Environmental Health Officer
Environmental health officers develop, regulate, enforce and monitor laws and regulations governing public health, and building and environmental management, in order to promote good health, hygiene and environmental practices.
Environmental health officers may perform the following tasks:
- investigate complaints about food safety and make sure that shops, restaurants and food processors follow health regulations
- monitor and control water, air and noise pollution and collect water samples for analysis
- initiate and conduct environmental health impact or risk assessments
- design and conduct health education programs or public information campaigns
- prepare policy documents and guidelines relating to environmental health matters
- manage immunisation campaigns
- investigate and manage public health incidents such as disease outbreaks
- assess development applications and inspect houses and public buildings to make sure that they comply with environmental or health and safety standards
- inspect and license premises, such as tattoo parlours and acupuncturists, where skin penetration and body piercing occurs, and inspect hairdressing and beauty salons
- maintain records, prepare statistics, write reports, and give evidence in court cases where health or environmental regulations have been violated
- manage the collection and destruction of used syringes from doctors, dentists and nursing homes
- supervise the exhumation of bodies from graves and inspect mortuaries.
Specialisations:
Environmental health officers may specialise in the areas of air, food and water quality, disease vector control (e.g. mosquito control), waste management, environmental protection, health education and noise control.
Environmental health officers are also involved in consultation, evaluation, managerial and health promotion activities.
Personal Requirements:
- good communication skills
- good negotiation skills
- tact and courtesy
- able to be firm and impartial when making decisions
- able to be resourceful
- initiative
- good problem-solving skills
- able to work independently or as a part of a team.
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