Environmental Health Practitioner Duties & Responsibilities
The role and function of an Environmental Health Practitioner includes the following duties and responsibilities:
- Carrying out routine or unplanned visits and inspections to ensure compliance with health and safety legislation and taking action to improve conditions;
- Providing advice and assistance to householders and businesses;
- Investigating complaints from the general public;
- Ensuring the health and welfare of animal livestock on farms and other premises, as well as during transportation;
- Issuing licences for pet shops and other animal-related businesses;
- Advising on planning and licensing applications;
- Carrying out food hygiene and food standards inspections;
- Investigating accidents at work and complaints about poor standards of health and safety, as well as identifying areas of negligence;
- Monitoring levels of noise, air, land and water pollution;
- Advising on health and safety issues in relation to new buildings and developments;
- Arranging for removal of abandoned vehicles and refuse.
- Giving talks at public enquiries, meetings and exhibitions, as well as ensuring compliance through education, advice and enforcement;
- Investigating outbreaks of infectious disease and preventing it spreading any further;
- Taking water samples to maintain and improve standards in public swimming and bathing areas as well as private water supplies;
- Taking enforcement action, initiating legal proceedings, preparing and giving evidence in court;
- Taking photos, producing drawings, removing samples and conducting interviews as part of the inspection process;
- Monitoring radiation activity, taking action when safety levels have been exceeded;
Note that this is not an exhaustive list of Environmental Health Practitioner duties and responsibilities. Job functions for specific Environmental Health Practitioner roles may vary, depending on the industry and type of employer.