Failure to Maintain Quiet, Homelike Environment Due to Noisy Metal Plates
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a resident with a room free from disruptive noise, compromising the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment. According to a telephone interview with the resident's significant family member, persistent noise from a metal plate on the facility's driveway prevented the resident from having quiet time in their room. The family member reported that every time someone stepped on or a car passed over the metal plate, a sound could be heard from the resident's room. Observations confirmed the presence of two metal plates near the resident's room and the driveway's end, both of which produced noise when stepped on or driven over. The facility's maintenance supervisor verified that the plates were not tightly fitted to the ground, causing the noise. One plate covered the emergency water supply and could not be bolted down, while the other covered electrical wiring and belonged to an external company. The facility's policy on maintaining a homelike environment included ensuring comfortable sound levels, which was not met in this instance.