Failure to Maintain Safe Water Temperatures and Monitoring
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a safe water system for 44 residents by not ensuring the proper functioning of the high temperature alarm, which is designed to alert staff when water temperatures exceed 120°F. During interviews, the Maintenance Supervisor confirmed that the high temperature alarm at the nurses station was not working, and the Administrator stated that the Maintenance Supervisor was responsible for daily hot water monitoring and ensuring the alarm was operational. This malfunction meant that staff were not alerted to potentially unsafe water temperatures, as required by facility procedures. Additionally, the facility did not monitor or record hot water temperatures on three separate days in June 2025, as evidenced by blank entries in the Daily Hot Water Temperature Record. The Maintenance Supervisor acknowledged that no checks were performed on those days, which was contrary to the facility's policy requiring daily monitoring to prevent scalding. The facility's policy specifies that water temperatures should be maintained between 105°F and 120°F, and that maintenance staff must conduct and log periodic checks, which was not consistently done.