Introduction
Public Environmental Health officers are charged with the duty to assess the risks associated with the general public health in both artificial and natural environments. They help to implement and enforce laws to ensure the safety of the public from health hazards manifested in various forms. They are charged with various duties and are responsible for maintaining a healthy environment for the general public. They are usually employed in the public sector working directly under the government or the state in order to maintain public health safety. They are sometimes also employed in the private sector or the military to ensure a sanitary and safe working environment for the workers.
Duties of the Environmental Health Officers
The Public Environmental Health Officers are charged with a number of duties. They are called on to investigate shops and restaurants that do not follow health safety protocols. They specialize in planning and they are responsible for educating the general public about health safety regulations. They conduct various tests on drinking water whenever complaints are made. They are also responsible for keeping noise and air pollution in residential areas to a minimal level. They are in-charge of immunization campaigns and also monitor pest control, especially of disease causing pests. They also manage emergencies that may have the potential to cause disease outbreaks and have a negative effect on general health of the public. They specialize in risk management and it is their duty to maintain order and decorum in the public health sector. They are in sense the public health management police that deal with health emergencies.
Skills Required
A Public Environmental Health Officer should have a specific set of skills that are well suited for their job. They should invariably have very good communication and negotiation skills in order to tackle situations skillfully. They must have initiative and the ability to make impartial and unbiased decisions in case of emergencies. They should have the ability to work individually as well as in a team and they should have the presence of mind to make quick and timely decisions. Their decisions should have their base in good problem-solving skills with the ability to come up with unique solutions to tackle a problem. There are various graduate programs in countries such as Australia, Ireland etc. that offer a degree in environmental health. Through these programs one can inculcate the various sills required for this job.
Impact
The job of a Public Environmental Health Officer is an important one. They have a very important duty that entails them to look after the general environmental health of the public. It is their job that keeps everyone safe from the various health hazards that have the potential to plague this country. They have had a considerable impact on the general awareness of the public about various health hazards. It is through their hard work and perseverance that everyone can lead a healthy and epidemic-free life.
One should respect the job of the Public Environmental Health Officer who has dedicated his life to the safety of our environment. Theirs is an important job and everyone should be thankful to them for their work in the department of public health safety.
