Environmental Health Specialist

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Summary

Under general supervision of the Environmental Health Supervisor, conducts health and safety inspections and enforces health and food safety codes. Responsible for plan and specification reviews of commercial food establishments, including grocery stores, daycares, restaurants, convenience stores and concession stands; plan and specification reviews of residential and commercial swimming pools and spas. Investigates and traces cause and origination of food borne illnesses.

The intent of this position description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbent(s) in this position. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties in this description and incumbent(s) may be required to perform position-related tasks other than those specifically listed in this description.
Essential Job Functions & Other Important Duties
Essential Job Functions:

• Completes routine health inspections of commercial food establishments and mobile food sales, enforces ordinances, conducts re-inspections, and provides awareness education.
• Conducts walk through inspections on job sites while under construction to observe compliance with all health codes and ordinances.
• Perform epidemiological investigations of food borne illness outbreaks; prepare reports on causal factors.
• Assists in plan and specification reviews of commercial food establishments including grocery stores, daycare centers, restaurants, convenience stores and concession stands.
• Assists in plan and specification reviews of residential and commercial swimming pools and spas.
• Conducts routine pool inspections to ensure compliance with health and safety codes.
• Prepares, processes, and issues notices and/or citations.
• Investigates complaints; respond to and resolve inquiries.
• Prepares various reports on inspections and investigations and other reports as required.
• Takes water and food samples for laboratory testing and collects evidence for use in issuing citations or investigating complaints.
• Recommends changes in health and safety policies, procedures and ordinances.
• Maintains and updates health inspection databases.
• Assists in surveillance efforts in current health topics.
• Assists with the development of divisional policies and procedures.
• Coordinates work activity, as required with other federal, state and local agencies.
• Hours may vary according to seasonal and/or high demand needs which may require evening and weekend work hours.

Other Important Duties:

• Provides technical assistance to architects, engineers, developers, contractors and business owners on health and safety codes and ordinance requirements.
• Travels to conduct scheduled and non-scheduled inspections and to attend meetings, conferences and training.
• Attends functions and events aimed at promoting and educating general health, welfare and safety.
• Conducts classes and training on food safety.
• Performs other related duties or other Department functions as assigned.
• Regular and consistent attendance for the assigned work hours is essential.

Job Requirements
Required Knowledge and Skills:

• Proficiency in the use of mobile inspection equipment.
• Proficiency in the use of computers.
• Knowledge of Federal, State and City health and safety laws, codes, and ordinances.
• Knowledge of building codes and ordinances related to commercial and residential swimming pool construction, operation and safety issues.
• Knowledge of computers and related equipment, hardware and software for maintaining and tracking of safety and health inspections, annual reviews, and noncompliance issues.
• Knowledge and proficient use MS office suite products including Word, Excel & PowerPoint.
• Knowledge of City policies and procedures.
• Skill in effective oral and written communications.
• Skill in conducting inspections and investigations and enforcing codes and regulations.
• Skill in implementing section procedures and objectives.
• Skill in resolving customer complaints and concerns.

Preferred Education, Experience, and Certifications:

• Bachelor's Degree with a minimum of 30 semester hours of applied/environmental health sciences and two (2) years of food establishment inspection related experience or the ability to qualify to sit for the Registered Sanitarian or REHS (Registered Environmental Health Specialist) exam.
• Must obtain certification as a Registered Sanitarian or REHS within six (6) months of employment.
• Must obtain a Pool Operator Certification within twelve (12) months from of date of employment.
• Must obtain a Certified Food Manager (CFM) Certification within six months of date of employment.
• Must obtain Code Enforcement Officer Certification from Texas Department of Health within eighteen (18) months of date of employment.
• May be required to seek additional certifications.
• Preference given to individuals who are able to speak Spanish and English fluently.
• Must pass a pre-employment drug screen, criminal background and MVR check.
• Must possess valid State of Texas Drivers License.

Environmental Factors & Conditions/Physical Requirements
Environmental Factors and Conditions/Physical Requirements:

• Work is performed in office and field environments.
• May be exposed to insecticides, vectors and hazardous chemicals.

Physical Demands
This work typically requires the following physical activities to be performed. A complete description of the activities below is available upon request from Human Resources.

Physical Activities
(Required to perform essential job functions)
Balancing - maintain equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing, or crouching.
Climbing - ascending, descending ladders, stairs, ramps, requires body agility.
Reaching - extending hands or arms in any direction.
Repetitive Motion - substantial movements of wrists, hands, fingers.
Crouching - bending body forward by bending leg, spine.
Speaking - expressing ideas with spoken word, convey detailed, important instructions accurately, concisely.
Standing - for sustained periods of time.
Fingering - picking, pinching, typing, working with fingers rather than hand.
Talking 1- expressing ideas by spoken word.
Handling - picking, holding, or working with whole hand.
Visual Acuity 1 - prepare, analyze data, transcribing, computer terminal, extensive reading.
Hearing 2 - receive detailed information, make discrimination in sound.
Visual Acuity 2 - color, depth perception, field of vision.
Kneeling - bending legs at knee to come to rest at knees.
Mental Acuity - ability to make rational decisions through sound logic, deductive reasoning.
Visual Acuity 5 -close acuity for inspection of small defects, machines, use measurement devices, or fabricate parts.
Walking - on foot to accomplish tasks, long distances, or site to site.

Work Environment
Work performed is primarily:
Medium work : Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.Equipment and Tools Utilized:
Equipment utilized includes personal computer, copier, calculator, fax machine, ruler, scale, department vehicle and vector control equipment and tools.