Non-Functioning Bathroom Ventilation Fans in Resident Rooms
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that ventilation in all resident rooms was in working order, specifically in the bathrooms of rooms located in the 100 and 200 halls, as well as some rooms in the 400 hall. Multiple observations were made where the bathroom exhaust ventilation fans did not function, as evidenced by their inability to pull up a 1-ply square of toilet paper. Staff confirmed that these fans had not worked for at least three years, and maintenance staff acknowledged that the fans in the affected halls either did not operate or produced excessive noise due to burned-out bearings. During one observation, a foul odor was noted in a resident's room after toileting assistance, further indicating the lack of effective ventilation. Interviews with the Maintenance Director confirmed longstanding knowledge of the non-functioning fans in the 100 and 200 halls, and additional confirmation was provided that some fans in the 400 hall were also inoperable. The Interim Administrator was unaware of the issue prior to the survey and acknowledged that non-working bathroom fans could cause resident embarrassment due to odors. The deficiency affected 27 out of 37 sampled residents, with a total facility census of 37.