Failure to Ensure Proper Facial Hair Restraint During Food Handling
Penalty
Summary
During a recertification survey, it was observed that dietary staff did not consistently follow professional standards for food service safety and infection control in the kitchen. Specifically, one dietary aide was seen handling utensils and scooping watermelon while having a visible mustache and goatee without a beard cover. Another dietary aide was observed on the tray line handling various food items with their beard guard positioned below their mustache, leaving facial hair uncovered. These actions were in direct violation of the facility's policy, which requires all facial hair to be covered by a beard guard when handling food. Interviews with the involved staff revealed that one aide forgot to wear the beard cover, while the other stated they were previously instructed to only cover the bottom part of their face. Both the Food Service Supervisor and Food Service Director confirmed that the facility's uniform policy mandates the use of hair restraints and beard guards for staff with facial hair to prevent hair from contaminating food. The failure to adhere to these standards resulted in a deficiency related to food safety and infection control practices.