Inadequate Monitoring of Dishwasher Sanitizer Levels
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that the low-temperature sanitization commercial dishwasher in the main production kitchen was adequately monitored for effective chemical concentration and dishware sanitization. Observations revealed that the dishwasher, which uses sodium hypochlorite as a sanitizer, was only checked once daily for proper sanitizer concentration using Hydrion strips, rather than every shift as required. Documentation showed that only a single reading per day was recorded, and consistent PPM (parts per million) checks were only documented starting from 5/21, with no additional readings for other shifts. Dietary staff confirmed that only the morning shift performed the check, and evening staff did not conduct or document any PPM checks. Interviews with dietary aides and the dietary manager confirmed that the practice was to check the machine only once per day, and the facility's policy did not specify the frequency for PPM testing. The policy required dish machines to be checked prior to meals for proper functioning and appropriate temperatures, but lacked clear direction on how often to test sanitizer concentration. This deficiency had the potential to affect all residents, staff, and visitors consuming food from the kitchen, as effective sanitization of dishware was not consistently verified.