Widespread Food Safety, Sanitation, and Hand Hygiene Failures in Dietary Services
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards and its own policies for food safety and sanitation. Facility policies required proper food storage, labeling, dating, covering of foods, use of utensils to avoid bare-hand contact, routine cleaning and sanitizing of equipment, and appropriate employee sanitary practices, including hair coverings. Surveyors observed multiple violations of these policies in the main kitchen, nourishment refrigerators on two units, and during tray line and tray pass observations. The Nursing Home Administrator (NHA) acknowledged that foods should be labeled, dated, and stored properly, that cleaning should be completed routinely, and that sanitary policies should be followed. In the kitchen, surveyors observed widespread cleanliness and storage issues. The ice machine had pink residue on a plastic guide and heavy dust on its water filter and hose. The shelving unit and drawers under the coffee maker were soiled with coffee grounds and spills, with dried coffee in contact with clean cup lids and juice caps stored with those lids. Food debris, including what appeared to be a piece of hot dog, was found on the floor between the ice machine and coffee stand. The beverage reach-in refrigerator contained multiple opened beverages (prune juice, thickened juices, milk) without open dates, an unlabeled red beverage that had spilled inside the unit, and a soiled base and surrounding floor. Additional issues included dusty and debris-contaminated lid storage bins, blender bases with food debris, a thickener bin with the scoop stored inside and a soiled lid, yellow powdery residue in a utensil drawer, heavily soiled stove and floors, food debris under and around equipment, soiled pot holders, and a mixer and dish room walls with food debris. The can opener had heavy black buildup despite policy requiring daily washing and sanitizing, and some spices were past the facility’s stated discard timeframe. Dish racks and dishes were stored upright and uncovered with visible debris, and utensils were found with dried residue and lying on a soiled counter used as a drying area. Test strips for the three-compartment sink included an expired bottle. Food storage and labeling deficiencies were also documented in the walk-in refrigerator, freezer, dairy cooler, dry storage, and nourishment refrigerators. In the walk-in units, surveyors found multiple opened items without dates (milk, thickened milk, juices, frozen blueberries), unlabeled or undated prepared foods (chicken and rice soup, meat patties, cheese slices), items past their discard dates (ham, pork), unsecured or partially unwrapped products, and an unlabeled bag of frozen food that staff identified only after questioning. Dry storage logs were incomplete, with no temperature entries after a certain date, and there was no thermometer or temperature log in a second dry storage area containing cereal and creamers. Opened bakery items and other dry goods (rolls, pecans, Craisins, pancake mix, sprinkles) lacked open dates or were unsecured. On the units, nourishment refrigerators contained opened thickened beverages and supplements without open dates, multiple unopened beverages and frozen items without resident names, and a cloth-covered ice pack labeled with a resident’s name stored on the same shelf as food. One nourishment refrigerator lacked a temperature log, and its freezer had no thermometer. Surveyors also identified failures in employee sanitary practices and dishwashing temperature monitoring. In the kitchen, the Dietary Manager handled expired hand sanitizer bottles while wearing gloves, discarded them, and then immediately returned to food preparation and continued making a quesadilla with the same gloves until stopped by the surveyor; he then acknowledged the issue and washed his hands only after being prompted. During tray line observation in the main dining room, a dietary aide wore a baseball cap with exposed hair and repeatedly used a gloved hand to touch and guide salmon patties, green beans, and noodles onto plates while also handling paper meal tickets. The aide then placed both gloved hands on the lid of a soiled linen hamper and returned to serving food without changing gloves or washing hands, which he confirmed he had been about to continue doing. During tray pass on one unit, approximately 20 meal trays were observed with small cups of pears that were uncovered while being transported through hallways, and the Dietary Manager stated that lids were available but not used. Review of the dishwasher temperature logs showed repeated failures to meet the required minimum final rinse temperature of 180°F and, on at least one occasion, a wash temperature below the required 140°F. Across multiple dates in November, December, and January, final rinse temperatures were documented in the 150s and 160s, below the facility’s stated minimum. One day’s wash and rinse temperatures were scribbled out, and no additional information was provided regarding these temperature deficiencies. Kitchen cleaning logs requested by surveyors were not provided. In interviews, the NHA and Director of Nursing confirmed that staff should not have returned to food preparation with contaminated gloves or touched food directly, and the NHA acknowledged that dietary staff had been refilling and continuing to use expired hand sanitizer bottles and that the kitchen could have followed sanitary guidelines better.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
Unsafe Food Storage and Dishwashing Practices: Surveyors observed dented cans in dry storage, a walk-in freezer at 10 F with ice cream, buns, and popsicles soft or showing signs of melt/refreeze, and a handwashing sink trash can that required hand contact to open. Staff were seen carrying used paper towels across the kitchen to overflowing trash cans, and a Dishwasher moved between dirty and clean dish tasks, handled cigarettes in a puddle, and unloaded clean items without changing gloves or performing hand hygiene. The DON/Administrator and Dietary leadership acknowledged the concerns during interview.
Kitchen staff failed to follow food storage and sanitation standards when unlabeled, undated food items were found in the walk-in freezer and refrigerator, an uncovered garbage can was observed next to the prep table, and a DC was not wearing a hair restraint over his mustache area. Staff interviews confirmed that labeling, dating, covering the garbage can, and wearing hair restraints were expected responsibilities, and facility policies required covered, labeled, and dated refrigerated and frozen foods as well as proper personal cleanliness in food prep areas.
Food storage, labeling, and sanitation practices were not followed in the kitchen. Sanitizer buckets tested outside the manufacturer range, numerous prepared and packaged foods were found unlabeled, missing open or use-by dates, or expired across multiple storage areas, and a cook handled raw chicken with contaminated gloves after touching a speaker without removing the gloves or performing hand hygiene.
Improper Hair Restraints During Food Preparation and Service: Kitchen staff were observed serving and preparing meals without properly covering all hair. One staff member wore a beanie that left braids uncovered while assisting with the noon meal, and another wore a headband with hair uncovered while preparing the noon meal. Interviews confirmed staff understood hair restraints were required to keep hair out of food, and the facility policy required all employees in food prep areas to wear a hairnet or hair covering.
Unsafe food storage was identified in the main kitchen and in 1 of 2 nourishment rooms. The walk-in freezer had no stand-alone thermometer, and the 300 Hall nourishment room freezer registered 30 degrees Fahrenheit with 7 thawed ice cream bars stored inside. The Kitchen Manager acknowledged the missing thermometer and confirmed the thawed items.
Food storage, labeling, and sanitation deficiencies were observed in the kitchen and a serving kitchenette. Undated and unlabeled food items were found in refrigerators and freezers, milk was present past its best-by date, food debris and sticky residue were noted in freezer areas, a ceiling vent was dirty, and cooks with beards were observed without beard nets. The DD verified the findings, and staff stated items past date should be discarded and food items should be labeled and dated when stored.
Unsafe Food Storage and Dishwashing Practices
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure food was safely stored and prepared and that dishes were sanitarily washed during kitchen operations. On 06/16/2026, surveyors observed the dry storage area with a canned food rack containing one dented can of mandarin oranges and two dented cans of apples. On 06/17/2026, additional observations showed two more dented cans of mandarin oranges in the dry storage can rack, and a dented can of apples was also observed next to the industrial can opener on the prep station. Surveyors also observed multiple sanitation and cross-contamination concerns in the kitchen and dishwashing areas. The kitchen handwashing sink had a trash can with a lid that was not operable by foot, requiring staff to lift the lid by hand to discard used paper towels. Staff M, the Dietary Manager, and Staff O, a Dietary Aid, were observed carrying used paper towels across the kitchen to trash cans near the tray line and prep station, including one overflowing trash can with trash sitting on top of the lid and used paper towels falling out onto the tray line. Staff N, the Dishwasher, was observed handling dirty dishes, moving to the clean dish area, unloading clean dishes, and handling clean silverware without changing gloves, and at one point picked up cigarettes from a puddle in the dishwashing area with gloved hands and then returned to dish duties without a glove change. The walk-in freezer was also observed at 10 degrees Fahrenheit, with items such as single-serve ice cream, hot dog buns, ice cream buckets, and popsicles soft to the touch, not frozen, or showing signs of having melted and refrozen. Staff P, Director of Operations, stated the single-serve ice creams should not have been soft and identified some frozen items as belonging to the activity department. Staff M stated the freezer had not been cooling correctly on 06/17/2026. During interviews, Staff P stated dishwashers should remove gloves, perform hand hygiene, and don new gloves when moving between dirty and clean dishes, and Staff A, the Administrator, stated the facility needed to re-wash all kitchen items to ensure they were not contaminated. The cited regulation was WAC 388-97-1100(3), -2980.
Kitchen Food Storage and Sanitation Failures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards in the kitchen. During a kitchen tour, surveyors observed an uncovered garbage can next to the food prepping table, and the DC was not wearing a hair restraint to cover his mustache area. Surveyors also found food items in the walk-in freezer and walk-in refrigerator that were not labeled and did not have use-by dates. In the walk-in freezer, items that resembled scones, cookie doughs, apple scones, cinnamon rolls, and white chocolate scones were stored in clear plastic bags with no labels and no use-by dates. In the walk-in refrigerator, what resembled whipped topping was also stored in a clear plastic bag with no use-by date. The EC stated that kitchen staff were responsible for labeling and dating food items, and that staff had been in a hurry and forgot to do so. The EC also stated that the garbage can should have been covered when not in use and that the DC had removed his hair restraint and forgotten to put it back on. During interviews, the DC stated he was responsible for labeling and dating food items along with other kitchen staff, and that he had forgotten to do so. He also stated he had just gotten out of the bathroom and had forgotten to use the hair restraint. The RD, DM, and ADM each stated that kitchen staff were responsible for labeling and dating food items, that the garbage can should have been covered when not in use, and that all kitchen staff should have worn hair restraints while prepping. The facility policies reviewed stated that refrigerated and frozen foods are to be covered, labeled, and dated, that garbage cans should have lids replaced, and that food employees in preparation areas should wear hair restraints and beard restraints.
Food Storage, Labeling, and Hand Hygiene Failures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store, prepare, and maintain food and food-contact sanitation in accordance with food safety standards. During observations in the main kitchen, two sanitizer buckets were found with sanitizer concentrations that tested at 0 ppm and 100 ppm, which did not match the manufacturer-recommended range posted in the kitchen areas. Follow-up testing later showed one set of buckets at 100 ppm, another at 350 ppm, and then again at 0 ppm on a later observation. Facility leadership gave differing explanations about which sanitizer dispenser should have been used and whether the buckets needed to be tested before use. The facility also had multiple food items in the main kitchen walk-in refrigerator, freezer, dry storage area, nourishment cooler, and unit kitchens that were unlabeled, missing use-by dates, missing open dates, or expired. Observations included prepared foods such as pancakes, French toast, pureed meats, vegetables, cheeses, eggs, desserts, breads, sauces, and individual serving cups that were stored without required date markings or with dates that had already passed. Several items in manufacturer packaging were also found without open dates or use-by dates, and some expired items remained in storage, including cereal, bread mix puree, dessert sauces, butter pats, and therapeutic nutrition supplements. During food preparation, a cook handling raw chicken thighs with gloves stopped to touch a speaker while still wearing the same gloves, then returned to handling the raw chicken without removing the gloves or performing hand hygiene. The DCNS stated the cook should have removed the gloves, washed hands, and put on clean gloves before returning to food preparation. The report also notes that the facility’s policy required handwashing before preparing food, after contamination, when returning to a workstation, and when switching between raw and ready-to-eat foods.
Improper Hair Restraints During Food Preparation and Service
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety in 1 of 1 kitchen reviewed for dietary services. During an observation on 06/10/2026 at 12:00 p.m., DA was assisting with serving the noon meal while wearing a black beanie that covered the top of his head but left his hair braids uncovered. During an observation on 06/11/2026 at 10:45 a.m., DM was preparing the noon meal while wearing a black headband with her hair uncovered. During interviews, DA stated the purpose of a hair net was to keep hair from getting into food and said he did not need to cover his braids, only his beard and top of head. He stated he had been trained in hair restraints while in the kitchen. DM stated all kitchen staff were to wear hair restraints covering all hair, including braids, and said she was aware DA was not properly wearing his hair restraint and had done an in-service with him on proper hair restraints on 06/10/2026. She also stated she wore a hair net over her head band but forgot to put it on. The ADM stated he was not aware kitchen staff were not properly wearing hair restraints and said all staff had been in-serviced on proper hair restraints while in the kitchen. Record review showed the facility policy required all employees in food preparation or utensil washing areas to wear a hairnet or hair covering.
Unsafe Food Storage in Kitchen and Nourishment Room Freezer
Penalty
Summary
Food was not stored in a safe manner in the main kitchen and in 1 of 2 nourishment rooms. During the initial tour of the main facility kitchen, there was no thermometer in the walk-in freezer, and the Kitchen Manager acknowledged that a stand-alone thermometer was not present. In the 300 Hall nourishment room freezer, the thermometer registered 30 degrees Fahrenheit, and there were 7 thawed ice cream bars stored inside. The Kitchen Manager confirmed the freezer temperature and agreed the ice cream bars were thawed. The facility policy titled Food & Beverage Standards of Excellence stated that food will be purchased, stored, prepared, and served in a sanitary manner and that proper food temperature is required.
Food Storage, Labeling, and Kitchen Sanitation Deficiencies
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure food items were properly labeled, dated, stored, and kept clean in the main kitchen and a 3rd floor kitchenette. During observation of the main kitchen, a walk-in storage freezer had boxes stored on the floor and frozen tater tots scattered across one corner of the freezer floor. A refrigerator used for some independent living residents contained a tray of tartar sauce portion cups that were undated, and the bottom shelf was dirty with crumbs and food debris. A walk-in freezer had sticky floors and frozen sausage links scattered on the floor. In the main kitchen refrigerator, a tray of red sauce portion cups was not labeled or dated, a Ziplock bag of sliced meat had a date of 5/6 and appeared to have a grayish white tint, and another Ziplock bag of seasoned meat was in a container with no label or date. A ceiling vent above the main stove had brown/black dust and dirt on it. The Dietary Director verified the undated and unlabeled food items, the food spilled on the freezer floors, the dirty vent, and the lack of a beard net on a cook with a short trimmed beard. In the 3rd floor kitchenette, the small refrigerator by the steam table contained 2 half gallons of skim milk, including one unopened container with a best by date of 6/7/26 and one opened container with approximately 1/2 cup left with a best by date of 6/6/26. A cook with a medium length beard was working on the serving side of the kitchenette and was not wearing a beard net. Nursing staff stated the milk should be tossed, and the cook stated the morning cooks should have reviewed the refrigerator items and that items past their dates should be thrown out. The Dietary Director and administrator stated staff were expected to ensure food items were dated and labeled when stored, refrigerators were reviewed for out-of-date items, beard nets were worn in the kitchen and serving areas, and refrigerators, freezers, and ceiling vents were clean.
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