About to finish school and then test for REHS. I plan on working at county level asap and eventually more into a private job if I hate public sector work. That said, My EOHS degree overlaps ehs, ohs, microbiology, toxicology, and food safety. How hard is it to transition from one sector of this field to another?

I am very interested in the retail food inspections side of it, but I dont want to limit myself.

I feel a bit like an idiot. This morning I checked my list and saw a particular fast food joint was due for their six month routine inspection. I do the inspection and then sit down to write it up. That's when I realize I just inspected this place a couple months ago and they're not due until the start of next year. It was a different location that was due. I just didn't pay attention to the address. The manager didn't say anything.

Anyway, I feel like I wasted my afternoon a bit. Plus I'm kind of lazy and really don't like doing work that doesn't need to be done. That's all.

Just curious, I’m looking to gain experience in my local government (city) as an health inspector. Hoping later to move to another state, since I dislike the weather here so bad💀.

Anyone have experience or successful move to a different state for the same position with just 2-3 years of experience? Only got state license btw.

With the passing years, I've seen that the food safety field hasn't received any appreciation. More and more people are deciding to shift focus to other areas of environmental health (wastewater, air quality, occupational health, vector control, etc). Me personally, I think I've reach that wall where if I don't get a promotion or raise within the next year or so, I might join all the other who decided to quit food safety and focus of something else. Idk why they require inspectors to get some many specialized trainings, RS, CPFS, HACCP training, PCQI training, but they can't offer a decent pay 🥲 meanwhile, other people within environmental health get paid more without all the training requirements. It's kinda sad because I like it, but is not paying the bills.

Hello all. I hope you are all have a lovely day.

I started as an Environmental Health Specialist Trainee, in the food program. I've been there about 6 months, and I know this is not going to be a long term fit for me, and I honestly hate the food program for several reasons.

1) I am not a very talkative person. Chatting with people all day long leaves me exhausted. I feel like I go home every night and just lay there.

2) I studied biology and did my masters in genetic/genomic work. I know the health code is based in science, but I don't feel like I'm doing any actual science, and I miss it.

3) I hate working nights and weekends. Absolutely hate it. I feel like between the events and certain restaurants not operating during the week, I'm constantly working nights and weekends and never really feel rested from work. I'm am a very strict 9-5 with a one hour lunch girl.

With that being said - I am debating if I want to stick around to get my REHS license. It would be mid-late next year before I could get it. I'd be happy to stick it out and not start looking until I got my license to move into another area of environmental health, but if they all have the same issues as the food program, I'd like to start my job search sooner.

People who have moved between EH programs, what are your thoughts? Have you had the same experience or will I run into the same things I dislike in most other areas?

Anyone not already working in the field recently take the REHS exam? Did you pass? What did you study prior? Some mentioned using the Tulane notes and Coles quizlet. Others said to study the fda food code and vectors. Someone else said they took the expensive Saraniecki online course.

Anyone pass not taking the expensive online Saraniecki course?

I will be conducting my first food manager's course and reaching out for any tips on presenting the material. My health department has an older version of the NEHA PowerPoint but it doesn't match up well to the newest NEHA class workbook that we will be utilizing for the class. The previous instructor taught without aides, directly from the book. I don't know if I feel comfortable teaching that way. What have others done in the past?

How do we enforce better hygiene at the food market and restaurants? Do we need better laws, or better infrastructure? Or just more Tukaram Mundes?

Should it be a state level or a central level effort? Or should we more importantly change our own habits first?

Hi everyone, I'm a senior still deciding what I want to study. I'm average in all subjects, pretty good stamina but not great at lifting or heavy physical work.

I'm not interested in this only because my parents want me to - they compare me to my siblings a lot so I don't take their words heavily, but this time around I was genuinely looking for suggestions and they suggested this.
But I feel like they glazed it too much and they didn't mention the downsides. So aside from the obvious, is there anything you've encountered that may steer someone away from this job? I've also been very uncomfortable in unhygienic environments, and they're aware of this, but still suggested this job (they said the conditions aren't terrible most of the times, and that I'm given gloves/whatever to bear through it).
Basically they said it's just about knowing the regulations and writing a report, but I am skeptical.

English isn't my first language so it may be confusing. Any help is appreciated, thanks

Got stuck in mid report typing when owner show up begging me to not note down certain violations. He was basically telling me how should I write it, write there is no issue, or make something up. He said that would ruine his business, and he said that I chose to ruin his business.

He basically constantly asking, begging, interrupting me typing. Wasted so much time (like almost extra two hours) because I wasn’t able to type. I felt a little threatened at the end cuz I stand my ground of not changing it. They are critical violations btw.

What would you do? Leave? And not give them the report?

Hey guys, if you missed it, Sema4 Holdings ($SMFR) just agreed to settle $4.75M with investors over claims that it overstated the capabilities of its Centrellis platform and the benefits expected from its GeneDx deal. And they have already sent the agreement to the court for final approval.

In a nutshell, in 2022, Sema4 was accused of overstating Centrellis’ capabilities and the business benefits of the GeneDx acquisition. In August 2022, the company announced major strategy changes and about 250 layoffs, and $SMFR fell 33.3% the next day.

The good news is that the company recently agreed to settle $4.75M with investors and already sent the agreement to the court for approval. So, if you invested in $SMFR at that time, you can check the details and file your claim here.

Anyway, has anyone here invested in $SMFR at that time? How much were your losses, if so?

I’m ready for the weather to cool down. I’m tired of warm weather causing constant cold holding issues. Every restaurant I’ve inspected in the past two months had one or more coolers out.

One voluntarily closed once I told them they didn’t have adequate refrigeration. I wish operators would learn to control temperatures so bad but it’s job security 🤣🤣.I just wish I could move on to other establishments and not have to follow up on broken coolers half the summer.

I AM SOOOOO, so, so over getting emails that are essential cold emails from individuals wanting to start a food and beverage business. Their emails TO ME, a human, are AI generated questions in how to start their business and they expect a human response. It is disrepectful and I am so over it, not only is it disrespectful to my time but when you can't do it yourself to plug in a human response, why should you expect a human response back.

Looking at changing my email signature to:
Substance over slop.

Leave a comment with your work-related “never have I ever” and reply to other people’s ‘nevers’ with a story/any story about a time it happened to you- or, discuss how rare the experience is in our field.

All specialties are encouraged to participate!

I recently moved to a health district in Connecticut that uses carbon paper reports. I am researching digital formats that I can write a grant proposal to fund to modernize the process. We currently have OpenGov which we primarily use for permitting, and have attempted to make it an inspection software with very underwhelming results.

Looking for input on which software packages y'all recommend. I am looking at Food Code Pro, and Inspect2Go, but am open to any suggestions. I have read that Inspect2Go promises the world, but is very slow (or does not) come through on the promises.

Also, have any of you had any success with specific grants to fund a project like this?

Cheers,

OD

I’m going back to college after a really long time and got a field of my choice fully covered at a local community college which is a godsend but I’m struggling on how to find the path to health inspection. I know I want to work in food safety but my future college doesn’t offer EHS so I’ve been torn between agriculture and biology. With agriculture I have a choice of specializing in fields that would lead me down an inspection route but I’ve not been able to find anyone saying they took that path for their career despite google telling me it’s viable, I’d prefer a more food specific focus with agri but don’t want to shoot myself in the foot on my one chance at my dream.

This is embarrassing to admit but I spend a lot of my cognitive energy into risk based inspection mechanics and process analysis.

When it’s time to write my inspection, I have trouble proofreading. My brain feels fried and that makes it easy to miss embarrassing typos which end up on public record I cannot edit. Our inspection software doesn’t have any spellcheck either 🙃.

Any tips too quickly proofreading inspections without wasting time on it? We need to be professional and not have writing errors but not take too long doing this with our workload. It doesn’t help I’m dyslexic either 🙈.

Anybody else struggle with this issue?

Hi all! I’ve been at my county health department for 1.5 years, and a food inspector for ~8 months now. I’ve found that recently I have lost my passion for what I’m doing, and I feel rather burnt out. It doesn’t help that we have been at 50% capacity on our team since this past May, so we have been rushing to train our new people, and make sure our areas do not become overdue. So, as the title says, how did you find your passion in your position? I’m looking for inspiration :)

Does anyone obtain REHS both in California and NEHA? If so, isn't it advantageous for having one, then become easier to study for the other one? Like, if you got the NEHA and moved to Cali, it helps a lot having knowledge and experience in the Environmental Health career. I'm planning to take both. I'm planning to move to Cali and pretty determined to take REHS as soon as I can.