Failure to Maintain Dishwasher Temperatures and Adhere to PPE Protocols in Food Service
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that food service staff adhered to required personal protective equipment (PPE) protocols and that the dishwasher operated within the necessary temperature ranges for proper sanitization. Specifically, the Dietary Manager was observed multiple times in the kitchen without a hair restraint, despite facility policy requiring dietary staff to wear hairnets, hats, or beard restraints to prevent hair from contacting food. The Dietary Manager acknowledged the expectation for hair to be covered in the kitchen and confirmed the observations of non-compliance. Additionally, a review of dishwasher temperature logs for January, February, and March revealed repeated failures to meet the required wash and rinse cycle temperatures for effective sanitization. The logs showed numerous instances where both the wash cycle (required minimum 150°F) and rinse cycle (required minimum 180°F) temperatures were not achieved across all meal periods. During an observed test run, the dishwasher again failed to reach the necessary temperatures. The Dietary Manager confirmed awareness of the ongoing temperature issues and acknowledged that the dishwasher often required multiple cycles to reach the correct temperature.