Failure to Ensure Kitchen Staff Maintain Active Food Handler Certifications
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that all kitchen staff maintained active food handler certifications, as required for safe and competent food and sanitation service to residents. During the survey, it was found that several kitchen employees, including cooks and dietary aides, either did not have current food handler certificates or had expired certifications. Specifically, four staff members were identified as lacking current certification at the time of the survey, with some only beginning the process of renewal during the survey period. The dietary manager confirmed that it is a requirement for all kitchen staff to have active food handler certification, and that this is also stipulated in the union handbook. Interviews and record reviews revealed that the facility did not have a system in place to track or post the food handler certifications of kitchen staff. The dietary manager stated that, unlike other facilities, certificates were not posted in the kitchen, and there was no clear process for cataloging or maintaining these records. The responsibility for maintaining current certification was placed on the individual employees, and there was uncertainty about who in the facility was responsible for keeping copies of the certificates. This lack of oversight led to a situation where staff were working without the required certification. The deficiency was observed to have the potential to affect all 127 residents receiving oral diets, as the kitchen staff are responsible for preparing and serving food to the entire resident population. The facility's job descriptions for kitchen staff explicitly require sanitation certification, and both the dietary manager and registered dietitian emphasized the importance of current food handler certification for ensuring resident safety and preventing cross-contamination in the kitchen. Despite these requirements, the facility did not ensure compliance among all kitchen staff at the time of the survey.