Environmental Health
Introduction
Food Poisoning Prevention
Introduction to Environmental Health Services
The Town of East Fremantle's Environmental Health Services cover a range of Environmental Health Services and advice and assistance on a number of other issues.
Contact Environmental Health Services by phone: 9339 9315, fax: 9339 3399, or email: admin@eastfremantle.wa.gov.au
Environmental Health Services include:
For your information the following environmental health PDF information sheets are available for download:
Is the water in your rainwater tank safe to drink? (pdf 156kb)
Protecting your house from termites (pdf 174kb)
Food safety for consumers (pdf 226kb)
Hats and food handlers (pdf 329kb)
Safe handling of potting mixes, mulches, garden soils and composts (pdf 93kb)
Cryptosporidiosis (pdf 150kb)
Campylobacteria (pdf 149kb)
Australian New Zealand Food Standards Code (pdf 55kb)
Other matters that Health Services may assist you with include:
- Food condemnations;
- General health complaints;
- Hairdressing establishments;
- Head lice control;
- Health promotion;
- Keeping of poultry and animals;
- Lodging houses;
- Skin penetration establishments; and
- Unfit Houses.
Asbestos, Chemicals and Poisons Disposal
For details please contact Council on 9339 9339, Henderson Waste Recovery Park, Rockingham Road Henderson on 9410 2632, and/or the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council, phone 9316 3988.
For more information on Asbestos disposal download these PDF Documents:
Household Hazardous Waste
Food Safety
Food Handling Premises
The Town's Principal Environmental Health Officer carries out regular inspections of Food shops, cafes and restaurants in East Fremantle. She also obtains food samples to ensure compliance with both chemical and bacteriological standards as laid down by the Australian Food Standards Code 1992/Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) guidelines. Complaints relating to food handling or food products are investigated by Councils Principal Environmental Health Officer.
FoodSafe
The Principal Environmental Health Officer promotes the FoodSafe and FoodSafe Plus Food Handler Training Programs. For more information on this basic food handler training package please contact the Principal Environmental Health Officer on 9339 9315.
Food Premises
Any person considering the development or purchase of a Food Business should contact Councils Principal Environmental Health Officer prior to making an offer to purchase or entering into a lease agreement. New Food Businesses must comply with the Building Code, the Food Act 2008 and Standard 3.2.3 food Premises and Equipment found in Chapter 3 of the Australia New Zealand food Standards Code.
Infectious Diseases Control and Investigations
The Western Australia Health Act requires that all notifiable diseases are reported to the Health Department of Western Australia. The Department in turn notifies the Town. In each case an Environmental Health Officer contacts the patient for interview and endeavours to establish the source to prevent further infections. Any enquiries relating to infectious diseases control and prevention should be directed to Councils Principal Environmental Health Officer.
Noise Control
The Environmental Protection Act (as amended) outlines that:
"A person(s) who on any premises uses or causes or allows to be used any equipment in such a way as to cause or allow it to emit, or otherwise emits or causes or allows to be emitted, unreasonable noise from those premises commits an offence."
Unreasonable noise can be caused by amplified music, musical instruments, parties, animals, equipment, and so on.
Councils Environmental Health Services are unable to deal with the following:
- Traffic Noise
- Barking Dogs (contact the Town's Rangers on phone 0418 947 312)
- Anti Social Behaviour/Noisy Parties. Please contact the Police Service at Fremantle or Palmyra should you experience late night party noise and antisocial behaviour.
- AS2436-1981 "Guide to Noise Control on Construction, Maintenance and Demolition Sites". The equipment used for the construction work must be the quietest reasonably available. In addition, construction work and delivery of equipment/building materials is not to commence before 7am, or carry on after 7pm on Mondays to Saturdays. It is recommended that construction work not commence before 8am on Saturdays. No construction work is allowed on Sundays or Public Holidays, unless written approval is granted by the Town's Chief Executive Officer or Department of Environmental Protection.
The Environmental Protection Act 1986 (as amended) provides for the issuing of a Noise Abatement Direction which may be delivered on the spot. A breach of a direction may lead to a penalty.
Pest Control
Council can be contacted for advice on pest control and the safe use of pesticides, in particular in relation to rats, mice, flies, mosquitoes and European Wasp. For more detailed information on pesticides and pest control, please contact the Pesticide Safety Section of the Health Department of WA, phone: 9383 4244.
Bees
To report a bee hive or swarm in a public area please contact the following:
If you have bees swarming in your property please click here for the link to the Western Australian Apiarist’s Society and find a beekeeper who will remove swarms in this area.
Rat and Mice Control
Rats are endemic in the Fremantle and metropolitan area and could pose a health risk to the community. Our proximity to the Port and our lifestyle makes east Fremantle attractive to rodents.
We recommend that everyone in the community bait their homes at least twice a year to help control the problem. Council also provides limited quantities of rat bait "TomKat" to residents free of charge.
Baits may be placed beside walls, in ceiling cavities, in dark safe places such as behind stoves and refrigerators and in sheds. Ensure baits are out of reach of children and domestic pets.
Other precautions householders should take to prevent rats inhabiting areas around the family home include:
- Remove rotten and dried fruit and nuts from trees or vines at the end of the season.
- Clean up food scraps around poultry yards and rubbish bins.
- Maintain rubbish and compost containers ensuring they do not have any holes.
- Do not allow junk and garden refuse to accumulate in your yard and sheds.
- Keep pet food dishes clean.
Occupiers and owners of premises are reminded that they are equally responsible for vermin control on their properties and should minimise conditions that could harbour rodents.
Pollution Control
Council's Principal Environmental Health Officer can provide advice and complaint resolution services relating to noise, air, and water pollution. Regular water sampling is undertaken at the Mooring Pens near the Red Herring and at John Tonkin Park to monitor the bacteriological quality of the Swan River.
Public Buildings
Environmental Health Officers are responsible for the approval and periodic assessment of all new public buildings in conjunction with relevant agencies. Public buildings are assessed on their type of use, maximum number of persons permitted to occupy, and safety.
Safe Public Pools
Council’s Principal Environmental Health Officer tests all public pools within the Town on a regular basis to ensure they are safe to use.
Safe Needle and Syringe Disposal
Safe Disposal
Authorities recommend the following method of disposal of discarded syringes and needles:
- Keep calm but remain careful;
- Get a rigid plastic container;
- Pick up the used needle and syringe by the blunt end, away from the point;
- Put needle and syringe, point first, into the container;
- Seal container tightly, secure lid;
- Contact Councils Principal Environmental Health Officer or ranger for the needle to be collected;
- Needles are then disposed of by industrial incineration; and
- Do not put the needle into the green or yellow bin.
Food Poisoning Prevention
Now that the warm weather is here, the importance of food safety is paramount. Many "high risk" foods are typically consumed during this time - for example seafood, meat, fish, chicken, rice and milk products.
Food poisoning affects approximately 11,500 people per day, costing Australia $2.6 million per year. 60% of food poisoning cases are a result of food not being kept out of the danger zone, and 20% are caused by cross-contamination. Most food poisoning cases can be traced back to the residential kitchen.
The Danger Zone is the temperature range at which bacteria have their optimum growth rate. This is between 5° C and 60° C, and all perishable items should be stored out of this range to increase their shelf life, and avoid the growth of potentially harmful microorganisms. Bacterial numbers can double in the danger zone every twenty minutes. Correct hand washing is one of the easiest and most effective ways of protecting food from bacterial contamination and preventing food poisoning.
- Always wash hands before handling food, and between handling raw and cooked foods.
- Ensure all high risk foods are kept out of the "Danger Zone" - that is cold foods are to be kept below 5° C and hot foods to be stored above 60° C.
- Keep high risk foods properly stored and covered to avoid cross contamination.
- Check the operational temperature of your refrigerator - and remember the more you overload your refrigerator the greater stress you put on it - it may need to be adjusted to a cooler temperature.
- Keep high risk/perishable items stored at the rear of refrigerator where temperatures are cooler. Note: your refrigerator has "hot" spots - the crisper area may be as high as 13° C.
- When dining out look for the FoodSafe sticker; these premises have undertaken a food handler training program.
- When picnicking/barbecuing, ensure meats are kept in a cooler box until needed, with sufficient icebricks to maintain a cold temperature.
- Do not transfer cooked meats on to surfaces raw meat has been in contact with.
- Chopping boards, tea towels and wash cloths harbour bacteria and must be disinfected regularly. Boards should be soaked in a hot bleach solution, and plastic or glass types are highly recommended. Cloths can also be microwaved for 1-2 minutes and then boiled. Paper towels should be used to clean up floor spills rather than using cloths.