Rodent droppings, other pests found in Midlands school cafeterias in 2023. See your child’s school
Rodent droppings, dead pests in light fixtures and improperly sanitized dishes were among the findings of state health workers inspecting Midlands school cafeterias over the past year.
Of the 98 schools serving about 68,000 students in Richland 1, 2 and Lexington-Richland 5, 56 schools inspected by the Department of Health and Environmental Control had at least one violation. All but three were given scores in the 90s and 42 had perfect scores.
The lowest score, 82, was Dutch Fork Elementary in District 5. The Irmo school was cited for food boxes showing evidence of gnawing, residue in ice machines, rodent droppings on food prep tables and food not kept at proper temperatures. About 500 students attend the school.
Horrell Hill Elementary in Hopkins, a District 1 school with about 550 students, scored 88 and was cited for three violations relating to not keeping food cold or hot enough.
In Lexington Richland, the Center for Advanced Technical Studies scored 88 due to handwashing stations not having paper towels, rodent droppings and food preparation areas not being sanitized.
The Department of Health and Environmental Control conducts reoutine inspections in school cafeterias annually.
Here are summaries from DHEC’s online report with their score.
DISTRICT 1
AC Flora High, 90
Warewashing equipment not operating properly, employees did not use 200 ppm quaternary ammonium solution to wash dishes, improper holding temperatures and time for hot or cold food.
Eau Claire High 95
Mechanical warewashing machine not reaching adequate temperature for sanitizing, less than 10 foot-candles of light provided in walk-in freezer at dry storage area.
C.A. Johnson High 97
Hand washing signage not provided at sink beside coolers, hand sink not adequately sealed to wall.
Crayton Middle 99
Dishes not air dried properly before stacking.
Heyward Gibbes Middle 98
Build up of dust on vents and ceilings above food preparation areas.
Hopkins Middle 97
Dead pest in light fixture in dry storage areas.
W.G. Sanders Middle 92
Kitchen area/speed rack beside ovens/prepared pizzas 66 F, 4 hour time policy not followed.
Southeast Middle 98
Lack of food safety training certification.
St. Andrews middle 97
Large chest freezer lid in poor repair, condensate ponding on floor of main walk in cooler unit.
Bradley Elementary 97
Lack of current food safety training certification.
Brennan Elementary 97
Raw wooden pallet used as a shelf at the end of serving line.
Brockman Elementary 99
Chemical based sanitizer testing device not available, test kits provided were all expired 2018 and older.
Annie Burnside Elementary 98
Sink had a steady leak underneath.
Forest Heights Elementary 96
Food safety training certificate not available, dead roaches in bathroom and beneath equipment in kitchen.
Horrell Hill Elementary 88
Make Line/Warming Cabinet/ Hamburger Pans x3 at improper temperature, Salad Bar/ Deli Cubed Turkey 52 F, Cubed Ham 56 F, Cut Salad Base 47 F Four-hour limit on salad bar items not marked.
Hyatt Park Elementary 92
No food handler certificate, person named as food manager was not present, warewashing equipment not operating according to specifications, must operate, dishes placed in a sanitizing solution at an inadequate concentration before being stored as clean.
AJ Lewis Greenview Elementary 97
Two door reach in/ham and cheese wraps 62 F.
Meadowfield Elementary 98
Manager with certificate was at another site today.
Pine Grove Elementary 97
Back room/three compartment reach in cooler/boiled eggs 45 F, sliced cheese 46 F, shredded cheese 48 F, single serve yogurt 60 F.
H.B. Rhame Elementary 96
Hot water at the handwashing station is not maintained at 100 F or higher, milk crates used as racks to hold up product were not smooth and easily cleanable.
W.S. Sandel Elementary 97
Dark buildup in ice machine.
Edward Taylor Elementary 97
Person named on posted food safety certificate not present at time of inspection, damaged, unfinished wood in door frame of walk-in cooler. Gasket on walk-in cooler not forming adequate seal when closed. Kitchen hand sink not adequately sealed to the wall.
Watkins Nance 96
Lack of food safety certification, leakage beneath 3 compartment sink.
These schools all received a grade of 100%,
High schools — Columbia, Dreher, Keenan, Lower Richland
Middle schools — Alcorn, Hand, W.A. Perry
Elementary — Burton-Pack, Carver-Lyon, Caughman Road, Gadsden, Hopkins, Logan, Mill Creek, A.C. Moore, Rosewood, Satchel Ford, South Kilbourne, John P. Thomas, Webber
DISTRICT 2
Blythewood 99
Dust around tiles and vents throughout kitchen.
Richland Northeast 94
Written Employee Health clean-up of vomiting and diarrhea policies npt verified, no food temperature measuring device available.
Ridge View High Follow up
On measures to eliminate rodents, which were observed throughout the facility during previous inspection.
Westwood High 97
Wiping cloths were not stored in the proper dilution of lactic acid for sanitizing.
Dent Middle 99
Toilet room receptacle not covered.
E.L. Wright Middle 92
Food handlers certificate not verified, no designated person in charge during inspection, table top without temperature control/cooked hamburger 102 F, cooked hamburger 105 F., facility not recording times for hot and cold food.
Longleaf Middle 98
Sink and surface lactic acid sanitizer tested at 1130ppm tested with sink and surface test strips.
Muller Road Middle 97
Certified Food Protection Manager not verified/Person in Charge does not possess a CFPM certificate, wiping cloths not held at proper lactic acid dilution rate.
Summit Parkway 94
Over icing in walk in freezer, no thermometer strips or maximum registering thermometer available.
Bookman Road Elementary 98
Certified Food Protection Manager not observed.
Forest Lake Elementary 96
Test kits must be provided to accurately measure hot water for high temperature sanitizing. 3 compartment sink leaking on the top of the faucet.
Joseph Keels Elementary 92
Certified food protection manager certificate not available, make line/Warmer: Pizza 131 F, Meatball sub 127 F., salad mix 49 F.
Killian Elementary follow up
Food manager not verified, no maximum registering thermometer for high temp dish machine.
Lonnie B Nelson Elementary 95 folo
Cleanser not provided at hand sink, front line/serving table/turkey sandwich 62 F. Two door reach in cooler/turkey sandwiches 52 F. N.
L.W. Conder Arts Integrated Magnet folo 96
No adequate hand sink with hot and cold water provided in kitchen area, no hot water in then kitchen.
North Springs Elementary 96
No maximum registering thermometer or thermal strips available for hot water sanitizer machine.
Round Top Elementary 99
Wiping cloths not at proper lactic acid dilution for sanitizing.
Windsor Elementary 98
Sink surface sanitizer at 1130ppm tested with sink and surface test strips.
High and middle schools scoring 100 were: Spring Valley High, Blythewood Middle, Kelly Mill Middle.
Elementary — Bethel Hanberry, Bridge Creek, Catawba Trail, Jackson Creek, Lake Carolina Lower, Lake Carolina Upper, Langford, Polo Road, Pontiac, Rice Creek, Sandlapper
Lexington Richland District 5
Center for Advanced Technical Studies 88
Paper towels not provided at all hand washing stations, pots were only washed and rinsed before placing as clean, improper packaging of food, evidence of rodent activity, drying dishes with towels.
Chapin High 95
Build up inside ice machine, leak at top of dish machine.
Irmo High 97
Food safety manager certification not verified, maximum registering thermometer or thermal test strips not provided.
Spring Hill High 97
Build up inside ice machine.
Chapin Intermediate 97
Improper temperature control — Hot holding cabinet/Meatballs 110 F, front service line/Turkey 126 F.
Dutch Fork Middle 92
Build up of pink, brown and black inside ice machine, serving steam line chicken alfredo 100 F, plumbing leak under hand sink at front entry near dish room.
Irmo Middle 95
Person in charge lacks certification, kitchen carts/pizza oven area/~200 pizzas prepped this morning 61 F, reach-in front line/salad 47 F.
Ballentine Elementary 91
Hand washing cleanser not provided at hand sink next to warewashing area, facility had cooled popcorn chicken after service and stored in the walk-in cooler with the intent to reheat and serve a second time rather than discarding within four hours, rodent droppings in dry storage area, outdoor garbage receptacles without tight fitting lids and doors, drain plugs not provided for in-use outdoor garbage receptacles, mechanical warewasher temperature gauges indicating different temperature than what is required by data plate.
Dutch Fork Elementary 82
Food boxes with gnawing marks from rodents throughout dry storage, pink and black residue buildup in ice machine, rodent droppings observed on cutting boards stored as clean, serving line/ sausage patties 108 F, serving line/ cantaloupe 52 F. evidence of rodent activity in all kitchen areas, pressure gauge on dish machine indicating outside data plate specifications, rodent droppings on food prep tables and inside insulated bags.
HE Corley 98
Mechanical dishwasher pressure gauge indicating final rinse pressure greater than indicated standard on data plate.
Harbison West 98
Leakage underneath warewashing machine.
Irmo Elementary 98
Mechanical dishwasher machine readout display not functioning.
River Springs Elementary 98
Pressure gauge not indicating in adequate range on dish machine
Seven Oaks Elementary 97
Pressure gauge not indicating in adequate range on dish machine
Schools scoring 100 were Dutch Fork High, Chapin Intermediate, Chapin Middle, Chapin Elementary, Lake Murray Elementary, Leaphart Elementary, Oak Pointe Elementary, Piney Woods Elementary
