HospitalInspections.org

Based on observation, interview and document review the facility failed to maintain a sanitary environment in two of two departments observed.

Department #1
On 7/11/2012 at 9:30 AM a tour of the laundry services revealed a wall that had been built with a sheet rock surface. The wall had not been painted. An interview with staff member # 1 revealed the wall was 5 years old and had never been completed. The tape had never been sanded and the wall had never been painted.

12 ceiling tiles were observed to be heavily stained with brown rings and 4 tiles were missing all together.

During the same tour the wall which was behind 3 commercial washers was observed to be constructed of cinder block, a 4 inches pipe was observed running through a square hole in the block wall. The free space around the pipe was open and large enough a rodent could access the clean laundry area. A square hole with free space was also observed for electrical wiring that ran through the same block wall. Cob webs were observed on the flat surface of the wall and heavy gray lint build up was observed on the pipes which ran through the laundry room ceiling.

During the same tour a rear outside exit door was observed with a towel packed between the floor and the base of the door. When staff #1 was asked about the towel she reported there was an inch of space between the floor and the base of the door and crickets and lizards would come in if the towel was not there. She went on to explain that when it rained, water ran in under the door into the clean laundry area.

During the same tour a male laundry staff person was observed sorting dirty linen. The employee was wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). The laundry worker sorted the dirty laundry into a rolling hopper then pushed the hopper with dirty laundry to the washer and placed the dirty laundry in the washer. After the washer had cycled through its cleaning program the same employee wearing the same PPE pulled the clean laundry out and placed it in the hopper and rolled it to the dryer where employee #1 placed it in the dryer.

A review of laundry policies and procedures did not reveal a policy for guiding the staff on cross contamination issues of wearing the same PPE to pull the clean linen from the washers that has been worn to sort the dirty laundry. There was no hand washing sink or hand sanitizer available for the staff to clean their hands.

Department #2

On 7/11/2012 at 11:00 AM a tour of the dietary department revealed:
- one dented gallon can of vegetables
- many unlabeled food items, which had been opened, then placed in the refrigerators and coolers .
- Hard boiled eggs that were observed in factory sealed bags that were not dated with a "use by" date or "received date".
- The dish washing machine temperature log revealed a recorded final rinse cycle temperature of 156 degrees rather than the 200 degrees that was visible on the gauge.
-A review of the temperature requirements for the final rinse cycle of the dish washing machine was printed as no less than 180 degrees.