Public and environmental health and safety professionals
Career Overview
Public and environmental health and safety professionals:
- Review, evaluate and monitor public health and environmental safety hazards
- Develop strategies to prevent, control and eliminate disease and environmental impact caused by biological and chemical factors
- Inspect restaurants, public facilities, industrial establishments, municipal water systems and other workplaces to ensure compliance with government regulations on sanitation, pollution control and the handling and storage of hazardous substances
- Work throughout the private and public sectors
Job Titles
Duties
Public and environmental health and safety professionals perform some or all of the following duties:
- Inspect the sanitary conditions of restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals and other public facilities or institutions
- Carry out surveys and monitoring programs of the natural environment to identify sources of pollution
- Collect samples of water for analysis, measure physical, biological and chemical workplace hazards and carry out safety and environmental inspections
- Investigate health and safety related complaints, spills of hazardous chemicals, outbreaks of diseases or poisonings
- Inspect workplaces to ensure that equipment, materials and production processes do not present environmental hazards to the environment or a health and safety hazard to employees or to the general public
- Develop, put into use and evaluate public safety and environment health and safety programs and strategies
- Initiate enforcement procedures to fine or to close an establishment breaking municipal, provincial or federal regulations
- Provide consultation and deliver training programs to employers, employees and the general public on issues of public health, environmental protection or workplace safety
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
2,645% Employed Full Time
68%Work in this occupation is typically performed in a structured environment, such as an office, hospital or school, or an outdoor work environment where the worker is exposed to various weather conditions.
Also, workers may be exposed to chemicals that may endanger health through inhalation, absorption, ingestion, contact with skin or eyes, or potential for fire or explosion; infectious bacteria and viruses as a result of indirect contact with, or direct handling of, infectious materials or micro-organisms that may cause illness; or ionizing radiation such as X-rays and radioactive substances or non-ionizing radiation such as radio frequencies and infrared, ultraviolet or visible light that may affect health adversely.
Career Pathways
Career path information is currently not available.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
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For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- A bachelor's degree in a discipline such as food science, environmental studies, chemistry or health and safety is usually required
- Public health inspectors employed outside Quebec require certification with the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors
- Environmental health and safety professionals may require certification with the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP)
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Environmental/Occupational Health
- Environmental Studies Related (Arts)
- Environmental Studies Related (Science)
- Environmental Studies/Science
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, while meeting the goals of the system.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
2,645Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 120 | 4.5% |
| Kootenay | 105 | 4.0% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,565 | 59.1% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 60 | 2.3% |
| Northeast | 105 | 4.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 290 | 10.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 410 | 15.5% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
1,090Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 40 | 0.6% |
| Kootenay | 30 | 0.3% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 720 | 1.7% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 0 | -0.5% |
| Northeast | 20 | 0.2% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 110 | 1.0% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 160 | 1.2% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 260 |
| Public Administration | 250 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 170 |
| Manufacturing | 80 |
| Construction | 60 |
Resources
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BC Water & Waste Association (BCWWA) – Job Boardwww.bcwwa.org/site/career/find?nav=sidebar
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Irrigation Industry Association of British Columbia (IIABC)www.irrigationbc.com/page/cross-connection-control
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Western Canada Waterwww.wcwwa.ca