In this subtitle, the following terms have the meanings indicated. Terms Defined. “Accredited educational institution” means a college or university in the United States or an equivalent which has been accredited by an accrediting organization or agency that is recognized by the United States Department of Education. “Apprenticeship” means a program of training and experience under the supervision of a licensed environmental health specialist that is a requirement for a Board-approved baccalaureate degree from an accredited educational institution. “Approved experience” means experience which classifies as practice as an environmental health specialist. Approved Training. “Approved training” means Board-approved courses of study or programs of instruction, or courses or programs offered by a pre-approved provider, in an area of environmental health sciences and related subjects designed to improve, advance, or extend professional skill and knowledge relating to the practice of an environmental health specialist. “Approved training” includes, for licensees applying for renewal of a license for the first time, in-training or prior work experience as specified under COMAR 10.60.03.01C(7). “Board” means the State Board of Environmental Health Specialists. “Board-approved baccalaureate degree” means a baccalaureate degree in science in: Biology; Chemistry; Environmental Science; Geology; or Any other area related to the practice of an environmental health specialist approved by the Board. “Certificate” means any of the following certificates issued by the Board: A certificate of eligibility for obtaining employment; and An environmental health specialist-in-training certificate. “Environmental health specialist-in-training” means an individual who: Meets the educational qualifications set forth in Regulation .03B of this chapter; and Has a valid environmental health specialist-in-training certificate. “Environmental health specialist-in-training program” means a program which provides an environmental health specialist-in-training with approved experience under the supervision of an environmental health sponsor. Environmental Health Sponsor. “Environmental health sponsor” means an individual who is responsible for overseeing the implementation and progress of an applicant's environmental health specialist-in-training program. “Environmental health sponsor” includes: For public employees, an environmental health director, equivalent agency officer, or their designee; or For private sector employees, an environmental professional, who, like an environmental health director or equivalent agency supervisor, makes discretionary decisions affecting food safety, water quality, air quality, sewage systems, and other aspects of the environment affecting the public health. “Environmental science degree” means a baccalaureate or master’s degree inclusive of sufficient course and lab work consistent with semester credits or equivalent in quarter credits in physical and biological sciences acceptable to the Board. “Full-time employment” means employment of at least 34 hours per week. “Hours of approved training” means the value given by the Board for participation in continuing education or experience. “Internship” means an environmental health specialist-in-training program that: Consists of 3 months of approved experience; and Has been completed by an individual who has graduated from an accredited educational institution with a master’s degree in public or environmental health. “Laboratory course” means a traditional on-site setting or virtual setting where an individual conducts practical experiments by either: Hands on; or Simulation relative to the subject area. “License” means a license issued by the Board to practice as an environmental health specialist. “License renewal period” means the 24-month period immediately preceding the expiration date of the license. “Licensed environmental health specialist” means an individual who is licensed by the Board to practice as an environmental health specialist. Major Component of Employment. “Major component of employment” means a job duty or responsibility that: An individual may be reasonably expected to perform; Is identified and listed separately on a position description form such as a Maryland State form MS-22; and Entails significant decision-making responsibility and authority in the process of securing compliance with federal, State, or local health and environmental laws and regulations specifically relating to the control of the public health aspects of the environment. “Major component of employment” does not include a job duty or responsibility identified as miscellaneous or other duties as assigned. Party. “Party” means a person or agency named or admitted as a party, or properly seeking and entitled to the right to be admitted as a party, in formal hearings. “Party” includes a person or agency admitted for limited purposes. “Permanent employee” means an individual who is: Employed to practice as an environmental health specialist; and Not a temporary employee. “Practice as an environmental health specialist” means, as a major component of employment, to apply academic principles, methods, and procedures of the environmental, physical, biological, and health sciences to the inspections and investigations necessary to collect and analyze data and to make decisions necessary to secure compliance with federal, State, and local health and environmental laws and regulations specifically relating to control of the public health aspects of the environment including: The manufacture, preparation, handling, distribution, or sale of food and milk; Water supply and treatment; Wastewater treatment and disposal; Solid waste management and disposal; Vector control; Insect and rodent control; Air quality; Noise control; Product safety; Recreational sanitation; and Institutional and residential sanitation. “Subject matter expert” means an individual with in-depth knowledge or expertise in performing a specialized job, duty or skill within an organization. “Temporary employee” means an individual who is: Employed to practice as an environmental health specialist on a temporary basis for a length of time not to exceed 6 consecutive months within a consecutive 12-month period; and Not required to complete the total months of experience in an environmental health specialist-in-training program under Regulation .03B of this chapter on a consecutive monthly basis. An individual may not practice as an environmental health specialist in the State unless the individual is: Licensed by the Board; Employed under a valid environmental health specialist-in-training certificate issued by the Board; or Participating in an apprenticeship approved by the Board. An individual may not practice as an environmental health specialist under an environmental health specialist-in-training certificate for more than a total of 3 years, unless approved by the Board in accordance with COMAR 10.60.02.05B. Pursuant to Health Occupations Article, §21–401, Annotated Code of Maryland, unless an individual is licensed under this chapter, an individual may not use the title “environmental health specialist” or “licensed environmental health specialist” or the initials “E.H.S.” or “L.E.H.S.” after the name of the individual or any other title with the intent to represent that the individual is licensed to practice as an environmental health specialist. The Board shall license an applicant if the applicant: Qualifies for examination as provided in §B of this regulation; Takes and passes the examination; Has not committed an act which, under Health Occupation Article, §21-312, would subject the applicant to disciplinary action by the Board; and Pays the necessary fees as specified in COMAR 10.60.06. An applicant is eligible to take the examination if the applicant has satisfied one of the following combinations of education and experience: Combination 1: Graduated from an accredited educational institution with a baccalaureate degree that includes: A minimum of 30 semester credit hours or the equivalent quarter [credits] credit hours of chemical, physical, biological, and environmental sciences acceptable to the Board; A course in mathematics; and Laboratory coursework as required in §C of this regulation; and Has either: Obtained 12 months of experience in an environmental health specialist-in-training program approved by the Board; or Completed an apprenticeship approved by the Board; or Combination 2: Graduated from an accredited educational institution with a master’s degree in public or environmental health science that includes: A minimum of 30 semester credit hours or 45 quarter credit hours of chemical, physical, biological, or environmental sciences acceptable to the Board; A course in mathematics; and Laboratory coursework as required in §C of this regulation; and Completed an internship. Laboratory Coursework. Except as provided in §C(2) of this regulation, laboratory coursework shall be in the following fields: Chemistry; Physics; Biology; Geographic information systems; Soil science; and Geological science. The Board may accept a health or environmental field not listed in §C(1) of this regulation if the Board determines that the field is sufficiently related to the practice of an environmental health specialist. An applicant shall have completed at least: One laboratory course in two of the fields listed in §C(1) of this regulation; Four laboratory courses in one of the fields listed in §C(1) of this regulation; or Two laboratory courses in one or more of the fields accepted by the Board in accordance with §C(2) of this regulation. The Board may waive any examination requirement under this chapter if: The Board considers the applicant to be recognized as outstanding in the field of environmental health as stated in COMAR 10.60.02.04L; or The applicant has: Satisfied the education and experience requirements set forth in Regulation .03 of this chapter; Passed an examination as a condition of licensure or registration in another state; Been licensed or registered as an environmental health specialist or its equivalent in another state; and Performed at least 24 months of compensated work as an environmental health specialist or its equivalent in the other state. An applicant who satisfies §A of this regulation shall pay to the Board the application and license fees established by COMAR 10.60.06 before receiving a license. The purpose of an environmental health specialist-in-training program shall be to prepare the environmental health specialist-in-training to: Perform in a competent manner assigned job duties and responsibilities which constitute practice as an environmental health specialist; and Demonstrate proficiency in all areas of public and environmental health on a written examination required by the Board. At a minimum, an environmental health specialist-in-training program shall: Provide the environmental health specialist-in-training with approved experience that is in accordance with §E of this regulation and which includes the following: Conducting inspections and investigations; Collecting and analyzing data; Making decisions necessary to secure compliance with federal, State, and local laws and regulations that relate to control of the public health aspects of the environment; and Reviewing and approving plans for compliance or process changes; and Provide the environmental health specialist-in-training with an opportunity for education and training in the: Areas identified in Regulation .01B(20) of this chapter; and Subject areas included in the recognized examination approved by the Board. The environmental health sponsor of an environmental health specialist-in-training program shall: Ensure that the program complies with §B of this regulation; Provide in house training and opportunities for outside training events; and Define and track progress through the performance evaluation process. As part of the implementation of the in-training program, the environmental health specialist-in-training shall: Review recommended resource materials; Attend recommended training events to improve breadth and depth of knowledge; Receive satisfactory or above performance evaluation ratings for the entire in-training program; and With the sponsor’s input, establish a timeline for when to take the examination. Experience Requirements. Experience obtained under the direction of the environmental health sponsor shall be credited toward the experience requirements of an environmental health specialist-in-training program. The amount of approved experience required for each environmental health specialist-in-training program shall be in accordance with Regulation .03B of this chapter. The Board may approve and apply experience that was obtained from prior employment as part of an environmental health specialist-in-training program. Approved experience shall be credited to an environmental health specialist-in-training as follows: Each month of full time employment is credited as 1 month of experience; Each month of less than full-time employment is credited on a prorated basis; and No experience credit is given for any month during which the environmental health specialist-in-training's job performance is rated as unsatisfactory in writing by that individual’s supervisor. Except for an internship approved by an environmental health sponsor, approved experience does not include experience obtained to satisfy the degree requirements of an academic institution. The Board shall approve an apprenticeship if the apprenticeship provider: Submits an application for approval on the form required by the Board; and Submits satisfactory evidence that the training and experience provided to an apprenticeship participant meets the requirements of §§B—G of this regulation. An apprenticeship shall be under the supervision of an environmental health specialist actively licensed in the State. An apprenticeship shall be rendered as a part of a Board-approved baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. Apprenticeship Written Plan. An apprenticeship shall be provided pursuant to a written plan that: Establishes any employment requirements for the apprenticeship participant; and Defines the methods for tracking and evaluating participant performance. An apprenticeship shall prepare the participant to: Perform, in a competent manner, assigned job duties and responsibilities which constitute practice as an environmental health specialist; and Demonstrate proficiency in all areas of public and environmental health on a written examination required by the Board. Education and Training. An apprenticeship shall provide the participant with education and training in: The manufacture, preparation, handling, distribution, or sale of food and milk; Water supply and treatment; Wastewater treatment and disposal; Solid waste management and disposal; Vector control; Insect and rodent control; Air quality; Noise control; Product safety; Recreational sanitation; Institutional and residential sanitation; and Subject areas included in the recognized examination approved by the Board. Apprenticeship Experience Requirements. An apprenticeship shall provide the participant with experience in the following skills: Conducting inspections and investigations; Collecting and analyzing data; Making decisions necessary to secure compliance with federal, State, and local laws and regulations that relate to control of the public health aspects of the environment; and Reviewing and approving plans for compliance or process changes. The minimum duration of an apprenticeship shall be 6 months. The maximum duration of an apprenticeship shall be 5 years. Health Occupations Article, §§21-101—21-502, Annotated Code of Maryland Effective date: Regulations .01—.05 adopted as an emergency provision effective January 3, 2013 (40:6 Md. R. 469); adopted permanently effective April 15, 2013 (40:7 Md. R. 612) Regulation .01B amended effective November 9, 2015 (42:22 Md. R. 1379); June 28, 2021 (48:13 Md. R. 508); May 1, 2023 (50:8 Md. R. 338); January 5, 2026 (52:26 Md. R. 1309) Regulation .02 amended effective November 9, 2015 (42:22 Md. R. 1379) Regulation .02A amended effective January 5, 2026 (52:26 Md. R. 1309) Regulation .02C adopted effective March 13, 2017 (44:5 Md. R. 294) Regulation .03B amended effective November 9, 2015 (42:22 Md. R. 1379); March 13, 2017 (44:5 Md. R. 294); June 28, 2021 (48:13 Md. R. 508); August 5, 2024 (51:15 Md. R. 710); January 5, 2026 (52:26 Md. R. 1309) Regulation ,03C adopted effective August 5, 2024 (51:15 Md. R. 710) Regulation .04A amended effective November 9, 2015 (42:22 Md. R. 1379); March 13, 2017 (44:5 Md. R. 294); June 28, 2021 (48:13 Md. R. 508) Regulation .05 amended effective November 9, 2015 (42:22 Md. R. 1379); March 13, 2017 (44:5 Md. R. 294) Regulation .05A, B amended effective June 28, 2021 (48:13 Md. R. 508) Regulation .05E amended effective April 23, 2018 (45:8 Md. R. 422); August 5, 2024 (51:15 Md. R. 710) Regulation .06 adopted effective January 5, 2026 (52:26 Md. R. 1309)