Failure to Sanitize Dumbwaiter Cart After Use
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain clean and sanitary kitchen equipment as required by its own policy and professional standards. During an observation and interview with the Dietary Manager, a dumbwaiter cart used to deliver lunch trays was found outside the kitchen door with multiple dried clumps of yellow and brown food matter, as well as dried thin layers of yellow food residue on several shelves. The Dietary Manager confirmed that the cart had been used to deliver lunch trays that day and acknowledged that it should have been cleaned after each use. She further stated that, based on the condition of the cart, it had not been cleaned after the last meal or the previous night, contrary to facility policy which requires sanitization of the dumbwaiter compartment between transporting soiled dishes and food. No information about specific residents or their medical conditions was provided in the report.