WEST PEORIA – McDonald’s was investigated by the Peoria Health Department after a video went viral of an employee taking a breathalyzer while on the job.
The video, posted on Facebook by Peoria resident Tia Smith on Monday, Nov. 18, shows an unnamed employee using a nebulizer in a food preparation area. Smith, who had taken her children to McDonald’s for pancakes, took out her phone to film the employee through the drive-thru window and can be heard expressing disbelief at what she saw.
“This is bad,” Smith says in his video, posted at 6:05 a.m. “And I’m about to send my food back. It’s horrible. You guys are going to have to eat grandma’s oatmeal. This is horrible.”
Smith told the Journal Star that he asked for a refund, which the store granted.
He said he had no further contact with the woman or management, opting to file a complaint with the Peoria County Health Department instead. There were two other employees visible in the store at the time, Smith said, and they did not comment on the situation.
Smith, who faced the challenge of posting the video, said he was concerned about the risk of spreading infectious diseases. He said the shop staff should be better trained on how to prevent such incidents in the future.
“I think McDonald’s should be ashamed that their employee felt he had to work before taking care of his health,” Smith said. “I think that should be taken seriously, and also to protect everyone.”
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McDonald’s was found in violation by the Peoria health department
McDonald’s at 627 Western Avenue in West Peoria.
Stephanie Streight, environmental health coordinator with the Peoria County Health Department, said the health department received Smith’s video and complaint Nov. 19, and the inspection was carried out on the same day.
A copy of the inspection report obtained by the Journal Star found three violations.
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The employee did not wash his hands between using the nebulizer and preparing food.
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An employee used an aerosolized nebulizer for treatment in a food preparation area that could be toxic to some people. The area where the incident took place had already been cleaned and sanitized before the investigation, the report said.
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The employee was at risk of infection when the nebulizer hoses “were circulating to various food preparation areas and floors potentially causing contamination.”
According to the report, the restaurant was aware of the situation by the time the inspector arrived.
The inspector educated the person in charge at the time about the violation and the rationale for food safety, including whether the chemicals were toxic or allergenic to consumers. The Ministry of Health has recommended creating an area away from food preparation where an employee can take respiratory medicine and wash their hands before returning to work.
Before Nov. 19 review, the last appointment reviewed Oct. 15, according to the Peoria County Health Department. During that inspection, two violations were found: the accumulation of dirt and debris in the ice machine baffle, which was fixed during the inspection by the operator, and the hand sink near the breakdown chamber, which must be repaired by the next one. checking regularly.
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Advice from the health department on prescribing medicines
According to the Food and Drug Administration’s Food Code, all personal medications, including those prescribed, must be properly stored in a designated area and kept separate from those that come into contact with food to prevent possible contamination.
Streight said that while incidents like this can happen if a worker is short, it’s better to build time in to get the medication dispensed.
“If people do that at work … we ask that people do that in the office or some other place that’s not visible to food or dining areas,” Streight said.
The Journal Star was unable to reach the employee in the video. A family member did not respond to requests for comment.
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This article originally appeared on the Journal Star: After viral video at McDonald’s, Peoria health department finds breach.