Deficient Sanitary Practices in Food Preparation and Dishwashing
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that food was stored and prepared in a sanitary manner, as evidenced by multiple breaches in hand hygiene, improper monitoring of sanitizing solutions, and inadequate dishwashing practices. During an active Norovirus outbreak affecting both staff and residents, kitchen staff were observed not following proper handwashing protocols. Specifically, a staff member washed hands in a bucket of dirty water containing used silverware and then wiped hands with a cloth, rather than using the designated handwashing sink. Another staff member admitted to forgetting to wash hands after handling dirty dishes and before handling clean items. The facility was unable to provide a kitchen-specific hand hygiene policy when requested, instead providing a policy intended for nursing staff. Sanitizing solutions used in the kitchen were not properly tested or logged for effectiveness. Staff did not test the sanitizer buckets for the required parts per million (PPM) concentration or temperature, and there was no log maintained for these checks. Although the three-compartment sink was tested, the sanitizer buckets, which were used for cleaning surfaces and utensils, were not. Staff and the Dietary Manager confirmed that testing and logging of sanitizer buckets was not being performed as required by the FDA Food Code and manufacturer instructions. Dishwasher temperatures were not accurately monitored or maintained. The dishwashing machine's temperature gauge was known to be faulty, and staff relied on paper test strips that only indicated if the temperature was above 180°F, without providing an exact reading. Staff admitted to recording inaccurate temperatures on logs, and the Dietary Manager was aware that the logs did not reflect actual temperatures. The dishwashing machine consistently failed to reach the required sanitizing temperature, and this issue had been ongoing, as documented in previous reports and discussed in Quality Assurance meetings. Additionally, staff were observed moving from handling dirty dishes to clean dishes without changing aprons or washing hands, further compromising sanitary practices.