Failure to Maintain Sanitary Food Service Environment and Practices
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple failures in maintaining a safe and sanitary environment in the facility's food service operations. Staff in the food preparation area were seen without proper hair restraints, including one staff member wearing a personal baseball cap and another with a stocking cap not designated for kitchen use. The facility's policy requires clean, designated hair restraints, but staff were unclear on laundering frequency and whether hats were used outside the facility. Additionally, a mixer was found stored with visible food residue inside, indicating it had not been cleaned before storage. Staff were also observed with personal beverages on food preparation counters, contrary to facility policy prohibiting eating and drinking in these areas. Further deficiencies included improper food storage practices. Surveyors found frozen drips on the ceiling of the walk-in freezer, with opened and unsealed boxes of vegetables stored underneath, resulting in ice buildup on and inside the boxes. Opened containers of juice in the juice machine were undated, and staff were unable to confirm when they had been opened. Facility policy requires all opened food and beverages to be labeled with an open or use-by date, but this was not followed. These observations affected all 47 residents in the facility, as the issues were present in areas where food for all residents is prepared and stored.