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Sarnia, ON – Environmental Public Health Week runs from January 15 to January 21, 2007 and serves to recognize the hard work of environmental public health professionals and the importance of environmental health across the country. But what is the role of an environmental public health professional?
When you think about what a public health inspector does, what most readily comes to mind is the inspection of food in places like restaurants, bakeries and stores. But you may be surprised to learn about the many other ways their work contributes to protecting our health.
They monitor public drinking water supplies and protect groundwater. They also inspect recreational water sites like pools, spas and beaches.
They inspect stores where tobacco products are sold to monitor how cigarettes are displayed and advertised. They help ensure that there are no colourful advertising displays that are geared to attracting teens to buy cigarettes.
They help to protect you and your family from contracting diseases such as rabies, West Nile virus and Lyme disease.
They inspect daycares, nursing homes, barber shops and tattoo parlors to ensure safe practices are followed to prevent and control the spread of communicable and infectious diseases.
They put a priority on educating the public, as well as business operators, about how to protect themselves and their clients from infectious diseases.
They investigate health hazards (biological, chemical, and physical) and help plan for public health emergencies (natural disasters, pandemic influenza, bioterrorism).
When you stop to think about it, public health inspectors help protect not only the food we eat – but also the water we drink, and the air we breathe to make our environment safe and enjoyable. Please celebrate and recognize Public Health Inspectors for their invaluable work in our community.
For more information please contact Community Health Services Department at 519 383-8331 or toll free 1-800-667-1839.
For more information about Lambton County, visit www.lambtononline.ca.
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Chad Ikert,
Supervisor,
County of Lambton,
Community Health Services Department
Telephone: 519 383-8331 ext. 3507.
Fax: 519 383-7092
Email: chad.ikert@county-lambton.on.ca
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