Environmental HealthOfficer (Health Inspector)

Environmental health officers and advisors provide technical assistance and advice on measures to restore or improve sanitary conditions, and supervise their implementations.

Job Characteristics

• Investigating, identifying and evaluating harmful environmental conditions, and advising on environmental sanitary problems and techniques.



• Promoting preventive and corrective measures such as control of disease-carrying organisms and of harmful substances in the air, hygienic food handling, proper disposal of waste and cleaning of public places.



• Advising and executing immunising services.



• Controlling and fighting against epidemic diseases by releasing prophylactic medicine.



• Undertaking preventative measures.



• Organizing demonstrations, giving lectures and distributing material to promote adoption of improved practices and techniques.



• Applying knowledge of hygiene and sanitation principles and practices in order to identify and solve problems arising in the course of their work.



• Initiating action to maintain or improve hygienic quality and prevent pollution of water, air, food or soil.

Requirements
 
Secondary Education
A HIGCSE/IGCSE Grade 12, or equivalent qualification, is required to gain admission to South African technikons.
 

Compulsory subjects
Mathematics and Physical Science (South Africa)

Recommended subjects
Biology and Geography (South Africa)
 
Tertiary Education
The N. Dip.: Environmental Health is offered at the following technikons in South Africa: Natal, Pretoria, Northern Transvaal, Mangosuthu, Witwatersrand, Free State, Port Elizabeth, Cape, M L Sultan and Peninsula.

The duration of the course is three years, which includes both theoretical and practical training. After obtaining this diploma, environmental health officers register with the HPCSA. In Namibia, health officers must register with the Inspectors Board.
 
The N. Dip.: Environmental Health can be followed by the B. Tech. Environmental Health on a part-time or full-time basis. Some technikons also offer a M. Tech. and D. Tech.: Environmental Health.

Personality
The prospective environmental health officer should be versatile, realistic and practical, with a scientific approach. He/she should be an extrovert who communicates well and enjoys working with people. The candidate should also be able to function as adviser, facilitator and mediator.

Work Opportunities
Environmental health officers are employed by mining companies, industries responsible for occupational health, the government and municipalities.

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