Environmental health practice

This section of the site contains information about environmental health practice at the following levels:

• International

• National

• Local government
  

Environmental Health Workforce Project

The Environmental Health Committee (enHealth) defines environmental health as addressing all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviours. It encompasses the assessment and control of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health. It is targetted towards preventing disease and creating health-supportive environments.

Through a variety of actions identified in the National Environmental Health Strategy 2007-2012, enHealth aims to support the work of policy makers, environmental health officers and workers employed by national, state and local governments, non-government organisations and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Objective Three of the National Environmental Health Strategy 2007-2012 is to 'Develop a sustainable level of environmental health service delivery and policy development within all levels of Government'. To begin this work enHealth agreed to develop a nationally agreed matrix matching current and expected future roles and functions of environmental health officers with the skills, knowledge and experience required to undertake such roles and functions. The Victorian Department of Human Services is project managing this work on behalf of enHealth.

Development of the matrix has been undertaken in two phases. The first phase involved the development a comprehensive, nationally agreed, list of the roles and functions of environmental health officers. Working Papers 1 and 2 below outline the processes undertaken during phase one and show the final list of roles and functions. The second phase saw the development of a matrix which matched the skills and knowledge required to undertake such roles and functions. Working Paper 3, below, details the matrix. The completed matrix will soon be available.

The National Environmental Health Strategy 2007-2012 can be downloaded below and more information can be found regarding enHealth on the Department of Health and Ageing website.

National Environmental Health Strategy 2007-2012 (826kb, pdf)

enHealth Workforce Project - Working paper 1 (416kb, pdf)

enHealth Workforce Project - Working paper 2 (170kb, MS Word)

enHealth Workforce Project - Working paper 3 (442kb, pdf)

enHealth Council Health Impact Assessment Guidelines

These Guidelines aim to promote and enhance the incorporation of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) into environmental and planning impact assessment generally, thereby improving the consideration of health issues.

In particular they seek to provide those involved in impact assessment across all levels of government and developers, along with their advisers, with an introduction to HIA and general guidance on the key steps involved.

enHealth Council Health Impact Assessment Guidelines (189kb, pdf)
This document is also available from the enHealth Council web site.

enHealth Council Environmental Health Risk Assessment Guidelines

enHealth Council Environmental Health Risk Assessment Guidelines (1100kb, pdf)
This document is also available from the enHealth Council web site.