ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST SENIOR 41223

07/01/94 B

This is the second professional class in the Environmental Health series which is responsible for performing inspections, tests, evaluations, and permit issuances at the journey level to ensure the environment is free from communicable disease causing or transmitting sources. It is distinguished from the Environmental Health Specialist by the Senior class having a greater independence of actions in carrying out its duties, its fixed leadership role over Environmental Health Specialists and/or its broader scope as a result of having district-wide programmatic responsibility. It is distinguished from the Environmental Health Specialist Supervisor class by that class having formal supervisory responsibility over Environmental Health Specialist Senior, Environmental Health Specialist, and other support staff.

Complexity of Work: Performs work of moderate difficulty at the journey level in one or more environmental program area(s) to reduce health risks to the public. All duties are performed independently and include such tasks as: investigates, inspects, collects samples and tests, evaluates, educates, develops solutions to bring conditions into compliance and enforces state, federal, and local environmental laws, regulations, guidelines, and policies. The program areas typically include milk, frozen desserts, water, food, public facilities, animal (rabies) and vector control, shellfish, and environmentally transmitted disease or poisons (i.e., radon and lead). Duties performed to reduce health risks include inspecting milk processing and shipment; frozen dessert sanitary inspections and sampling; testing and approving commercial and residential well water use permits; periodically evaluating food processing and meal preparation facilities; conducting food handler safety and food manager's certification and awareness training; investigating consumer complaints and food-borne outbreaks, evaluating sanitary conditions at barber shops, beauty salons, hotels, motels, swimming pools, campgrounds, summer camps, child and adult care institutions, residential and commercial housing and tourist facilities; investigating complaints and developing solutions to control rabies and insect and rodent infestations; inspecting shellfish processing plants and shellfish handling procedures; performing shoreline surveys to detect pollutants which may contaminate shellfish growing beds or pose an imminent threat to swimming and drinking water; evaluating geotechnical sites; determining placement of housing and businesses on land parcels; conducting housing inspections to ensure that property owners and occupants maintain dwellings in compliance with public health and safety; inspecting dwellings for lead and radon; and representing the agency in court concerning related court actions. Positions may also administer a district-wide environmental health program or have fixed leadership responsibility over Environmental Health Specialists by scheduling and reviewing their work and providing technical guidance on complex issues.

Supervision Given: Supervision is not typically a factor for this class; however, they may provide technical guidance to Environmental Health Specialists

Supervision Received: Positions receive general direction from a higher level position in the Environmental Health series. Work is reviewed primarily on situations that set precedent or an enforcement action is being contested.

Scope: Positions in this class are usually located in a health district. The work performed affects the effectiveness of operations and the conclusions reached on regulatory issues directly affect the public.

Impact of Actions: Positions have a significant impact upon the community in regard to safety, monetary costs, and the agency's image due to their independence of actions, the leadership responsibilities, and/or programmatic influence.

Personal Contacts: Positions have frequent internal and external contacts with food establishment managers, contractors, public officials, other government agencies, in order to carry out its assigned duties.

Knowledge: Working knowledge of acute and chronic disease causation, disease control and prevention methods; soils; landscape position and geology related to on-site wastewater treatment and disposal technology; ground water movement and contamination; private well development and construction. Working knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental laws; criminal and civil actions; rules of evidence; and laws relating to liability. May require some knowledge of leadership and administrative principles.

Skills: Considerable skill in utilizing instruments such as augers, transits, clinometers, ph meters, thermometers, water analysis kits, and lead and radiation detection equipment.

Abilities: Demonstrated ability to design sewage systems, certify the testing and sampling in milk plants, standardize environmental health specialists in restaurant inspections; to provide advanced technical guidance in the assigned environmental specialty or specialties; to utilize standardized epidemiologic investigative methods; to prepare thorough and accurate documentation of regulatory activities, to read and interpret policies and regulations and to apply them independently; to communicate effectively in writing and verbally with a variety of audiences; and to identify soil colors using Munsel Color Chart and texture soils.

QUALIFICATIONS GUIDE*

License or Certification: None.

Education or Training: Completion of college level course work in public or environmental health, biology, chemistry, geology, or a related program.

Level and Type of Experience: Experience related to environmental health.

An equivalent combination of training and experience indicating possession of the preceding knowledge, skills, and abilities may substitute for this education and experience. Documented completion of training in multiple Environmental Health programs such as: water and sewage, food, milk and shellfish.

This class replaces the Sanitarian Specialist class, effective July, 1994.