Failure to Follow Food Safety Standards in Dietary Services
Penalty
Summary
Dietary staff failed to adhere to professional standards for food service safety in several observed instances. One dietary cook was seen preparing pureed food without wearing gloves and without a facial hair restraint, despite facility policy requiring hair restraints to prevent hair from contacting food. Another dietary staff member was observed measuring food temperatures at the steam table without wearing gloves. Additionally, a dietary aide was seen scooping ice into glasses and tapping the ice with the back of the scoop, causing the drink to drip onto the scoop, and then returning the uncleaned scoop to the ice bin for further use. These actions were confirmed by the dietary manager, who acknowledged that all staff should use appropriate hair restraints, gloves, and sanitary procedures as outlined in facility policy. These deficiencies were observed during food preparation and service, with the potential to affect all 80 residents who consumed food and beverages prepared in the kitchen. The facility's policies on employee work practices and hand sanitation were reviewed and found to require the use of hair restraints, gloves, and proper sanitary procedures, which were not followed during the observed incidents.