Orkin Launches New Service for Foodservice Industry

"SafeShield" Combines Comprehensive Pest Management and Food-Safety Training

ATLANTA, May 17, 2008 – Orkin Commercial Services, the largest provider of commercial pest management services in North America, launched a new service at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago today. Designed expressly for foodservice operators, the new SafeShield service combines Orkin’s comprehensive pest management with food-safety training for customers’ employees, providing foodservice operators with two essential services in one package.

”Local health departments increasingly require foodservice establishments to have employees certified in food safety,” said Orkin Training Director Ron Harrison, Ph.D. “Orkin has long been recognized as a leader in employee training, so it’s a natural progression to help restaurateurs train their employees as part of our service.”

Orkin’s new SafeShield service comes with two complimentary registrations for an online food-safety training course and a variety of written training materials – in English and Spanish – to help educate restaurant employees about food safety and preventing common pests.

”Just as pests can pose a risk to food safety, so can untrained employees,” said Harrison. ”Now foodservice operators can address two of the main threats to the safety of their products and the reputation of their brands.”

SafeShield’s online training course covers:

• Basic Food Safety

• Personal Hygiene

• Cross-contamination and Allergens

• Time and Temperature

• Cleaning and Sanitation

In addition to food safety training, SafeShield includes a bi-annual CleanSlate service – an extensive inspection and pest management protocol designed to fully prepare an establishment for health inspections. This proactive service helps ensure proper elimination of potential pest harborage areas through comprehensive inspections and Ultra Low Volume crack-and-crevice and spot treatments.

”Orkin services tens of thousands of restaurants across North America, so our ability to manage pests effectively in these environments is tried and true,” said Harrison. ”By choosing SafeShield, a foodservice operator further underscores their commitment to food safety through improved pest management, food handling, sanitation and hygiene practices.”