Education The Food Protection Unit provides individual or group training to all food shop operators who request it. The division is certified to administer the ServSafe® course which consists of training food handlers in food safety concepts that prevent the risk of food-borne illness. Food workers who successfully pass the final exam are certified in food safety practice. Food Program Components: Micro Markets (Please review the following Fact Sheet for additional information) Food Service Operations Retail Food Establishments Mobile Food Service and Retail Operations Temporary Food Service and Temporary Retail Operations Food Service Vending Machine Locations ServSafe® Essentials Course is the nationally recognized training program developed by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. This voluntary program is designed to educate foodservice operators in food safety, safe food handling practices, food borne illness prevention, and all related areas to ensure a safe and productive operation. Attendees are “certified in food protection” (by the National Restaurant Association and Ohio Department of Health) after completing 16 contact hours and successfully passing a standardized exam. ServSafe® certification is valid for five years. Person-In-Charge Training The P.I.C. class is designed to introduce and prepare all attendees with a broad perspective of properly operating a safe and productive operation. The State of Ohio mandates that all retail food service operations and retail food establishments must have a Person-In-Charge (P.I.C.) during all hours of operation. The person-in-charge must have a working knowledge of food safety, food borne illness recognition and prevention, employee exclusions and restrictions, as well as accompany public health sanitarians during inspections. Attendees receive a certificate of attendance after completing the course (approximately 2-3 contact hours). The Cleveland Department of Public Health may also design classes and presentations specific to your operational requirements. Please see attached link for current flyers for ServSafe 2014 and PIC 2015