Environmental Health Inspection and Assessment Flashcards

What is a 'complaint investigation' in environmental health practice, and what triggers one?

Answer: An investigation initiated in response to a citizen, tenant, or employee report of a potential environmental health hazard or regulatory violation

A complaint investigation is initiated when a member of the public, worker, or other party reports a suspected environmental health hazard or violation; the complaint provides the trigger and direction for the investigative response.

What is the 'hierarchy of controls' used in environmental and occupational health to manage hazardous exposures?

Answer: Elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, personal protective equipment — in order of decreasing effectiveness

The hierarchy of controls prioritizes hazard management strategies from most to least effective: elimination (remove the hazard), substitution (replace it), engineering controls (isolate people from the hazard), administrative controls (change how work is done), and finally PPE.

What information does an environmental health officer need to properly document a violation in an inspection report?

Answer: Date and time of inspection, conditions observed, specific regulatory citation violated, corrective action required, and compliance deadline

A properly documented inspection violation must include the date and time, specific observations, the exact regulatory provision violated, required corrective actions, and the deadline for achieving compliance.

What is 'epidemiology' and what role does it play in environmental health assessment?

Answer: The study of the distribution and determinants of health and disease in populations, used to identify environmental exposures causing illness

Epidemiology studies the frequency, distribution, and causes of health conditions in populations; in environmental health, it identifies associations between environmental exposures and disease outcomes to guide preventive action.

What is a 'Phase II Environmental Site Assessment' and when is it conducted?

Answer: A subsurface investigation involving soil and groundwater sampling to confirm or characterize contamination identified in a Phase I assessment

A Phase II ESA is conducted when a Phase I identifies recognized environmental conditions; it involves physical investigation including soil borings, groundwater monitoring wells, and laboratory analysis to determine whether contamination is present and its extent.

What is the purpose of 'health impact assessment (HIA)' in environmental health practice?

Answer: To systematically evaluate the potential health effects of a proposed policy, plan, or project and provide recommendations to maximize benefits and minimize harms

Health Impact Assessment is a systematic process that evaluates the potential positive and negative health consequences of proposed policies, plans, or projects on affected communities, and provides evidence-based recommendations to decision-makers.