Unclean PTAC Units and Unclear Cleaning Responsibilities in Multiple Resident Rooms
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to maintain Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner (PTAC) units in a safe, clean, and comfortable condition in 8 of 26 resident rooms. Surveyors observed multiple PTAC units with patchy black, raised residue on the vent slats and accumulations of brown, white, and black particles on the internal surfaces behind the slats. In one room, 4 of 5 slats had black residue covering 50% of the left side of each slat, while in another room all 5 slats had black, raised residue covering 75% of the entire surface of each slat and the internal surface behind the vents. Additional rooms showed similar conditions, with varying degrees of residue and particle buildup on both the slats and the base behind the slats. These observations were made in rooms that were all occupied by two residents each, indicating that multiple residents were living in rooms with visibly dirty PTAC units. In one room, the base of the internal surface behind the slats was 75% covered with brown, white, and black particles, and in another room, 50% of that area was covered with similar debris. Other rooms had all 5 slats covered 25–50% with patchy black, raised residue, and in one room the base behind the vent slats was 75% covered with brown and black particles. The conditions remained unchanged when re-observed with the Director of Maintenance two days later. Interviews with facility staff revealed a lack of clear responsibility and routine processes for cleaning and inspecting the affected areas of the PTAC units. The Director of Maintenance stated that staff were expected to report issues through an electronic work order system, and he had not received any notifications about PTAC problems in the affected rooms. He reported that he inspected each room weekly but only looked at PTAC units during monthly filter changes, and he attributed the residue and particles to condensation and housekeeping activities. The Director of Housekeeping stated that housekeeping cleaned high- and low-touch areas daily, including only the perimeter of PTAC units, and performed monthly deep cleans, but considered the slats and base behind the slats to be outside areas that fell under Maintenance. Both the Maintenance and Housekeeping Directors were unable to describe a routine inspection or cleaning schedule for the slats and internal base of the PTAC units, and the Administrator acknowledged that the dirty PTAC units were unacceptable and that there was confusion between departments about cleaning responsibilities.
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