Role and Responsibilities of Environmental Health Officer (EHO)

Role of the Environmental Health Officer (EHO)

An EHO’s role is primarily to protect public health and ensure the safety of the environment.
These professionals are employed by local authorities and work in both public and private sectors.
They inspect hospitality and catering establishments to ensure they are complying with the relevant health and safety, food safety and hygiene regulations.
EHOs are responsible for investigating complaints by the public about businesses breaching health and safety regulations.
They may also provide advice and training to businesses on issues of public health, safety and environmental protections.
Another vital role of EHOs is to control infectious diseases, including food poisoning outbreaks.

EHOs are tasked with carrying out regular inspections of premises to ensure compliance with legislation.
They can have the power to bring about legal action against businesses which are not complying with regulations.
In cases of serious breaches, the EHO can issue enforcement notices or, in more severe instances, prosecute the company or individuals involved.
They are responsible for issuing food hygiene ratings to food businesses after inspections.
In order to fulfill their responsibilities effectively, EHOs must keep up with any changes in legislation related to public health.
Providing information and advice on health and safety issues to employers, employees and the general public is another critical responsibility.
They play a key role in accident investigations, particularly those which result from non-compliance with health and safety procedures.
If a threat to public health is identified, they may arrange for specimens to taken for analysis to help identify and remedy the issue.
In addition to these responsibilities, some EHOs may have responsibilities in broader areas like environmental protection, public housing, and noise control.