Failure to Maintain Effective Pest Control for Flies and Gnats
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to maintain effective pest control for flies and gnats in both the kitchen and resident areas. During an initial kitchen tour, surveyors observed gnats and flies near the dish machine area, specifically around the drain and garbage disposal, along with a wet towel under the garbage disposal and visible crumbs and food debris under the dish machine table. A dietary aide stated that gnats and flies become severe if the floor is not kept clean and dry and reported that bleach is sometimes poured down the drain to reduce the number of pests. Additionally, the delivery door outside the kitchen entrance had visible gaps at the bottom and where the double doors meet, allowing potential entry points for pests. Multiple residents reported and demonstrated ongoing issues with flies and gnats in their rooms. One cognitively intact resident who uses a wheelchair and has hemiplegia and chronic pain had flies observed on the privacy curtain and window, and later reported that numerous flies in the facility interfered with sleep, with flies crawling on his arm and leg during the interview. Another cognitively intact resident with ataxia, dysphagia, major depressive disorder, and anxiety was seen using a fly swatter in his room, where two dead flies were on the floor and gnats were observed flying around and crawling on the sink. A third cognitively intact resident with Raynaud’s syndrome, glaucoma, and heart failure reported that gnats and flies were bad throughout the facility and stated she had no traps in her room, only a fly swatter. These observations and interviews showed that the pest issue was facility-wide and had the potential to affect all 47 residents.
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