Reduce exposure to environmental health risks

Local governments have achieved huge gains in improving the health of local communities by initiating surveillance and assessment programs and conducting health promotion activities that are designed to reduce exposure to environmental health risks common to WA.

The following information provides practical initiatives to support local governments to continue to protect the environmental health of their community. These initiatives complement the administration of public health legislation across WA.

Maintain safe food and water

Support and align local food safety objectives with WA Health’s Foodborne Illness Reduction Strategy 2018-2021+
Participate in food product quality and sampling programs (external site)
Provide food safety education and/or training to local food businesses
Conduct health promotion activities throughout the year (including Food Safety Week (external site) and Water Safety Week) to raise awareness about food preparation and hygiene practices in the home, and increase awareness on water related diseases and water management
Develop and implement a food compliance and enforcement policy specific to your local district
Educate food businesses about food allergens
Educate authorised officers on healthy food principles and advocate local food businesses, including council owned buildings, to incorporate healthy food options as part of routine inspections
Advocate for local community events to provide healthy food options as part of events approval processes
Monitor the bacterial water quality at popular swimming beaches and natural water bodies and communicate results to the community
Undertake sanitary surveys of popular swimming beaches to identify any sources of bacterial pollution that may impact on water quality and initiate strategies to reduce these pollutant sources
Ensure health warning signs advising the public of health risks of swimming in natural waterways are erected in popular bathing areas that may require them. Include information about the risks of consuming wild shellfish in areas that warrant this
Ensure non-drinking water systems are operated in such a way that the water they supply cannot be mistaken for drinking water
Respond to suspected water contamination complaints and provide chemical or microbiological water quality monitoring services and/or site inspections/investigations and reports
Provide water safety education to private drinking water providers (those who run a privately run system) to ensure they are properly maintained
Provide guidance to owners of onsite water treatment systems to make sure the systems are operated correctly

Maintain healthy built environments and industries

Develop policies for the application and management of pesticides in areas under the control of local government
Ensure the local government or contractors comply with the Guideline for the management of pesticide application by the local government
Respond to enquiries regarding the management of asbestos products in residential or public buildings
Ensure conditions are included on Demolition Permits for pre-demolition surveys and asbestos removal and disposal
Promote the Know Asbestos eLearning course to residents undertaking renovations in areas where asbestos has been commonly used in buildings, and provide links on your council website
Improve opportunities and reduce costs of asbestos disposal for local residents (eg. apply for levy exemptions, free disposal days at LGA waste facilities, organise asbestos/hazardous materials drop off days in a convenient location)
Increase awareness of the benefits of asbestos roof removal (aging products, difficulties in adequate maintenance, increased cost of removal for roofs in poor condition, damaged/poorly maintained roofs are a source of soil contamination)
Develop or embed regular environmental health communications within your local communication strategies including:
- Fight the Bite campaign messages
- National Asbestos Awareness Week (external site)
Strengthen partnerships with building surveyors to increase knowledge and awareness around building applications for public buildings to enhance compliance with applicable legislation
Encourage event organisers to submit details of their events online to the Department of Health to ensure health and emergency services are aware of high risk or concurrent events
Assess crowded places in accordance with the Crowded places self-assessment tool, to determine the potential for terrorist threats and liaise with WA Police and event managers to ensure that the protective security measures put in place are effective, appropriate and proportionate to the level and type of threat
Encourage event organisers to consider harm minimisation strategies at their events, such as chill out zones, providing free potable water that is cool and easily accessible, crowd management plans, Red Frogs, Save a mate etc.
Appoint Restricted Investigators to assist in enforcing some sections of the Tobacco Products Control Act 2006 and Regulations
Ensure environmental health / authorised officers regularly attend training to manage community risks

Manage environmental hazards to protect community health

Follow up notified cases of mosquito-borne disease (regional WA) and initiate risk management strategies to eliminate breeding sites
Advocate for a public health assessments to be integrated into local Development Assessment Panels to ensure health considerations are addressed in the planning phases of local development projects and facilitate risk management strategies early. This includes assessing the likelihood of mosquito borne disease breeding occurring near new residential developments
Develop and implement a mosquito management program for the local district
Form a Contiguous Local Authorities Group (CLAG) to access Department of Health funding for mosquito management
Participate in community studies and survey’s coordinated by the Department of Health to monitor environmental hazards that may impact the local community

Improve the environmental health conditions in remote Aboriginal communities

Assist in the development of a Community Environmental Health Action Plan (CEHAP)
Assist in the provision of ranger services to support contracted service providers
Receive environmental health referrals from healthcare providers and follow up by conducting an in-home environmental health assessment
Conduct a Safe Bathroom Check as part of an environmental health referral
Attend your local regional Aboriginal Environmental Health Forum
Provide technical advice and support as required to contracted Service Providers
Conduct health promotion activities related to a range of environmental health topics (eg. Fight the Bite)
Under the Food Act 2008 (external site), conduct inspections of community stores and places where food is prepared and/or sold
Assist in the management of domestic animals in communities under the Dog Act 1976 (external site) and Cat Act 2011 (external site)

Further information

For further advice email the Environmental Health Directorate on ehinfo@health.wa.gov.au

Last reviewed: 14-03-2024