Failure to Control Hot Water Temperatures Creates Accident Hazard
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to administer its operations in a manner that ensured the resident environment was free from accident hazards, specifically by not maintaining hot water temperatures at safe levels. Review of hot water temperature logs from late October through mid-July revealed repeated and consistent recordings of excessively high hot water temperatures, with some readings as high as 137 degrees Fahrenheit. Comments on the logs over several months indicated ongoing issues with the hot water system, including notes about faulty equipment, inability to regulate temperatures, and reports made to management. Despite these documented concerns, there was no evidence that a process was in place to monitor or correct the high temperatures, nor that effective interventions were implemented. Observations by surveyors and the Maintenance Supervisor confirmed hot water temperatures above 120 degrees Fahrenheit on all resident units. The Safety Committee meeting minutes acknowledged the unsafe temperatures but did not document any follow-up actions or plans to address the issue. In interviews, the Administrator confirmed awareness of the problem but stated she had not been monitoring the hot water temperatures. The deficiency was found to have the potential to affect all 57 residents in the facility, as excessively hot water temperatures were present throughout all resident areas.