Failure to Ensure Dishwasher Sanitation and Staff Reporting
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to ensure that food was served under sanitary conditions due to inadequate monitoring and maintenance of the dishwasher's sanitation process. During a kitchen observation, the dietary manager tested the low temperature dishwasher and found that the chlorine test strips remained white, indicating an absence of sanitizer. The dietary manager attempted multiple tests with the same result and could not locate the log documenting the dishwasher's sanitation checks. The dishwasher staff member confirmed that the sanitizer test was low before breakfast and acknowledged that a white test strip meant no chemical was present, but did not report this issue to anyone. Further investigation revealed that the dietary manager had replaced the sanitizer bucket the previous day but was unaware of the need to prime the new bucket, resulting in the dishwasher not functioning with adequate sanitizer since that time. There was no documentation provided to show that staff had been educated or trained on how to replace the sanitizer bucket or what steps to take if inadequate sanitizer levels were detected. These failures resulted in the facility not meeting professional standards for food sanitation.