Failure to Ensure Staff Wore Beard Coverings During Food Preparation and Service
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that staff preparing and serving resident meals wore beard coverings as required by professional standards and facility policy. During a kitchen tour, one cook was observed in the kitchen without a beard covering after having just finished making lunch. On a separate occasion, another cook with long, shaggy facial hair was seen serving food to residents in a kitchenette without a beard net. This cook admitted to not wearing a beard covering because he was unsure where to find them and acknowledged the risk of hair falling into food. The dietary manager confirmed that staff were instructed to always wear hair and beard coverings when working with food, including during preparation, cooking, and serving. The manager was aware that the cook was not wearing a beard covering but had not yet addressed it. Facility policy required the use of hair restraints, including beard nets for employees with beards, to prevent hair from contacting exposed food. The FDA Food Code and facility policy both emphasize the importance of hair restraints to prevent contamination.