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Making a Difference
Environmental health career information
Introduction
The administration of environmental health law in New Zealand is carried out by a range of agenices and personnel.
Core regulatory environmental health practitioners include:
- Health Protection Officers (District Health Boards)
- Environmental Health Officers (Local Councils)
Other specialist regulatory practitioners include:
- Food Act Officers (District Health Boards & NZ Food Safety Authority)
- Environmental Monitoring Officers (Regional Councils)
- Health & Safety Inspectors (Dept of Labour)
In addition to the above regulatory roles environmental health practitioners are also employed in the private sector, as well as the armed forces and central government. Examples include:
- Food Safety Programme Auditors
- Health, Safety & Environment Advisors
- Policy Advisors
A Career as a Health Protection Officer or Environmental Health Officer
 Protecting & promoting community health
A regulatory Environmental Health Practitioner (EHP), is a public health professional who protects health through ensuring public health risks are identified and managed; investigating public health concerns; enforcing public health legislation; providing advice and information to community leaders, members of the public and others who influence determinants of health. Such EHPs are employed as Health Protection Officers (HPOs) and Environmental Health Officers (EHOs).
Roles and Functions
Application of risk assessment, communication and management approaches to public health issues
- A significant role in the enforcement of public health legislation
- Respond to health issues raised by the community
- Maintain effective monitoring and surveillance systems
- Impart health and safety information
- Contribute to the management of a sustainable environment
- Provide evidence-based public health information and advice
- Intervene when public health and safety appears compromised
Qualifications
 There are a number of ways of becoming a Health Protection or Environmental Health Officer. The most common is to complete a Bachelor of Health Science (Environmental Health) from Massey University or a Bachelor of Applied Science (Health Protection) from Auckland University of Technology. If you already hold a science degree, you may still be able to become a HPO/EHO, depending on what papers you complete. A Graduate Diploma is available from Massey. Equivalent overseas qualifications agreed by the Ministry of Health are also accepted.
Environmental Health
Advances in drinking water and sewage have contributed historically towards large improvements in health. HPOs and EHOs at the forefront of these advances now have responsibilities extending to biosecurity, recreational water, hazardous substances and other environmental exposures.
The roles and Duties of HPOs and EHOs vary but may involve:
- Biosecurity and Quarantine
- Built Environments & Housing
- Burial and Cremation
- Contaminated Land
- Drinking Water Quality
- Early Childhood Centres
- Hazardous Substances
- Public Health Emergencies
- Radiation Protection
- Recreational Water
- Resource Management Issues
- Sewage Treatment and Disposal
- Shellfish and Shellfish Waters
- Smoke Free Environments
- Waste Management
- Working with other agencies
There is a very close relationship between people and their environment. What happens in the environment can have an adverse effect on our health. Human activities in parts of New Zealand have resulted in the contamination of land, air and water. To ensure we can continue to enjoy our environment these threats must be identified, quantified and minimised. HPOs and EHOs actively identify the issues, assess the health risks and protect public health
 Communicable Diseases
Health Protection Officers are actively involved in preventing and controlling the spread of communicable diseases through surveillance and the investigation of cases and outbreaks.
Communicable diseases can be controlled through community based public health actions, such as through the provision of safe water, safe food, and effective waste disposal. Preventing their spread can also be influenced by personal public health action, such as improved hygiene and lifestyle.
Health Protection Officers may be called to investigate disease outbreaks, such as with food poisoning or Campylobacter and Salmonella infections, or may investigate single cases – either way good communication is the key.
Communicable diseases significantly affect the quality of life and the life span of all communities and some parts of society can be more vulnerable than others. The Health Protection Officer deals with a wide variety of people in diverse situations
New threats and emerging diseases mean the HPO/EHO is on the front line in protecting New Zealanders. Information, scientific understanding, and research assist the HPO/EHO and the wider public health team manages the risk from these new and changing diseases
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