Failure to Use Beard Restraints During Food Preparation
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to adhere to professional standards for food safety by not wearing beard restraints during meal preparation and food handling in the kitchen. On two separate occasions, a dietary aide with a long beard was observed making pancakes and preparing resident meal trays without a beard restraint. Additionally, during a subsequent observation, both the corporate Certified Dietary Manager and the kitchen manager, who both had facial hair, were present in the kitchen without beard restraints. These staff members acknowledged not wearing the required protective equipment when questioned. The kitchen manager was informed of the deficiency but did not acknowledge it at the time, while the Nursing Home Administrator later acknowledged the findings during interviews. No information about residents' medical history or condition at the time of the deficiency is provided in the report.