REHS/RS Study Materials
Review these study references that are recommended to assist candidates in preparing for the Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS) credential exam.
Practice Exam
Our practice exam for the REHS/RS credential has been redesigned and updated. The redesigned practice exam was created by subject matter experts and constructed to better simulate the experience of taking the credentialing exam.
Highlights
- Updated question bank with more than 1,000 questions
- Access to question bank by topic area (e.g., food protection, potable water)
- Unlimited practice exams with new questions each time
- Same number of questions as the credential exam
- Same ratio of questions per topic as the credential exam
- Improved, more consistent user experience
- Access on your phone or tablet
Your subscription provides you with access to the practice exam for six months, giving you plenty of time to study.
The online practice exam is an additional resource and can be paired with the REHS/RS Study Guide.
Study Guide
We have revised this study guide to reflect the most recent changes and advancements in environmental health technologies and theories as well as the updated FDA Food Code. The new edition incorporates the insights of nearly 30 subject matter experts from across academia, industry, and the regulatory community, paired with references from over 30 scholarly resources. It also includes a fresh visual layout to enhance the reading and studying experience.
It includes 15 chapters that each cover different environmental domains and is divided into standardized sections including Roles and Responsibilities, Recommended Reading, and Test Mapping. Each chapter each includes sample exam questions.
Chapter Topics
- General Environmental Health
- Statutes and Regulations
- Food Protection
- Potable Water
- Wastewater
- Solid and Hazardous Waste
- Hazardous Materials
- Zoonoses, Vectors, Pests, and Poisonous Plants
- Radiation Protection
- Occupational Safety and Health
- Air Quality and Environmental Noise
- Housing Sanitation and Safety
- Institutions and Licensed Establishments
- Swimming Pools and Recreational Facilities
- Emergency Preparedness
Additional Materials
The REHS/RS exam covers a wide range of topics, so there are plenty of resources and supplementary materials to help you prepare. Some resources focus on a broader range of content than others. From our review of released practice exam questions, we found that some resources were more frequently used than others.
The following lists include references to assist you in preparing for the REHS/RS credential exam. If you can only purchase or borrow a few textbooks to study from, choose these five:
- Nemerow, N.L., Agardy, F.J., Sullivan, P., & Salvato, J.A. (Eds). (2009). Environmental Engineering: Prevention and Response to Water-, Food-, Soil-, and Air-borne Disease and Illness (6th ed.). John Wil颅ey & Sons, Inc.
- Nemerow, N.L., Agardy, F.J., Sullivan, P., & Salvato, J.A. (Eds). (2009). Environmental Engineering: Water, Wastewater, Soil and Groundwater Treatment and Remediation (6th ed.). John Wil颅ey & Sons, Inc.
- Nemerow, N.L., Agardy, F.J., Sullivan, P., & Salvato, J.A. (Eds). (2009). Environmental Engineering: Environmental Health and Safety for Municipal Infrastructure, Land Use and Planning, and Industry (6th ed). John Wil颅ey & Sons, Inc.
- Koren, H., & Bisesi, M.S. (2003). Handbook of Environmental Health, Volume 1: Biological, Chemical, and Physical Agents of Environmentally Related Disease (4th ed). CRC Press.
- Koren, H., & Bisesi, M.S. (2003). Handbook of Environmental Health, Volume 2: Pollutant Interactions in Air, Water, and Soil (4th ed.). CRC Press.
If you have the ability to purchase or borrow additional resources to study from, add these four:
- Food and Drug Administration. Model Food Codes.
- TikTok成人版. (2021). REHS/RS Study Guide (5th ed.).
- Marriott, N.G., Schilling, M.W., & Gravani, R.B. (2018). Principles of Food Sanitation (6th ed.). Springer.
- Pool & Hot Tub Alliance. (2016). Pool & Spa Operator Handbook.
Finally, if you have the ability to purchase or borrow more resources to study from, chose from the following:
- California Association of Environmental Health Administrators. (2012). Disaster Field Manual for Environmental Health Specialists.
- Carter, M. (2007). Soil Sampling and Methods of Analysis. CRC Press.
- Das, D.B., & Chandrappa, R. (2012). Solid Waste Management: Principles and Practice. Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
- Ewing, K.A., McCall, D.R., III, Case, D.R., Miller, M.L., Steinway, D.M., Nardi, K.J., Bell, C., Landfair, S.W., Olney, A.P., Richichi, T., Brownell, F.W., King, J.O., Scagnelli, J.M., Spensley, J.W., von Oppenfeld, R.R., & Davis, A.N. (2019). Environmental Law Handbook (24th ed.). Bernan Press.
- Ginter, P.M., Swayne, L.E., & Duncan, J.W. (2018). The Strategic Management of Health Care Organizations. John Wil颅ey & Sons, Inc.
- Glasson, J., & Therivel, R. (2019). Introduction To Environmental Impact Assessment. Taylor & Francis.
- Hellberg, R.S., Everstine, K., & Sklare, S.A. (2020). Food Fraud: A Global Threat with Public Health and Economic Consequences (1st ed.). Academic Press.
- Heymann, D.L. (Ed). (2014). Control of Communicable Diseases Manual (20th ed). APHA Press.
- Kapur, B.J. & Smith, J.P. (2011). Emergency Public Health: Preparedness and Response. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
- Klaassen, C.D. (2013). Casarett & Doull's Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill Professional.
- Knechtges, P.L., Kearney, G.D., & Resnick, B.A. (2018). Environmental Public Health: The Practitioner's Guide. APHA Press.
- Lundgren, R.E., & McMakin, A.H. (2018). Risk Communication: A Handbook for Communicating Environmental, Safety, and Health Risks. John Wil颅ey & Sons, Inc.
- Meyer, E. (2013). Chemistry of Hazardous Material (6th ed.). Pearson.
- Moeller, D.W. (2011). Environmental Health (4th ed.). Harvard University Press.
- Morgan, M.T. (2003). Environmental Health (3rd ed.). Wadsworth, Inc.
- Nadakavukaren, A., & Caravanos, J. (2020). Our Global Environment: A Health Perspective (8th ed.). Waveland Press, Inc.
- Oleckno, W.A. (2002). Essential Epidemiology: Principles and Applications. Waveland Press, Inc.
- Oleckno, W.A. (2008). Epidemiology: Concepts and Methods. Waveland Press, Inc.
- Singh, R.L., & Mondal, S. (2019). Food Safety and Human Health. Academic Press.
- Wong, J.W, Surampalli, R.Y., Zhang, T.C., Rajeshwar, D.T., & Selvam, A. (Eds.). (2016). Sustainable Solid Waste Management. American Society of Civil Engineers.
- Yassi, A., Kjellstrom, T., de Kok, T., & Guidotti, T.L. (2001). Basic Environmental Health. Oxford University Press.
- Yates, W.D. (2017). Safety Professional's Reference and Study Guide. CRC Press.