r/healthinspector

Are pasteurized shredded cheeses that come sealed and can be found in walk in coolers in pizza stores considered low risk or high risk? And why?

Potentially hazardous food often includes dairy products.. but what would you actually do if you found such cheese at 10C? Would you make the operator discard if it has been 3 hours?.

Thanks

I work in sterile services in the UK. And I need a sanity check because there are so many issues but everyone at my site acts like everything is normal, but my gut says it is dangerous.

Just some of issues:

The flooring in the inspection and assembly area is severely damaged sections, some sections are quite large. There’s spots where it’s completely worn through and lifting upward you can see the subfloor underneath. There are some parts with wet floor sign over it to stop people from walking over it sometimes. Some bits are lamely held together with hazard tape and even autoclave tape. I have seen other staff lightly trip over the lifted parts and it’s been like this for months. Oh and trolleys that are sometimes carrying heavy instrument sets have to roll over it.

Metal brushes are being used for manual cleaning despite being banned. Management and supervisors know but turn a blind eye.

I have been verbally told to bypass proper decontamination procedures by on certain equipment to save time due to the workload.

Flies have been seen in the gowning area and inspection and assembly areas.

There’s a lot of faulty equipment. trolleys, broken scanners, scales and computer stuff sporadically stops working, Some sinks in decon are clogged, some have plugs that don't fit properly. Etc etc And it’s been this way for mooonths.

I’m sure theres other stuff that’s happening too that’s just not springing to mind right now.

I want to file reports with CQC and HSE tbh. I’m worried someone could get seriously hurt one day either at work or in an operating room.

This may sound crazy but Am I overreacting? Prior to this job I did not work in healthcare. Is this just "how it is" in healthcare? Or is this as bad as I think it is?

I cannot shake the feeling that someone is going to get seriously hurt at some point…

Anybody else get constant get told “the coolers in defrost so that’s why the foods warm” when finding improper cold holding temperatures. I always say, “even if that’s the case, we shouldn’t be seeing temperatures this high.”

I mean I get it if I’m seeing temps from 42-43F and it goes back down toward the end of an inspection but I rarely see that. Usually the foods 45F or more and I’ve only been doing this about 1.5 years so I’m new but I feel like that’s not a valid reason for food to be that warm.

Does anybody give wiggle room or take the defrost mode explanation/excuse seriously?

Im learning more about how coolers work as I gain experience but I don’t really let that fly. Let me know if yall run into this and what you do

Please someone explain this with reference from food code do we take temperatures of eggs during an inspection if cooked to order? Or explain when is it required ?

I’m seeing guidance docs on FDA’s site saying don’t play with raw dough. Where in Food code would you write it under?

I am new to Environmental health and looking for boot/shoe recommendations for someone who’s working primarily in well and septic. I’ve heard that waterproof boots/shoes are highly recommended. What recommendations do yall have?

Hey everyone,

I have a year of experience doing retail health inspections for my county, and I've decided to study for the CP-FS exam. My question is, do I have to know the 2022 Food Code for the exam, or is the study guide book enough? The NEHA website states that this exam is tailored to the 2022 Food Code. My county currently adopts the 2017 Food Code. My plan is to buy and go through the guide, as well as quizlets and practice exams. Any insight from those who have taken the exam recently would be greatly appreciated.

I am in California and I am about a semester away from finishing my degree in EOHS at a school that allows me to take the REHS exam upon graduation (without the trainee time).

I currently work in R&D for a food manufacturer and have my PCQI and HACCP certs and will have GSP when I graduate.

I have a few questions.

1. Studying for the REHS, it's a pretty hefty amount of information and I want to start early so I'm not cramming for 2 weeks as the exam comes. Does the exam cover anything more than anything else (for instance, should i focus on food law more than chemistry, more than toxicology, more than physics, etc?). I have started using the study guide on the CADPH website as a starting place, but it's massive.

2. The county I live in has both urban and rural mountainous areas where it takes a few hours to cross the county lines. How likely is it theyre going to stick me with all rural areas (I understand this is highly geography specific, but wondering if it's a thing)?

3. While I enjoy environmental and occupation safety, my real interest is in food safety and retail food environments. I understand county level specialists dont make great money starting out (I'll be taking a pay cut from what I am making now). How often (in your experience) do people stay in the public sector? And how easy is it to transition into private sector fsqa and ehs work after a year or two in public?

4. Would taking HAZWOPER, ISO lead auditor, OSHA 30, or any other cert help me in getting a county job and/or a private job?

5. Do you mostly do retail food as a county level specialist or is it wherever they want to put you?

Hi y'all,

I’m starting my after-degree in Environmental Health at CUE, and I’m interested in pursuing a career as a Public Health Inspector / Environmental Health Officer after graduation. For those of y'all already working in the field, what are some things you wish you had known when you were starting your degree? I’m especially interested in hearing from people working in Alberta, but advice from PHIs/EHOs anywhere in Canada would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi everyone, I am finishing up my MPH degree (Drexel) in March of 2027, which has a specific focus on epidemiology. Becoming an epidemiologist at a health department was my initial goal; however, I have grown to realize that the job market for epidemiologists is very scarce and competitive right now amidst slashes to public health funding.

I am considering getting a job in EHS after graduation partly because those positions seem more plentiful, and I would even consider EHS as a long-term career path.

I do not have the NEHA REHS/RS credential, and I believe I would need 2 years of experience as an EHS trainee to even qualify.

I have about 6 months of experience as a research assistant. We investigated the association of PM2.5 exposure and kidney disease progression.

Here are my questions:

1. Has anyone else transitioned from epidemiology or from an MPH with an epi focus to EHS?

2. How competitive are these entry-level EHS trainee positions right now for people with MPH degrees?

3. If I graduate in March of 2027, how far in advance should I start applying? Honestly, I'm already applying right now but haven't heard back from any of my applications, which could just be because im applying so far in advance.

3rd party inspector here (26, female). I make about $63k in mid Atlantic USA before considering work card, expenses, etc. I am on the road on average 2 weeks out of the month. Sometimes 4 weeks, sometimes 2. It is a simple, non higher level certif audit even thought I have the certifications because I simply do not want to
Be gone 3-4 weeks a year. I got married about a year ago in March & my partner is adamant I either need to find a fully remote job or be paid more. Any Steritech, Ecolab, etc inspectors who could compare time expectations & salary??