Public Health Inspector

The Role

Protects individual and community health through promotion, education, and enforcement of Provincial legislation/guidelines and Regional policies/bylaws. Recognizes and responds to potential health hazards. Program areas include: food safety, infection prevention and control, rabies prevention and control, safe water (drinking and recreational), health hazard prevention and management, emergency preparedness and management, vector borne disease, personal services.
 

Duties/Responsibilities

• Conducts onsite health hazard risk and compliance assessments, investigations, and inspections. Investigates complaints. Recommends/provides direction for appropriate actions to be taken. 
• Documents inspections and provides information to clients. Determines and communicates timeframes for compliance. Conducts re-inspections to monitor adherence. 
• Collects and submits samples for analysis. Interprets lab results, notifies stakeholders, and initiates actions as necessary.
• Updates databases and maintains appropriate notes and documentation.
• Acts as a Provincial Offences Officer. Exercises authority to issue Provincial Offence notices, Summons, directives, orders, business closures. Prepares information for laying charges. Prepares and files court documentation; liaises with Legal Services; and acts as a witness, as required. Serves summons to witnesses, as required. 
• Investigates and assesses potential rabies cases. Issues orders and follows up to ensure compliance with protocols and legislation. Provides consultation/support to physicians and the public regarding post-exposure prophylaxis. Arranges delivery of vaccine to physicians, as needed. 
• Conducts active/passive surveillance activities (e.g., mosquitos, ticks), as required. 
• Conducts outbreak investigations (e.g., enteric, respiratory, food and water-borne).. Acts as a resource and provides guidance to facilities to reduce/prevent the impact of outbreaks. Executes food product recalls and condemnations. 
• Advises on equipment and layout requirements in architectural drawings for existing/ proposed food premises, personal service settings, and other facilities. 
• Participates in the development and implementation of education and health promotion program strategies.
  Develops/participates in the development of educational resources (e.g., newsletters, fact sheets). Prepares and delivers training and presentations to groups and the public.
• Acts as a resource to staff, the public, agencies, and other professionals, and participates on internal and external committees.
• Maintains and safely handles testing apparatus, presentation equipment, and vaccines.  
• Performs related duties as assigned.
   

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of public health inspection and health promotion methods, problem solving, and investigative methods, acquired through a 4-year university degree (or equivalent such as a 2-year directly related degree plus a previous (possibly unrelated) university degree) plus 1 year of related experience (related work experience, student/practicum placements, or as an uncertified public health inspector, vector borne disease surveillance or beach monitoring experience).
• Must possess Certificate of Public Health Inspection (Canada) (as per HPPA 1993 Reg. 566) through the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors. 
• Knowledge of and ability to work according to corporate policies and procedures; municipal by-laws; legislation (e.g., Health Protection and Promotion Act, Skin Cancer Prevention Act, Provincial Offences Act, Ontario Safe Water Act); and Provincial public health best practices and guidelines.
• Technical knowledge in program areas including: food safety, water quality, health hazard investigation and management, infection control, rabies prevention and control, communicable disease, and skin cancer prevention.  
• Research and organizational skills to ensure factual, accurate information is provided to the public. Ability to maintain accurate and timely documentation and files.
• Computer skills with ability to use programs such as Microsoft Office; inspection software programs (e.g., Hedgehog); an electronic document management system (Docs); and internet-based searching. 
• Communication and human relations skills using tact, persuasion, and diplomacy to provide information, advice, and support to stakeholders when issuing inspection/investigation reports, and taking enforcement actions; when making presentations to facilitate others’ understanding; and to enable participation as an effective team member.
• Ability to interpret complex technical information; write in-depth reports and summaries on inspections and investigations to various audiences including health professionals and the public. 
  Ability to develop program resources and education materials.
• Ability to work varying shifts including day, afternoon, evening, and weekend hours.
• Ability to participate in an on-call rotation to provide coverage for public health demands outside of normal working hours.
• Is occasionally required to alter working hours to conduct business or in emergency situations.
  Ability to travel to various locations within and outside Waterloo Region. 
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.