Health inspector

A health inspector, or Environmental Health Specialist is a public employee who investigates health hazards in a wide variety of locations, then will take action to mitigate or eliminate the hazards. Usually the public perception of a health inspector is someone who examines restaurants and ensures they maintain sanitary standards for food safety set by the regulating authority. However, most health inspectors have broader job duties, including inspecting swimming pools, substandard housing conditions, public schools, day cares, nursing homes, and personal service establishments such as tattoo parlours. Depending on their jurisdiction, Registered Environmental Health Specialists often permit and inspect wells, private water systems, or individual subsurface sewage disposal (septic) systems. Other tasks include, public swimming pool inspections, campground inspections and mobile home park inspection.

They may also investigate complaints relating to the above areas, as well as other environmental health concerns such as animal bites, garbage complaints, odor complaints, or sewage overflows. The field also overlaps with Hazmat and many Hazmat responders are also licensed Registered Environmental Health Specialists.

Working Conditions

Occupational health and safety specialists and technicians work with many different people in a variety of environments. Their jobs often involve considerable fieldwork, and some travel frequently. Many occupational health and safety specialists and technicians work long and often irregular hours.

Occupational health and safety specialists and technicians may be exposed to many of the same physically strenuous conditions and hazards as industrial employees, and the work may be performed in unpleasant, stressful, and dangerous working conditions. They may find themselves in an adversarial role if the management of an organization disagrees with the recommendations for ensuring a safe working environment.