Public Health and the Environment

Environmental and Public Health services are provided to protect, promote and improve public health and wellbeing of people within our community. A Public Health and Wellbeing Plan is currently being developed to embrace and support the expected standards of public health today and into the future for the Shire.

There is also a focus on ensuring legislative requirements are met to assist prevent adverse health impacts on our people and the environment.

This includes monitoring, management and advice on a variety of public health and environmental matters such as;

Water quality, recreational and domestic
Food safety
Event compliance
Public buildings
Infectious diseases
Liquor licensing
Keeping of animals –see Health Local Laws
Caravan parks and camping
Effluent disposal
Smoking in public places
Waste management – see Waste Local Laws
Asbestos
Public Health legislation and Health Local Laws.

Water Quality

Ensuring all water used for drinking, food production and recreation is safe. The Shire provides water quality testing for premises that rely on rainwater for drinking water supplies on a cost recovery basis. Please call the Shire Office to arrange for sampling.

The Boyup Brook swimming pool is regularly tested to ensure the high standards are maintained for all swimmers.

Food Safety

New COVID-19 hygiene training for hospitality and tourism - pathway to re-opening, visit https://hospitalityhygiene.com/onlinetraining/register.php.

Inspections of local food businesses ensures the preparation, storage and sale of food for human consumption is safe.

Food businesses from other Local Governments are required to complete a Food Notification form.

New food business should contact the shire offices in the first instance to ensure all planning, building and health requirements can be met.

To access forms type "food" in the "any category" of the Document Centre.

Free Food Safe course and participants will be provided with a certificate on completion – this training is the minimum standard for all food handlers, paid and voluntary. To obtain the course registration details follow the payment links all the way to shipping and enter the promo code FSBOYUP318.

https://foodsafeonline.com.au

Event Compliance

All public events in Western Australia fall under the Health (Public Buildings) Regulations 1992 (the Regulations), even small events on private property. In the past this definition was held to only apply to gatherings or assemblies of people acting in concert or by some pre-arrangement.

That position has since changed, and the interpretation is in fact much broader and captures most buildings and places where numbers of people assemble or gather for any one or more of the purposes specified in the Regulations.

The aim is to ensure the public health and safety of all persons at an event. Contact the shire offices for assistance with your event and to discuss the requirements to complete an event application.

For more information contact the Shire Administration Office.

Public Buildings and Accommodation

Regulations are in place to ensure buildings and areas accessed by the public are maintained and operated to protect the health and safety of users and occupiers.

Inspection of public buildings for compliance with the Health (Public Buildings) Regulations 1992 are undertaken by the Shire and a Certificate of Compliance is issued that is required to be on display within the building.

http://ww2.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/Files/Corporate/general%20documents/Environmental%20health/Public%20Buildings%20Guidelines%20Final.pdf

Smoking Indoors and in Outdoor Dining Areas

Amendments to the Tobacco Products Control Act 2006 has resulted in improved enforcement and investigation provisions to support compliance activities, and sees Western Australia with some of the toughest tobacco laws in Australia.

The Act bans smoking in all outdoor dining areas other than those with a hotel and tavern liquor license, although a minimum of 50% of the outdoor dining area must be non-smoking and cannot affect the patrons in the non-smoking areas.

Environmental Health Officers (EHO’s) have a key role in the monitoring and enforcement of the regulations.

Effluent Disposal

Disposing of on-site effluent must comply with the Health (Treatment of Sewage and Disposal of Effluent and Liquid Wastes) Regulations 1974. Depending on the site location and conditions, disposal may be done via a conventional septic tank system or through an Aerobic Treatment Unit.

Where septic tanks are to be de-commissioned or removed the work must comply with regulations 20 and 21.

Please refer to the application form and associated information note for further guidance regarding this process. Information can also be obtained by contacting the shire offices.

Application to construct or install an apparatus for the treatment of sewage (insert link)

Asbestos

It is well known that asbestos fibres that are not bound together with cement can cause public health problems in humans. But when these fibres are not disturbed they are unlikely to be hazardous.

Fibres only become volatile when they are airborne and are inhaled, which can occur when disturbed by the use of power tools for cutting, drilling, grinding or sawing operations. A hazard may exist for people directly involved in such activities and precautions such as wearing a suitable mask or breathing apparatus should be used. Surface weathering of asbestos cement products may also lead to fibres being released, but the risk to humans from fibres being exposed in the environment is believed to be negligible.

It is recommended that a professional be employed to remove or handle asbestos however in some circumstances people can handle the material themselves as long as they take the required precautions.

For further information regarding asbestos in the home visit the Department of Health’s website.

If you believe that asbestos is not being handled correctly, please contact the Shire offices.

Public Health Legislation and Health Local Laws

The Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1911 empowers and places responsibility on local government to administer the Act, its regulations and local laws within the district. This empowerment attracts an accompanying liability to ensure these duties are fulfilled in a professional and reasonable manner.

Relevant health legislation can be found on the State Law Publisher website.

Click here for the Shire of Boyup Brook local laws