Facility Fails to Maintain Kitchen Cleanliness, Risking Food Contamination
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain the cleanliness of the kitchen, which could potentially lead to contaminated food being served to 97 of 102 residents receiving an oral diet. During an initial tour of the kitchen, several issues were observed, including missing tiles on the dish room floor, a black substance on the wall underneath the counter, and a buildup of grime on a plastic cover over clean baking pans. Additionally, the air conditioning unit and fans in the kitchen had a heavy buildup of dust, dirt, and grime, and a wall plug near the dish room was unsecured and lacked a cover plate. The Dietary Manager acknowledged these issues, noting that the wall needed replacement and that the facility had been without a Maintenance Director for months. A second tour of the kitchen revealed that the previously identified conditions remained unchanged, and additional issues were noted, such as a metal apparatus with a heavy buildup of grease and grime and walls with peeling paint and black substances. The cleaning schedule provided by the Dietary Manager did not include the items identified during the tours, and there was confusion about the responsibilities for cleaning between the kitchen staff and the Maintenance Director. Interviews with the Corporate Maintenance Director and the Administrator highlighted a lack of clarity and continuity in maintenance responsibilities, with the facility having had three Maintenance Directors in four months. The contract for kitchen staff cleaning responsibilities failed to address the identified concerns.