Failure to Ensure Dietary Staff Wore Hair Restraints During Food Preparation
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a Dietary Aide was observed in the kitchen preparing dessert and washing dishes without wearing a hair restraint. The aide acknowledged during an interview that she was aware of the requirement to always wear a hair net, as she had been trained by a previous Dietary Manager and held a food handler certificate. She explained that she found a hair net on the floor but did not realize her own had fallen off. The Dietary Manager confirmed that it was expected for all dietary staff to wear hair restraints before entering the kitchen and noted that the aide's hair net often fell off due to its size. The facility had signage at the kitchen entrance reminding staff to wear hair nets, and the infection control policy required clean hair to be covered with an effective hair restraint. Interviews with both the Dietary Manager and the Administrator confirmed the expectation that all dietary staff must wear hair nets in the kitchen. The facility's infection control policy, dated 04/09/2025, specified that personal cleanliness and the use of hair restraints were required to maintain sanitary food preparation. The failure to ensure the Dietary Aide wore a hair net while handling food and dishes constituted a breach of professional standards for food service safety.