Improving and protecting health and wellbeing in Scotland through education, training and qualifications in Environmental Health
OpenLearn is a free learning platform, delivered by The Open University as part of its Royal Charter commitment to support the wellbeing of the community.
OpenLearn delivers bite-sized learning experiences designed to fit easily into daily life. Content covers a wide range of subjects, with many of the free courses being adapted extractions from OU modules. All courses enable you to earn a Statement of participation and some also allow you to earn a free digital badge.
As part of their Brownfield Summit 2020, Environment Analyst have made a large selection of presentations available on demand to watch anytime.
These include expert talks on ground gas risk assessment, gas protection, installation and verification, groundwater risk assessment and remediation, and data collection and analysis.
https://www.brownfieldsummit.com/book-now
Environment Analyst also provides a number of free webinars, which offer excellent opportunities for professional development.
It is recognised that face to face training courses, meetings and events are not currently being held, and may not be, for the rest of 2020. Members are reminded that CPD needn’t involve attending an event ‘in person’ and can be online learning (with many courses available free of charge), ‘on the job’ learning, attendance at virtual events/meetings, researching a particular piece of work or reading appropriate journals/reports. Commonly a certificate of attendance is provided as evidence of CPD, but needn’t be the only format and, for example, if you read relevant journals or investigate a particular topic the evidence for this could be writing a few sentences about what you learned.
If you are registered for access to the member’s only section of the website, CPD summary records can be maintained ‘as you go’ so when it comes to the end of the year, it simply needs to be printed, signed and evidence attached.
EHO Members are eligible to achieve Chartered EHO status, at no additional cost. In order to achieve/maintain Chartered EHO status, in addition to CPD hours in accordance with the Scheme, a written submission is required in every 3 period. This can relate to any relevant new learning over the 3 year period to which it applies and can be submitted at any point during the 3 year period.
It is noted that a number of Chartered EHOs maintained this status through the introduction of the written submission, and the next report for a significant number of Chartered EHOs will be due by the end of January 2021 (for period January 2018 – December 2020).
If there are any queries on CPD submissions or members wish to register for the members only section of the website, please e mail contact@
The NHS Inform website has been updated with guidance regarding Coronavirus and includes information on contact tracing and healthy living, including around diet and exercise, stopping smoking, alcohol misuse. It also includes information on Coronavirus in a number of different languages.
The Scottish Government, Police Scotland, Health and Safety Executive and local authorities have produced a joint statement on safe workplaces.
The statement’s message is that by employers, workers, unions and regulatory bodies working together can create safe workplaces for all.
Environmental Health teams in Local Authorities with their expertise in health and safety and public health are best placed to offer advise to businesses on safe working practices and also take action where premises that are required to be closed are not, or where those that can remain open are failing to meet requirements for safe physical distancing.
Food Standards Scotland have updated their guidance for food business operators (FBOs). The update takes account of revisions in public health advice and feedback from industry, Scottish Government and Trade Unions.
The guidance package now also includes a new risk assessment tool and checklist to support FBOs in identifying and the measures they need to implement alongside their existing Food Safety Management System to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This can be used to demonstrate to Trade Unions and enforcement officials that they are maintaining these measures on an on-going basis to ensure staff and customers are protected from the risks of infection.
The guidance also now links to Scotland’s Routemap through and out of the COVID-19 crisis and acknowledges that the measures outlined will support areas of the food to go sector, including drive through food outlets which will be preparing to re-open during Phase 1 of easing lockdown restrictions.
The guidance package will be reviewed on an on-going basis in line with Scottish Government’s review of lockdown restrictions, and the re-opening of other businesses during later phases of the routemap, as well as emerging evidence and changes to public health advice.
People across disciplines are invited to take part in a series of hackathons to crunch data to gain new insights into the impact of COVID-19.
The NERC COVID-19 Digital Sprint will take place over June, and organisers are calling on environmental researchers, health and social scientists, and data specialists to join the challenge.
Entrants will work together or individually to draw from key NERC digital assets and datasets to consider the environmental impacts and consequences of COVID-19 and create a wealth of open, digital, environmental solutions to the pandemic.
Awards of up to £3000 are available to teams and individuals for the solutions that best help us understand and address COVID-19 impact.
Professor Sir Duncan Wingham, Executive Chair of NERC, said: “COVID-19 a critical public health crisis with far reaching consequences. It is vital that we assess how environmental science can play a part in supporting our response. The Digital Sprint will explore the full range of environmental and other data available to us, and see how we can gain new insights into the impact of the virus. We hope teams from across many disciplines and sectors will take part and help in the fight against this disease.”
The NERC Digital Champions at Cranfield are running three successive virtual hackathons, each over one week and each with a different focus as well as an open ‘Kaggle’ challenge event over four weeks.
The Digital Sprint will address the environmental impacts and consequence of COVID-19 and overall will consider two focal areas:
(i) Using the environment to generate a better understanding of the interplay between the environment and the epidemiological and health related aspects of the COVID-19 epidemic, and,
(ii) Understanding how the effects of such large-scale manipulation of the planet, cessation of travel, new consumption behaviours etc. relate to tackling the crisis. NERC national capability and research funding can be deployed to seize this.
The topics for the hackathons are: Air Quality, asking if there is a correlation between air quality and incidence and severity of the virus; Recovery, what is the impact of the lockdown; Ecosystem Services, how changes in the natural environment will impact on public health; and the Kaggle will investigate the best way to communicate the data gathered.
To take part in the NERC COVID-19 Digital Sprint, visit: https://digitalenvironment.org/home/covid-19-digital-sprint-hackathons/
In responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, Councils have undertaken significant work in protecting the health of the public by ensuring social distancing while shopping for essential goods and in protecting employees. One of the key changes in the way they deliver services has been the implementation of new powers to ensure that those businesses which are permitted to open have appropriate social distancing measures in place and to ensure that other businesses remain closed.
Since 26 March, 1,862 enquiries or complaints about businesses have been received and resolved by Councils. 8,686 proactive calls or visits have been made to businesses. Compliance by business has been high although during this period 4 Prohibition Notices have been served under the Health Protection Regulations. 126 warnings for non-compliance with the Health Protection Regulations have been issued.
Local authorities are also working closely with the Scottish Government to progress policy and guidance for businesses to restart, while establishing joint working arrangements with Police Scotland, Food Standards Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive. It is likely that workloads will increase significantly when there is an easing of lockdown, where local authorities will require to support and regulate businesses to ensure they have appropriate social distancing measures in place and to provide assurances to employees and the public.
COSLA Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing Councillor Kelly Parry, said:
“Ensuring the health of the public and employees while supporting businesses throughout this crisis is crucial and COSLA welcomes the heroic effort of Environmental Health and Trading Standards officers in their response to an ever-changing situation.
“Local Government is playing a key role in protecting public health and supporting business, and close collaboration with the Scottish Government and key partners will be essential as businesses gradually reopen.”
Brian Lawrie, Vice-Chair of the Society of Chief Environmental Health Officers of Scotland said:
“This indicates the responsiveness and the collaborative working arrangements of Scottish local authorities which has enabled them to take on new powers in response to the pandemic. We applaud the local Environmental Health and Trading Standards services for their tremendous efforts to support businesses, their communities and the progress in the work needed to ensure the control of the spread of this virus. It is clear that our policy of Explain, Engage, Encourage and Enforce policy has been effective and would urge businesses to continue to engage with their local services for advice and support as we restart our local economies.
“Over the next weeks and months this work will continue as local authorities support businesses who wish to restart. We trust this will provide confidence to employees and our communities that all businesses that open will do so safely.”
Source: COSLA
Some waste and recycling collection services across Scotland are temporarily disrupted as a result of the coronavirus. This is necessary to prioritise the health of workers in line with government guidance and deal with the impact of staff shortages.
Local authorities are working hard to make sure any disruption isn’t in place any longer than it needs to be. To help householders and businesses manage their waste in the meantime, Zero Waste Scotland, SEPA, COSLA and the Scottish Government have launched a campaign to raise awareness of changes to local waste collections, providing guidance and directing people to up-date-information.
The new website – managingourwaste.scot – will give householders and businesses updates and guidance on how to manage waste. Local authority websites will continue to provide the latest updates on local service changes.
Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said:
“Refuse collectors are working in exceptional conditions to maintain as many essential services as they can. Now is a good time to avoid wasting so much as this is ultimately the best way to help councils cope.
“Zero Waste Scotland is working with key partners to communicate changes to householders and businesses in Scotland in the meantime. We’d encourage everyone to visit the campaign website to find out how they can best manage their waste.”
Environment and Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said:
“We owe a massive thank you to all those in the waste industry who are working hard to keep services running in challenging circumstances. While they do their best for us it’s vitally important that we do what we can to help them by following the advice on properly dealing with and reducing waste.
“The new campaign website offers lots of safe ways to help people avoid waste and protect the environment. This includes instructions on safe disposal of certain items and on keeping large items at home until recycling centres open because fly-tipping is not acceptable.
“We all have to make necessary changes to help limit the spread of the virus. By following this advice, we can help those who are working hard to keep our services running.”
Terry A’Hearn, chief executive of SEPA, said:
“Now more than ever, we need to recognise the responsibility we have for the waste we produce, store, transport and dispose of. We all have a role to play in managing our waste during this period.
“At SEPA, we are supporting vital waste services by helping businesses to adapt. We have published guidance to help those who are struggling, as well as temporary regulatory guidance specifically for waste management.
“Equally, we will be uncompromising towards those that choose to deliberately do the wrong thing. Remember, services that sound too good to be true often are, and could lead to illegal fly-tipping, burning or illegal disposal.
“We all have a legal responsibility to ensure that only licensed professionals handle our waste. SEPA maintains an online register of licensed waste carriers and brokers enabling the public or businesses to check and ensure that contractors are sufficiently compliant.”
Councillor Steven Heddle, COSLA Environment and Economy spokesperson, said:
“Local authority staff are doing an amazing job keeping waste services running at this very difficult time. Many of us will have seen changes to our waste collections in the last few weeks and further changes may be needed in the weeks to come. This campaign shows how individuals and communities can help Local Authorities by reducing the amount of waste created. This is the right thing to do now but it will also help the environment in the longer term once we return to more normal lives”
Everyone can take action to reduce the pressure on essential services and manage their waste. Zero Waste Scotland has issued the following guidance for householders:
Anyone with symptoms of Covid-19 should follow government advice on securely storing personal waste to help keep themselves and waste management workers safe. This means placing items such as used tissues in a disposable rubbish bag which should be placed in another bag, tied securely, kept separate from other waste and put aside for at least 72 hours before it is put out for collection.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a warning of an increased legionella risk if a building has been closed or reduced occupancy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is because water systems can stagnant due to lack of use, increasing the risk of Legionnaires’ disease. This may particularly affect:
Employers, the self-employed and people in control of premises, such as landlords, have a duty to identify and control risks associated with legionella.
They should review your risk assessment and manage the legionella risks to protect people when the water system is reinstated or returned to use.
If the water system is still used regularly, maintain the appropriate measures to prevent legionella growth.
You can find out what Legionnaires’ disease is, where it comes from, how people get it and symptoms and treatment by reading HSE guidance- What is Legionnaires' disease?.
As we move into the next phase of the Scottish Government COVID-19 response, a "test, trace, isolate, support" approach will be introduced. Read the Scottish Government’s Coronavirus (COVID-19): test, trace, isolate, support strategy.
As NHS Scotland moves to implementation of this strategy, current contact tracing capacity will be enhanced to deliver a sustainable service across Scotland.
The COVID-19 tracing team needs additional suitably qualified and experienced staff. Posts including contact tracing call handlers, contact tracing call supervisors and data analysts are now open to applications up until May 22.
In relation to registrations made Environmental Health Officer's or others with suitably experiences, in the drop down boxes on the registration form, the "PHS Tracing Team" options should be selected for "sector", "professional group" and "which profession are you primarily interested in", and the "Public Health" option should be selected for the "what primary area of speciality that you have experience in would you like to be able to help with."
Further information and registration of interest can be made at the following website.
The UK Government, in consultation with industry, have published guidance to help employers, employees and the self-employed understand how to work safely during the coronavirus pandemic.
The latest guidance covers eight workplace settings:
For the latest guidance see here.
