Failure to Follow Food Safety Standards During Meal Preparation
Penalty
Summary
Kitchen staff failed to follow professional standards for food service safety during meal preparations. Specifically, a staff member used the same gloved hand to touch plates, serving utensils, and then pick up rolls, without changing gloves or washing hands in between tasks. The staff member also left the food service line to retrieve plate warmers, changed gloves without washing hands, and continued to use soiled tongs that had been dropped into a pan of cooked chicken. These actions were observed during a meal service and were confirmed through staff interviews. Interviews with the Dietary Department Manager (DDM) and the Dietary Manager (DM) revealed that their expectations were not met, as staff should have washed hands when changing gloves, used tongs to handle bread, and replaced serving utensils that became soiled. The staff member involved acknowledged not following proper procedures, attributing the failures to being in a hurry and feeling nervous. Facility policies reviewed indicated that proper hand washing, glove use, and utensil handling are required to minimize the risk of foodborne illness and cross-contamination.