| ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH Environmental Health has its origins in the
last century, when bad housing, poor water supplies, inadequate drainage and contaminated
food caused disease and death. Environmental Health Officers (formerly Sanitary Inspectors
and Public Health Inspectors) have been looking after the public’s health since 1848.
The work today reflects both the problems brought about by modern lifestyles, and some of
the older problems which still face many members of the community.
Local councils, private companies and other organisations employ Environmental Health
Officers, and wherever they work, they have a common goal - to protect the public from
environmental health risks. To achieve this goal, EHOs are always ready to give advice to
individuals, community groups, companies and committees.
Health promotion and health education are used as vital
tools to promote environmental health issues and bring about improvements and EHOs working
for local councils can also take legal action when education and persuasion fail.
Environmental Health problems fall into
four,closely linked areas:- |
 |
Food
Control
The public and the food trade have become increasingly aware of the need to handle food
correctly. Every year thousands of people in this country suffer from the unpleasant
symptoms of food poisoning. Environmental Health Officers are concerned with ensuring the
safety of food, at all stages of production and distribution, until it reaches the
consumer. EHOs inspect food premises and advise managers on hygiene and safety matters. If
the conditions in a premises are a risk to health, the EHO may take legal action by
serving an improvement notice, or in very extreme cases, close the premises until the
problems are put right. However, the vast majority of EHO work in this field is concerned
with advising businesses on food law and regulations and helping them to safeguard their
customers. May EHOs also run courses to educate food handlers and promote initiatives to
raise the consumer awareness of how to prevent poisoning in the home.
Health
and Safety at Work
The Industrial Revolution brought with it the many advantages of mass production,
efficiency and quality, but also produced, in some circumstances, horrific working
conditions. Over the past 150 years various legal measures have resulted in continually
improving safety standards. Environmental Health Officers are responsible for enforcing
the Health and Safety at Work (etc) Act 1974 in more than one million commercial and
recreational premises employing some 9 million people. EHOs inspect premises and offer
advice on how to protect employees and members of the public using the premises. They may
also be called to investigate an accident and may prosecute if the firm is negligent. The
main concern of the EHO is that conditions at work or in leisure facilities should not be
detrimental to health.
Housing
Good housing comes high on most people’s list of priorities for a decent standard
of living. Environmental Health Officers monitor housing standards and can ensure that
repairs to properties are carried out in order to make a house suitable for habitation. In
some cases, grants may be available for this, but in recent years demands for grants has
greatly exceeded the funds available. In many cities and large towns, large houses have
been divided into bedsits. Environmental Health Officers are responsible for ensuring that
people living in these premises are protected from fire and hygiene hazards. It is
estimated that in 19971 there were around 1.5 million unfit houses in England. There is
still lots of work for Environmental health officers to do in this field.
Pollution and Environmental Protection
Monitoring and controlling pollution levels and educating the public in protecting the
environment is fundamental to the work of EHOs. An increasingly important aspect is
raising environmental awareness and conducting environmental ‘audits’ in local
authorities. If pollution levels are too high, the health of both the public and the
environment can be put at risk, so EHOs keep a close check on the levels of air, water,
soil and noise pollution in their area, and communicate this information in a way that is
meaningful to the public. EHOs are responsible for monitoring the levels of airborne
emissions from small and medium sized industrial processes and can take action to cut the
levels if necessary. Noise can also be a pollutant, from industrial fans to late night
parties or burglar alarms and EHOs have to be impartial, but find a practical solution to
suit everyone. The need to use and reclaim land as effectively as possible means that
attention is being turned to identifying land which is contaminated by refuse, toxic or
dangerous waste and a potential danger to health. This area is an example of how EHOs work
alongside other professionals, such as land developers, architects and engineers, to
provide a multi-disciplinary approach to a problem.
Where ever you encounter Environmental Health Officers
undertaking their important and challenging work, you should always find them applying
their expertise in a conscientious and impartial way to protect the public. The role of
the EHO can be truly summed up in the motto of the Chartered Institute of Environmental
Health ";Amicus Humani Generis"; - ";Friend of the Human Race";.
The work of today’s Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) is extremely varied. The
majority of EHOs are employed by local councils, and have the task of protecting people
living or working in their area. They work in either generalised or specialised
departments; generalist EHOs are responsible for all aspects of environmental health in a
particular part of the district; specialists work alone or as part of a team responsible
for a particular aspect of environmental health, such as air pollution or food safety,
throughout the area.
EHOs also work for private industries, advising companies of their legal duties and
helping them maintain good standards from within the organisation. In industry they are
often referred to as Environmental Health Advisors or Consultants. Other EHOs are employed
by the Army, Navy and Air Force, Civil Service, Universities and Colleges. In recent years
an increasing number have become self-employed, working as consultants for many clients,
in both the public and private sector.
Produced by the Chartered Institute of Environmental
Health
29 January 1997 |
