London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games - Protecting public and environmental health

This page provides an overview of the key issues and challenges that face environmental health professionals in the countdown to the London 2012 Olympic/Paralympic Games. As the venue operational planning phase starts in earnest, this page aims to guide environmental health professionals in considering and planning management strategies leading up to and during the Games.

With the fast pace of planning the CIEH aims to keep environmental health professionals updated with similar briefings at regular intervals.

The “Greatest Show on Earth”

The Olympics/Paralympics are the largest international mass gatherings in the world. As such, they pose particular challenges for public and environmental health, namely they can:

Place significant pressure on the civil infrastructure for example, water supply, accommodation, transportation;
Create opportunities for the rapid spread of communicable disease;
Place strain on the continuity, safety and security of the food supply;
Provide a target for disruptive/terrorist activity for example, deliberate (or hoax) release of chemical, biological or radiological agents;
Increase adverse impacts on the environment for example, increased waste and pollution;
Increase risks to public safety and health.

Consequently, environmental health practitioners (EHPs) have an extensive contribution to make to the planning and preparation required to minimise the risk and maximise the health, safety and welfare of all involved.

Key areas of activity for EHPs include “controlling” the safety of food in supply, preparation and service; compliance assessment and management of drinking water quality; air quality; waste water; solid and hazardous waste; environmental control; pest management; housing standards; health and safety; emergency planning as well as promotion of healthy eating and sustainability.

CIEH Strategy for the Games

From the time London won the bid, the CIEH set out a vision and strategy for London 2012.

The CIEH will support and contribute to activities aimed at securing the highest standards of public and environmental health in the run up to and during the Games.

In particular the CIEH aims to:-

Position itself within the Olympic/Paralympic development, planning and administrative processes, to assist in promoting and protecting public and environmental health;
Promote consistency in professional environmental health standards, policy and practice within and outside the Games areas;
Identify and share the learning acquired through achieving consistent professional standards in environmental health policy and competent professional practice as a legacy for future public health and wellbeing.

Whilst the CIEH has the ability to take a holistic view of the environmental health aspects of the Games, we have focused our activity on specific issues in order to maximise outcomes. Key areas identified for contribution and support include:

Food safety and standards;
Public health;
Pest management and minimisation;
Sustainability;
Legacy issues.

The CIEH has sought to balance supporting the Olympics/Paralympics administration and Joint Local Authority Regulatory Services (JLARS - responsible for the regulatory enforcement within the Olympic Park) within venues and related sites with the need to support environmental health professionals outside of the venues, and in more general visitor areas where large numbers of visitors are expected.

Achievements so far

Achievements so far have included:

Guidance for outdoor and mobile catering, including markets;
Pest minimisation and control during demolition, construction and site management;
Food safety, health and safety, and welfare of construction workers – project to review support;
Pest management in hospitality/hotel accommodation;
Role of environmental health in Safety Advisory Groups;
Food safety and standards strategy;
Mobile vending strategy;
Professional workshops on key environmental health issues;
Contribution to the Department of Health, Public Health Work Stream on public health issues;
Close working with the Olympic administration in particular the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), London Organising Committee for the Olympic/Paralympics Games (LOCOG), Joint Local Authority Regulatory Services (JLARS), Government Olympic Executive (GOE);
Close working with other partners and Government agencies especially Food Standards Agency (FSA), Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Greater London Authority (GLA);
Representation on the LOCOG Food Advisory Group;
Leading a panel of experts on reviewing LOCOG catering contracts for venues.

The documents mentioned above can be found on the web page guidance, publications and presentations.

Further references and links are provided at end of this document.

Capacity to respond

In the wider context of restricted resources and the fast changing landscape of public health, regulation and local authority function, it is a further challenge to consider how local service providers will be able to respond effectively to any additional demands made on environmental health services during London 2012. While considering how the Games are going to impact locally, and the management strategies that need to be in place to maintain “business as usual”, environmental health services may need to take into account:

Anticipated visitor numbers;
Transport hubs and other focal points for visitors, tourists and local residents;
Temporary accommodation sites like camp grounds;
Planned cultural activities and events;
Road closures and transport changes, which may also impact on staff travel;
Annual leave, volunteering and contingency arrangements;
Joint warranting and other service sharing schemes;
Training camps;
Live sites;
Route of the Torch relay;
Additional resources needed to manage increased demands such as food monitoring during the Games;
Any other additional services such as impact on Licensing.

The environmental health focus

Food safety and standards

Olympics/Paralympics catering is recognised as the “largest peace time catering operation in the world” and London 2012 is planning to serve an estimated 14 million meals over 40 locations. Previous Olympic and Paralympic games have identified the risk of food and water borne infections occurring as “high”. This is largely due to the numbers of meals required as well as increased demand outside the venues. The profile of the Olympics/Paralympics will mean high media profile for any food borne infections or other food related problems. As a consequence, the CIEH particularly wishes to ensure that food safety standards are high not only in the venues themselves but those standards are consistently maintained across localities outside the venues. The CIEH is working closely with the FSA and other partners to identify activities that will enhance food safety during the Games.

LOCOG Food Vision and Charter

The LOCOG Food Vision, launched in December 2009 sets the standards for food provision within Games venues. The Food Vision has five key themes, with food safety being the number one priority. The five themes are:

Food safety and hygiene
Choice and balance
Food sourcing and supply chain
Environmental management
Skills and education

LOCOG established a Food Advisory Group to help steer the development of the strategy and develop a Food Charter. This is a campaign to encourage catering and hospitality organisations outside the venues to commit to supporting and implementing the Olympics/Paralympics standards stated within the Food Vision. Representatives from the CIEH and the FSA sit on and help inform the LOCOG Food Advisory Group.

Local environmental health action

All local service providers will need to ensure appropriate plans are developed to manage food safety issues in the run up to and during the Games. These will need to be supported by robust arrangements to address failures or other potential food related crises.

There are already a number of tools to support this work on a local level:

Multi-agency Food Safety and Standards strategy document that provides a framework to consider effective management of food safety issues in a locality
Multi-agency Mobile vending strategy document that provides a framework to consider effective management of mobile and street vending for food items
Updated guidance on outdoor mobile catering (especially useful for events)
Food Vision website providing examples of good practice and initiatives www.foodvision.gov.uk
Safer Food and Better Business programmes
Food Hygiene Rating Scheme/Scores on the Doors
Professional discussion and learning from workshops on Enforcement and Licensing
Mobile vending scheme being developed and “Log book” approach for mobile food vendors (for more information on this work please contact Sharon Smith s.smith@cieh.org)

Documents can be accessed on our web page guidance, publications and presentations.

What can you do?

You can get involved in promoting the LOCOG Food Charter to local food businesses
Agree a management strategy and local action plan to improve compliance (SFBB/Food Hygiene Rating Schemes/Scores on the Doors)
Link with licensing officers, other local authority teams and local private sector providers to ensure joint protocols to manage problems are in place and that there is effective communication between partners
Work with LOCOG to support achievement of high standards within venue catering through the venue planning teams and other LOCOG liaison points

Public health

With the emerging Government proposals for Public Health England, the Olympics /Paralympics are likely to be an important test bed for new structures and partnerships. In terms of public health, the general risk assessments identify the following broad risks to public health leading up to and during the event:

Infectious disease- food borne and water borne diseases, traveller’s diarrhoea, airborne disease, sexually transmitted disease, vector transmitted disease, non-endemic diseases;
Non infectious traumas- climate related illness such as heat stroke, injury such as falls, road accidents or drowning, deliberate use of CBRN agents;
Other health impacts- nuisance- environmental and social (noise, pests), environmental factors.

Communicable diseases represented less than 1% of the total number of visits to health care settings both in Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. However, the recognised risks to public health from large numbers of people congregating in a limited number of venues means that public health contingency planning is a high priority. The NHS and the Health Protection Agency (HPA) will be responsible for the development of a public health plan that will include infectious disease surveillance and control arrangements. For more information on the HPA 2012 programme please contact HPA2012@hpa.org.uk.

While the NHS are working on enhancing and developing national health surveillance/ monitoring systems, environmental health can usefully refresh how internal systems effectively identify and respond to outbreaks and cases of disease. Environmental health practitioners have considerable expertise at managing incidents and should continue to develop appropriate Games time protocols in partnership with relevant agencies including local resilience forums.

On 6 April 2010, revised health protection legislation came into force in England. This reinforced the legal requirement for all Registered Medical Practitioners to make notifications to Proper Officers on the basis of clinical suspicion rather than wait for laboratory confirmation. In addition, there were changes to the list of notifiable diseases and other guidance. The Regulations also changed the way local authorities manage communicable disease and so it is important for all local authorities to ensure that current procedures have been updated to take into account the new Regulations and guidance for current activities and in preparation for the Games.

Local authorities and agencies are working together to support consistency in implementation of necessary measures and are developing a reporting system to provide regular and detailed reports to LOCOG (and the IOC) on all aspects of public health in the run up to and during the Games. The objective is to provide assurance that appropriate public health responses are undertaken.

Health and wellbeing

The Olympic Games offers unique and multiple opportunities for health promotion on a scale that not only benefits participants and visitors, but can also reach millions of viewers, through the media, as well as the public as a whole. Environmental health teams are already involved in health development and health promotion activities within their communities. A focus on sport will promote increased physical activity but the Games offer wider opportunities for further health promotion messages e.g. about alcohol consumption, healthy eating, sustainable food consumption, safer sex and sun protection. Environmental health can link to campaigns being promoted through LOCOG, national government agencies and regional initiatives such as those being developed by the GLA in London.

NHS London is also acting as lead agency to ensure health service messages are effectively delivered, resources are in place and the NHS and public are informed about health provision during Games time.

Environmental Health can use key health promotion messages throughout all their functions and services leading up to and during Games time and as part of the subsequent legacy. Local authority health promotion approaches can take many routes. These might be through the role of educator, as a major employer, in procurement strategies, as a regulator, in planning, as a major local service provider, as a licensing authority and/or as a democratic policy maker. Health promotion and health development initiatives offer a cost effective option for managing local and national public health challenges with restricted resources.

What can you do?

Environmental health professionals can seek to support and promote such activities in line with local policy positions and programmes. Use London 2012 as a “hook” for health promotion activities;
Identify healthy eating (See Food Vision website for ideas) and other health promotion campaigns to tie in with local activities. Work together with local partners to develop consistent campaigns which maximise outputs;
Link work on health inequalities with targeted health promotion to focus on the communities in most need;
Consider supporting the LOCOG Inspire Programme – including Get Set education programmes;
Review your communicable disease monitoring and surveillance protocols and partnership arrangements.

Sustainability and environmental protection

Sustainability is at the heart of the London 2012 Games and LOCOG has made commitments to deliver a sustainable and environmentally friendly event. Extensive work is being done to ensure all venues maximise energy efficiency, minimise water consumption and encourage biodiversity. Social, economic and environmental sustainability and the One Planet Living theme remain central to the planning of the Games.

The London 2012 Sustainability Policy identifies five priority themes: climate change, waste, biodiversity, inclusion and healthy living. More details can be found at the London 2012 Sustainability Policy.

LOCOG has produced sustainability guidelines for managing corporate and public events.

The CIEH believes sustainability plays a critical role in maintaining long term health. Through its existing links and partnerships, the CIEH supports 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.

The CIEH also views sustainability as central to its vision and activities and has recently been awarded the BS8900 Managing Sustainable Development.

What can you do?

Continue to be involved and support existing local sustainability networks and partnerships;
Support London pollution study groups and other similar professional network groups throughout the country;
Encourage local event organisers to support sustainability in the management of their activities;
Use London 2012 Sustainability achievements to highlight and promote good practice.

Health and safety

The CIEH is working closely with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The overarching vision of the HSE is to support an exemplar London 2012 with exemplar health and safety performance. This will be achieved through encouraging strong leadership and competence, driving up standards of health and safety and creating a healthier, safer working environment. The HSE have recently issued their intervention strategy for London 2012.

Environmental health professionals will need to assess venue health and safety risks, where they have enforcement responsibilities, as well as related activities such as street and community events which may be taking place outside of the venues. This will include assessing risks and management of Legionella and other infections related to water leisure and the hospitality industry.

One of the key ways environmental health professionals can contribute to the wider planning for Competition venues or local community events is through participation in Safety Advisory Groups or Operational Management Groups (SAG/OPG) associated with the events/venues. The main role of a SAG/OPG is to provide specialist advice on the event, venues and immediate environs. It provides a forum for a co-ordinated approach across partners and stakeholders. It also provides a forum that can take on other safety and public functions, as agreed. Environmental health is a key stakeholder and should be represented on the groups that are set up for events/stadia.

What can you do?

Set up or make sure you are involved in a relevant SAG/OPG for the venue or event in your area;
Be familiar with the HSE strategy and engage with them on local issues and planning;
Investigate joint warranting for Games time staffing and beyond;
Implement a management and information programme for Legionnaires disease for the larger hotels, spas and complexes.

Licensing of events and activities

The Olympics /Paralympics encourage and inspire local communities to celebrate local culture and diversity. The Games, along with other key celebrations in 2012 such as the Queens Diamond Jubilee, will create opportunities for a wide range of community, street and sporting events. Environmental health will need to play an active role in helping to manage the public health and safety impact of these events. There is a national calendar of events – The London Events Co-ordination Calendar (LECC) being produced by the Greater London Authority for 2012. The Mayor has asked event organisers to register their event by 31 March 2011 (www.london.gov.uk). This will be a useful planning tool for local authorities to help plan services.

Licensing is a useful mechanism for managing community events. Temporary Event Notices (TENs) are a short notification of a community event. The only means of objection to the event is through the Police on the grounds of crime and disorder issues. The notification is not an application and the local authority can only control the events by ensuring excellent internal and external communications and through developing good links with partners in licensing and the police to help sort out potential problems associated with the events. There are other ways of controlling the events such as using Highways (road closure) consent or if the event is being held on public land/owned by the local authority but these still require robust response systems in place within the local authority.

What can you do?

Liaise internally to ensure that environmental health concerns are addressed.
Use the CIEH mobile event catering guidance and the new log book initiative.
Consider using licensing as a means of managing food safety for mobile vending, larger events and street trading. Work with Street Trading managers to plan ways in which you will manage “front garden” and other mobile traders. (See Mobile Vending Strategy).

Pest minimisation

Pests can be responsible for transmitting infection and disease and can also cause serious nuisance and discomfort. The high profile of the Games will mean that any negative publicity about pest infestations is likely to impact adversely on the UK reputation. Pest minimisation and pest proofing will be important steps in reducing the risk to public health.

The CIEH recognises the importance of protecting the public from threats associated with pests and continues to work with the National Pest Advisory Panel (NPAP) to support professionals and industry in the effective minimisation of pests likely to affect the Olympic experience. The following tools are available:

A best practice guidance document for the construction industry for pest minimisation and proofing during design, demolition and construction of the Olympic park and similar venues;
A best practice document for the hospitality industry dealing with pest minimisation, especially focussing on the identification and management of bedbugs;
A best practice document for the site management of events venues and buildings to reduce the risk of pest infestation;
Learning from the experience of Beijing.

The above documents can be found in our guidance, publications and presentations section.

What can you do?

Provide information and/or workshops for the hospitality industry in your area;
Provide information to local tourist information centres for visitors;
Undertake a local PR campaign to raise the profile of risks and issues for business.

Accommodation

Inevitably there will be an increase in demand for accommodation. This will not only put pressure on the existing hotels and bed and breakfasts in your area but also open up new opportunities for renting rooms, homes, caravans and even setting up camp sites. Environmental health are best placed to manage the impacts of these activities within their areas and to offer advice to home and land owners who may be considering maximising their incomes during London 2012.

Existing landlords may also wish to make the most of increased demand. Ways in which this may impact on the more vulnerable short term tenancies require consideration.

What can you do?

Provide information to home and land owners about requirements for safe and healthy rented accommodation;
Review local planning policy on camp sites and environmental health management strategies for inspection and advice to existing camp site proprietors;
Provide information to existing landlords;
Consider how vulnerable tenants may be affected by increased demand for private rented accommodation locally and ways in which you will respond.

Emergency planning

London 2012 presents a unique risk potential for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRN) or other terrorist incidents. Environmental health professionals have an established role as key players in developing and implementing emergency/ contingency planning protocols. The environmental health function is to assess the risks associated with environmental health activities and work with partners to limit and manage the risks. Environmental health professionals can work within the local resilience framework to ensure that risks and environmental health action to negate or reduce the risks are part of the planning process.

What can you do?

Engage with your local resilience framework;
Find out if there are to be any local contingency exercises into which you can incorporate environmental health issues;
Encourage contingency exercises (desk top) for your service area or business;
Undertake a risk assessment of incident potential within your locality.

Legacy

The Games provide an opportunity for environmental health professionals to revisit local protocols and procedures and to update and enhance guidance, policy and practice. It is not only improved systems and processes that we can offer as a legacy but the shared learning and experience from the planning and preparations will benefit the profession and public health beyond Games time.

Environmental health services have a long history of partnership working and this is now even more evident in the lead up to the Olympics/Paralympics. The planning brings opportunities to develop stronger links with a wide range of stakeholders, create better understanding of different roles and functions and reinforce the benefits of working jointly in shared services and approaches.

With the strong sustainability profile of the Games and the encouragement towards local services and procurement, there are opportunities to develop a creative and supportive local business response.