What Do Environmental Compliance Inspectors Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Environmental Compliance Inspectors inspect and investigate sources of pollution to protect the public and environment and ensure conformance with Federal, State, and local regulations and ordinances. They also examine permits, licenses, applications, and records to ensure compliance with licensing requirements.

Other tasks include:

• Prepare written, oral, tabular, and graphic reports summarizing requirements and regulations, including enforcement and chain of custody documentation.
• Determine the nature of code violations and actions to be taken, and issue written notices of violation; participate in enforcement hearings as necessary.
• Prepare, organize, and maintain inspection records.
• Verify that hazardous chemicals are handled, stored, and disposed of in accordance with regulations.
• Interview individuals to determine the nature of suspected violations and to obtain evidence of violations.
• Research and keep informed of pertinent information and developments in areas such as EPA laws and regulations.

We asked Environmental Compliance Inspectors how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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70% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 47% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Environmental Compliance Inspectors analyze and implement state, federal or local requirements as necessary to maintain approved pretreatment, pollution prevention, and storm water runoff programs. They examine permits, licenses, applications, and records to ensure compliance with licensing requirements.

A typical day for an Environmental Compliance Inspector will also include:

• Prepare written, oral, tabular, and graphic reports summarizing requirements and regulations, including enforcement and chain of custody documentation.
• Verify that hazardous chemicals are handled, stored, and disposed of in accordance with regulations.
• Research and keep informed of pertinent information and developments in areas such as EPA laws and regulations.
• Learn and observe proper safety precautions, rules, regulations, and practices so that unsafe conditions can be recognized and proper safety protocols implemented.
• Evaluate label information for accuracy and conformance to regulatory requirements.

We asked some Environmental Compliance Inspectors a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	67% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	33% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	76% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	19% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	10% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	14% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Environmental Compliance Inspectors also inspect waste pretreatment, treatment, and disposal facilities and systems for conformance to federal, state, or local regulations. They may also verify that hazardous chemicals are handled, stored, and disposed of in accordance with regulations.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Environmental Compliance Inspectors Determine the nature of code violations and actions to be taken, and issue written notices of violation; participate in enforcement hearings as necessary. They might also Research and keep informed of pertinent information and developments in areas such as EPA laws and regulations.

In addition, they Research and perform calculations related to landscape allowances, discharge volumes, production-based and alternative limits, and wastewater strength classifications, then make recommendations and complete documentation.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Prepare, organize, and maintain inspection records.

To some Environmental Compliance Inspectors, it is also their responsibility to Determine sampling locations and methods, and collect water or wastewater samples for analysis, preserving samples with appropriate containers and preservation methods.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as an Environmental Compliance Inspector, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/environmental-science-and-protection-technicians.htm

http://www.neha.org/

http://www.ucp.ucar.edu/educators-and-students

http://www.nrsb.org/