Health Care State Inspector: Job Description, Salary and Career Info

Health care state inspectors, also known as occupational health technicians, hold businesses and factories responsible for the working conditions within their establishments. Potential inspectors need a bachelor's degree, professionally recognized certifications and work experience in a safety field.

View 30 Popular Schools »

Health Care State Inspector Job Description

The role of a health care inspector is to ensure that businesses follow the health and safety regulations of their state's government. Health care inspectors rely on thorough examinations and inspections to make sure buildings are up to code and that employee practices are both sanitary and safe. These professionals commonly refer to checklists to see that all the necessary precautions are taken, using visual inspection, interviews and the information from pertinent paperwork to determine whether a business can continue operations.

State health care inspectors have a large say in how businesses are run, and if they find an establishment to be unsafe or unsanitary they have the power to shut it down until the problem is fixed. There are some inspectors who have specific areas of focus, such as only inspecting processing plants or slaughterhouses, but most inspectors will be required to inspect a wide variety of business operations.

Health Care State Inspector Salary

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2009, the median annual base salary for an occupational health inspector was $44,830. Salaries do vary by state, however. According to a November 2010 search of job listings on Salary.com, a health and safety administrator in IL could expect to make $143,272 including benefits, and a health and safety manager in TN could expect to make an annual salary of $155,019, also including benefits.

The BLS also reported an 11% increase in job growth during 2008-2018, which was the average expected increase for all jobs during that period (www.bls.gov).

Health Care State Inspector Career Info

Aspiring health care inspectors must have the appropriate education and experience. Most states require their health inspectors to have a bachelor's degree in a field such as occupational health, chemistry or engineering. Additionally, most states encourage professional credentialing.

Industry-recognized certification is offered by both The Council on Certification of Health, Environmental and Safety Technicians (CCHEST) and The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (CSP). Healthcare inspectors may sit for the Occupational Health and Safety Technologist Certification exam offered CCHEST after five years of experience in the field and qualifying education. The CSP certification is slightly more stringent; candidates must have a bachelor's degree, 3-5 years of safety experience and pass two examinations.

Show me popular schools

Related to Health Care State Inspector: Job Description, Salary and Career Info

  • Related
  • Recently Updated
  • Popular
Requirements to Become a Health Care Inspector

Health care inspectors, also known as health facilities surveyors and medical facilities inspectors, perform...

Students: Get the Most Out of Health Care Reform

On September 23, big changes are coming to health care for college students, including better insurance benefits and...

Health Care & Rehab Technician Certificate: Certificate Overview

Individuals interested in careers in health care or rehabilitation can begin by earning a certificate that prepares...

Health Care Aide: Vocational School Diploma Overview

Individuals interested in earning a diploma as a health care aide will find that the program most commonly available...

Top School for an MBA in Health Care Management - San Antonio, TX

30 Popular Schools

Popular Schools

Avg. Wages For Related Jobs

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics