Failure to Document Food Storage Temperatures and Maintain Proper Hand Hygiene
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper sanitation and food handling practices throughout its food service operations, as evidenced by a lack of required temperature documentation for multiple refrigeration and freezer units, as well as failures in hand hygiene and glove use during meal service. Observations revealed that two freezers, a walk-in refrigerator, three juice coolers, and two ice cream coolers did not have documented temperature checks as required by facility policy. Temperature logs for these units showed repeated and extended periods with no recorded temperatures on both AM and PM shifts, spanning several months. Additionally, food temperature logs were incomplete, with multiple instances where food temperatures were not documented prior to service or after half of the meal service, as required by policy. During meal service observations, staff were seen failing to follow proper hand hygiene protocols. One staff member was observed leaving the steamtable area with gloves and apron on, returning without changing gloves or performing hand hygiene, and then continuing to serve food. Another dietary aide picked up items from the floor with gloved hands and continued to serve food without changing gloves or performing hand hygiene. These actions were in direct violation of the facility's policies on employee hygiene and food safety, which require handwashing before handling food and the use of utensils to avoid bare hand contact. Interviews with the Dietary Manager, DON, and Administrator confirmed that staff were expected to check and document temperatures of all cold and hot units, as well as follow proper hand hygiene and food safety protocols. The Dietary Manager acknowledged ongoing in-services on temperature checks but stated that staff were not following policy. The DON and Administrator both expressed expectations that dietary staff adhere to established procedures to prevent foodborne illness, but the documented failures in temperature monitoring and hand hygiene practices were not addressed at the time of the survey.