Environmental Health Inspector - Ogle County

Under the guidance of the Director of Environmental Health and/or the Public Health Administrator, the Environmental Health Inspector enforces Ogle County Ordinances and Illinois State Codes to ensure public health and safety. The Inspector must enforce codes uniformly while educating food handlers, business owners, contractors, homeowners, and the public about the importance of environmental safety. Enforcement and education is accomplished through inspections, complaint response, and various forms of communication with the relevant parties. The Environmental Health Inspector will assist in all environmental programs as assigned by the Director of Environmental Health, Food Program Coordinator and/or Public Health Administrator, which include vector, private water supplies, semi-private water supplies, non-community water supplies, private sewage disposal, body art, tanning, lead, tobacco, and public nuisances.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

The Environmental Health Inspector helps to execute environmental health programs and is responsible for ensuring a safe and healthy environment, especially with regard to sewage disposal, the protection of food and water from contamination and the protection of other disease and sanitary conditions;

Conducts comprehensive inspections to enforce State and County regulations and determines compliance with health and sanitation standards throughout all environmental health programs that include but are not limited to private sewage disposal systems, private and semi-private water wells, sanitary surveys for home sales, non-community public water systems, food establishment facilities, tobacco inspections, body art facilities and tanning facilities;

Reviews plans, blueprints, equipment specifications, applications, codes, laws, and other documents pertaining to food establishments, private sewage disposal systems, water wells, geothermal installations, and other program activities for compliance.

Conducts investigations for elevated lead blood levels in children;

Conducts surveillance for the vector control program which includes investigations and testing of mosquito sites for West Nile Virus, investigates and preparation of dead birds to send to the Illinois Department of Public Health for West Nile Virus testing and conducts tick drags and prepares ticks to send to the Illinois Department of Health for identification and testing;

Responds to complaints regarding businesses or residences in regards to environmental hazards or lack of compliance with relevant regulations. Provides guidance on corrective actions when necessary and prepares a detailed report in a timely manner;

Conducts epidemiological investigations regarding potential foodborne illness outbreaks, waterborne diseases, and vector borne diseases while working closely with the CD Coordinator to monitor the situation and provide guidance on the implementation of control methods and corrective actions;

Collaborates with other public health personnel in investigation, enforcement, and control of public health environmental hazards;

Prepares and maintains all records of inspections, permits, general property or business information, and other compliance communications for all environmental programs as assigned. Prepares reports and submits information and data in a timely and accurate fashion;

Reports serious public health issues to their immediate supervisor;

Explains relevant State laws, local ordinances, rules, and regulations, and advises improvements or corrections necessary to assure compliance with these regulations;

Collects, prepares, submits, and communicates results of food and water samples as appropriate and necessary for laboratory analysis;

Promotes environmental health and safety to the public, including providing educational materials and consultations;

Assists the Director of Environmental Health, Food Program Coordinator, Public Health Administrator, Board of Health, and City and County Attorneys to update and rewrite local ordinances;

Helps to establish policy for operations of the environmental health activities;

Provides support for emergency preparedness activities;

Assists with program evaluation and compliance with state standards;

Assists new inspectors and interns in learning the application of codes to field conditions and learning some of all tasks listed above;

Receives in-service training to meet program and licensure requirements;

Spends over 75% of the time in the field;

Utilizes technology needed for various job functions including computer software, GPS, GIS software, Microsoft office, and google applications;

Performs other duties as assigned.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

Preferred: Working knowledge and understanding the laws, codes, ordinances, rules and regulations of Ogle County and Illinois relating to environmental health;

Ability to learn and understand the laws, codes, ordinances, rules and regulations of Ogle County and Illinois relating to environmental health;

General knowledge of well and septic systems, food facilities, body art facilities, tanning facilities, lead hazards, vector-borne disease, and general sanitation;

Ability to handle working with or around wildlife such as bats, rodents, and insects;

Ability to handle unsanitary conditions;

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the supervisor, employees of the health department, other county departments, city and county officials, state and federal agencies, and the general public;

Ability to communicate effectively with contractors, restaurant owners and managers, realtors, board members, directors, the public health administrator, and the public in a friendly, professional, courteous and polite manner;

Ability to interact with irate people in a calm manner;

Strong conflict resolution skills and able to defuse potentially tense situations;

Ability to demonstrate commitment to exemplary customer services;

Strong leadership skills;

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of variables;

Ability to effectively communicate and express ideas clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing to an intended audience;

Effective organizational skills and ability to be flexible to changing situations and priorities; and

Willingness to work weekends or outside normal business hours to complete necessary tasks.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

1. Licensed Environmental Health Practioner (LEHP) OR must be eligible to sit for LEHP examination and obtain LEHP 1 year after hire date; and

A. Qualifications per the State of Illinois Administrative Code(Required):

• Bachelors or Master's degree in Environmental Health Science
• Bachelors or Master's degree that has a curriculum of a minimum of 30 semester hours, or the equivalent of basic sciences with at least 3 hours in each of the following areas:

1. Physical Sciences (Physics/Chemistry/Astronomy/Geology, etc.);
2. Chemical Sciences;
3. Biological Sciences; and
4. Math

1. Two years of full-time food handler's experience preferred, with two years in a public health department or a community agency that provides regulatory and enforcement duties preferred.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Current Illinois driver's license;
• May occasionally require use of personal vehicle for use in carrying out required duties;
• Auto liability insurance mandatory;
• This position requires activities such as sitting, walking and standing for long periods of time, walking on uneven and unstable surfaces, bending, crawling, stooping, reaching, climbing stairs and ladders, lifting, moving and carrying medium to heavy objects, exposure to extreme temperature changes; operating office equipment, and driving an automobile. Work outdoors can involve exposure to cold, hot, humid, wet environments, consistent loud sounds and raw sewage.;
  • Ogle County is about 45 minutes to an hour East to West of travel time and 30-45 minutes North to South of Travel time. If situations arise, traveling from one side of the county to the other may be required.
  • The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, less regularly, lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally, lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Must be able to hear and speak on a telephone;
• Must be able to produce, read and review written documents; and
• Accountability of whereabouts at all times for safety concerns (i.e. inclement weather).