Kitchen Cleaning and Maintenance Lapses
Summary
The kitchen was not kept clean and sanitary in non-food contact areas because the ceilings, shelving, walls, and floors were not maintained in good repair and were visibly dirty. Survey observation on 04/13/26 found vents coming out of the ceiling above the dishwasher with no covering, wall surfaces behind the stove, grill, deep fryer, dishwashing machine drain area, and three-bin sink discolored and covered with cobweb/lint buildup, food splatters, and stains, and the air conditioning unit in the dishwashing room discolored with cobweb/lint buildup. Ceiling tiles above the metal shelving were discolored and broken, exit signs above the back door were covered in cobweb/lint buildup, and the metal shelving next to the kitchen entrance and the cabinet over the hand washing sink were also covered with cobweb/lint buildup. Staff interviews showed inconsistent understanding of who was responsible for cleaning these areas. A Dietary Aide said he/she tried to clean while working but there were not enough hours or enough people helping, that there were supposed to be two staff doing dishes, and that he/she did not know who was responsible for cleaning higher areas. Another Dietary Aide said he/she kept food surface areas clean and that there was a list for chores, but no one used it. A staff member said whoever was doing the dishes would clean the dishwashing area, that there used to be a cleaning schedule but it was not available, and that deep-cleaning was not getting done because there were not enough staff and no one knew what their job was. The floor in the kitchen and dishwashing area was also dirty and not maintained. Observation found an unused electrical outlet and large metal casing coming out of the floor with cobweb/lint buildup and food splatters, missing tiles under the dishwasher, and grime and grease buildup under and around the stove, grill, and deep fryer. The Dietary Manager stated the floors were listed on a cleaning schedule but it had not been used in a while, and that floors should be swept and mopped every day following every meal. The Maintenance Director and Administrator both stated that higher areas such as vents, ceiling tiles, and other elevated surfaces should be cleaned on a regular schedule, but staff interviews indicated those tasks were not being consistently assigned or completed.
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