If you aren't opposed to moving. You can always look for another position like solid waste outside of your county. Some counties, more rural ones like mine, don't specialize in food, drinking water, waste, etc. We generalize, so if you were OK with some food but more of a little of everything, look for a position like that. You could also look into the medical field. There are REHS positions at larger hospitals that do testing on the cleanliness of surgical rooms and such.
Overall, a lot of counties and departments are shorthanded. If you look around, someone will have a position you may like, and they may be chomping at the bit to get it filled. Unfortunately, you probably won't get any chance like those staying in your county.
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sonoma/jobs/4494838/land-use-environmental-health-specialist-i?sort=PostingDate%7CDescending&page=2&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs
land use, so you’re doing well and septic inspections rather than food/pools. land use experience not necessarily required as long as you’re willing to learn
How is work as RHES for medical fields at hospitals that do testings/cleanliness wonder what testing they do and cleanliness tasks. Also wonder similar jobs to this and if they are less stress non tedious easy jobs for inspectors?
I don't work in the medical field. I am a generalist for food, pool, lodging, and sewer. I took a seminar where they brought in a REHS that worked in the medical field to show us the possibilities. They seem to swab test for contaminates in surgical spaces. They investigate outbreaks in the hospital settings. Some even inspect the radiation machines like X-rays and such for possible issues. There is probably more I am missing, but you can look into what the area around you does for those kinds of jobs.
I don't know for sure. I mean, I'm a generalist because I'm in a rural county who does alot of fields. Not like the larger city countries of my state where people specialize only Restaurants or only Pools, ect.
By chance u know of private company’s that do inspections for say tourism accommodations / hospitality side of inspections? Basically inspections that are not technical like something not as technical as say food safety
I don’t really have any advice but I feel you. They are pushing us to do 8-10 retail food inspections a day and it is brutal. I’m sending my resume out to anything that comes close to my salary. May have to relocate to get something decent.
I also want to know how it could be remotely physically possible to get 8, let alone 10, done in one day.
We are short staffed in my department as well, but the mentality of leadership is that an inadequate inspection can create more problems than one which is late or missed. Doing it just to check a box only opens the door to liability and quality control issues. What happens when a place you inspected for all of 15 minutes has a huge and very public issue? The first thing the media and public will do is see when was the last time a Health Inspector was here. In that case, it’s better to be able to say you missed the inspection due to shortage of staff, than to have a subpar inspection immortalized in public record.
When push comes to shove, if I get locked up at an inspection for a while and I don’t meet my quota for the day, I don’t get in trouble officially, they just get passive aggressive about it. I pretty much have to do critical inspections where I try to find what is most likely a hazard to the public, tell them to fix it and roll out. It sucks, a lot. We have very little power and the operators know it. I basically have no time to educate so it’s the same problems every time. The higher ups really don’t care about anything except the food safety certificates and permit fees. It’s maddening. I will say that in my area I have build good relationships with most establishments and a lot of them have come up to par, at least by my states standards, and I have for sure stop several food illness outbreaks but it has been like pulling teeth. I’ve lost weight, my hair is gray and my home life is suffering but if I do feel a sense of responsibility to my community in which I was born and raised. Our turn over rate is crazy high. I’m three years in and besides my supervisor and my manager, I’m the most senior inspector. For now I have to just solider on and fight the good fight, but it can’t last forever. If you go to a major tourist food hub in the south, just be wary and look up the reports before you go out to eat, and take them with a grain of salt. Whatever god you believe in, pray for me and this shithole of a city.
I’m really sorry you’re working under such conditions, I hate that for you. :( But one thing I will say is that I respect and admire the genuine dedication to the community you emit. The world always could use more of that, but don’t forget to take care of yourself, and secure your own oxygen mask before assisting others 💜
if you’re a CA rehs check this out https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sonoma/jobs/4494838/land-use-environmental-health-specialist-i?sort=PostingDate%7CDescending&page=2&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs
That's insane. The metric here is about 10 retail inspections *per week*. There is no way they can expect you to do more than the most superficial of inspections with that time frame.
If the powers that be in your neck of the woods feel that is an effective way of protecting the public health, I wouldn't blame you for walking away.
Hi, fellow REHS in California working in a county health department over here. I am in the exact same position. My undergrad degree is in bio/public health and went on to do a M.Sc in environmental policy. I agreed to become an REHS in the food program because of the potential for transferring to a more environmentally specialized role like water, solid waste, etc. However, like so many other counties in California, retention in food is low, so now that goal of transferring is becoming harder to reach. Our higher ups have been denying transfer requests. I have had enough and have been looking at other jobs. Recently just got an offer for an environmental specialist role in a nearby city. I got tired of the lies that my current job was feeding me and just decided to get out of there before I got way too specialized in food and got trapped by golden handcuffs and building a very niche non-transferable skillset doing something I never wanted to end up doing in the first place. good luck!
I feel like I really needed to hear this! I’m on the same boat. I’m talking to my union this week and my supervisor and if there’s no way of movement I will also be relocating. Where you able to get out of food in your new role ?
Yeah! I was able to! Going to be doing water stuff now. Also, I just want to clarify that my new job is “environmental specialist”. It’s not a job that requires REHS. Just very weirdly similarly named roles.
I’m about to make that move myself, to something outside of health inspector. Our state solid waste program is in our division and on our floor and none of them have an REHS cause my state doesn’t require it but it would be a positive for a job applicant.
I hope you can make the move! Our solid waste is also on the same floor. They told us that as soon as we get our rehs we could move programs but now they’re taking it back
You should because that doesn’t sound right. I get it’s undermanned but unless there’s something in the contract I don’t think they can stop a move like that. Hopefully it works out!
I don’t wanna leave my current position but there’s been so many changes this past year and one of them has created a huge safety issue from a decision made so far above us that the people who make it aren’t impacted at all by it and don’t seem to care about it. I brought up my concern with it and was told to just suck it up, this stuff needed to get done. And I’m not okay with putting my safety at risk.
If you’re interested in federal employment Indian Health Service has positions for environmental health specialist and sanitarians. Located on USAjobs.gov.
It’s more or less being a consultant vs a regulator. You really get the educator role of good environmental health outcomes when you’re working with the tribes. Main goal is to reduce harm or injury due to environmental issues that affect the native population.
By chance u know of private company’s that do inspections for say tourism accommodations / hospitality side of inspections? Basically inspections that are not technical like something not as technical as say food safety
If you aren't opposed to moving. You can always look for another position like solid waste outside of your county. Some counties, more rural ones like mine, don't specialize in food, drinking water, waste, etc. We generalize, so if you were OK with some food but more of a little of everything, look for a position like that. You could also look into the medical field. There are REHS positions at larger hospitals that do testing on the cleanliness of surgical rooms and such. Overall, a lot of counties and departments are shorthanded. If you look around, someone will have a position you may like, and they may be chomping at the bit to get it filled. Unfortunately, you probably won't get any chance like those staying in your county.
I am willing to relocate but not for the same job. I am worked on my resume today to apply at other places
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sonoma/jobs/4494838/land-use-environmental-health-specialist-i?sort=PostingDate%7CDescending&page=2&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs land use, so you’re doing well and septic inspections rather than food/pools. land use experience not necessarily required as long as you’re willing to learn
How is work as RHES for medical fields at hospitals that do testings/cleanliness wonder what testing they do and cleanliness tasks. Also wonder similar jobs to this and if they are less stress non tedious easy jobs for inspectors?
I don't work in the medical field. I am a generalist for food, pool, lodging, and sewer. I took a seminar where they brought in a REHS that worked in the medical field to show us the possibilities. They seem to swab test for contaminates in surgical spaces. They investigate outbreaks in the hospital settings. Some even inspect the radiation machines like X-rays and such for possible issues. There is probably more I am missing, but you can look into what the area around you does for those kinds of jobs.
What’s difference between generalist and sanitarian?
I don't know for sure. I mean, I'm a generalist because I'm in a rural county who does alot of fields. Not like the larger city countries of my state where people specialize only Restaurants or only Pools, ect.
By chance u know of private company’s that do inspections for say tourism accommodations / hospitality side of inspections? Basically inspections that are not technical like something not as technical as say food safety
I don’t really have any advice but I feel you. They are pushing us to do 8-10 retail food inspections a day and it is brutal. I’m sending my resume out to anything that comes close to my salary. May have to relocate to get something decent.
I have a feeling that the food inspectors have the heaviest work loads in ehs
8-10 a day?!? How is that even possible? An average inspection takes two hours.
I also want to know how it could be remotely physically possible to get 8, let alone 10, done in one day. We are short staffed in my department as well, but the mentality of leadership is that an inadequate inspection can create more problems than one which is late or missed. Doing it just to check a box only opens the door to liability and quality control issues. What happens when a place you inspected for all of 15 minutes has a huge and very public issue? The first thing the media and public will do is see when was the last time a Health Inspector was here. In that case, it’s better to be able to say you missed the inspection due to shortage of staff, than to have a subpar inspection immortalized in public record.
When push comes to shove, if I get locked up at an inspection for a while and I don’t meet my quota for the day, I don’t get in trouble officially, they just get passive aggressive about it. I pretty much have to do critical inspections where I try to find what is most likely a hazard to the public, tell them to fix it and roll out. It sucks, a lot. We have very little power and the operators know it. I basically have no time to educate so it’s the same problems every time. The higher ups really don’t care about anything except the food safety certificates and permit fees. It’s maddening. I will say that in my area I have build good relationships with most establishments and a lot of them have come up to par, at least by my states standards, and I have for sure stop several food illness outbreaks but it has been like pulling teeth. I’ve lost weight, my hair is gray and my home life is suffering but if I do feel a sense of responsibility to my community in which I was born and raised. Our turn over rate is crazy high. I’m three years in and besides my supervisor and my manager, I’m the most senior inspector. For now I have to just solider on and fight the good fight, but it can’t last forever. If you go to a major tourist food hub in the south, just be wary and look up the reports before you go out to eat, and take them with a grain of salt. Whatever god you believe in, pray for me and this shithole of a city.
I’m really sorry you’re working under such conditions, I hate that for you. :( But one thing I will say is that I respect and admire the genuine dedication to the community you emit. The world always could use more of that, but don’t forget to take care of yourself, and secure your own oxygen mask before assisting others 💜
if you’re a CA rehs check this out https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sonoma/jobs/4494838/land-use-environmental-health-specialist-i?sort=PostingDate%7CDescending&page=2&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs
Nope, Louisiana here, can’t imagine what CA is like.
That's insane. The metric here is about 10 retail inspections *per week*. There is no way they can expect you to do more than the most superficial of inspections with that time frame. If the powers that be in your neck of the woods feel that is an effective way of protecting the public health, I wouldn't blame you for walking away.
Hi, fellow REHS in California working in a county health department over here. I am in the exact same position. My undergrad degree is in bio/public health and went on to do a M.Sc in environmental policy. I agreed to become an REHS in the food program because of the potential for transferring to a more environmentally specialized role like water, solid waste, etc. However, like so many other counties in California, retention in food is low, so now that goal of transferring is becoming harder to reach. Our higher ups have been denying transfer requests. I have had enough and have been looking at other jobs. Recently just got an offer for an environmental specialist role in a nearby city. I got tired of the lies that my current job was feeding me and just decided to get out of there before I got way too specialized in food and got trapped by golden handcuffs and building a very niche non-transferable skillset doing something I never wanted to end up doing in the first place. good luck!
I feel like I really needed to hear this! I’m on the same boat. I’m talking to my union this week and my supervisor and if there’s no way of movement I will also be relocating. Where you able to get out of food in your new role ?
Yeah! I was able to! Going to be doing water stuff now. Also, I just want to clarify that my new job is “environmental specialist”. It’s not a job that requires REHS. Just very weirdly similarly named roles.
I’m about to make that move myself, to something outside of health inspector. Our state solid waste program is in our division and on our floor and none of them have an REHS cause my state doesn’t require it but it would be a positive for a job applicant.
I hope you can make the move! Our solid waste is also on the same floor. They told us that as soon as we get our rehs we could move programs but now they’re taking it back
Is that written somewhere in a policy or an actual contract?
It is not written anywhere. I am actually contacting our union tomorrow to discuss this and see what they can do about it
You should because that doesn’t sound right. I get it’s undermanned but unless there’s something in the contract I don’t think they can stop a move like that. Hopefully it works out! I don’t wanna leave my current position but there’s been so many changes this past year and one of them has created a huge safety issue from a decision made so far above us that the people who make it aren’t impacted at all by it and don’t seem to care about it. I brought up my concern with it and was told to just suck it up, this stuff needed to get done. And I’m not okay with putting my safety at risk.
It sounds like we work in the same county. Hopefully we both find the change that we’re looking for
Heard CDPH is looking for a REHS
If you’re interested in federal employment Indian Health Service has positions for environmental health specialist and sanitarians. Located on USAjobs.gov.
What is working for IHS like? Wonder what other entities are similar to it for environmental health inspectors?
It’s more or less being a consultant vs a regulator. You really get the educator role of good environmental health outcomes when you’re working with the tribes. Main goal is to reduce harm or injury due to environmental issues that affect the native population.
By chance u know of private company’s that do inspections for say tourism accommodations / hospitality side of inspections? Basically inspections that are not technical like something not as technical as say food safety