Public Health Sanitarian

Clinton CountyJurisdictional Class: Competitive

Adopted: June 9, 1986

Revised: June 25, 2010

PUBLIC HEALTH SANITARIAN

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: This position involves responsibility for the investigation and inspection of the non-engineering aspects of environmental health control and enforcing and determining compliance with the provisions of Public Health Law, and local and State Sanitary Codes, and New

York State Codes, Rules, and Regulations relating to environmental health, sanitation, and safety. Sanitarians apply the principles of natural and social sciences for the detection, evaluation, control, and management of those factors in the environment which influence the public’s health. The work is performed under the general supervision of higher level Sanitarians or the Director of Environmental Health. Supervision is exercised over subordinate personnel. The incumbent does related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: (Illustrative only)

Reviews submission of materials of building plans, water supply plans, sewage disposal systems, fire safety, electrical, recirculation, and disinfection systems to ensure all required documents are received and completed;

Inspects food service establishments (including temporary, mobile, and vending), children’s camps, temporary residences such as hotels and motels, mobile home parks, migrant labor campgrounds, schools, swimming pools, bathing beaches, sewage treatment systems, and mass gatherings to enforce and determine compliance with Public Health Law, local and State Sanitary Code, and New York State

Codes, Rules, and Regulations;

Conducts on-site inspections of facilities/sites to ensure health, safety, and welfare of the public/residents and to ensure compliance with applicable standards, criteria, and codes;

Prepares reports of findings noting conditions found, citing violations/deficiencies, and recommending corrective action;

Describes violations/deficiencies to facility operators;

Conducts follow-up inspections to ensure correction of deficiencies;

Testifies at enforcement proceedings presenting inspection findings;

Provides technical assistance and training, as necessary, to owners/operators/managers and staff regarding requirement;

Responds to telephone and written inquiries from owners/operators/managers and the general public regarding environmental programs and regulations;

Collects and/or receives suspect rabies/West Nile Virus diseased specimens and prepares specimen for mailing to laboratories for analysis;

Confers with local medical personnel, and authorizes, as necessary, rabies treatment for individuals bitten by suspected or confirmed rabid animals;

Collects samples of food and water for laboratory testing and interprets laboratory reports and bacteriological analysis;

Will be a member of the Public Health Response Team and will respond to public health emergencies;

Assists in training subordinate personnel;

Assists in preparation of news releases and other public relations materials regarding environmental health programs.

Public Health Sanitarian

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, & PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:Good knowledge of public health and environmental health principles and practices;

Good knowledge of basic principles and practices related to proper environmental public health inspection techniques;

Good knowledge of applicable provisions of the Public Health Law, local and State Sanitary Code, and other applicable standards related to environmental public health;

Good knowledge of the principles, techniques, and practices of environmental sanitation;

Good knowledge of general principles of biology, microbiology, bacteriology, chemistry, and general science;

Good knowledge of the application of the chemical and biological sciences to environmental sanitation;

Ability to apply scientific principles to environmental health programs;

Ability to gather data from observations, interviews, records, and reports;

Ability to adequately assess the impact of various situations on environmental health and identify problem areas;

Ability to establish and maintain cooperative relationships with the public;

Ability to plan and supervise the work of others;

Ability to train subordinates in accepted environmental health inspection techniques;

Ability to understand and interpret oral and written material and present ideas clearly and effectively both orally and in writing;

Ability to solve arithmetic problems related to environmental public health inspections;

Ability to prepare accurate reports;

Skill in health inspection techniques;

Sound judgment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Either:

(a) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Bachelor’s

Degree including thirty (30) semester credit hours in the *natural sciences, of which not more than twelve (12) credit hours may be in the **applied sciences; or

(b) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with an

Associate’s Degree with a minimum of fifteen (15) semester credit hours in *natural sciences of which not more than six (6) credit hours may be in the **applied sciences and five (5) years of experience as a Public Health

Technician deemed satisfactory by the local commissioner of health or public health director during which time you must have satisfactorily completed a public health training course approved by the New York State Health

Department; or

(c) Satisfactory completion of sixty (60) semester credit hours of academic education at regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a minimum of fifteen (15) credit hours in *natural sciences of which not more than six (6) credit hours may be in the **applied sciences and five (5) years of experience as a Public Health Technician deemed satisfactory by the local commissioner of health or public health director during which time you must have satisfactorily completed a public health training course approved by the New York State Health Department.

NOTE: Appointees who are appointed meeting the minimum qualifications under (a) above must satisfactorily complete a public health training course approved by the New York State Health Department within two (2) years of appointment.

*Natural science shall mean a science such as biology, chemistry, or physics that deals with the objects, phenomena or laws of nature, and the physical world. It shall include all physical and biological sciences.

Public Health Sanitarian

**Applied science shall mean science based courses in environmental technology, sanitation technology, medical technology, public health, infection control, or food science.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: Assignments made to employees of this class require reasonable access to transportation to meet field work requirements in the ordinary course of business in a timely and efficient manner.

Qualifications are regulated by Part 11 of the State Sanitary Code (10 NYCRR).

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: From $51,805.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person