According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 48 million Americans get sick from foodborne diseases, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die each year. For foodservice employees handling food, it's essential they understand how to prevent cross-contamination and maintain a safe kitchen environment at all times. In partnership with the Ohio Restaurant Association (ORA), Cintas Corporation, a leader in first-aid and safety compliance training, will host a two-day ServSafeR training course January 21–22 for Ohio-based foodservice organizations in five cities. To register for courses in Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Dayton, and Toledo, organizations should call 877-973-2811.
"It only takes one food safety incident to devastate a business," says Tom Lally, director of Training & Compliance, Cintas. "Foodservice is the third largest private sector employer in Ohio and food safety training is vital to keeping these operations compliant with regulations and safe for employees and patrons."
Food safety training is mandatory when an establishment has been implicated in a foodborne disease outbreak and when there has been documented failure to maintain sanitary conditions. The National Restaurant Association's ServSafe Food Safety Training and Certification is recognized by more federal, state and local jurisdictions than any other food safety certification. Cintas' experienced and certified ServSafe instructors can conduct training onsite or at the nearest Cintas First Aid and Safety facility. Participants will learn food safety, personal hygiene and cleaning and sanitation techniques, cross-contamination prevention strategies and important information about allergens, time and temperature.
"The ORA is dedicated to preserving the state's restaurant industry and food safety education is key to ensuring long-term success for businesses and clean foodservice environments for guests," days Jarrod Clabaugh, director of Communications, ORA. "In partnership with Cintas, we hope to expand food safety training to more foodservice employees across Ohio."
