CIEH EHN October 2021

Environmental Health Officer • Aberdeen City Council • £34,189–£44,714 P27

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VICE PRESIDENT SARAH VEALE ‘It’s a false economy to cut EH budgets’

THE MAGAZINE FOR CIEH MEMBERS

www.cieh.org October 2021 Volume 36 Issue 8

9 TIPS FOR MENTAL WELLBEING How to deal with anxiety and stress

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The CIEH mentoring network that’s supporting EHPs BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

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CIEH

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Chadwick Court 15 Hatfields London SE1 8DJ www.cieh.org www.ehn-jobs.com

ON THE FRONT LINE IN WALES

For membership queries, including change of address:

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020 7827 5815 membership@cieh.org

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EHN is published on behalf of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health by Think.

To advertise in EHN, call Paul Prior: 020 7827 9929 p.prior@cieh.org

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Editor

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Sarah Kovandzich editor@cieh.org

Contributing editor Katie Coyne

Design

Matthew Ball

Chief Sub-editor Sian Campbell

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Andrew Littlefield

Client Engagement Director Anna Vassallo

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EHN is published 10 times per year and printed on paper made from pulp sourced from sustainable materials. The views expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of CIEH. All information is correct at the time of going to press.

Articles published in the magazine may be reproduced only with the permission of CIEH and with acknowledgement to EHN. CIEH does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of statements made by contributors or advertisers. The contents of this magazine are the copyright of CIEH. Ideas and letters to the editor are welcome.

EHN is mailed in a wrapper made from potato starch and is fully compostable. You can even use it in your kitchen caddy.

MEET CIEH VP

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SARAH VEALE

WHEN WORK GETS TOO MUCH

05 UPDAT E

News CIEH lobbies for changes to cosmetic treatment laws; NAO criticises UK government over green homes scheme; Lords votes for stricter air pollution targets; Enfield scheme should boost quality of private sector rented housing.

EVE RY I S SU E 32 TALES FROM THE FRONT LINE A typical day in the life of Torfaen Borough Council’s head of public protection, Dan Morelli.

G O ON L I N E Find your next job at www.ehn-jobs.com, and see how to further your career at www.cieh.org

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FEATU R E S 10 MENTORING The EHPs sharing knowledge and nurturing talent through the Mentor Network scheme.

15 EXPLAINER Will the upcoming Spending Review boost EH? 16 MEET THE VICE PRESIDENTS Diversity champion Sarah Veale on the power of regulations, whistleblowing and equality.

1 9 L EGAL BR I E FI NG Opinion High Court ruling on PPE Directive.

Prosecutions Fines for forklift and cellar falls.

2 3 YOU R CAR E E R 9 tips on… dealing with anxiety and stress.

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Contents, 1

OCTOBER 2021

Welcome, 1

OCTOBER 2021 VERSION

WELCOME

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New and old pressures ELCOME TO THIS

month’s edition of EHN. Last month’s welcome theme was ‘new’, but this issue’s theme is a bit of ‘new and old’.

Starting with the new, we are delighted to be launching our mentor scheme, which has been designed to support members at every stage in their careers. We talk to members who have benefited from having a mentor to support them and find out what that experience was like – and why some of them have decided to become mentors themselves.

We continue our series of interviewing CIEH’s vice presidents, this month meeting Sarah Veale, former head of equality and employment rights at the TUC. As for the old, even though dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic has felt all-consuming, the old day job hasn’t gone away and has needed to be managed. We

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Fuel shortages raise fears of problems for key workers who rely on their cars for their jobs including delivering COVID-19 booster jabs

RHIAN GREAVES “The gig economy business model is a challenge to the typical formalities and norms of our health and safety laws”

DANIEL MORELLI “The pandemic has meant we have had to change the way we respond to requests for service, such as complaints about noise”

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hear from Dan Morelli, head of public protection at Torfaen County Borough Council, about the pressures of managing a public protection team while dealing on the front line with COVID enforcement and supporting businesses. And the focus on prosecutions shows just how important the day job still is.

We know what a huge role our members have played in dealing with COVID and in ensuring the ongoing protection of the public in all theatres of public health, and how this has impacted on mental health. In workshop sessions, Anxiety UK has provided useful tips for self-management which we share on page 23.

Enjoy the October edition!

Julie Barratt CIEH President OCTOBER 2021 / ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH NEWS 3

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NEWS YOU CAN USE OCTOBER 2021

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The JCCP wants to see “a local authority licensing scheme … put in place across the UK to protect the public from the consequences of unregulated and unsafe aesthetic practice”

92%

of the UK public believe that an infection-control qualification should be a legal requirement for anyone administering fillers

CIEH lobbies for licensing for ‘aesthetic’ treatments

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Cosmetics amendment tabled to Health and Care Bill following successful campaign

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Research by the Royal Society for Public Health, which led to its Skins and Needles report on special procedures (tattoos, cosmetic piercings, electrolysis and acupuncture), found:

IEH HAS JOINED

with other public health organisations and Caroline Nokes MP to table an amendment to the Health and Care Bill that would give the Secretary of State the power to introduce a licensing regime for cosmetic treatments and make it an offence for someone to practise without a licence.

The amendment is supported by a cross-party group of eight other MPs: Sarah Champion, Anne Marie Morris, Kevan Jones, Carolyn Harris, Judith Cummins, Peter Dowd, Lisa Cameron and Caroline Lucas.

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Cosmetic treatments offered on the high street include lip fillers, injectables, thread lifts, semi-permanent makeup, laser treatments, piercings and tattoos. In recent years, there has been a significant rise in the number and type of non-surgical aesthetic procedures, with many practitioners performing treatments without being able to evidence appropriate training and the required standards of oversight and supervision.

A licensing scheme would set standards for training, qualifications and competency requirements and include

periodic checks of premises and continuing professional development. It would also ensure all practitioners possess appropriate levels of medical indemnity insurance and provide access to redress schemes for members of the public should complications arise as the result of any aesthetic procedure.

CIEH has been working in coalition with the Royal Society for Public Health, the Institute of Licensing (IoL), the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP), the UK Public Health Network, the Faculty of Public

say that people who carry out tattooing and piercing should be legally required to hold an infectioncontrol qualification

18%

of people who have had a tattoo, cosmetic piercing, acupuncture or electrolysis in the past five years have experienced negative effects

87%

of the public believe dermal fillers should be illegal for under-18s

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CIEH lobbies for more licencing

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Health and Save Face in calling for better regulation of all cosmetic treatments.

A CIEH and IoL survey of regulators revealed numerous examples of clients suffering harm as a result of procedures.

These include outbreaks of infection at skin-piercing premises, resulting in some individuals being hospitalised, disfigured and even needing partial removal of the ear. Other clients have suffered thirddegree burns from lasers and sunbeds, and one was blinded in one eye by the incorrect administration of a dermal filler.

Professor David Sines CBE, chair of the JCCP, said: “In the absence of a government mandate to implement a national system of statutory regulation for the aesthetic sector, the JCCP considers that a local authority licensing scheme should be put in place across the UK to protect the public from the consequences of unregulated and unsafe aesthetic practice.”

CIEH President Julie Barratt added: “There are legions of examples of treatments going horribly wrong. This amendment is an important step towards making cosmetic treatments in England safer.

With no national standards and very little oversight about who is performing what, the threat to public health is very clear.”

The House of Commons Committee will meet this month to debate the amendment.

UK government chastised over Green Homes Grant scheme Longer-term approach sought as NAO labels the failed initiative overly complex and unsatisfactory

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Audit Office (NAO) report has criticised the Green Homes Grant scheme, which collapsed after just six months. The scheme, created by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to help insulate English homes, closed at the end of March.

Since then the NAO has examined its performance, implementation, procurement and management.

The NAO verdict is that it was overly complex and could not deliver a satisfactory level of performance in the time available. It reported: “Despite the BEIS’s considerable efforts, the rushed delivery and implementation of the scheme has significantly reduced the benefits that might have been achieved, caused frustration for homeowners and installers,

EXPECTATIONS VERSUS REALITY

Homeowners could apply for up to £5,000 (£10,000 for low income households) to install energy efficient improvements and low-carbon heat measures in their homes. The scheme closed in March.

homes initially expected to be supported by the scheme

47,500

S MP

scheme in England to help reduce energy costs.

“There was significant interest in the grant. Regrettably, most low-income households who have applied are still waiting for assistance and continue to live in cold, damp homes.”

However, both Nicholson and Smith said that the NAO report provides vital recommendations on how to learn from the experience, with the former saying: “For a genuinely green recovery from COVID, local authorities need proper funding and support to

DATA

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CAROLINE NOKE

and had limited impact on job creation for the longer term.”

In terms of positives, the report aimed to identify lessons for future schemes against a backdrop of what it termed “previous problematic attempts by government” to implement domestic energy efficiency schemes.

Green Party Green New Deal spokesperson Zoe Nicholson said: “The scheme could have resulted in a massive wave of jobs. Instead, it barely made a splash. People are on board with taking steps to help reach net zero so it’s disappointing that this mishmash of schemes hasn’t been easy for householders to engage with.”

Peter Smith, director of policy and advocacy at National Energy Action, said: “It was welcome that domestic energy efficiency was at the heart of last year’s Summer Statement when the UK government introduced a much-needed

homes actually supported, according to a BEIS estimate

82,500

jobs were forecast to be supported over six months

5,600

jobs were actually supported over 12 months

3,000

complaints received from October 2020 to April 2021

137 DAYS

on average to issue a voucher to applicants in October 2020

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Newcastle man pleads guilty following EH intervention

Off-duty officer alerted to toxic mattress fire by plume of smoke

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Energy-efficient homes will help reduce carbon emissions and improve public health

play a significant role in decarbonisation – making it a priority in both the public and private sectors.”

Tamara Sandoul, CIEH policy and campaigns manager, said that raising the energy efficiency of the existing housing stock should remain a key priority for the government. “The benefits would not only include the reduction in carbon emissions but also contribute to supporting better health outcomes for those living in cold homes.”

WWW.CIEH.ORG

ICHAEL

McLanaghan, 44, pleaded guilty at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court in July to disposing of controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution or harm to human health. However, after taking into account the potential harm caused by burning mattresses, the proximity of a school and a previous conviction for a similar offence in 2017, magistrates felt their powers were insufficient and sent the case to the Crown Court for sentencing.

McLanaghan appeared before Newcastle Crown Court in August, where he was sentenced to three months in prison, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, and pay £300 in costs.

Magistrates had been told that on 20 April an off-duty Newcastle City Council environmental protection officer was walking through Denton when he saw a plume of dark smoke.

As Roy Harris approached the property, he witnessed a large fire, with flames as high as the first-floor windows, filling the air with the smell of burning synthetic materials.

Not feeling safe in approaching the fire or McLanaghan, the officer called the emergency services, who dispatched a crew from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service to extinguish the blaze.

“We have had a problem with an increase in bonfires”

Interviewed under caution by enforcement officers, McLanaghan admitted burning four or five mattresses, said that the smoke was black, and agreed there was no control over the emissions and that the smoke had drifted over other houses. He also consented to an inspection of his back garden, the fences of which were badly damaged by fire. Officers found a large pile of burnt mattress springs, charred metal and wood, and a stack of seven unburnt mattresses.

Environmental protection manager Harris said: “We have had a problem during the lockdown periods with an increase in bonfires.

We’ve been working with the fire brigade to develop a consistent message that burning is generally illegal as well as unsafe.”

The fire brigade was called to extinguish the blaze

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House of Lords increases pressure on government to stick to WHO targets on air pollution

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Lords has renewed pressure on the government to take a more ambitious approach to tackling air pollution. In a vote on 6 September, peers voted in favour of an amendment to the Environment Bill that would commit the government to reducing levels of particulate matter (PM2.5) to within World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines by 2030 at the latest.

CIEH “strongly welcomed” the vote and was a key player in securing the amendment, as a partner of the Healthy Air Campaign (HAC) coalition of charities and public health organisations.

The amendment, tabled by Baroness Hayman of Ullock and supported by HAC, was passed by 181 votes to 159. Hayman argued that the amendment is critical to driving the progress the country needs and that a great deal of evidence and information is already available for the government to start taking action.

Katie Nield, a lawyer at non-profit environmental law charity ClientEarth, which is also a partner of HAC, said: “Fine particulate matter is one

of the most harmful pollutants there is. The government has so far refused to commit to setting legal limits for this pollutant in line with WHO recommendations, despite broad agreement from health experts and parliamentarians across all parties that this is essential to protect people’s health. The vote in the House of Lords clearly shows that peers do not believe that the Bill does enough as it stands to protect people from toxic air. It’s nothing short of a rebuke.”

UK legal limits for PM2.5 are currently double what the

Air testing station

“The vote in the House of Lords … is nothing short of a rebuke”

E CURRENTLY S FOR PM2.5 AR UK LEGAL LIMIT MMENDS THE WHO RECO DOUBLE WHAT

WHO recommends. Last month it was revealed in the British Journal of Psychiatry that exposure to traffic-related air pollution is associated with increased mental health service use among people recently diagnosed with psychotic and mood disorders such as schizophrenia and depression.

A CALL FOR ACTION

The amendment was welcomed by clean-air campaigner Tim Smedley, author of Clearing the Air. He said: “This vote finally calls time on the government to start backing up its words on air pollution with actions. Michael Gove promised an Environment Bill with WHO legal limits back in 2019, only for the government to quietly drop them on the Bill’s first reading.”

CIEH President Julie Barratt said: “We want to see some tangible and binding targets set.”

The third reading in the Lords is scheduled for 13 October before the Bill returns to the Commons for MPs to consider all new amendments.

“We will continue to campaign alongside our partner organisations in the HAC to call on MPs to uphold this amendment,” Barratt added.

WHO AIR QUALITY GUIDELINES

The WHO says there is clear evidence that the damage air pollution inflicts on human health happens at even lower concentrations than understood at the time of its last global update on Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) in 2005.

After a systematic review of the accumulated evidence, it has revised its recommendations, which are contained in its new WHO Global AQGs. In the report, almost all AQG levels on particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide have been adjusted downwards, with a warning that exceeding the new air quality guideline levels is associated with significant risks.

DATA

7 MILLION

The estimated annual number of premature deaths worldwide due to air pollution. Of those, 4.2 million deaths are a result of exposure to ambient (outdoor) air pollution and 3.8 million are a result of exposure to smoke from dirty cookstoves and fuels

SOURCE: WHO GLOBAL AIR QUALITY GUIDELINES (WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, 2021) SHUTTERSTOCK

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Spotlight on clean air in CIEH-backed amendment to Environment Bill

Henry Dimbleby proposes ambitious plans for food

90%

of the global population lived in areas where concentrations exceeded the 2005 WHO air quality guideline for long-term exposure to PM2.5 in 2019

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POVERTY IN ENFIELD “The worst accommodation in the borough is in the areas of high deprivation and density,” says Enfield Council Leader Nesil Caliskan, right

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Enfield selective licensing housing scheme goes live

One in three children live in poverty in the borough: ‘linked to the quality of housing’

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selective licensing scheme – designed to boost the quality of private rented sector housing – went live last month.

The scheme covers 14 of the borough’s 21 wards and will create 70 jobs. Each five-year licence will cost £600.

Selective licensing schemes covering more than 20% of the local area, or more than 20% of the private rented sector in the area, need personal sign-off from the housing secretary.

Leader of the north London borough Nesil Caliskan said the scheme had lots of support from residents and local landlords and believed the delayed

sign-off by the then housing secretary, Robert Jenrick, was due to “political” reasons, as well as the pandemic.

Caliskan said: “The worst accommodation in the borough is in the areas of high deprivation and density so we believe that introducing a landlord’s licence will help deal with introducing more decent

accommodation and with deprivation and poverty.

“We’ve got one in three children living in poverty and, without a doubt, that’s linked to the quality of housing.”

In 2019, CIEH and the Chartered Institute of Housing published a report – authored

by CIEH’s Tamara Sandoul – that found selective licensing schemes can work well and are an effective means of improving housing standards.

Caliskan said the Enfield scheme would mean the council could do “better enforcement” with more enforcement officers to deal with irresponsible landlords and could improve the standard of accommodation in the borough.

Seven years ago, Enfield tried to introduce a selective licensing scheme, but it was stopped by judicial review.

ALAMY, GETTY, WORCESTERSHIRE REGULATORY SERVICES

ANGLERS ASSOCIATION FINED £66K FOLLOWING VOLUNTEER’S DEATH BIRMINGHAM ANGLERS Association (BAA) has been fined £66,000, with costs of £17,500, following the death of a volunteer. Maurice Taylor, 71, suffered a traumatic brain injury after being hit by a falling tree branch in October 2019. He had been helping to clear vegetation with other BAA volunteers along the river Avon.

An investigation by Worcestershire Regulatory Services, which works on behalf of the county’s six district councils, found the group of volunteers had had

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Location of tree fall where Maurice Taylor was fatally injured

no formal health and safety instruction, had not been properly trained for the kind of work they were doing and were using inadequate equipment.

At a hearing at Worcester Magistrates’ Court, BAA admitted breaching the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations and

the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, Section 3(1). It was found that no documented risk assessment had been carried out, against the BAA’s own policy. In addition, guidance from the Angling Trust had been ignored and a proper exclusion zone around the felling site of at least 5m had not been set up.

BAA general secretary John Williams said: “The case has been a salutary lesson and shows there can be no compromise when it comes to matters of health and safety.”

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NURTURING NEW TALENT CIEH members tell us why they’ve signed up for CIEH’s new Mentor Network scheme and how it’s supporting the profession

BY STEVE SMETHURST

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number of years or jobs an EHP has under their belt, most are likely to remember plenty of struggles they’ve encountered along the way. So, CIEH’s new Mentor Network scheme will encourage members to share their knowledge and help nurture EHPs who are looking to grow their experience – whether that’s by completing their training, moving up to management, or developing their entrepreneurial skills.

“We’ve had various schemes in the past to help students, such as mentoring them with their PPP by ‘marking’ draft interventions and giving feedback,” says CIEH President Julie Barratt. “There’s no such scheme currently and we have never had a scheme to support members moving up to middle management or one to

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support those who are looking to move into self-employment.

“The new network seeks to address this lack of all three types of support. Mentees get help, support and advice based on experience, as well as a friend to chew the professional fat with. For mentors it’s more altruistic – they can help someone, pass on their learning and support the development of EH at all levels.”

While some EHPs may have previous experience of mentoring, it’s not a requirement, says Julie.

“Mentors say how much time they can put in, then we make the introductions.

Once the mentorship starts, the mentor and mentee can work it out between themselves. We have some guidelines, but we are not being prescriptive – these are relationships between adults that will develop organically. There is no right or wrong way – whatever works, works.”

MARY RICHARDS

EHP, Buckinghamshire Council I’ve known environmental health was the career for me since I heard about it in a home economics class when I was 13. Yet although I was self-motivated and passionate about my career choice, I often struggled with the then ELP submissions.

CIEH linked me up with EHP Juliet King who mentored me, providing advice on the reports I was submitting. I was also lucky to spend time with Julie Barratt at CIEH Wales while finishing off my portfolio.

Julie’s passion for developing the next generation of EHPs has been inspiring.

I now have a passion for the profession that extends to an interest in mentoring students during their route to becoming EHPs. I have informally mentored students already and loved seeing their passion for the role grow as well as their confidence, knowledge and ability.

Therefore, I jumped at the opportunity to sign up to the CIEH’s Mentor Network and look forward to working with the next generation of EHPs. Although the connections will likely all be virtual, via email or phone contact, I look forward to building relationships and working with my new mentees.

“I have mentored students already and loved seeing their passion for the role grow” WWW.CIEH.ORG

Air pollution monitoring work continues in London

Food safety mentoring is best conducted in the field

CARYL DWERRYHOUSE

Health and safety assistant for Dyfed-Powys Police

My job involves inspecting, investigating and ensuring that health and safety standards are met. In the six years I’ve been in the job, I have mentored apprentices, volunteers, trainers, external clients and peers. I was motivated to mentor because it benefits both mentor and mentee – you both develop new skills and work together to achieve objectives.

I’ve had a number of mentors and, before mentoring others, attended an internal leadership programme where I completed a Coaching and Mentoring module. Being a mentor is both satisfying and challenging. You’ll want to give EHOs have done great work supporting the NHS COVID-19 response

the answers to your mentee, but with the right coaching techniques the person you support will eventually find the answers themselves and be engaged to take action.

My advice is to take a chance on mentoring. It brings new perspectives and understanding of your teams. There are opportunities for self-reflection and it builds your existing networks.

For anyone considering being a mentee, your mentor is there to actively listen, support, challenge and give you constructive feedback on your main goals. Such knowledge empowers your personal development.

“I was motivated to mentor because it benefits both mentor and mentee”

JOHN MACHIN

Chartered EHP, director of M&T Ltd I’ve been working with some of the environmental health universities to deliver practical food inspection courses and it often includes an element of mentoring.

I also get local government EHOs asking for advice about going private.

I’ve yet to start my CIEH mentoring role, but I’ve been lucky enough to have experienced a fair bit in my career and I’m more than willing to discuss my decisions and experiences.

My view is that the profession as a whole is not in a great place at the moment and I want to do my bit to try and help turn it around.

The COVID-19 response has shown us in a positive light, through some fantastic work both in public and private practice, but I get the feeling that we may have slipped back into the shadows to some extent. There are some of us who will shout about how great the job is – and it really is.

CIEH members’ skills and experience will be extremely valuable in helping others contribute to the future of the profession. If we take up this offer, we can contribute to aiding the next generation of health inspectors lead another charge or two.

“There are some of us who will shout about how great the job is – and it really is” WWW.CIEH.ORG

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Senior EHO, Selby District Council

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My role covers all aspects of environmental health, although my main focus is on food hygiene and air quality. I’ve always been passionate about helping students. I’ve got close links with local colleges and we regularly have students working with us. The ones I’ve been mentoring have all just finished university and are thinking about getting registered and deciding on the best path for their careers.

The difficulty with training in environmental health is that when you’re studying, you can sit in a classroom and learn about the legislation and its application, but for it to be real, you need to be out there doing it.

I can help students to focus on the application, stripping it right back to look at things in detail, then applying it to real life, rather than out of the textbook.

I like a challenge and I’m excited about the opportunities to mentor people. My motivation is to give something back – we’ve all been a student and we’ve all been at the bottom of the ladder.

Seeing somebody starting out and how they develop with knowledge, competences and experience is hugely rewarding. I’m still in contact with former students through LinkedIn and, when you see them doing so well in their roles, it feels good.

“We’ve all been a student and we’ve all been at the bottom of the ladder”

Health and safety inspections always offer a chance to teach

THE MENTOR NETWORK For details or to sign up, email our president Julie Barratt at president@ cieh.org indicating whether you’re interested in being a mentor or mentee 12 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH NEWS / OCTOBER 2021

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‘He gave me a bit of a talking to!’

Mentee and mentor discuss their journey together

EHP Natalie Armitage – out there doing it

NATALIE ARMITAGE

GRANT CROPPER

Newly registered EHP

Senior lecturer, Leeds Beckett University

After achieving 1st class honours for my BSc in 2012, I worked for free for a local authority 40 miles away to complete my student placement.

I was offered a temporary role, but the contracts were sporadic and it wasn’t long before I had fallen out of love with the profession. I drifted from job to job.

When COVID-19 struck, I thought I could use my infection control experience and skills by undertaking telephone track and trace interviews.

Sadly, I hadn’t completed my PPP, so this fell by the wayside.

I contacted CIEH and was assigned a mentor. It was Grant Cropper, and my faith was restored by his energy and commitment. We made a plan and we got off to a cracking start. Unfortunately, my housing situation changed, I had to move and I began to feel like I was flogging a dead horse. Grant gave me a bit of a talking to and I continued.

Sometimes it felt like I was kicking and screaming but when I got my PPP results in March, I had 15 distinctions.

Anything the profession can do to encourage more ‘lost souls’ like me to regain their mojo and reignite that passion for environmental health can only be a positive thing.

Many years ago, I remember thinking that the standard of EHP students, in some cases, was poor. That’s when I decided to train to become a CIEH mentor and assessor and I discovered that I could influence whether a student had a good or bad training experience.

Natalie Armitage had been out of the profession for 10 years and was low in confidence. I was asked to mentor Natalie and it was largely through her own hard work and determination that she was successful in achieving distinctions in her PPP submission. I was merely on hand to offer encouragement and guidance.

When I mentor a student, I place the needs of the mentee first. I attempt to provide the type of support and guidance that they may require.

Whatever they may need I’ll try to help them, and no two mentees are the same.

There isn’t a definitive number of hours which you set aside to mentor an EHP mentee, although you’ve got to be available to the mentees if they’re struggling. I would like more CIEH members to consider the challenge of becoming a CIEH mentor. There is no better feeling in the world than working with a mentee to achieve their goals.

“I would like more CIEH members to consider the challenge of becoming a CIEH mentor” – Grant Cropper WWW.CIEH.ORG

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RAISING THE PROFILE OF REGULATORY SERVICES

Can the upcoming Spending Review save our profession from uncertainty?

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the UK government to build on the recent crossgovernment review of regulatory services by committing funds that will enable EH and other regulatory services to implement the review’s recommendations.

Environmental health has been hit year-on-year by funding cuts, threatening the sustainability of services and the profession. This has led to reduced proactive inspections and investigations, reduced enforcement and, ultimately, reduced public protection. This situation has been exacerbated by unprecedented demands from tackling COVID-19 and the EU transition.

The Cross-Government Regulatory Services Task and Finish Group was set up last November to review the challenges facing regulatory services.

Convened by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, it ran until July 2021.

CIEH was able to inform the review through Graham Farrant, chief executive at BCP Council (see right). During the review period, CIEH set up a working group of EH managers to inform that feedback and developed an action plan to deliver the relevant recommendations of the group.

CIEH will now report progress in delivering these actions to the government quarterly.

K EY OUTCOM E S

A VOICE FOR EH Graham Farrant, CEO, BCP Council “As a former EHO, I was keen to engage with the government on regulatory services to ensure that the value of those services was being recognised, particularly in response to COVID. “Thanks to the support of CIEH we were able to be clear about the growing demands on EH and address how we could get a better balance between resources and demands. Reducing demand is useful, but more importantly we looked at how we can increase the size of the profession and its influence in government.

“Thank you to everyone who contributed.”

The Task and Finish Group comprised officials from the government, local authorities, the LGA and professional bodies. Five workstreams were created to cover: l backlogs of work l new demands on services l cost recovery l resourcing, capability and qualifications l coordination across government.

CIEH CONTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO THE LATTER TWO RESOURCING: The group created an action plan to mitigate an ageing and shrinking workforce, a lack of funding for training posts (including apprenticeships) and loss of capacity and expertise in the workforce, which is critical for the development and mentoring of new talent.

COORDINATION: The review found that government departments and regulators confine their interest in regulatory services to those areas where they are the policy lead. This means there is no coordination in terms of the asks of regulatory services in government, or assessment of the cumulative impact of new burdens on these services. CIEH and other bodies have lobbied for a chief EHO post in England and for the Association of Chief Environmental Health Officers (ACEHO) group to

be consistently recognised as the point of contact for environmental health in local government. The organisation has been working with Peter Wright from Gateshead Council and current chair of the ACEHO group, to establish the group on a more formal footing.

Kate Thompson, CIEH Director, said she was pleased the government had recognised the challenges facing regulatory services and the risks if action is not taken.

She said: “As the professional membership body for environmental health, we have developed an action plan to ensure we play our part in implementing the recommendations of the cross-government group, particularly in relation to the future pipeline of practitioners and working more closely with ACEHO to inform the development of government policy.”

In September CIEH worked collaboratively with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) and the LGA to prepare a submission to the Treasury as part of the government’s Spending Review, making the case for the government to consider the urgent needs of environmental health in its future spending priorities. Further, CIEH and CTSI have joined forces in a letter to the Chancellor making the case for investment in these critical services. Government spending plans will be set out on 27 October alongside the Autumn Budget.

Many more senior civil servants are now aware of EH and its value to society, argues Graham Farrant

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Vice president Sarah Veale talks to Mark Hillsdon about regulations, whistleblowing and equality PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILL AMLOT

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working in the trade union movement, as well as on several key regulatory bodies, Sarah Veale is adamant that businesses need to see regulations designed to protect people and the environment as compulsory, not optional.

“The UK has plenty of robust regulations,” she explains. “But the best regulations in the world mean nothing if employers and producers feel they can just get away with not following them; effective enforcement is crucial, and that’s where environmental health officers play such a critical role.”

Sarah is one of 11 vice presidents at the CIEH and took up her position to promote the work of the organisation in 2015. With a wealth of knowledge and experience of workplace and health and safety law, she brought a bulging contacts book to the institute and access to a strong network of friends and former colleagues across the trade union movement and within the civil service.

“I’ve always been a campaigning sort of person,” she explains, and one area that has received much attention since she took on her role at CIEH has been the need to keep investing in the profession, as a way of attracting good people and maintaining the number of skilled officers the UK needs. “I want to see more resources going into enforcement and making sure that people are properly trained,” she says.

“Of course, local authorities and other organisations are hard-pressed at the moment but I think it’s a false economy to cut budgets when it comes to environmental health. It means that things are no longer being done properly and that’s when problems really start to occur.”

However, it’s not just EHOs who need to be vigilant – the public also have a part to play in reporting incidents, says Sarah, who is a strong advocate of whistleblowing as a way of calling out bad employers and businesses that flout the rules.

“I think whistleblowers perform an important public service,” she says.

“It’s not just about someone being disgruntled about something; their

CA R E E R H IG H L IG H TS Sarah spent more than 30 years working with the TUC, including as head of the equality and employment rights department, and was awarded a CBE for services to diversity in 2006.

Sarah has a passion for diversity. She has served on the board of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and worked as a trustee and vice president for the Equality

and Diversity Forum.

Her support for strong regulations saw her take up a board position with both the Better Regulation Commission and the Health and Safety Executive, as well as becoming a member of the Regulatory Policy Committee, which provides independent assessment of government regulatory and deregulatory proposals.

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Sarah is currently a non-executive director of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service, and a visiting fellow at the University of Greenwich Business School.

Sarah Veale in 1972

‘A CAMPAIGNING SORT OF PERSON’ Sarah Veale wants to see more resources going into enforcement and ensuring people are properly trained

importance has been proven lots of times but it must be regulated.”

In the UK, whistleblowing is covered by the Public Interest Disclosure Act (PIDA) 1998, which gives people protection from being sued for breaching confidences.

Sarah recalls how recently a river close to where she lives in London turned a strange colour and was soon full of dead fish. Someone – probably a business – had simply dumped chemicals into the water, she says, with absolutely no thought of the consequences.

“Now, if someone knows about that, possibly someone who works for the company that did it, then I think that the business should be reported; it’s an issue of public concern and they shouldn’t get away with it.”

It is often environmental health officers who are the first port of call if a member of the public does think something is wrong.

“If a whistleblower can lead you to them quickly, then you can stop further damage being done,” she adds.

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VICE PRESIDENTS Stephen Battersby MBE is a former CIEH President and currently a visiting senior fellow at the Robens Centre for Public and Environmental Health, at the University of Surrey.

Graham Brady is Conservative Party MP for Altrincham and Sale.

Christopher Brereton OBE is a member of the Welsh Food Advisory Committee and former chief environmental health officer for Wales.

Karen Buck MP has been a Labour Party MP for Westminster North since 2010. She is Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions).

Christopher Elliott OBE is a professor in food safety at Queen’s University, Belfast.

Baroness Ilora Finlay is a professor of palliative medicine, and an Independent crossbench member of the House of Lords.

“The best regulations mean nothing if employers feel they can get away with not following them” Businesses with scant regard for environmental health are often “sloppy employers” too, Sarah explains, with little interest in the health, safety and working conditions of the people who work for them. And again, it’s EHOs that are there to help and investigate, she adds.

Air pollution is also in Sarah’s sights and she believes it needs to become a matter of urgency for all levels of government.

“People are dying from asthma caused by road pollution. We have to start taking air quality much more seriously.”

Sarah has also been a strong critic of the way in which regulations were ignored at Grenfell Tower and talks of the “systemic failure to provide a safe environment for people to live”. The enquiry into the 2017 disaster is ongoing.

“You just realise more and more how dangerous life is, so I think what the CIEH WWW.CIEH.ORG

and environmental health people do is absolutely critical, and becoming more and more front-page news,” she says.

Having previously served as a board member at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Sarah is a vocal champion of diversity and inclusion. “It’s so important that everyone is aware of the need to have diverse practices and be understanding of cultural differences,” she explains.

However, she is also conscious that this can throw up difficult situations for EHOs. “With areas like food preparation, you have to tread a fine line between respecting people’s cultural practices and allowing it to become a public health risk,” she says.

Sarah also volunteers for the Listening Place, a London-based charity that provides an opportunity for people who have attempted, or thought about, taking their own lives, to talk privately.

Tim Lang is emeritus professor of food policy at City, University of London’s Centre for Food Policy.

Jim McManus is director of public health for Hertfordshire County Council. He is also vice president of the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH).

Geoffrey Podger CB has held several CEO posts in the public health and regulatory sectors, including at the HSE and the Food Standards Agency.

Sarah Veale CBE See left.

Joan Walley was Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent North from 1987 to 2015. She is chair of the Midlands Regional Greener NHS Delivery Board.

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Protection for all workers Why implementing the PPE Directive may be just the tip of the iceberg for business

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RISKY BUSINESS Court rules that current laws do not adequately protect workers in the gig economy, such as delivery drivers

HE PANDEMIC HAS

introduced us all to the abbreviation ‘PPE’. It is little wonder then that this sudden widespread recognition of the value and use of PPE prompted a landmark ruling with expensive ramifications for the gig economy.

Last year, the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (the Union) applied for Judicial Review of the UK’s implementation of the EU PPE Directive.

Union members in publicfacing roles – many of them drivers and couriers – complained that they were working with no PPE. This scared them. Social distancing was also not being observed – for example, when waiting to collect deliveries. Their fear was exacerbated by early COVID-19 statistics which showed workers in similar roles had higher than average mortality rates if infected.

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THE CASE

In law, most people are either: ● limb (a): an employee, working under a contract of employment; or ● limb (b): a worker, working under a contract, either express (oral or in writing) or implied where a person agrees to personally perform work or a service for another contracting party who is not a client or customer.

The Union argued that current UK law gave greater protection to limb (a) ‘employees’, yet the PPE Directive had been aimed at protecting ‘workers’, which is a wider group and encompasses limb (b) workers, including those in the gig economy. The government and HSE contended existing laws were adequate to protect both groups.

THE JUDGMENT

In November 2020, the High Court ruled that the UK had failed to fully implement the PPE Directive.

Limb (b) workers should be

entitled to PPE when the risks involved in their work cannot be avoided or sufficiently limited by technical means of collective protection, or by working methods and organisation.

THE HSE RESPONSE

Given the nature of the court’s ruling, the UK has no option but to change the law and employers will have a duty to provide limb (b) workers with the same protection via PPE as they currently have for employees.

The HSE consulted from mid-July to mid-August this year, seeking views on: ● the types of PPE used and frequency of replacement; ● cleaning, maintenance and storage costs of PPE; ● costs of training limb (b) workers to use PPE; ● costs of ensuring PPE is properly used; ● costs of familiarisation; OCTOBER 2021 / ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH NEWS 19

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Self-employed couriers to be entitled to PPE

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● numbers of limb (b) workers affected;

● whether limb (b) workers

PRO S ECUT IONS This month’s selection of interesting cases and the lessons learned

Case highlights need to plan properly for working at height

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tend to supplement work done by employees or do different tasks; ● and the likely costs and wider impacts that might result from the change.

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The consultation exercise was designed to help HSE understand the impact of the changes on business.

However, it is clear the HSE is seeking to get to grips not just with the changes to the PPE regime but also more widely with the gig economy and its almost five million workers.

The gig economy business model is a challenge to the typical formalities and norms of our health and safety laws, which are largely predicated on the more traditional structure of organisations with employees, and perhaps a few contractors or self-employed people.

The judgment highlighted gaps in the protections afforded to gig economy workers and the informal and often erratic nature of their work, which can exacerbate the absence of the risk management comfort blanket employees enjoy.

The wider application of the new PPE regime is likely just the tip of the iceberg for a legal framework designed for conventional workplaces. As the law adapts, so too must businesses who may need to rethink and restructure their risk management approach.

This will inevitably impact the business model and the bottom line. ● Rhian Greaves is legal

director, regulatory – safety, health & environment, DAC Beachcroft

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Combined £100k fine after worker falls 6m from forklift truck on to concrete floor AUTHORITY: Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council DEFENDANTS: Yorkshire Stainless Ltd and Technical Cranes OUTCOME: Combined fine of £100,000 OFFENCES UNDER: Yorkshire Stainless Ltd: Sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and of Regulation 9(3) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998.

Technical Cranes: Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

The wooden crate used to lift the engineer

THE STORY In October 2016, a crane engineer employed by Technical Cranes attended steel stockholder Yorkshire Stainless in Rotherham after a fault with the overhead travelling crane was reported.

The crane engineer accessed the crane while being lifted in a wooden crate that was balanced on the forks of a forklift truck operated by an employee of Yorkshire Stainless.

As the crate was being lowered it overbalanced, and the engineer fell 6m on to the concrete floor. He suffered serious injuries, including multiple fractures.

HOW IT PLAYED OUT The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the police attended the site immediately following the incident.

A prohibition notice was served on Yorkshire Stainless to prevent

persons being lifted using inappropriate working platforms and without adequate precautions, and an investigation by Rotherham Council commenced.

Principal EHO Adrian Monkhouse, who led the investigation, said: “This involved visiting the scene of the accident; taking photographs and measurements; taking witness statements; obtaining documents such as risk assessments and training records; and questioning the companies under caution.”

In court, Yorkshire Stainless Ltd was fined £50,000 in relation to the Section 3 charge plus a £170 victim surcharge, and ordered to pay costs of £6,930.36.

Technical Cranes was also fined £50,000 plus a £170 victim surcharge and ordered to pay costs of £6,930.36.

LESSONS LEARNED “Key points in this case were: ensuring the continuity of evidence in the handover of material from the HSE and the police; obtaining CCTV footage, which captured the incident in full; and obtaining a recording of the emergency call,” said Monkhouse.

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AUTHORITY: London Borough of Redbridge DEFENDANT: Josephine Ayot, landlord OUTCOME: £1,500 fine and £1,482.50 costs, £181 victim surcharge OFFENCES UNDER: Housing Act 2004 Section 11 (Personal Hygiene, Sanitation and Drainage) and Section 12 (Damp and Mould)

THE STORY On 1 May 2019, Redbridge Borough Council received a complaint from a tenant about the state of disrepair of a property in Chigwell, that they were renting from Josephine Ayot.

Chartered EHP Patricia Henry went to inspect the one-bedroom studio flat on 15 July 2019. The owner did not attend.

Henry said: “The front door did not shut securely, there was no wash hand basin in the WC (and you had to pass through the hallway, the living room and the kitchen before you got to the shower room where there was a basin), and the lighting in the shower room was not working.”

Among other things, she also found damp and mould in the kitchen, the shower room and in the

A damp cupboard houses the boiler

boiler cupboard. The kitchen worktop was also rotten and two of the gas hob burners were not working.

Neither was there a Gas Safe record for the gas appliances.

HOW IT PLAYED OUT After trying to work with the owner informally, an improvement notice was served and a post-works inspection scheduled to ascertain if it had been complied with. The landlord

was non-compliant throughout. Two Data Protection enquiries with the landlord’s local authority confirmed that the address used to correspond with the owner was correct and that she was registered at the address.

The formal proceedings were delayed by COVID-19 but the case was finally heard at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on 6 July 2021 and the landlord fined.

LESSONS LEARNED Henry said: “I used the informal approach first, then after noncompliance I tried interview under caution and, when that failed, I tried interview under caution by way of questionnaire (twice). The court was not impressed with this complete failure by the landlord to comply.

“Although I had an option to use a financial penalty notice (FPN) as an alternative to prosecution to deal with the non-compliance, I chose the latter because I felt the landlord would not pay the FPN if issued.”

Pub cellar accident shows value of checking health and safety on food inspections AUTHORITY: East Suffolk Council DEFENDANT: Mariners Inns Ltd OUTCOME: £24,000 fine, £35,734.91 legal costs, £170 victim surcharge OFFENCES UNDER: Sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

HAD A SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION? Please tell us about it: email editor@cieh.org

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THE STORY On 19 May 2019, a member of staff at Mariners Freehouse in Trimley Saint Martin, near Felixstowe, fell through an unguarded cellar hatch behind the bar just hours into her first shift. Staff were expected to work around the hatch when it was open and there was a practice of shouting a warning to one another – even though there were rope cordons behind the bar which could have been used to highlight the danger.

The worker fell more than 2m on to the cellar floor, hitting the cellar stairs as she went, and suffered a collapsed lung, multiple rib fractures, and back and head injuries. In total she spent 36 days in hospital.

HOW IT PLAYED OUT East Suffolk Council EHP Christine Walker sat through hours of CCTV footage and found, in the four days leading up to the incident, the hatch was left open and unguarded

CCTV captures the bar worker’s fall through an open hatch (above).

A safety grille has now been fitted (left)

29 times. The ropes were used straight after the incident but, once the injured worker had been taken to hospital, the hatch was accessed and left unguarded a further six times.

Mariners Inns Ltd pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court.

Walker said: “As well as beer barrels, the cellar housed the ice machine, wine and beer bottles, soft drinks, crisps and snacks. This resulted in it being accessed multiple times during a shift.

“Following my investigation all but beer barrels were removed from the cellar to reduce the number of times

the cellar is accessed. A safe system of work for the cellar has now been implemented, which includes an improved safety grille with assisted lift system, as well as rope cordons.”

LESSONS LEARNED Walker said that the shocking case underlined how important it was to look at health and safety on routine food safety interventions: “There was a poor culture of health and safety within this business. The risk assessment was insufficient and there was no safe system of work for accessing the cellar.”

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Council persistence pays off after landlord repeatedly fails to cooperate or comply

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WORK WOES? Problems at work are a common cause of stress and anxiety

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Dealing with anxiety

Some simple ways to overcome everyday stress and manage your mental wellbeing

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Written by DAVE SMITHSON

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work-related stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 51% of all work-related ill health and 55% of all days lost due to work-related ill health – and this was before the coronavirus pandemic struck.

Our charity Anxiety UK has been partnering with CIEH to deliver some wellbeing webinars titled ‘Managing your mental wellbeing; anxiety and stress’.

At Anxiety UK we explain anxiety as the body’s natural response to danger. When our cave-dwelling selves got into

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trouble, our primitive brains would trigger an anxiety response to help us deal with a life-threatening situation. This is known as the fight, flight or freeze response. Once we had dealt with the danger, the anxious feeling would subside and we would feel normal again.

Today, our brains can still perceive everyday stresses as life-threatening. When responses aren’t dealt with properly, they can build up over time and cause anxiety disorders.

We hope these simple tips will help you manage any work-related stress and/or anxiety.

1. LEARN The more you know about anxiety, the better. There are numerous books, podcasts and videos out there to get you started.

2. SLEEP Establishing a good sleep routine and getting the right amount of sleep will help reduce anxiety.

Dreaming helps the brain de-clutter itself of those unresolved anxiety responses.

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Careers: Anxiety, 1

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Careers: Anxiety, 2

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your body goes into fight-orflight mode.

4. DON’T SMOKE

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People often smoke to calm their nerves but cigarettes actually contain substances that can trigger anxiety and trick your body into fight-or-flight mode.

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Too much sugar can cause anxiety, as can caffeinated drinks and alcohol. Eating a healthy, balanced diet helps reduce anxiety.

6. POSITIVE THINKING

ABOUT THE WRITER Dave Smithson is operations director at Anxiety UK, which provides access to therapy services for people with a range of anxiety and stressbased depression conditions. He is responsible for overseeing all operational aspects of service delivery for the charity. His job includes delivering workplace training and online webinars.

yourself succeeding and you might be pleasantly surprised.

8. RELAX Try some guided meditation, mindfulness in household tasks, or just spend time doing something you really enjoy. Give your brain a break from its cycle of negative thinking, even if it’s just for a short time.

9. THERAPY

7. VISUALISE SUCCESS

A professional therapist can help you form a game plan to deal with your anxiety. They can also offer a different perspective and give you treatment options.

Anxiety can feel like an unwinnable fight, so it helps to have someone in your corner.

The primitive brain doesn’t know the difference between imaginary threats and real ones, so instead of constantly worrying about failure, treat stressful scenarios as a challenge to overcome. Visualise

If you are experiencing anxietyrelated issues or are worried about someone you know, please call Anxiety UK for help and advice: 03444 775 774

When you’re having negative thoughts, challenge them. Try to think of the positives and repeat them to yourself. Anxiety can’t take hold when you’re in a positive frame of mind.

SPOT L IG HT ON

Each year CIEH runs more than 150 workshops and conferences. Here are some of the upcoming events.

CONFERENCES & ROUNDTABLES l CIEH Beauty Conference 21 October l COVIDconversations: public enquiry roundtable 8 November, 22 November l CIEH Safe Food Conference 11-12 November BITESIZE TRAINING l Statutory noise nuisance (module 1): how and when statutory nuisance should be used 6 October l Vacuum packing 13 October l Fundamentals of building and

construction 18-22 October (modules 1-5) l Food allergen enforcement and compliance 20 October, 9 November l Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) 20 October, 17 November l Statutory noise nuisance (module 2): everyday noise and poor sound insulation issues 3 November WORKSHOPS l Statutory nuisance

law and residential property 7 October l Basic electrical awareness 13-14 October (half days) 9 November, 23 November l HHSRS

enforcement 14-15 October (half days) l HMO enforcement 15-16 November (half days) l Understanding and applying HHSRS 18-19 November, 9-10 December (half days) l HMO practical inspection 23-24 November (half days) l HHSRS: damp, mould and excess cold 29-30 November (half days) INFORMAL NETWORKING l New to the

profession coffee and catch up 19 October l Port health coffee and catch up 21 October l HoardingUK coffee and catch up 10 November

TO BOOK VISIT www.cieh.org/events

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Natasha’s Law webinar

CIEH hosted a webinar titled Natasha’s Law – new allergen legislation, ahead of the amendment that came into force on 1 October covering the labelling of food prepacked for direct sale (PPDS). CIEH member Scott Brady comments on the event.

How was the event brought to your attention?

I received an email as part of a CIEH Member Connect update.

The emails are easy to read and the subject of Natasha’s Law caught my eye.

What did you think of the event?

The webinar was hosted by Kate Thompson, director of CIEH Wales, and delivered by Caroline Benjamin, director of Food Allergy Aware, who was top class. The use of polls, slides, chat and questions made it a really interesting session.

How did the event benefit you?

It answered all my questions and cleared up some confusing issues. CIEH awarded me an hour of CPD and automatically updated my online CPD record.

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Front line Dan Morelli, 1

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Pontypool, within the boundaries of Torfaen Council and, right, part of the Council’s contact tracing service

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responsible for making decisions at a regional level, including the deployment of resources.

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‘The value of the profession has come to the fore’ Daniel Morelli gives us a glimpse into life as head of public protection at Torfaen County Borough Council ITH 90,000 PEOPLE,

Torfaen is the most densely populated local authority in Wales. The last 18 months have been unprecedented with public protection services at the fore of the COVID response.

My job has been to provide clarity on priorities and ensure we have the capacity and capability to protect public health.

With the focus now turning to recovery, there are new challenges to face.

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1. TEST, TRACE AND PROTECT My job includes coordinating the authority’s response to COVID-19, and overseeing our implementation of the Welsh government’s Test, Trace and Protect strategy. Our EH team have been heavily involved in overseeing contact tracing, and taking the lead in investigating and managing Morelli: helping inform the Welsh response to COVID-19

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COVID-19 clusters and outbreaks.

Officers within the service have also been advising businesses and enforcing coronavirus restrictions as necessary.

While they are trained and equipped to deal with communicable diseases, COVID-19 has created a fast-moving, and at times uncertain, environment, which they have adapted to brilliantly.

The value of the profession has come to the fore during the pandemic and the skill set of environmental health practitioners is now much more widely recognised.

2. ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT I’m also vice-chair for the COVID-19 Gwent Incident Management Team (IMT), comprising chairs of the IMTs of the five local authorities in the region.

The IMT monitors the COVID-19 situation across the region, and reports various data sets requested

by Welsh government, with a summary of matters of regional significance. Gwent IMT is

4. ADAPTING THE SERVICE The pandemic has meant we have had to change the way we respond to requests for service, such as complaints about noise.

One of the changes made to ensure we continued to deliver an effective service was to invest in The Noise App, which uses smartphone technology to enable complainants to submit reports of noise.

5. PROSECUTIONS Officers have continued to investigate suspected breaches of regulations enforced by the service, e.g. statutory nuisances, fly tipping and the sale of counterfeit goods. Some circumstances have necessitated the preparation of prosecution case files, which I have to review and instigate proceedings.

6. FOOD STANDARDS I’m also the strategic lead for food and animal feed for the Directors of Public Protection Wales (DPPW), a group of directors and heads of services from all 22 Welsh local authorities.

I work with the FSA and key partners to inform the development and delivery of food and feed law policy and practice in a Wales context. I have recently been involved in sharing views on behalf of DPPW on a number of the FSA’s regulatory transformation programmes.

Daniel Morelli became head of public protection at Torfaen Council last year.

He previously worked at the FSA

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With almost 100 staff in the public protection and contact tracing services, remote working has been a challenge but staff have embraced new technology to overcome this.

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