Failure to Maintain Lint Trap Cleaning in Laundry Area
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that the facility failed to empty the lint compartment and lint filter in one of the dryers in the laundry area. During a tour with the Housekeeping Director, a large amount of lint was found in dryer number 1's lint compartment, which had not been emptied as required. The Housekeeping Director confirmed that laundry staff are expected to check and empty lint traps every two hours, and that this process should be documented in a logbook. However, on the day of the survey, the lint trap cleaning logbook showed no staff signatures or completion for that date. Facility policy requires that lint removal and cleaning schedules for laundry equipment be documented, posted, and adhered to, with monthly quality assurance audits conducted by the Environmental Services Director. The job description for Laundry Aides also specifies strict adherence to health and safety rules. Despite these policies, the lack of documentation and observed accumulation of lint indicated that the required procedures were not followed, potentially affecting all 198 residents in the facility.