Description

Public and environmental health and safety professionals review, evaluate and monitor public health and environmental safety hazards and develop strategies to prevent, control and eliminate disease and environmental impact caused by biological and chemical factors. They inspect restaurants, industrial establishments, municipal water systems, public facilities, and institutions to ensure compliance with government regulations regarding sanitation, pollution control and the handling and storage of hazardous substances. They are employed throughout the public and private sectors.

Job Titles

• Environmental health officer
• Environmental officer
• Environmental safety advisor
• Hazardous waste inspector
• Pollution control inspector
• Public health inspector
• Public health inspectors supervisor
• Public safety consultant
• Public safety coordinator
• Public safety officer
• Restaurant inspector
• Rodent control inspector
• Water inspector

Main Duties

• Inspect the sanitary conditions of restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals and other public facilities or institutions
• Conduct surveys and monitoring programs of the natural environment to identify sources of pollution
• Collect biological and chemical samples and specimens for analysis; measure physical, biological and chemical; and conduct safety and environmental audits
• Investigate health and safety related complaints, spills of hazardous chemicals, outbreaks of diseases or poisonings
• Inspect workplaces to ensure that equipment, materials and production processes do not present environmental hazards to the environment or a health and safety hazard to employees or to the general public
• Lead the development and the implementation of public safety and environmental health and safety programs and strategies to mitigate risk and optimize the general public and worker’s health and safety and environmental protection
• Initiate enforcement procedures to fine or to close an establishment contravening municipal, provincial or federal regulations
• Provide consultation and deliver training programs to employers, employees and the general public on issues of public health, environmental protection or workplace safety.

Workplaces

• Establishments throughout the private and public sector

Skills

• Monitoring
• Critical Thinking
• Decision Making
• Evaluation
• Instructing

Abilities

• Problem Identification
• Auditory Attention
• Categorization Flexibility
• Colour Perception
• Deductive Reasoning

Personal Attributes

• Attention to Detail
• Active Learning
• Adaptability
• Analytical Thinking
• Collaboration

Similar Occupations

• Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers (22231)
• Occupational health and safety specialists (22232)
• Construction inspectors (22233)
• By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers (43202)
• Occupational hygienist (in 41400.02 Occupational or industrial hygienists)
• Ergonomists (41400.01)

Source: OaSIS