64E-18.003. Requirements for Certification

(1) Persons subject to certification – A person shall be subject to the requirements of this rule if he or she is employed or assigned to provide environmental health services in any primary environmental health program, as defined in Section 381.0101(2), F.S.

(2) A person seeking certification in any primary program area shall apply to the department on DH Form 4100, Application for Environmental Health Professional Certification, November 2004, incorporated by reference in this rule. An application fee shall be submitted for the primary environmental health program in which the applicant seeks certification.

(3) A person shall be eligible for certification if they meet the following requirements:

(a) Applicants beginning work in a primary area of environmental health on or after September 21, 1994 must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in environmental health, environmental science, or a physical or biological science. Final authority on disciplines qualifying as a physical or biological science are listed under “Academic Disciplines and Corresponding Majors” in the Appendix of the October 1995 edition of Determining Eligibility for State Employment, Department of Management Services, State of Florida, incorporated by reference in this rule. Major course work is no less than 30 semester hours or 40 quarter hours of class work.

Areas of study listed are examples of courses which would meet the coursework requirements for environmental health, environmental science or public health: public health law, environmental law, health planning, soil science, food science, or epidemiology and would be determined by the Department. Determining coursework allowable in environmental health, environmental science or public health will be based on an evaluation of official transcripts for the courses which earned college credit at an accredited university with academic majors in these areas. If a determination is unable to be made from the official transcripts or a course would otherwise not be allowed the Department will request the applicant to provide a course syllabus to clarify the courses in question.

(b) All applicants must submit the necessary exhibits and fees as described in subsection (4) below.

(4) Completed applications for certification must be received by the Bureau of Community Environmental Health at least 60 days prior to examination. In order to be complete, the application must have all spaces correctly completed, be signed by the applicant, include a money order, cash, the voucher schedule from a journal transfer or a sufficiently funded check in the correct amount as specified in paragraph 64E-18.010(1)(a), F.A.C., and if employed on or after September 21, 1994, shall include official copies of transcripts from the colleges or universities from which the applicant graduated.

(5) Within 45 days of receipt of the completed application by the department, the applicant shall be notified as to whether he or she meets the general requirements of this rule and is eligible for certification.

(a) If eligible for certification, the department shall notify the applicant of the schedule for classes and program examinations.

(b) If an applicant is determined to be ineligible for certification, the department shall provide the applicant with a letter of denial, giving the reasons for the determination.

(6) Applicants seeking certification in the Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal System Program must:

(a) Successfully complete a minimum of 24 hours of department provided pre-certification course work. At a minimum this course work shall include training and testing on soil classification, system design and theory, system material and construction standards, and regulatory requirements; and

(b) Successfully pass the examinations administered by the department. Minimum passing score shall be a 70 percent correct response to all questions comprising the exam.

(7) Applicants seeking certification in the Food Protection Program must:

(a) Successfully complete a minimum of 24 hours of department provided pre-certification course work. At a minimum this course work shall include training and testing on food microbiology, foodborne illness investigations, and basic hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP); and

(b) Successfully pass the pre-certification coursework and certification examinations administered by the department. Minimum passing score shall be a 70 percent correct response to all questions comprising the exam.

(8) No more than 4 consecutive hours will be allowed to complete the written portion of an examination.

(9) Applicants with special needs which would place them at a disadvantage when being administered a standard written multiple choice exam may request the administration of a special exam. Requests for the administration of such a special examination must be made in writing to the department at least 45 days in advance of the exam date. The request must provide details as to the physical limitations of the applicant which would warrant the administration of a special exam, and the reasonable accommodation requested.

(10) Examinations shall be monitored and graded by the department.

(11) The department shall notify the applicant of examination results no later than 30 days after the examination date.

(12) If an applicant fails to achieve a passing score on the examination, the applicant will be notified of the failure, the right to re-apply to take the examination, and that he or she is being denied certification because of failure to achieve a passing score on the examination. Applicants who fail the examination may request to review their examination results by making application for such a review to the department within 15 days of the date of notification of examination results.

(13) The department shall inform applicants receiving a passing score of their status and provide necessary instructions for receiving certification.

(14) Examination results are valid for a period of 2 years from the date of examination.

(15) Persons seeking certification who maintain a current registration with the Florida Environmental Health Association or the National Environmental Health Association as either a Registered Environmental Health Specialist or a Registered Sanitarian are considered certified but must obtain a certificate from the department if they provide environmental health services in a primary environmental health program. The department shall issue a certificate upon receipt of proof that the applicant maintains a current registration with either of these organizations and upon receipt of a completed Application for Environmental Health Professional Certification.

Specific Authority 381.0101 (5) FS. Law Implemented 381.0101 FS. History–New 9-21-94, Amended 8-20-96, Formerly 10D-123.003, Amended 3-2-98, 8-21-05.