Environmental Health Professionals Safeguard Our Everyday Lives
They make sure the water we drink and the food we eat are safe. They ensure businesses such as spas, salons and tattoo shops are taking the proper steps to prevent the spread of infections. They monitor our public pools and hot tubs for cleanliness and safety, and they’re on the scene during disasters like floods, fires and storms to monitor water supplies and air quality, and to ensure that health hazards are controlled. They are Environmental Health Officers and they have a very important roll to play in protecting the health and safety of the general public.
“Safeguarding Your Everyday Lives” is the theme behind this year’s Environmental Public Health Week running from January 17th to the 23rd. The week aims to recognize the hard work of all Environmental Health Officers (also known as Public Health Inspectors) across Canada.
Interior Health has 50 Environmental Health Officers dedicated to promoting and protecting the health of our residents. Last year Interior Health’s Officers conducted 6400 restaurant inspections, inspected and sampled 1100 swimming pools and visited 1430 water systems.
“Environmental Public Health Week provides us with an opportunity to focus on the work of these dedicated professionals who have a tremendous amount of knowledge and skill,” says IH Director of Health Protection, Ken Christian. “Environmental Health Officers are skilled in microbiology, environmental science and the tracking and control of communicable diseases; and most importantly they are passionate about protecting the health and safety of our communities.”
Environmental Public Health Week was established in 2003 by the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors to highlight the important work done by Environmental Health Officers every day.