Environmental Health Officer Career Description
Environmental health officers are responsible for the management of environmental affairs that have an influence on human well-being.
What am I going to do in this occupation?
Monitoring and managing environmental interventions relating to:
» Water for drinking and recreation.
» Food and beverages.
» Communicable disease control.
» Control of vectors (carriers of diseases) and alternative hosts.
» Construction and maintenance of housing and residential environments.
» Trans-boundary and international health hazards relating to air, sea or land transport.
» Removal and disposal of wastes, including sewage, surface water and solid waste.
» Removal and disposal of hazardous and radioactive substances from industry.
» Pollution of water, air and soil.
» Physical, chemical and biological hazards
in the workplace.
» Environmental and industrial noise.
» Hazardous lifestyles.
» Public recreation and tourism.
» Disasters and emergencies.
Environmental health officers are technologically trained to ensure the constitutional right of all South Africans to an environment that is not detrimental to health or well-being. They operate within a legal framework but achieve results largely through a process of health education and advocacy. Due to the nature of their work, community involvement is of extreme importance.
Requirements
What kind of personality do I need? Environmental health officers should be tactful and must be able to maintain good human relations.
Where can I work?
Environmental health officers are employed by organisations such as the Department of Health, Department of Labour, Department of Agriculture (Technical Services), metropolitan councils, local authorities, mines and several other private institutions such as food manufacturers and civil and chemical engineering practices.
Can I work for myself in this occupation?
Privatization of environmental health is now allowed and private companies have started rendering environmental health services.
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