Environmental health services are provided by most local governments to help keep the public safe from a number of different risks. Some of the services include inspecting restaurants, inspecting public pools, and inspecting water systems. Environmental health services also are in charge of making sure hazardous waste is disposed of properly and safely.
Many counties across the United States have an environmental health services division. This division is in charge of handling a number of issues related to the health of the general public. These services regularly perform inspections and set guidelines for the county to prevent health problems for residents.
One of the most important parts of this division is inspecting the quality of local restaurants. Many times, this agency will perform surprise inspections to make sure the restaurant is cooking food in a sanitary manner. The environmental health services division will issue citations and fines to restaurants that do not comply to the rules.
In addition to inspecting local restaurants, this agency will also be in charge of inspecting public pools and spas. They will randomly test the contents of the pool to determine if any bacteria or other negative conditions are present. The agency may also make sure the pool staff is administering the proper types of chemicals into the pool to ensure public health.
The environmental health services division may also be in charge of checking out water systems. The water consumed by the general public has to remain clean and disease-free at all times. This means someone has to check up on the water supply occasionally to make sure that everything is in good order. This agency will test the water and make sure no problems are present.
Another important duty of the environmental health services department is to make sure individuals and companies are disposing of hazardous materials properly. Many companies and businesses generate hazardous waste that cannot be disposed of through normal means. This means that special procedures must be followed to make sure the hazardous waste does not contaminate the water supply or any other aspect of the public health. The environmental health services division will make sure the proper policies are set and that every business is following them.