Unclean Dish Machine and Rust Sediment from Hood in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
During an initial tour of the kitchen, surveyors observed several orangish blackish substances on top of the dish machine. Dietary staff reported that dishes coming through the machine were clean, and that the outside of the dish machine was washed every one to two days. However, the culinary director stated that staff wiped the dish machine daily and was unsure about the origin of the substances. The culinary district manager identified the sediment as coming from the hood above the dish machine, noting that staff attempted to keep the area clean but faced challenges because Ecolab did not service the hood or custom pieces. The facility was in the process of seeking a company to address the hood issue. The administrator confirmed that maintenance was contacting vendors to install or replace the hood vent, as Ecolab did not work on the hood and available parts did not fit. The maintenance director explained that hot steam from the dish machine caused the metal in the hood to rust and fall, and acknowledged awareness of the issue for several months, but had prioritized other facility needs. The maintenance director was not aware of the severity of the rust falling from the hood. The facility's warewashing policy did not specify when to clean the dish machine, though task descriptions for cooks and aides did indicate scheduled cleaning assignments.