Persistent Sewage Odor and Poor Sanitation in Shower Room
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a safe, clean, and comfortable environment when a pervasive sewage odor was present in the shower room and adjacent hallway used by multiple residents. On observation, the shower room had an overwhelming sewage smell strong enough to cause the surveyor’s eyes to water, and the nearby hallway also smelled of sewage. A CNA reported that at least three residents used this shower and that, even with the door closed, a sulfur-like odor would spread into the hallway; she stated she did not think anyone knew what was wrong. One resident, who had lived in the facility for three years, stated the smell had been present since his admission, that bleach had once been poured into the drain with only temporary improvement, and that the odor had recently worsened, making him hate using the shower but feeling he had no other option. The Maintenance Director acknowledged that the smell in the shower room was “about normal” and had always been present, and stated that plumbers had evaluated the issue and told him there was nothing wrong, while also noting that residents did not use the shower during the day so housekeeping could clean it then. However, a contracted plumber reported that on a prior visit his company had identified a leaking toilet in the shower room and advised the Maintenance Director that the toilet needed to be pulled and resealed with new bolts, warning that failure to do so would allow sewage odor to escape whenever toilets in the facility were flushed. On a subsequent visit, the plumbers found the issue had not been corrected, and the technician reported the Maintenance Director acknowledged he should have completed the recommended work. An anonymous family member stated that whenever their relative used the shower room it was dirty, smelled like sewage, and appeared as if it was never cleaned, with hair and debris consistently present in the drains. Invoices from the plumbing service documented visits for checking the smell in the drain and work related to the floor drain and main line in the tub room.
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