Failure to Prevent Cross-Contamination in Dietary Services
Penalty
Summary
Dietary aides failed to follow proper hand hygiene protocols while handling dishware, leading to a risk of cross-contamination. Specifically, one dietary aide loaded dirty cups into the dishwasher and then immediately handled clean pots without washing her hands or wearing gloves. Another dietary aide placed dirty breakfast dishes on a shelf and then handled clean food trays without washing his hands or wearing gloves. The Certified Dietary Manager confirmed that staff should not touch clean dishes after handling dirty items and should practice good hand hygiene. The facility's policy requires food and nutrition services staff to prevent cross-contamination by practicing good hand hygiene, hand washing, and glove use. These actions were observed in a facility with a census of 156 residents, and the failure to follow proper procedures had the potential to affect all residents.