1. (1) Qualifying experience for environmental health specialist registration applicants under ORS 700.030(1) must involve the exercise of independent judgment and technical skills that demonstrate the applicant’s knowledge of general food safety concepts and contributing factors of foodborne illness, or general drinking and waste water safety concepts and contributing factors of waterborne illness, and must also demonstrate the applicant’s knowledge of environmental health and process control. The following experience qualifies:

   1. (a) Food processing including developing, managing or leading training in any of the following areas: sanitation programs, pest control, water systems, Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points, statistical process control, or food safety; or
   2. (b) Inspector for United States Food and Drug Administration, United States Department of Agriculture, National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Commissioned Corps of Public Health Services, Indian Health Service, or similar organizations; or
   3. (c) Management of a restaurant chain at the corporate level including developing, managing or leading training in any of the following areas: sanitation programs, public health vector control, water systems, Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points, food safety, the federal codes or process control; or
   4. (d) Epidemiology, communicable disease outbreak investigations, hospital infection control; or
   5. (e) Professional work in drinking water, waste water, soil science, or similar fields; or
   6. (f) Performing the duties of an environmental health specialist in a jurisdiction that does not require licensure for environmental health.

2. (2) The following will not be considered as qualifying pre-registration experience:

   1. (a) Production line work or running repetitive sample evaluations; or
   2. (b) Experience as a restaurant cook, server or greeter; or
   3. (c) Pest control or extermination services; or
   4. (d) Non-licensed sewage disposal service professional.

Statutory/Other Authority

ORS 676.560, ORS 700.005-700.240, ORS 700.995 & Senate Bill 844 (2025)

Statutes/Other Implemented

ORS 676.560, ORS 700.005-700.240, ORS 700.995 & Senate Bill 844 (2025)

History

EHRB 1-2026, amend filed 02/09/2026, effective 03/01/2026
EHRB 12-2018, minor correction filed 02/02/2018, effective 02/02/2018
EHRB 3-2011, f. & cert. ef. 8-1-11