Health
Health
- Environmental Health Services
- Food Business
- Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds
- Effluent Disposal Systems
- Public Events
- Mosquitoes - Disease and Control
Environmental Health
Environmental Health as defined by the National Environmental Health Strategy is “about creating and maintaining environments which promote good health”.
Environmental health encompasses a wide range of health areas and involves preventing and dealing with any potential risk which comes from the physical environment and could prove harmful to the public.
Information on the wide range of environmental health issues dealt with is available in handout material from the Shire’s Administration Offices and electronically on this website.
Please contact the Shire’s Environmental Health Officer, Kelly Cripps on (08) 9168 4100 for further information or assistance.
Accommodation
The Shire inspects public accommodation premises such as lodging houses, hotels, motels, bed and breakfast accommodation, caravan parks and camping grounds on a regular basis.
Premises which provide accommodation are required to be licensed and registered with the local government. These licenses are renewed annually.
Download an application for registration or renewal of a license of a lodging house
Download an application for registration or renewal of a license of a caravan park or camping ground
Asbestos
Asbestos cement products were commonly used in buildings during the establishment of Wyndham and Kununurra and as a result, many buildings contain asbestos.
For information regarding asbestos, download this information pack (asbestos in the home)
Asbestos is a hazardous material. It's removal and disposal is legislated by the Health (Asbestos) Regulations 1992 and Worksafe WA. Download an information sheet or contact Worksafe for further information.
http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/WorkSafe/
Beauty Therapy
Beauty therapy covers hair dressing, body piercing, tattoos, and waxing. A licence from the Shire is required to conduct and receive payment for any of these procedures.
Hairdresser Practice Information
Complaints
The Shire requires complaints to be received in writing for action to be taken.
Download Environmental Health Complaint Form
Concerts and Events
There are some public health requirements for concerts and events. These can include things such as the provision of bins, toilets and water.
If you intend to run a public event of any sort and size, please contact the Environmental Health Officer at the Shire for further information.
Effluent
Effluent is wastewater which can include water from a residential, commercial or industrial premises. There are specific guidelines which must be followed for disposal of wastewater.
Onsite effluent disposal
In many instances, sewer is not available for waste water disposal. In these cases, an onsite effluent disposal system is required. These can include septic systems, greywater systems or aerobic treatment units.
These systems must be approved by the Department of Health, specific requirements must be approved before installation and inspected by an Environmental Health Officer before use.
Download an application form for the onsite disposal of wastewater
Greywater
Greywater is waste water from a house or premises not including water from the toilet. Greywater can be reused on gardens or lawns if a permitted greywater system is in place. For more information, contact the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley or visit the Department of Health’s greywater system information page.
Liquid waste transporters
Transporters of liquid waste are required to be licensed with the local government authority. Download an application form
Environmental Nuisance and Pollution
Environmental Nuisance and Pollution control involves the investigation and resolution of nuisance and pollution issues. The program involves the mediation of neighbour-to-neighbour conflicts and the investigation of businesses when formal complaints are logged with the Shire.
Property owners are responsible for ensuring that activities that occur on a property do not have a negative impact on neighbouring properties, residences and the environment.
The Health Act 1911 and Environmental Protection Act 1986 empowers the Shire to issue notices in instances whereby a nuisance is deemed to be occurring.
The nature of environmental nuisance concerns investigated by the Environmental Health Section includes the following:
- Air Pollution
- Environmental Pollution
- Drainage Nuisance
- Odour Nuisance
- Sewerage Nuisance
If you have a concern in relation to the above about a neighbouring property or a property within the Shire please submit a customer request at the Kununurra Shire Office.
For more information or inquiries, please call Kelly Cripps in the Environmental Health Section on (08) 9168 4100.
For further information please click on the topics below:
Domestic Sewage Overflow http://www.public.health.wa.gov.au/1/635/2/water.pm
Sewage Pollution in Recreational Waters Department of Health Western Australia
Local Laws
Food
The Shire conducts regular inspections of all food premised in the Shire and take a range of food samples for analysis and testing.
Advice is given to proprietors and food handlers regarding food handling and hygiene techniques and requirements.
Food poisoning
Food poisoning costs Australia millions of dollars every year through loss of work, medical bills, and loss of business. This is why good food hygiene is so important. It is not only commercial premises where food poisoning can occur, as much as 70% of all food poisoning occurs in the home.
Click link to ‘five keys to safer food’ to view five easy steps to help keep food safe.
More information about food poisoning can be found on the Western Australia Department of Health website.
FoodSafe
FoodSafe is a program which has been designed for food handlers to increase knowledge of safe food preparation techniques as well as knowledge of food poisoning and the spread of bacteria.
The program is licensed through the Australian Institute of Environmental Health and information can be found on their website link http://foodsafe.aieh.org.au/ .
Food sampling
The Shire runs twice yearly a food sampling program in which samples of different types of food such as ready to eat foods are taken and analysed for bacterial content. The program is run to ensure food businesses are supplying safe food to the public and maintaining hygienic food preparation and storage practices.
Food Business Registration
It is an offence to conduct a food business at any premise unless that food business is registered with the Shire. This enables the Shire to be aware of all food businesses trading within it's responsable area and collect information in relation to food handling so that targeted food saftey education, surveillance, enforcement and awareness programs can be developed.
Registration is a once off process and takes the place of the current application to construct a food premises. Once businesses are registered they may sell food and will be subject to surveillance by the Shire's Environmental Health Officers.
Itinerant food vendor
An itinerant food vendor is a mobile food premises such as a food van. An itinerant vendor can either have a set location as approved by the Shire or can drive around and stop for business such as an icecream van.
Food stall (temporary food stall)
In order to hold a temporary food stall either at the Kununurra Market or an event or any other time, the Shire requires the stall holder to first apply for a license one week before the event at latest.
A temporary food stall is licensed by the Shire’s Environmental Health Officers.
Foods that can be cooked onsite such as a barbeque are encouraged because of the low risk nature of the food. A stall holder must be able to show that the food will be kept in a safe and sanitary condition for the duration of the stall. High risk foods which need to be kept either above 60°C or below 5°C are discouraged for use at temporary stalls.
For any queries with regard to food stalls and what kinds of food will be allowed, contact the Shire’s Environmental Health Officer, Kelly Cripps on (08) 9168 4100.
To view a short video on setting up and conducting a temporary food stall click here http://spikefish.toolbox.net.au/media/index.html
General information for food Businesses
Home food preparation
Approval for home food preparation is most often given on a once off basis for stall holders. The preparation of high risk foods such as meats and dairy products is not permitted.
Labeling
The producer of any food must provide a list of ingredients and a nutrient panel for each food product. This information must either be provided with the food itself or if the producer is selling the food direct to the public such as at a food stall, information must be freely available.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand have produced a nutrient panel calculator to form a nutrient panel for a food product. Ingredients and quantities need to be put into the calculator and the rest is done for you.
Legislation
Environmental health is governed largely by state legislation and can be viewed on the State Law Publisher link to SLP website. Some areas of environmental health also operate under the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley Local Laws.
Mosquito control
Mosquitoes are prevalent in most parts of the world, the East Kimberley is not exempt. These insects can be the carriers of diseases which have adverse effects on human life.
The Shire has a mosquito control program to help to control the mosquito populations in the town areas of Wyndham and Kununurra. This program involves mosquito fogging during the wet season when mosquito populations are greatest and for events where large numbers of people gather such as the Kimberley Moon Experience.
Mosquito fogging works in much the same way as flyspray in that contact is needed between the mosquito and the chemical in order for the mosquito to be killed.
Mosquitoes need only a few days to go from the egg to the adult stage. In warmer weather, this time decreases. Only a very small amount of water is needed for mosquito breeding. For this reason, it is important for residents to frequently check their yards for containers that hold water and either remove the containers or empty them of any water every couple of days.
Mosquitoes are the carriers of many diseases and as in most cases, prevention is better than the cure. For some diseases, there is no cure. Some precautions that can be taken to avoid mosquito bites are:
- Avoiding outdoor exposure from dusk and at night in all areas of high mosquito activity;
- Wearing protective (long, loose-fitting) clothing when outdoors;
- Using a personal repellent containing diethyl toluamide (DEET) or picaridin. The most effective and long-lasting formulations are lotions or gels. Most natural or organic repellents are not as effective as DEET or picaridin.
- Ensuring insect screens are installed and completely mosquito-proof: use mosquito nets and mosquito-proof tents.
- Ensuring infants and children are adequately protected against mosquito bites, preferably with suitable clothing, bed nets or other forms of insect screening.
Refer to the Department of Health information sheet ‘Mosquitoes in Your Backyard’ for some ways to keep your property free of mosquito breeding areas.
Sentinel chicken program
The University of Western Australia runs a sentinel chicken program which is carried out by local governments. The program works as an early indicator of mosquito borne disease activity in the area. Blood samples are taken from a flock of chickens in Wyndham, Kununurra and Kalumburu every fortnight in the dry season and every month in the wet season.
The samples are analysed for both Kunjin virus and Murray Valley Encephalitis. The detection of either of these viruses indicates prevalence of the disease in the area and gives a ‘heads up’ to the public so extra precautions can be taken to minimise risk of the disease.
Noise
Noise is not only annoying but can cause stress which ultimately impacts on health. Noise is regulated by the Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997 which specifies allowable levels of different types of noise. Various types of noise are regulated by different bodies. For information on the types of noise dealt with the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley click here. For information on who enforces other types of noise complaints click here. To download a Noise complaint form, click here. Alternativly you can contact Tammy Cavlovic at the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley on (08) 9168 4100.
Noise monitoring
In some cases, the monitoring of noise levels may be necessary. The Shire is able to conduct noise monitoring if necessary.
Poultry and Animals
Refer to the Shire's Local Laws for information regarding the keeping of poultry and large animals.
Public buildings
A public building is any building, or part of a building where people assemble. Public buildings also include tents, enclosures, platforms and in the case of some events can temporarily include outdoor areas such as ovals.
Public buildings are inspected for public safety by the Shire. It is important for public buildings to have correct exit doors or areas and lighting so that public safety is ensured in the case of an emergency.
Public buildings need to be registered with the Shire, download a public building application form.
Smoking in enclosed public places
Smoking in enclosed public places is not permitted in Western Australia. An enclosed public place includes any area, whether temporary or permanent, which has a ceiling or roof and walls, sides or other vertical coverings.
For more information on smoking in enclosed public places, refer to the Department of Health website
Trading
For the trading of goods other than food, a traders license from the Shire is required.
Download traders license application form
Waste management
For information regarding waste management in the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley, refer to the Infrastructure page of this website
Water quality
Australians have come to expect and take for granted the provision of safe water. Water is essential for life and commercial and public premises should be able to guarantee that the water they provide is safe for drinking.
Water quality not only applies to drinking water but also to recreational water. Contact with contaminated recreational water can still make a person sick. For this reason, guidelines for bacterial and chemical levels are set for not only drinking water but also recreational water bodies.
Drinking water
There are a number of different ways to make water safe to drink. These can include filtration to remove chemicals and chlorination or other forms of disinfection such as UV, ozone, or reverse osmosis to remove bacteria.
Commercial swimming pools
The bacterial and amoebic content of commercial swimming pool water is monitored by the Shire to ensure that people do not become sick or develop infections from contact with water in pools. The chlorine or bromine levels as well as the pH levels are also monitored. If the pH drops too low or rises to high, the effectiveness of the chlorine or bromine drops which allows bacteria and amoeba to grow.
For more information, please contact the Shire’s Environmental Health Officer on (08) 9168 4100.
Fees and Charges
Fees for Services are set each year as a part of the Budget review and are set out in the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley’s schedule of fees and charges.
Useful Links
Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health Western Australia
Department of Environment and Conservation
Population Health— Department of Health Western Australia
Department of Racing Gaming and Liquor
Environmental Health Toolbox –Gold Coast City Council
For further information about any health matters please contact Shire’s Environmental Health Officer, Kelly Cripps on (08) 9168 4100 or email at mail@thelastfrontier.com.au.