The environmental health role is primarily to protect public health (participants, visitors and the community as a whole) and this includes food safety in food supply, preparation and service; healthy eating; water quality; air quality; waste water; solid and hazardous waste; environmental control; pest management; housing/accommodation; health and safety and emergency planning.
Within this framework environmental health can contribute through:
- Education and training
- Advice and auditing
- Enforcing standards and legal requirements
- Monitoring and providing active surveillance
- Facilitating resolution of problems
- Communicating with partners and stakeholders
Main areas of intervention
- Food safety and standards
- Public health surveillance and preparation
- Sustainability
- Emergency planning
- Health and safety
- Pest minimisation
- Legacy issues
Food safety and standards
food safety planning and strategies, education, food safety systems management linking to related areas of health and safety, waste management, sustainability and healthy eating. This also includes setting standards for staff and industry training/development.
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Public health surveillance and preparation
Contributing to the wider support for public health and wellbeing. This includes enhanced surveillance of communicable and infectious disease control, global epidemic intelligence, health and safety promotion, healthy housing for contractors and healthy accommodation for visitors.
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Sustainability
The 2012 Games are committed to organising a sustainable and environmentally friendly event. Extensive work is being done to ensure all venues maximise energy efficiency, water consumption and encourage biodiversity. Social, economic and environmental sustainability and the One Planet Living theme remain central to the planning of the 2012 games.
The London 2012 Sustainability Policy identifies five priority themes: climate change, waste, biodiversity, inclusion and healthy living. More information about the London 2012 Sustainability Policy.
The CIEH believes sustainability plays a critical role in determining good health. Through its existing links and partnerships the CIEH can support the assessment, surveillance, monitoring management and control of key environmental areas namely:
- Contaminated land
- Construction noise
- Air quality (construction, transport, games time)
- Water contamination
- Noise
- Nuisance management
- Dealing with hazardous waste/materials
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Emergency planning
The CIEH has helped promote environmental health practitioners as one of the key players in developing and implementing contingency planning protocols. London 2012 presents a unique risk potential for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) and other terrorist type incidents. The CIEH will need to assess the risks associated with environmental health related areas and work with partners to limit and manage the risks.
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Health and safety
The CIEH is working alongside the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to support their programme to ensure the safety and welfare of the construction workforce during the demolition and building phase of the preparation:
The CIEH is able to not only support the ODA management for safety but can also help link these programmes to food safety, healthy eating and general wellbeing themes.
The CIEH is also able to help initiate health and safety planning mechanisms within the local authorities that are responsible for enforcement in the venues and related events. The CIEH is currently represented on the Safety Advisory Group for the London Consortium boroughs. The CIEH is working closely with the Health and Safety Executive Olympic Co-coordinator.
To assist EHPs in doing this it has produced draft guidance on the environmental health contribution to Safety Advisory Groups and/or Operational Management Groups as part of an event planning process.
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Pest minimisation
Pests can be responsible for transmitting infection and disease. Pests can also cause serious nuisance and discomfort. The symbolic profile for the Games means that any publicity from potential infestations and pest problems is likely to have a negative impact on the UK reputation. Pest minimisation and pest proofing are important steps in reducing the risk to public health.
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Legacy issues
Wider policies and standard setting. This will also include raising competence and "up-skilling" of EHPs.
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This webpage will be regularly updated to inform members and other partners about the activities and initiatives the CIEH is undertaking in support of the planning and preparation for hosting the 2012 event. If you would like to be involved in any of the following activities please let us know.