Failure to Follow Hand Hygiene and Food Handling Standards During Meal Service
Penalty
Summary
During a meal service, staff failed to adhere to professional standards for food handling and hygiene. A dietary aide was observed repeatedly entering and exiting the kitchen, handling fluids for residents, and accessing the refrigerator without washing her hands. Another staff member washed his hands before meal service but then placed his thumbs on the eating surface of plates while plating food, handled utensils by their handles and placed them on a cutting board, and used the same cutting board to cut up hot dogs for residents. This staff member also touched his face and ear during the meal service without washing his hands, and although he did not directly handle food after this, he did handle utensils that would be used by residents. The dietary manager acknowledged that closer observation of staff was needed to ensure proper hand hygiene and food handling practices. The facility did not have a hand washing policy specific to the kitchen, and the existing hand hygiene policy required hand washing as necessary to prevent cross contamination.