Failure to Document and Monitor Food Safety and Sanitation Procedures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to consistently document and monitor critical food safety and sanitation procedures in the kitchen, as required by both facility policy and manufacturer guidelines. Specifically, staff did not complete daily sign-off sheets or record dishwasher temperatures and sanitizing solution concentrations, with multiple days missing documentation. Observations revealed that the dishwashing machine was operated below the minimum required temperatures and with inadequate sanitizer concentration, as measured by test strips, on several occasions. The assistant dietary manager and administrator confirmed that these logs were not being completed as required and that the dishwashing process was not meeting proper sanitization standards. Additionally, the facility did not consistently document food temperatures for meals, with numerous instances where breakfast, lunch, or dinner temperatures were not recorded. During an observation, food intended for resident delivery was found to be inadequately covered and at a temperature significantly below safe serving standards. The administrator acknowledged that the method of food transfer and temperature maintenance was not appropriate, and that food temperatures were not being logged as required for each meal. The facility also failed to document daily testing of kitchen sanitizing solutions, with several days missing from the sanitizer test strip log. The assistant dietary manager confirmed that the process of checking and logging sanitizer concentrations was not performed consistently, which is necessary to ensure that cleaning solutions are effective in killing bacteria. These failures in documentation and monitoring could potentially affect all residents who consume food prepared in the facility's kitchen.