Online Health Inspector Classes, Courses and Training Information

The education required to be a health inspector is available online, covering a wide variety of topics at the certificate, associate, or bachelor's degree level. These courses could be part of a food safety training program or offered as part of an environmental, workplace or public health program.

Overview of Online Health Inspector Courses and Training

Like the health and safety inspection field itself, online courses for health inspectors cover a wide range of topics. Health inspectors can narrow their focus to one discipline in the field, or broaden their career prospects and potential for advancement by pursuing multiple specialties. Virtual learning courses are available in topics like ethics or communication skills for health and safety professionals, ergonomics, occupational health, environmental health and food safety.
These courses could be part of a certificate program in any of these subjects or part of an associate or bachelor's level program in environmental health, food safety or occupational health. Courses are also offered on a non-credit and continuing education basis.

Course Requirements

These online courses require regular access to a computer running a recently updated operating system with high-speed Internet access. Students should be comfortable navigating the web and have their own personal e-mail address. Common software requirements include word processing and slide viewing programs.

List of Online Health Inspector Classes

Introduction to Food Inspection Course

This course discusses basic issues for sanitation and safety in the food service industry such as water purity, cross contamination, temperature control, labeling, handler health and pest control. Food safety criteria for risk assessment and hazard analysis are discussed; industry-wide practices for ensuring quality throughout the entire food production and distribution process are also examined.

Environmental and Occupational Health Course

Students are introduced to the foundations of environmental and occupational health and safety in this course so they may learn to recognize and prevent public and workplace hazards. Major health and safety issues covered include topics like air quality, infectious diseases, hazard protection and fire safety. An overview of the Occupational Safety and Health Act is also provided.

Communication Skills for Safety Professionals Course

This course works on building communication skills for health inspection professionals. Topics include conducting interviews, taking witness statements, dealing with the media and the public, communicating with regulators and testifying in a court of law. Communicating and facilitating programs for health and safety standards are also addressed.

Legal Aspects of Health Service Organizations Course

Laws governing the health inspection field and the health service agencies tasked with monitoring and enforcing these laws are the focus of this course. The history and evolution of regulations governing the health inspection field are discussed, as well as newly emerging issues and concerns. Administrator strategies for effectively managing legal issues and ensuring compliance are included.