Doudelyne Cenafils
MPH
doudelyne.cenafils@waldenu.edu
Product 7
Air, Water and Hazardous Materials Inspections
Introduction:
The Air, Water & Hazardous Materials Section inspects the air and water quality of the Worcester community. Along with this section’s inspectors, I assisted to several inspections of water sampling sites and chemical laboratories. The purpose is for environmental monitoring, using field sampling and analyses instruments, which required 4 sampling tests per month. We used water sample bottles available for the testing of residential well water systems, prenatal care home visits, other in-home services, and as requested by residents. Water samples we then brought for analysis by the State Lab for bacteria, nitrates, arsenic, fluoride, and metals (WCHD, 2012). As for the chemical lab inspections, they monitor any unsafe disposal or release of high levels of materials such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, volatile organic constituents and more. If violations of laws or health hazards are found, the responsible parties are required to take corrective action. The report below demonstrates the different sampling sites and the conditions observed during these inspections.
Reflections:
The Air, Water and Hazardous Materials section
responsibility is to: control air and water pollution within the City; monitor
the quality of the drinking water supply; monitor the water quality of beaches
and public and semi-public swimming pools; monitor and control the storage,
use, and disposal of hazardous materials; protect the environment from improper
disposal or accidental release of these materials; and enforcement of
environmentally related laws, statutes and regulations including the
Massachusetts Environmental Code Title V and the Wetlands Protection Act (WDPH,
2011). Inspections are made upon complaint of exposure to hazardous materials
in the air, water, or soil. Thus, I was able to be exposed to conditions that
people ma have taken for granted, if not in the field of health services. This
experience has relatively showed that public health responsibilities is quite
immense and challenging and that it also requires the collaboration of every
sector to achieve its goal of public health and safety. The knowledge and
skills that I gained will help me further my path in this field as a Public
Health Representative.
Artifact:
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