Public Health Inspector

Public Health Inspectors as they are known in Canada are known as Environmental Health Officers internationally.

Public Health Inspectors have a university degree in Applied Science and a national professional certificate in Public Health Inspection - C.P.H.I.(C). They bring to the position an understanding of microbiology, risk assessment, environmental science and technology, food science, as well as skills and knowledge related to the tracking and control of communicable disease and the investigation and enforcement of legislation related to public health and the environment. Working in partnership with the Ministries of Health, Agriculture and the Environment, local municipalities, businesses, community groups and agencies as well as individual members of the community the Public Health Inspector plays a major role as the field representative for the Medical Officer of Health.

You could think about public health inspectors as your guardians for safe food, clean water, disease protection and more. They are the people you talk to if you are testing your well water, concerned about food safety or if you have questions about rabies. If there is a food poisoning outbreak, it's the public health inspectors who will be called in to track down the cause. Keeping the community healthy means that a great deal of their work is preventive. They promote safe ways of handling food in community settings and at home, ensuring restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals, institutions and other food services prepare and serve food safely. They inspect a variety of non-food premises including swimming pools, recreational camps, arenas and residential facilities for conformance to safety and health requirements. They share information on how to prevent the spread of communicable diseases such as rabies and food poisoning; and test drinking and recreational water supplies and promote ways to protect them from contamination by harmful chemicals and sewage. They act as a consultant to the community with relation to potential health hazards and ensure that action is taken to protect public health if necessary. Your public health inspectors are also the people who are responsible for enforcing the Tobacco Control Act - in other words, they are the people who make sure shops aren't selling cigarettes to underage consumers.