Failure to Follow Laundry Procedures and Provide Staff Training Leads to Smoldering Laundry Incident
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a safe environment free from accident hazards by not adhering to its own laundry policies and procedures and by not providing adequate training and competency assessment for laundry staff. Specifically, Laundry Tech (LT) A removed kitchen laundry from the dryer before the cycle, including the cooling period, was complete and immediately placed the hot laundry into a plastic bag. This action led to smoldering laundry, which was later discovered by the fire department after staff reported smelling smoke in the laundry room. The fire department found a laundry bag emitting heat, which ignited into flames when opened, and the fire was extinguished on site. Further investigation revealed that LT A had not received training or competency evaluation regarding the facility's laundry procedures, including the requirement to pre-soak kitchen and housekeeping laundry in degreaser or detergent before washing, as outlined in the facility's policy. LT A was unaware of these procedures and reported being moved from housekeeping to laundry without formal training or documentation of competency. The review of LT A's employee file showed no evidence of completed competencies at the time of transition, and the competency checklist was only completed after the incident. Other staff interviews confirmed a lack of clarity and adherence to proper laundry protocols, particularly regarding the use of chemicals and pre-soaking procedures.