The Illinois Department of Public Health is seeking a highly motivated individual to serve as Regional Plumbing Inspector. Performs highly technical work as a Plumbing Inspector in planning, directing, and coordinating regulation and enforcement of the Illinois Plumbing Code. Travels to perform detailed public health inspections and investigations of private and commercial properties to assure plumbing is installed by licensed plumbers and is installed in compliance with applicable plumbing laws and regulations.
Job Responsibilities
1. Travels to perform detailed public health inspections and investigations of private and commercial properties to assure plumbing is installed by licensed plumbers and is installed in compliance with applicable plumbing laws and regulations.
Climbs stairs or ladders, access crawl spaces, utility tunnels and moves pipes and other heavy construction materials in order to properly conduct inspections.
Reviews plans and specifications for major alterations and extensions.
2. Conduct enforcement activities, as it relates to the Illinois Plumbing Code.
Investigates complaints referred to the region.
Collects and prepares sensitive investigation data, documents, evidence, etc., for use in enforcement cases for non-compliance with laws and regulations.
Appears and testifies as required at legal proceedings or at administrative hearings.
3. Confers with owners, managers, operators, employees and the general public, explaining deficiencies and sanitation practices.
Explains the public health significance of deficiencies; assures deficiencies are corrected.
Provides presentations on regulatory requirements to interested parties and the general public as necessary or assigned.
Provide consultation in regard to laws, rules and regulations for environmental programs.
4. Prepares complex, detailed technical reports of field inspections and investigations.
Evaluates plans of corrective action relating to deficiencies or non-compliance with applicable environmental public health laws and regulations implemented by Division.
5. Attends and completes mandatory knowledge-based and practical training required by Office of Health Protection standard operating procedures and program requirements for regional program activities.
6. Performs other duties as required or assigned, which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.
Minimum Qualifications
Requires knowledge, skill and mental development equivalent to completion of four years of high school.
Requires possession of a valid Illinois plumber's license with at least seven years of experience as a plumber.
Requires successfully passing the Department of Public Health's examination for certification as a Plumbing Inspector within six months of hire.
Preferred Qualifications
Two years of experience performing detailed public health inspections and investigations of private and commercial properties to assure plumbing is installed in compliance with applicable plumbing laws and regulations.
Seven years of experience using the tools, equipment, materials, methods, and practices of the Plumbing trade.
Two years of experience preparing and/or reviewing evidence for court proceedings and providing testimony.
One year of experience providing presentations on regulatory requirements to various entities.
One year of experience preparing complex, detailed technical reports of plumbing inspections or investigations.
Four years of experience applying working knowledge of hydraulics, pneumatics, and mathematics.
Seven years of experience communicating effectively both verbally and written form with the public and regulators.
One year of experience with Microsoft software products including, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
Conditions of Employment
Requires the ability to travel extensively within the state.
Requires a current and valid driver’s license.
Requires the ability to lift 50 lbs.
Requires ability to climb stairs or ladders, access crawl spaces; utility tunnels and other restricted access areas.
Requires ability to negotiate construction sites in a safe manner, including wearing site-specific required personal protective equipment.
In Illinois, if you have eaten at a restaurant ... required hospital or nursing home care ... vacationed at a campground or swam at a public beach or pool ... drank a glass of milk ... got married or divorced ... had a baby, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has touched your life in some important way.
Assuring the quality of our food, setting the standards for hospital and nursing home care, checking the safety of recreation areas, overseeing the inspection of milk producing farms and processing plants, maintaining the state's vital records and screening newborns for genetic diseases are just some of the duties of IDPH.
In fact, IDPH has 200 different programs that benefit each state resident and visitor, although its daily activities of maintaining the public's health are rarely noticed unless a breakdown in the system occurs. With the assistance of local public health agencies, these essential programs and services make up Illinois' public health system, a system that forms a frontline defense against disease through preventive measures and education. Public health has provided the foundation for remarkable gains in saving lives and reducing suffering. Today, lif...e expectancy is 80 years for women and 74 years for men compared with fewer than 50 years at the at the beginning of the 20th century.
In the past, IDPH directed state efforts to control smallpox, cholera and typhoid, virtually eliminated polio, reduced dental decay through fluoridation of community water supplies, and corrected sanitary conditions that threatened water and food supplies.
Today, IDPH has programs to deal with persistent problems that require continued vigilance – infectious diseases, such as AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and meningococcal disease; foodborne and communicable diseases, such as E. coli 0157: H7, monkeypox, salmonella and West Nile virus; vaccine preventable diseases; lead poisoning; lack of health care in rural areas; health disparities among racial groups, breast, cervical and prostate cancer; Alzheimer's disease; and other health threats -- sexually transmitted diseases, tobacco use, violence, and other conditions associated with high-risk behaviors. In addition, IDPH has been charged with handling the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the threat of bioterrorism.
IDPH, which is one of the state's oldest agencies, was first organized in 1877 with a staff of three and a two-year budget of $5,000. IDPH, now has an annual budget of $2.9 billion in state and federal funds, headquarters in Springfield and Chicago, seven regional offices located around the state, three laboratories, and 1,200 employees.
IDPH is organized into 12 offices, each of which addresses a distinct area of public health. Each office operates and supports numerous ongoing programs and is prepared to respond to extraordinary situations as they arise.
