Job Description

Posting number: 04179

Department: Public Health

Job classification: Environmental Health Spec

Posting type: Open

Categories: Environmental Services, Public Health

Summary

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES

This is professional environmental health work in the promotion of public health through education, surveillance, consultation, inspection, and enforcement of State, local, and Federal environmental health laws and regulations. Employees are responsible for the performance of professional environmental health services through the application of principals of Epidemiology, Environmental Health Science, and Public Health Law. Work is performed under the direction and supervision of an Environmental Health Manager in the Public Health Department.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS

Employees are involved in educating the general public on environmental matters, inspecting, providing advice on the correction of environmental problems, and enforcing state, local, and federal laws relating to the environment in one distinct environmental program.

Examples of duties

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Public contact may be through telephone calls, written correspondence, personal visits with clients, or their agents, in the office, and in the field.
• Conducts inspections of well sitings, installation of well casing, emplacement of well grout, final well head completion, well repairs and well abandonment.
• Conducts inspections on new and repaired grout for conventional septic tank systems, and conventional systems with pump.
• Determines sanitation grades.
• Conducts sanitation evaluations for a wide range of food service operations (large and small), sandwich manufactures, meat markets, institutional food service, swimming pools, water parks, child day care facilities and medical residential care facilities.
• Conducts soil evaluations on single family residences, multiple family residences, commercial, greater than 1000 gallon/day, bedroom additions and sub-divisions, to determine their suitability for on-site sewage treatment and disposal systems.
• Designs sub-surface waste disposal systems.
• Examines, evaluates, and approves construction plans and specifications with architects, engineers, plant personnel, and dairy farmers.
• Visits sites to determine facility is being constructed according to the approved plans and/or to approve altered or non-submitted plans.
• Participates in Epidemiology investigations.
• Collects samples of pollution material for purpose of analysis.
• Sets up computer applications for services, writes permits, sends letters and other correspondence, completes daily, weekly, and monthly forms, documents and maintains service files and makes appropriate computer entries.
• Participates in public health educational programs with schools, realtors, and developers.
• Assists in the training of trainee employees assuring consistent field quality control.
• Monitors and conducts investigations of proper disposal of garbage, rubbish, solid waste, demolition debris and hazardous materials.
• Performs related duties as required.

RECRUITMENT STANDARDS

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Working knowledge of environmental health laws, rules, and procedures, as well as a complete understanding of the concepts of public health law.
• General knowledge of community resources.
• Working knowledge of the responsibilities of other agencies involved in environmental health work.
• Working knowledge of the interrelationship between socio-economic factors and environmental concerns.
• Working knowledge of environmental health laws, rules, and procedures, as well as complete understanding of the concepts of public health law.
• Knowledge of microbiology, biology, chemistry, food science, epidemiology, soil science, entomology, and basic engineering technology as applied to environmental health practices.
• Working knowledge of inspection methods and investigation techniques as applied in environmental health issues.
• Ability to analyze and comprehend a wide variety of technical and administrative regulations, records, and reports.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and deal tactfully with a wide range of public contacts while enforcing public health laws and regulations.
• Ability to motivate and educate business and property owners and the public in matters related to protecting and promoting public health.
• Ability to present formal environmental health training programs.
• Ability to develop and express ideas and opinions concisely, comprehensively, and clearly in oral and written form.
• Ability to independently plan and schedule work activities.
• Ability to apply environmental health knowledge and techniques in the investigation of environmental health problems.
• Ability to analyze, evaluate and recommend appropriate child support action.
• Ability to communicate effectively with parents of minor dependent children, law enforcement agencies and Judiciary personnel to obtain pertinent information.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with other employees and the general public.
• Ability to present information orally or in report form.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree or postgraduate degree from a program that is accredited by the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC); OR,
• Bachelor’s degree or postgraduate degree in public health and one year of experience in the field of environmental health practice; OR,
• Bachelor’s degree or postgraduate degree with a minimum of 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours in the physical, biological, natural, life, or health sciences and one year of experience in the field of environmental health practice.

AND

• Registered Environmental Health Specialist as outlined in Article 4, Chapter 90A of the NC General Statutes; AND,
• Valid driver’s license

Trainee Appointment:

Eligible to be registered as an Environmental Health Specialist Intern within 60 days of employment. Employee may remain EHS intern until registration as an Environmental Health Specialist or up to two years, whichever comes first.

Supplemental information

Physical Demands and Work Conditions

Sits, walks, stands, climbs, kneels during a workday. Must be able to physically perform the basic life support functions of walking, fingering, grasping, talking, and hearing. Periodically, may be required to lift up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Must have the visual acuity to record observations, to read and analyze, to prepare data and figures and to access and input environmental health findings into a computer terminal. Employee is subject to both inside and outside environmental conditions. Employee is subject to noise, dust, rain, snow, mud, sewage and odors from biological substance spills. Exposure to dangers encountered around heavy equipment and rough, and uneven terrain.

Driving is Essential

Driving is an essential requirement of this position whether driving a County owned or personal vehicle to conduct county business. Motor Vehicle Reports may be verified for valid driver's license and that the driving record is compatible with the county's driving criteria.

If a personal vehicle is operated for county business proper insurance is maintained as per Guilford County's vehicle use policy.

Special Note

This generic class description gives an overview of the job class, its essential job functions and recommended job requirements. However, for each individual position assigned to this class, there is available a completed job description with physical abilities checklist which can be reviewed before initiating a selection process. They can provide additional detailed information on which to base various personnel actions and can assist management in making legal defensible personnel decisions.