Public Health, Environment, and Workplace Safety Inspectors
Job description
These individuals assess and control health and safety hazards in a variety of settings (restaurants, factories, establishments, etc.). They ensure compliance with the standards in force regarding health, pollution, hazardous substances, etc.
Environment
- Controlled ambient temperature
- Climatic conditions
- Hazardous chemical
- Biological agents
- Radiation
Main tasks
- Check the sanitary conditions of restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals, etc.
- Identify sources of pollution.
- Collect and analyze samples of various substances.
- Measure physical, biological, and chemical hazards in the workplace.
- Investigate complaints related to epidemics, workplace accidents, chemical spills, etc.
- Develop, implement, and evaluate health and safety programs and strategies.
- Fine or close an establishment that violates the regulations in force.
- Provide consultation and training to employers, staff, and the public.
Hourly wage
Not available.Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects
All of Québec
All of Québec
Total jobs for 2023
All of Québec
All of Québec
Gender distribution
All of Québec
- 51.6% Female
- 48.4% Male
- 51.6% Female
- 48.4% Male
Job types
All of Québec
- Full time
- Part time
- Full time
- Part time
Yearly wage on 2020
All of Québec
All of Québec
Other characteristics
All of Québec
- None
All of Québec
- None
Sectors of activity
All of Québec
-
NAICS 9150% of jobs
-
NAICS 621, 622, 6238% of jobs
-
NAICS 5416, 54176% of jobs
-
NAICS 235% of jobs
-
NAICS 55, 564% of jobs
-
Others27% of jobs
All of Québec
-
NAICS 9150% of jobs
-
NAICS 621, 622, 6238% of jobs
-
NAICS 5416, 54176% of jobs
-
NAICS 235% of jobs
-
NAICS 55, 564% of jobs
-
Others27% of jobs
Training and requirements
Formation
Most training programs are offered in French only.
College
DCS in technologie des procédés et de la qualité des aliments
Placement rate: 81%
16.7% of graduates pursue further studies
University
Community health, occupational health or epidemiology
Bachelor’s degree
Placement rate: 85.7%
8.6% of graduates pursue further studies
Master’s degree
Placement rate: 81.3%
13.3% of graduates pursue further studies
Environment (environmental quality and pollution)
Bachelor’s degree
Placement rate: 45.9%
48% of graduates pursue further studies
Master’s degree
Placement rate: 84.9%
7.5% of graduates pursue further studies
- Bishop's University
- Concordia University
- Université de Montréal
- Université de Sherbrooke
- Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
- Université du Québec en Outaouais
- Université du Québec à Montréal
- Université du Québec à Rimouski
- Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
- Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue
- Université Laval
- McGill University
Food sciences and technology
Bachelor’s degree
Placement rate: 58.1%
39.5% of graduates pursue further studies
Master’s degree
Placement rate: 89.5%
5.3% of graduates pursue further studies
Sometimes required
- On-the-job training and several years of experience can supplement academic training.
- Certification issued by the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals may be required.
- Membership in the Ordre des technologues professionnels du Québec (OTPQ [Quebec order of Professional Technologists]) and obtaining the title of Professional Technologist is an asset.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Data collection
- Information processing
- Active listening
- Reading comprehension
- Critical thought
- Oral expression
- Active learning
- Result evaluation
- Written expression
- Solving complex problems
- Quality control analysis
- Judgment and decision-making
- Monitoring operations
- Social perception
- System analysis
- Systems evaluation
- Coordination
- Learning strategies
- Time management
- Mathematics
Abilities
- Awareness of issues
- Inductive reasoning
- Written comprehension
- Oral comprehension
- Deductive reasoning
- Verbal skills
- Near vision
- Written expression
- Information organization
- Speech clarity
- Speech recognition
- Perception speed
- Processing flexibility
- Classification
- Distance vision
- Colour perception and distinction
- Information processing speed
- Mathematical reasoning
- Selective attention
- Basic numeracy
- Idea generation
- Visualization
Knowledge and attributes
- Critical thinking
- Sense of responsibility
- Honesty
- Commitment
- Rigour
- Respect standards and regulations
- Sense of observation
- Commitment to quality
- Knowledge of public safety and security
- Knowledge of laws and policies
Interests
- Draft, communicate, and inform
- Watch, defend, and secure
- Work outdoors
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Investigative
- People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
- Enterprising
- People with this profile prefer having responsibilities, influencing others and responding to challenges.
- Social
- People with this profile prefer to be in contact with others, in particular to entertain, help or teach them.
Official name of the NOC 21120
Public and environmental health and safety professionals
Job titles
- Public health safety inspector
- Restaurant inspector
- Pollution control inspector
- Industrial waste control inspector
- Public health and safety coordinator
- Environmental health officer
- Enforcement officer - environmental health
- Environmental officer
- Quarantine officer - public health
- Rodent control officer
- Environmental safety officer
- Public safety officer
- Environmental health and safety advisor
- Environmental safety advisor
- Public safety advisor
- Environmental safety consultant
- Public safety consultant
- Rodent control inspector
- Environmental health and safety coordinator - public health and environmental safety
- Public safety coordinator
- Food inspector
- Welfare institute inspector - public health
- Hotel and restaurant inspector - public health
- Waste water treatment plant inspector
- Nursing home inspector
- Dangerous waste inspector
- Flood damage inspector
- Water inspector
- Sewage disposal inspector - environmental health
- Safety and sanitary inspector - public and environmental health
- Dangerous goods inspector - railway transport
- Mine examiner
- Beauty salon inspector
- Sanitary department inspector - environmental health
- Environmental health inspector
- Health standards inspector
- Public health inspector
- Environmental safety specialist
- Public safety specialist
- Environmental health officers supervisor
- Environmental health inspectors supervisor
- Public health inspectors supervisor
- Public health unit supervisor
Skill type
Natural and applied sciences and related occupations
Last update: January 29, 2026