Environmental Services

We are dedicated to protecting the health and well-being of our citizens. The environmentalist is in the office each day from 7:30-9:30am with evening hours on Tuesday and Thursday.

Phone (606) 337-9595 or (606) 337-9076 | Fax (606) 337-9424
306 W. Park Ave., Pineville, KY 40977

Public Health Environmentalist
Charles Treece

We offer environmental and consumer protection programs for food service and public facilities, general sanitation and on-site sewage disposal systems.

Environmentalists are responsible for a variety of law-mandated inspections. They have the primary responsibility for preventing food borne illness in the retail food sector. Through the proper application of existing laws and regulations, they endeavor to practice prevention by licensing, routinely inspecting and responding to consumer complaints against food establishments in the county.

Food manufacturing inspections are done on bakeries, bottling plants, distilleries, food manufacturing plants, food storage warehouses, grain storage elevators and vending machines.

Environmentalists conduct investigations related to public health nuisances such as failing septic systems, rodent harborage and vectors, as well as food-borne illnesses.

Environmental Office Hours:

Mondays 7:30-9:30am
Tuesdays 7:30-9:30am
Wednesdays 7:30-9:30am
Thursdays 7:30-9:30am, 3:00-5:00pm

Food Handler Online Training Course

Bell County requires annual training for employees who work in the food service industry, as well as any newly hired food service worker BEFORE they begin at their place of employment.

What the course covers:

  • Food safety laws and regulations

  • Proper hygiene practices and food handling techniques

Begin The Food Handler Course

  • • Go to https://ky.train.org

    • Click Create Account

    • Follow instructions to create your account.

    • Enter your Login name and Password to Login. Enter Course ID (1083561) or type Bell County Health Department Food Training Module in the search box (magnifying glass) located at the top right of the screen.

    • Click on Bell County Food Handler Module. Click the Registration tab. Click Launch to start the module.

    • When you have completed the module, click on Close this Module. Go back to the top left screen, click Home then under Dashboard, click on + My learning. Click Current Courses, in the middle of the page. Click on Bell Co. Food Handler Module #(1083561), then click on the M in the box under Manage.

    • Click Completed then click OK. Click the word Assessment, the Start Assesment to take your quiz. After you have completed the assessment and evaluation, print certificate and bring to any Bell County Health Department location with your $10.00 fee.

    • Having the certificate only will not qualify you as having completed the food safety course. You must bring the certificate and the $10.00 fee to one of the health department locations in order to receive your food service card.

    • The certificate for completing the course must be brought by one of the Health Department locations within 2 WEEKS of the date on the certificate.

  • Training completion will require a food service worker to observe an online training presentation, pass the exam, and present the post-exam certificate with the required $10 class fee in cash or money order to the Middlesboro, Pineville or Pineville Annex Health Department locations. Successful graduates will be given a food card which is to be provided for and kept by the worker’s current place of employment.

    Food service certificates must be taken to the health department within 14 days of completion of the course. Food cards provided for successful class graduates will be effective one calendar year from the date on the class certificate, and must be redeemed by the person whose name is on the completion certificate.

    All food service establishment managers must present current up-to-date food cards for ALL FOOD SERVICE WORKERS during their food service inspections.

Nuisance Complaints

Environmental Health personnel conduct investigations on nuisance complaints regarding failing septic systems, rodent and/or vector harborage, garbage disposal, etc. Complaints are conducted in accordance with KRS 212.210.

What to do if you have a complaint:

  • Gather necessary information (if available): location of nuisance, name of owner, address, phone, etc. The more information you can provide the Environmentalist, the quicker they can respond.

  • Contact the local Health Department and file the complaint.

Photographs or any other evidence may be beneficial to the investigation.