Failure to Maintain Effective Pest Control in Laundry Room
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain an effective pest control program in the laundry room, as evidenced by the presence of brown crawling bugs observed on the walls and floor near the washing machines. Standing water was found on the floor, covered by a flattened cardboard box, which staff stated was used to prevent slipping but was also identified by the pest control representative as a potential harborage for pests. The Housekeeping and Laundry Director reported frequent pest sightings and stated these were reported to maintenance and entered into the electronic tracking system. However, the pest control logbook from June to August did not show any service requests for the laundry area. Interviews with facility staff and the pest control contractor revealed inconsistencies in the frequency and documentation of pest control treatments. The pest control representative treated the laundry area only monthly, while common areas were treated weekly, and there was no documentation specifying which areas were treated. The Assistant Maintenance Director confirmed that the laundry room itself had not been treated, only the laundry chute, and there were no records of specific areas treated during pest control visits. The Administrator expected weekly treatment of the laundry room, but this was not occurring, and the lack of documentation and targeted pest control contributed to the ongoing pest issue in the laundry area.