal at this particular location to park on end caps to maximize the space in the valet lot. While the Valet was rushing to retrieve the vehicle, he did not notice that the end cap was parked on and hit the vehicle head on as he was turning to drive out of the valet lot. The Valet walked away with minor injuries and the vehicle had minor scratches, but had his teammate still been parking the vehicle he struck, the damages could have been far worse. This entire accident could have been prevented if the Valet retrieving the vehicle was paying close attention to his work environment.

Minuteman Parking Company would like to take a moment to ask everyone a simple question, Are you aware of your ever changing work environment? 

We want you to think about and be aware of your work environment while you perform your daily tasks and we want to stress the importance of driving smart. Here are some questions to ask yourself while you are working:

·        Are there vehicles parked where they are not supposed to be?

·        If I am stack parking, am I stacking cars in a smart manner?

·        Do I need to make a wider turn to get in or out of the garage?

As we go into the winter months, Minuteman Parking Company also wants to make sure that all of our employees are aware of what effects a seasonal change can have on work environments. Everyday our environment can change. Whether it is due the sun getting in your eyes, rain hailing from the sky, or snow layering the once smooth surface of the ground, all of these factors can lead to a work related accident if no precautions are taken.  We want you to be aware of the factors the change in weather can play in work related injuries and vehicle claims. Here are some things to think about while at work:

·        Is there sun in your eyes when you enter or exit a valet lot?

·        Is the ground slippery due to rain, snow or ice?

·        Do the tires of vehicles seem to be gliding?

·        Do you have enough grip on your shoes?

·        Are the brake pedals wet?

As you go through your day to day operations, we want you to pay attention to the things that may go unnoticed during environment changes and remind you to use extreme caution to better protect yourself, your teammates, visitors, and guests form potential hazards.

At some locations we are dealing with construction. Being aware of construction zones is pertinent for everyone’s safety and a necessity in order to minimize hazards.  While construction is taking place, your work environment can change in a matter of minutes. Taking extra precautions and making sure you slow down in all construction zones whether you are walking, running, or driving is essential.

If you have any questions on what factors can change your work environment, please see your Manager. We want to ensure that every day you are at work you are safe. If you are off for a couple of days and come back to work and something looks different, ask your Manager or Driveway Ambassador if there have been any changes in your safe path of travels, driving routes, or in other areas surrounding your work space.

According to the National Safety Council, one out of four vehicle accidents can be blamed on poor backing techniques. Backing accidents cause 500 deaths and 15,000 injuries per year. The use of safe vehicle backing tips by employers and employees can help prevent accidents while on the job. 80% of all accidents occur when backing a vehicle up.

·         Get to know a vehicle’s blind spots. In a medium-sized truck, blind spots can extend up to 16 feet in front and 160 feet behind a vehicle. Drivers need to remember that mirrors can never give the whole picture while backing.

·         Think in advance. Drivers should not put themselves into unnecessary backing situations.

·         Park defensively. Drivers must choose easy-exit parking spaces that don’t crowd neighboring vehicles and park their vehicle in the center of the parking space.

·         Do a walk-around. Walking around a vehicle gives a driver firsthand view of the backing area and any limitations. They can check for children, soft or muddy areas, potholes, tire hazards, and other dangers.

·         Know the clearances. When performing a walk-around, drivers can check for obstructions, low-hanging trees and wires, and any other potential clearance-related problems.

·         Every backing situation is new and different. Sometimes a driver visits the same location several times a day and should be watchful each visit for changes and any new obstacles.

·         Use a spotter. A driver should use another person to help them when backing. The driver and spotter should use hand signals instead of verbal ones and make sure they understand each other’s signals. Don’t have the spotter walking backwards while giving instructions.

·         When driver’s spot for themselves, they need to return to the vehicle and start backing within a few seconds after finishing the walk-around. This will allow very little time for people and/or obstacles to change behind the vehicle. Backing without a spotter should only take place after a driver has as much information about the area as possible. A back up alarm can help warn away pedestrians and drivers of other vehicles who may try to enter the area the vehicle is backing into.

Long-Term Solutions to Safe Backing

·          No amount of forward-driving experience can help a driver with backing a truck or other vehicles. All drivers need to practice, practice, and practice in safe surroundings until they become familiar with the way the vehicle backs up compared to the direction the steering wheel is turned.

·         Whenever possible, have a Driveway Ambassador, Valet or Shuttle driver assist you when you are backing up. 

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS SAFETY?

Sometimes it is good to reflect on the fact that we control our own destiny and that we create the situations in which we find ourselves.  For July, we are not going to specifically bring up ways to be safer at work but to just remind you that YOU can help yourself and keep yourself and your coworkers safe. 

How can you do this?  ATTITUDE.  How you decide to act and deal with life every day.  Below is a great quote from Charles Swindoll.  Enjoy

ATTITUDES

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearances, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude… I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you…we are in charge of our Attitudes.

We are delighted to announce that St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton, CA has expanded its operations with Minuteman. We are implementing a program at St. Jude that inlcudes valet parking attendants and self-parking cashiers. We had previously been conducting lane ambassador and shuttle operations at St. Jude and this change will broaden our service to the hospital. For over 50 years, St. Jude has met the needs of the community with values such as these:

DIGNITY

We respect each person as an inherently valuable member of the human community and as a unique expression of life.

SERVICE

We bring people together who recognize that every interaction is a unique opportunity to serve one another, the community, and society.

EXCELLENCE

We foster personal and professional development, accountability, innovation, teamwork, and commitment to quality.

JUSTICE

We advocate for systems and structures that are attuned to the needs of the vulnerable and disadvantaged and that promote a sense of community among all persons. These are the guiding principles for all we do, shaping our interactions with those whom we are privileged to serve.

Minuteman shares St. Jude’s values and outlook. St. Jude is the fifth hospital we have added to our growing portfolio of satisfied clients during this past year, and we are excited to start servicing its patients and visitors with compassion and respect.

Minuteman Parking would like to recognize one of our employees, Kirk Boardman, for his constant Commitment to Excellence in service.  Kirk is a Driveway Ambassador at the Manhattan Beach Marriott, and what he does on a daily basis for the guests and visitors at this hotel is what great service is all about.

Just ask Mr. Ric Wunn, a recent guest at the Manhattan Beach Marriott:

“While waiting for my team out front of the property each morning, I watched your Valet team.  Kirk, one of the team, was particularly interesting. When a car was delivered for a guest, if the party was not waiting, Kirk would grab a cleaning solution bottle, squeegee, and rag, and clean the windows.  He would occasionally stop and assess his work.  When the guest arrived, he would greet them, open the doors, load luggage, etc.  I don’t know if the guests all noticed, but I did.  I complimented him on his professionalism.

On June 3rd I gave a speech on professionalism to a group of high level managers.  In that speech I mentioned Kirk and his professional approach to what he did.  I told the group that Kirk didn’t just do the job, he owned the job.  Absolutely the finest Valet team in the business.

I am District Manager for all Air Traffic Control operations in Colorado and Wyoming.  My business is very exacting and complex.  I now have a goal of taking the Marriott Valet story to my own teams.  There is the old saying…’I know professionalism when I see it….and I know it even more when I don’t.’ At the Marriott Manhattan Beach, I SAW professionalism throughout the team. You can all be very proud of yourselves…I am.”

                                                                      -Ric Wunn, District Manager, FAA Denver Air Traffic District

I have had the pleasure of working with Kirk at multiple properties, both as a valet under his tutelage, and as his manager at his current location.  He taught me most of what I know about service.  His knack for remembering people is uncanny and is his greatest asset.  I believe that this comes not from some God-given talent, but from his passion for serving others.  Kirk truly enjoys knowing and helping all of our guests and does it with professionalism and enthusiasm every time he punches in for his shift.  Kirk makes the job fun and those around him laugh, but most of all, he makes each guest feel special and that is a prized ability in the hospitality industry. 

Ask anyone who has visited the Manhattan Beach Marriott in the past eight years and they will remember Kirk.  And even if they don’t remember his name, they will most certainly remember the enthusiastic and helpful blonde-haired character on the front drive who loves fishing.  I guarantee it.

- Ian Wilson

As we gear up for the summer months we want to remind all Minuteman Parking Company Employees about Heat Stress and what you can do to prevent it from happening. Over 4,000 Americans die each year do to heat related illness. Many of the heat related deaths last year where due to working in the heat or certain diseases that can disrupt your body’s temperature control mechanism.

Hear are the 3 varieties of Heat related problems and what you can do to prevent them.

1.)    Heat Cramps: When you start getting heat cramps you should get out of the hot environment and stop using your large muscles. You should also drink a lot of water to replenish your electrolytes.

2.)    Heat Exhaustion: For heat exhaustion you should get out of the heat immediately and take off any excess clothing. You should lie down with your feet up and drink a liter of water slowly. You should also use a fan to help cool your body down. If after 30 minutes you are still feeling the effects of Heat Exhaustion you should seek medical attention.

3.)    Heatstroke: If you are experiencing heatstroke you are having a medical emergency. You will need to call 9-1-1. You need to lower your body temperature if you are having heatstroke. You will want to put ice packs on your neck, armpits and groin. You also want to be covered with a wet sheet or towel and go into a room that is air-conditioned.

What can you do to prevent Heat Stress? Here are five simple steps that will help reduce your chances of having any Heat related illnesses while at work.

1.)    Pre-Hydrate: You should drink 16 ounces of fluid before you start work and drink 8 ounces every 20 minutes during strenuous activities.

2.)    Drink Flavored Water

3.)    Acclimate to the heat slowly: If you are not used to working in the heat it will take 5 to 7 days for your body to get used to the high temperature. You need to acclimate your body to the heat by adding more time outside each day.

4.)    Don’t Wear a Hat: Wearing a hat restricts heat loss through your head.

5.)    Wear loose, thin synthetic fabrics

So as your work day starts to heat up, stay cool and you will be safe.

Earlier this month Minuteman became a voting member of the National Valet Parking Association. We are excited to join this elite group of leaders in the valet and parking industry. Every year, NVPA holds an annual conference and last year the association featured the first annual Valet Olympics! The next conference will be held March 2011 in Florida and Minuteman is looking forward to attending the event.

In addition to NVPA, Minuteman is also a member of the National Parking Association (NPA) which was founded in 1951 and has a membership of more than 1,000 private and public parking professionals.

We are delighted to show our support to both of these organizations. Let the parking begin!