How NOT to Become a Health Inspector

NOTE TO READERS: This article is part one of what I hope to eventually be a series of articles about what it takes to be a health inspector.

Almost every day, somebody asks me how to become a health inspector. If you tried to look this information up on the internet, you get a number of websites that do a very poor job of telling you how to do it. One of the worst I have seen (and also the first hit you get on Google is eHow.com's page). It was so bad, I felt the need to write a rebuttal on my page. eHow's advice is italicized. My comments are in purple.

(1) Search online for training programs for health inspection in your area or through the web. Check the program for accreditation services and how long the program takes to advance.

Clearly whoever wrote this has no clue how to be a health inspector. In most areas of the country, health inspectors (commonly called “environmental health specialists”) require a bachelor’s degree in a science….preferably but not necessarily in environmental health.  Most training happens on the job.

(2) Decide if you want to receive a certification in health inspection or if you'd like to receive a degree in health inspection and administration. A bachelor's degree in areas like environmental health, public health and safety, and health administration are becoming common requirements for inspection jobs.

To my knowledge, there are no certifications in “health inspection”. Most health inspectors strive to become Registered Sanitarians or Registered Environmental Health Professionals. These certifications imply that you have a basic, core knowledge of the environmental health sciences required. They show others in the profession that you have the knowledge to make an informed decision about the risk posed by a situation you observe during an inspection.

(3) Enroll in a program that fits your time and financial needs best. Be prepared to dedicate anywhere from one to six years, depending on the level of education you want to achieve.

Plan to get a bachelors degree….which means 4 years….many inspectors have masters degrees in public health….which means 6 years. 

(4) Graduate from your desired program, preferably with high honors. Apply to intern at your local public health department for resume experience and practical knowledge of the field.

When I have interviewed and hired inspectors, I really didn’t care about their grades. Well ok, I clearly didn’t want a flunkee, but I’ve seen C-average graduates work circles around top-of-the-class graduates. Good inspectors have a combination of well rounded environmental health knowledge, lots of common sense and most importantly….good people skills. Regardless of the applicant’s grades or knowledge, if he/she didn’t have good people skills I wouldn’t hire them. I do agree that internships are critical…especially for gaining practical knowledge of the job. I have also seen many interns realize this is not the job for them after doing an internship. 

(5) Check and thoroughly review accreditation organizations, such as the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) and the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH), among others. Make an appointment to take the accreditation test to receive your certificate.

NO!!! These are NOT the organizations that accredit environmental health programs. The National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council accredits most health inspection (environmental health) programs. Click HERE for a list of accredited schools. There is no accreditation test.

I wish the environmental health profession did more to promote itself but we do not do a very good job of it compared to other professions. The end result is people (or in this case web sites) who know nothing about environmental health end up speaking for our profession. That lack of voice was one of the reasons I started this blog......to help people understand what it is really like to be a health inspector.