Public health inspectors assist and inform the public about environmental health and safety.
Public health inspectors protect people's health and safety by monitoring health hazards in the environment and enforcing the Principles of the Ethical Practice of Public Health. They inspect publicly accessible areas, such as restaurants, hospitals, recreational centers and workplaces. Public health inspectors also assess the sanitary conditions of shared environmental resources, such as water and air quality. They educate the public about the regulatory requirements for public health and safety and socialize best practices for reducing hazardous conditions in publicly accessible areas.
Career Profile
Public health inspectors collect data about the environment and evaluate the effectiveness of public health and safety programs. They study and evaluate unsanitary conditions and risks to physical and mental health, such as the quality and purity of food, noxious odors, water supplies, insect or rodent infestations, infectious waste disposal, defective plumbing, lead-based paint and mold exposures, plus many others. Public health inspectors conduct inspections in a variety of settings. Many tasks involve observation, considerable time in the field and lab, data collection, research and some frequent travel.
Skills for Success
Individuals with a strong interest in the applied sciences and a genuine desire to serve the community are best suited for jobs as public health inspectors. In general, people aspiring for careers in occupational health are responsible and enjoy performing detailed work. They are curious and possess investigative skills that they hone throughout their career. Successful public health inspectors are inquisitive, knowledgeable about the principles and best practices for public health, safety and sanitation and enjoy interacting with the public.
Education and Training
There are many pathways to employment for occupational health careers. Post-secondary school and work experience are standard ways of obtaining the knowledge required for public health inspector jobs. Many inspectors possess an associate's degree, while others only have a high school diploma and gain experience through volunteer work and coursework in English, mathematics, chemistry, biology and physics. Employers in the industry typically provide on-the-job training and support enhancing job skills through credentialing. Public health inspectors can achieve professional credentials from The Council on Certification of Health, Environmental and Safety Technologists.
Work Conditions and Occupational Hazards
The duties of public health inspectors are mentally, emotionally and physically strenuous. Public health inspectors might experience personal threats or assaults from organizations that do not agree with their analysis and recommendations. When performing inspections or conducting field work, public health inspectors can develop infections or illnesses from exposure to sick people, infectious diseases and biological waste. They are also at risk of bodily harm from bites and stings by parasites, rodents and insects. Public health inspectors also might encounter toxic chemicals and other dangerous bacteria when working in the lab.
Earnings Projection
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates occupational health and safety inspectors, including public health inspectors, in the United States earn average annual salaries ranging from $37,910 to $93,210, as of May 2009. The annual mean salary is $63,230 for all occupational health and safety specialist occupations in the United States, as of May 2009. Public health inspectors employed by medical and surgical hospitals, or a federal executive branch of government, earn the most, with annual mean wages of $64,200 and $76,320, respectively, as of May 2009.
Tags: health inspectors, health safety, occupational health, public health, Public health, Public health
