Unsafe Entrance and Widespread Mold Contamination
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure a safe and sanitary environment for residents, staff, and visitors. Observations revealed a large rubberized rug covering a sloped walkway at the front entrance, which concealed a large hole in the underlying cement. This rug created a tripping hazard, as evidenced when a surveyor stumbled on it. Multiple areas throughout the facility, including public restrooms, laundry areas, corridors, the kitchen, smoking lounge, medical records storage, boiler room, and HVAC room, were found to have black, white, yellow, and/or green substances on walls, floors, and ceilings. Staff interviews confirmed that these substances had been present for months, with reports of a musty smell and a recent ceiling leak that required a bucket to catch water. Several staff members reported headaches and sore throats in the weeks leading up to the discovery of the mold-like substances. Administrative staff confirmed that nearly all rooms in several hallways were contaminated with mold, and that the facility's infection management policy did not address mold treatment or removal. Despite the leadership team's identification of the need to evacuate residents due to the environmental concern, instructions from a consultant directed staff to resume their regular duties and to spray visible surfaces with a disinfectant. The facility did not test the substance to confirm the presence of mold, following consultant advice, and did not take immediate action to address the environmental hazards identified.