Unsecured Cleaning Chemical in Shower Room
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when cleaning chemicals were not properly secured in a shower room on the 400 hall. On two separate occasions, surveyors observed the shower room door ajar and unattended, despite the door being equipped with an automatic lock, passcode entry, and adequate spring tension to close. Inside the unsecured room, an opaque spray bottle labeled with "QUAT STAT 5" (a disinfectant) was found hanging from the whirlpool lift. The chemical's safety data sheet indicated it was a hazardous substance, requiring locked storage and warning of severe health risks upon contact. Interviews with the Director of Nursing (DON) and the administrator confirmed that facility policy required chemicals to be stored securely and inaccessible to residents. The administrator noted that the last safety check had been performed the previous month and acknowledged that the chemical would have been secured if the shower room door had been closed. No residents were observed wandering in the area at the time of the observations.