1 Welcome to Module 5 of the Public Health Nurse Orientation Program
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Welcome to Module 5 of the Public Health Nurse Orientation Program. This module introduces Human Health Hazards and other Environmental Health Issues. I’m Rebecca Hovarter, one of the Northeast Regional Public Health Nursing Consultants. This module was written by Timothy Ringhand and Karen Morris, the Western Region Public Health Nursing Consultants and myself in consultation with the other Regional Nursing Consultants and others from the WI Division of Public Health. 1 One of the five required services of a local health department is to provide services to abate and remove human health hazards. In this module we will explore how the services are provided or assured by the local health department. We will identify the statutes that relate to the removal of human health hazards, the resources available, including state and regional consultants, some of the public health intervention that are applied to human health hazard abatement, and what is the public health nurse’s role in this mandated service. In addition, we will also provide an overview of some other environmental health issues the public health nurse may encounter. This module will cover four sections: environmental health in Wisconsin, resources, principles, and the public health nurse’s role. We’ll begin now with Section I: Environmental Health in Wisconsin. 2 After completing this module, participants should be able to: Identify the public health environmental health programs in Wisconsin The definition of a human health hazard is a substance, activity, or condition that is known to have the potential to cause acute or chronic illness, to endanger life, to generate or spread infectious diseases, or otherwise affect the health of the public. Hazards may be chemical, biological, physical, or radiological. To give you a better picture of abatement or removal of human health hazards, we will first explore the area of environmental health in more detail. The field of environmental health encompasses exposures in the home, workplace, or community. While many local health departments have an environmental health section, the public health nurse has a vital role in the policies, procedures, and guidelines that are incorporated into practice. The physical environment is one of the nationally recognized determinants of health. (Source: Wisconsin Assembly Bill 483, March 2008). 3 The first orientation session introduced you to the Public Health Intervention Model. The Intervention Model represents what public health nurses do at the individual/family, community, and systems levels to achieve the goals of public health practice. Throughout this session, we will demonstrate how the model represents what interventions public health nurses use to assure healthy environments in their communities. Environmental health presents many terms that are significant to understanding its prevention and control of hazards. Some of the terms may be new to you, while you may be familiar with others. Refer to this module’s reference list for more information on these terms. 4 Wisconsin Statute Chapter 254 directs the local health department regarding the activities of environmental health. It defines the powers and duties of the health officer including the authority to enter private premises, order abatement and placard a building. In addition, the statute directs activities related to toxic substances, radiation protection, recreational sanitation, animal-borne and vector-borne disease control, and lodging and food protection. ASSEMBLY BILL 483, March 2008 The bill authorizes a local health officer who is refused entry by the owner or occupant of a property or premises for which the local health officer has received a complaint or has probable cause to believe a human health hazard exists to seek a special inspection warrant or, if a suspected human health hazard poses an immediate threat, to enter the property or premises without consent or a special inspection warrant. For a human health hazard that is found, the local health officer must notify the owner or occupant and order abatement or removal within a reasonable time period, not to exceed 30 days. If the owner or occupant fails to comply with the order within the time period and if the nature of the human health hazard does not pose an immediate threat, the local health officer shall abate or remove the hazard or contract to have that done or shall report the failure to comply to the attorney for the applicable city, town, village, or county, who may initiate court action to abate. 5 For a human health hazard that is found and that poses an immediate threat to the health of an individual or the public the local health officer must make a good−faith effort to notify the owner or occupant, confirm the notice by personal service or by mail to the owner’s or occupant’s last−known address, and must abate or remove the hazard. Failure by the owner to remove a health hazard can result in to a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 90 days or both. The Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health promotes public health through statewide programs to increase public awareness of environmental and occupational health hazards and disease and works to prevent and control exposure to environmental and occupational health hazards. Information regarding environmental health issues can be found on the Environmental Health Resources web site. The Bureau provides tracking of environmental and occupational illness, consultation to employers, local public health agencies and the public, and promotes risk reduction through assessment, evaluation and control of environmental and occupational hazards. The Bureau also regulates and licenses restaurants, lodging and recreational facilities, x-ray equipment, radioactive materials and devices and certifies lead and asbestos workers, and food managers. The Bureau of Environmental and 6 Occupational Health has four sections: Health Hazard Evaluation Section, Lead and Asbestos Section, Food Safety and Recreational Licensing Section and the Radiation Protection Section. Source: http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/eh/ We’ll now look at II: Environmental Health Resources. After completing this section, participants should be able to: Identify environmental health resources available at the local, state, and national levels. 7 The Division of Public Health Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health website has many environmental health resources available to assist local health departments and tribes address environmental health issues. In addition, the site also has many excellent consumer information resources. Later in this module, we will take a closer look at: asthma, disasters, human health hazards, lead poisoning, and food safety. However, you may want to explore the environmental health resource website for information about the other subjects listed on the slide. Several other state and federal agencies are also excellent resources for various environmental health resources. You are encouraged to explore these resources after the presentation. The Health Hazard Evaluation Section tracks environmental and occupational diseases and conditions, performs assessment of uncontrolled hazardous waste sites, provides technical support on indoor air quality, asthma and other environmental issues, conducts research, and provides information regarding the health risks associated with sports fish consumption. Toxicologists within the Section prepare recommendations for groundwater and ambient air quality standards. 8 The Wisconsin Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program and the Adult Blood Lead Surveillance Program track cases of childhood and adult lead poisoning in Wisconsin. Program staff provide consultation and technical assistance to local health departments, prepares policies and guidance on case management and follow-up, and develop strategies to prevent lead poisoning. The Asbestos and Lead Certification Unit maintains a registry of lead-safe and lead-free properties. Unit staff certify lead and asbestos workers and monitor lead and asbestos abatement projects. The Food Safety and Recreational Licensing Section licenses restaurants, lodging facilities, swimming pools and spas, campgrounds, recreational and educational camps and body art practitioners and their facilities. This is accomplished either by local health department of Division of Public Health regional office registered sanitarians. Local and regional registered sanitarians also contract with the Department of Public Instruction to inspect school kitchens and pools. The Section registers environmental health professionals and certifies food managers 9 The Radiation Protection Section inspects and licenses X-ray devices, mammography facilities, radioactive materials, tanning devices. The Section provides technical support regarding the control of indoor radon and provides environmental monitoring around Wisconsin’s nuclear energy facilities. The Section maintains emergency response capability for energy or transportation incidents, or potential acts of terrorism involving radioactive materials Section 3 will now look at the principles of environmental health. 10 After completing this section, participants should be able to: Describe the basic principles of environmental health What is environmental health? Environmental health promotes health and quality of life by preventing or controlling those injuries, diseases or deaths that result from interactions between people and their environment (CDC). Environmental health