Failure to Maintain Safe and Sanitary Walk-In Freezer Environment
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a safe, functional, sanitary, and comfortable environment in the walk-in freezer, as evidenced by the presence of small pieces of ice and two large chunks of ice on the floor, along with a long icicle hanging from the ceiling vent. Observations confirmed the accumulation of ice, and interviews with the Dietary Manager (DM) and Maintenance Director (MTD) revealed that the issue had been ongoing, with documentation in the Registered Dietician's notes of repeated ice accumulation on the floor over several months. The DM, new to the facility, was unaware of the duration of the leak, while the MTD acknowledged the persistent problem and described efforts to break up and clean the ice as it formed. The facility's Maintenance Service policy requires that all areas, including equipment, be maintained in a safe and operable manner and free from hazards. Despite this, the walk-in freezer continued to have ice accumulation due to a leaking vent, which was known to both the maintenance and administrative staff. The issue was recognized as a hazard by staff, with the potential for injury due to slipping and falling on the ice, but the underlying cause had not been fully resolved at the time of the survey.