Environmental Health Officer Jobs in London
Environmental health officers work to safeguard the public, as well as employees in private and public sector firms, from a wide range of dangers and risks
Also known as Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs), environmental health officers work to safeguard the public, as well as employees in private and public sector firms, from a wide range of dangers and risks.
A typical day in this field can involve carrying out checks of business premises, implementing and enforcing health policies, developing health and safety plans and hosting training sessions.
Other responsibilities could include investigating accidents in the workplace and looking into complaints from the general public.
Professional and Academic Requirements
In order to pursue a career in this field, an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification recognised by the Environmental Health Registration Board for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or its Scottish equivalent, is required.
It is usually possible to receive academic training on a part-time basis while gaining on-the-job experience, with local councils within London often a good source for such opportunities.
Even once suitably qualified, environmental health officers are still required to take regular training courses throughout their careers in order to keep up-to-speed with new technology as well as the latest rules and regulations within the field.
Personal Attributes
Alongside a good academic record, prospective environmental health officers will be required to demonstrate they have a good range of personal skills.
For example, a keen eye for detail as well as excellent numeracy and literacy skills is necessary for this line of work.
Furthermore, good environmental health officers need to possess excellent communication skills and be able to be assertive yet understanding when carrying out their daily work.
Potential Rewards
Thanks to the specialist nature of the role and the responsibilities it entails, a position as an environmental health officer in London is relatively well-rewarded.
New starters can expect to be on around £30,000 a year straight after university, with this likely to increase with time and experience.
Within the public sector, workers are likely to benefit from enhanced job security and a good pension scheme, though those working in the private sector may enjoy perks such as a company car, a higher salary and flexible working arrangements.
Possible Drawbacks
A significant proportion of environmental health officers spend most of their time in the office at their computers and, when they do get to go out on inspections, they can often be confronted with dirty or generally unpleasant environments.
Other possible drawbacks may be the lack of future opportunities within this field, with most professionals moving upwards into management positions rather than branching out into other areas of interest or into freelance roles, for example.
Biggest Employers
All of London's main councils will have a dedicated team of environmental health officers and these will be the most likely source of new positions.
Additionally, central government departments such as the NHS or the Health and Safety Executive may recruit talented new professionals from time to time.
Meanwhile, once suitably qualified, professionals may also look into opportunities within the private sector as many of London's biggest employers have their own in-house health and safety experts.
