EHPLE Public Health case studies
EHPLE Public Health · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The EHPLE Public Health credential is aimed at environmental health practitioners who inspect, permit, investigate, and advise on the conditions that shape community health - food establishments, drinking-water and wastewater systems, air pollution sources, vector and housing hazards, and the surveillance systems that detect problems early. The examination tests applied judgment across seven domains: environmental health sciences and exposure assessment (20%), epidemiology and public health surveillance (18%), law, regulation, and policy (15%), food safety and protection (14%), water quality and wastewater management (13%), air quality and environmental health risk (12%), and professional practice and program management (8%). The EHPLE Public Health case studies are 5 cases and about 3,702 words.
1School Vapor Intrusion Before a Heating-Season Decision
A 1960s elementary school in a Midwestern state sits 90 m from a former metal-degreasing shop that used trichloroethylene (TCE) until 2004. In winter 2024, sub-slab soil gas under the gym is 1,800 µg/m³ TCE; indoor air in the gym is 42 µg/m³ and in a first-grade classroom is 9 µg/m³.
796 words, about 4 min2Hotel Legionnaires' Disease Cluster With Pending Environmental Results
Over 6 weeks in late summer, a county health department receives 12 reports of Legionnaires' disease: 9 confirmed by urinary antigen and 3 probable. The county typically sees 3 cases per year.
735 words, about 4 min3PFAS Petition, a Small Water System, and Limited Legal Authority
A state health department is petitioned by a citizens' group to adopt an enforceable drinking water standard of 4 ng/L for PFOA and PFOS combined in all public water systems. State primacy rules allow the department to adopt standards no less stringent than federal, but the legislature has not appropriated treatment funds.
730 words, about 4 min4Catered Wedding Norovirus Outbreak and Permit Suspension
At a wedding reception for 210 guests, 78 people develop vomiting and diarrhea 24–48 hours after eating a buffet prepared by a licensed caterer. The menu included chilled shrimp salad, cut fruit, roast beef, and a whipped cream cake.
706 words, about 4 min5Private Well Nitrate, an Infant, and a Dairy Lagoon
A 5-month-old infant is brought to a rural clinic with cyanosis and lethargy; methemoglobin is 28%. The family drinks from a private well.
735 words, about 4 min