ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES: 

Primarily involved in educating the public on environmental matters, inspecting, advising on the correction of environmental problems, enforcing State and local laws relating to the environment with respect to restaurants and other food handling establishments, sewage treatment and disposal systems, swimming pools, summer camps, residential care facilities, lodging places, hospitals, nursing and rest homes, educational institutions, private, public and religious schools, child day care facilities, meat markets, public and private water supplies, jails, migrant labor, and lead poisoning.

 Examples of Duties

• Professional environmental health work involving the promotion of public health through education, surveillance, consultation, inspection, and enforcement of State, Local, and Federal environmental health laws, and regulations. General supervision is received from the Supervisor or Health Director who reviews work through periodic conferences and evaluations of reports      submitted.

Food Sanitation 

1. Inspect, grade and post grade cards at the following types of food handling establishments: (a) restaurants; (b) food stands; (c) hospitals; (d) colleges; (e) rest homes; (f) motels and hotels; (g) jails; (h) day care centers – child and adult; (i) residential care centers; (j) summer camps; (k) school cafeterias – public and private; (l) seafood markets.

2. Follow-up compliance visits between grading period to insure sanitation and at-request for complaints from public.

3. Investigates complaints involving food handling sanitation or lack of compliance with Environmental Health Regulations.

4. Works with individuals, groups, or committees who have as their goal the establishment of a more meaningful food handler education program for the county and state.

5. Pre-construction and pre-opening consultations with prospective owners of new food service establishments.  Review blueprints and make recommendations as to building construction and types of equipment needed prior to issuing an operation permit.

6. Investigate food borne disease outbreaks.

7. Review and revise policy and procedures as needed.

Institution Sanitation Exclusive of Food Service 

1. Inspect, grade, and make compliance visits to establishments that require inspections of facilities other than food services.  These institutions include: (a) schools – private and public; (b) hospitals; (c) jails; (d) rest homes and nursing homes; (e) hotels and motels; (f) day care centers - child and adult; (g) residential care; (h) summer camps; (i) swimming pools; and (j) tattoo artists.

2. An inspection of these establishments would vary according to the needs and purposes of the institution where appropriate and inspection would be made to ensure sanitary conditions in living and sleeping quarters, recreation areas, storage areas, and the general condition of the premises.  In the cases of hotels and motels, private and public schools, a different inspection form is used from that of the food service part of the institution.  In the other institutions, the non-food handling part of the inspections is included on the same grade sheet as food handling.

3. Institutions have private water and sewage systems: (a) Periodic water samples are taken for laboratory analysis to ensure quality; (b) Sewage systems are inspected to ensure sanitary compliance.

Sewage Disposal 

1. Collect application forms for new on-site wastewater treatment systems.

2. Conduct evaluations to determine site and soil suitability for new on-site wastewater treatment systems. 

3. Determine size and location of new on-site wastewater treatment systems.

4. Issue improvement permits and construction authorizations for new systems and repairs.

5. Inspect on-site wastewater treatment systems and issue operation permits.

6. Conduct routine sewage surveys to ensure no problem areas exist within the county.

7. Investigates sewage complaints received from the public and ensure needed corrections are completed if problems exist.

8. Provides education and information to the public and various stakeholders with sewage related problems or questions.

Water Supplies 

1. Collect application forms for new well construction.

2. Make site visits to locate wells at safe distances from any potential source of contamination.

3. Issue well permits for new well construction.

4. Inspect grouting of new wells; forms of concrete slab; well tags and sample tap installation.

5. Collection of water samples for laboratory analysis.

6. Address the public’s concerns about water safety or other problems.

Swimming Pool Inspections 

1. Issue swimming pool operation permits.

2. Work with pool operators on new State Swimming Pool Regulations.

3. Conduct plan review of newly constructed public pools in the county.

4. Make routine inspections of swimming pools and spas testing for: chemical and pH balance, cleanliness, and clarity.

5. Inspect equipment to determine adequacy and efficiency.

6. Inspect the pool area for cleanliness and neatness.

7. Ensure that all safety and rescue equipment is in its proper place.

8. Be available to pool operators when needed.

Other Sanitation Activities 

1. Inspect mobile home parks.

2. Lead Abatement program.

3. Inspect impounded waters that have a potential to threaten underground water supplies.

4. Investigate mosquito, insect and rodent complaints, Make recommendations to the proper control and eradication of pests.  Capture and send specimens to the laboratory for identification when required.

5. Investigate and report to responsible authorities any misuse or spillage of hazardous materials.

6. Investigate complaints not covered under other headings.

7. Work with building inspector on approving residential or industrial sites requiring individual septic tank systems.

8. Work with representatives from various state agencies, which include, but are not limited to: Resource Conservation Services, Agriculture Departments, Food and Drug, Septage Management, Natural Resource and Community Development, Solid Waste and Public Water Supply Branch.

9. Assist nurses and other health department personnel when requested.

10. Attend professional association and staff meetings.

11. Assist with Emergency Response Team when requested.

Clerical Duties 

1. Maintains sufficient office time to allow for consultations, receiving applications for permits, issuing permits, and attending to the sundry needs of the general public.

2. Written and telephone correspondence.

3. Routine office work – filing permits, grade sheets, records and other clerical duties as may be deemed necessary in keeping the Environmental Health Section afloat.

4. Making monthly reports.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Thorough knowledge of the geographical makeup of the County.
• Thorough knowledge of environmental health laws, rules and procedures.
• Thorough knowledge of microbiology, biology, chemistry, food science, epidemiology, soil science, etc.  
• Thorough knowledge of sanitary food handling procedures and food-borne illnesses. 
• Thorough knowledge of biological and environmental chemistry as they apply to environmental health programs being administered. 
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret engineering plans and drawings concerning construction and installation of septic systems and well placements. 
• 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 independently plan and schedule work activities. 
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. 
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with relevant publics.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

Master's Degree or Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in Environmental Health from a program which is accredited by the National Accreditation Council for Environmental Health Curricula of the National Environmental Health Association and one year experience in environmental health; or a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university with   a minimum of 30 semester hours of course work in the physical or biological  sciences and two years of experience in environmental health; or Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum of 30 semester hours of   course work in the physical or biological sciences and must be eligible for registration and apply for registration as an Environmental Health Specialist Intern within 60 days of employment. Employee may remain registered as an Environmental Health Specialist Intern until registration as an Environmental Health Specialist or up to three years, whichever comes first. 

Special Requirements

Must possess a valid driver's license. Approval for registration as Environmental Health Specialist by the North Carolina Board of Environmental Health Specialist Examiners prior to employment.  This classification specification has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to perform the job. Anson County reserves the right to assign or otherwise modify the duties assigned to this classification.

Application Process:

Submit an online Anson County application to:

Roslynn K. Ingram, Human Resources Manager

101 South Greene St., Suite 240

Wadesboro, NC 28170

Email Human Resources