Inspectors in public and environmental health and occupational health and safety (NOC 2263)

Inspectors perform some or all of the following duties:

• inspect the sanitary conditions of restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals and other public facilities or institutions
• carry out surveys and monitoring programs of the natural environment to identify sources of pollution
• collect samples of water for analysis, measure physical, biological and chemical workplace hazards and carry out safety and environmental inspections
• investigate health and safety related complaints, spills of hazardous chemicals, outbreaks of diseases or poisonings and workplace accidents
• inspect workplaces to ensure that equipment, materials and production processes do not present a safety or health hazard to employees or to the general public
• develop, put into use and evaluate health and safety programs and strategies
• initiate enforcement procedures to fine or to close an establishment breaking 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

Work in this occupation is typically performed in a structured environment, such as an office, hospital or school, or an outdoor work environment where the worker is exposed to various weather conditions.

Also, workers may be exposed to chemicals that may endanger health through inhalation, absorption, ingestion, contact with skin or eyes, or potential for fire or explosion; infectious bacteria and viruses as a result of indirect contact with, or direct handling of, infectious materials or micro-organisms that may cause illness; or ionizing radiation such as X-rays and radioactive substances or non-ionizing radiation such as radio frequencies and infrared, ultraviolet or visible light that may affect health adversely.

Education, training & qualifications

• A bachelor's degree or college diploma in a discipline such as food science, environmental studies, chemistry or health and safety is usually required.
• In some establishments, several years of related work experience and the completion of in-house training courses may substitute for formal education.
• Public health inspectors employed outside Quebec require certification with the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors. • Occupational health and safety officers may require certification with the Association for Canadian Registered Safety Professionals.

Skills

• Spatial Perception
• Innovative
• Numerical Ability
• Detail-Oriented

View skills definitions

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

For more information about programs offered specifically for this career, visit EducationPlannerBC.