Failure to Ensure Dietary Staff Competency in Dish Machine Temperature Monitoring
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that dietary staff were properly trained and competent in monitoring dish machine temperatures to achieve appropriate sanitation. Observations and interviews revealed that staff were unclear about which gauges to use for monitoring wash and rinse cycles, and some staff believed there was no specific temperature requirement. The maintenance director and dietary manager confirmed confusion regarding the correct use of the gauges, and it was found that the right gauge was not functioning as expected, while the left gauge was used for both wash and rinse cycles. The Ecolab data plate and operation manual specified that the wash temperature should be at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit and the rinse temperature at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit, but staff were not consistently following these guidelines. Review of dish machine temperature logs for March, April, and May showed multiple instances where the rinse temperature fell below the required 180 degrees Fahrenheit, and there were several days with missing documentation of temperature monitoring. Staff were instructed to contact the dietary manager if temperatures were not met, but interviews revealed that low rinse temperatures had not been addressed with staff. The dietary manager acknowledged that staff had been trained using an online system and in-person instruction, but admitted that staff did not always follow directions and that she had not previously intervened regarding the low temperatures. Further review of staff training and competency records indicated that dietary aides and cooks lacked documentation of competencies related to monitoring dish machine temperatures, and in some cases, there was no evidence that dietary policies had been read or reviewed. The facility's policy required staff to verify proper temperatures and machine function before use, monitor gauges throughout the cycle, and report any issues to the dietary manager, but these procedures were not consistently followed or documented.