In Scotland a report is prepared and sent to the Procurator Fiscal. Food hygiene and standards are a significant part of the work and EHOs organise training courses for food handlers. They also deal with specific incidents such as rat infestations and blocked drains. EHOs give advice on health and safety issues at the planning stage of new buildings. They also inspect farms, pet shops and animal boarding kennels.
Pollution control is another aspect of the work.
EHOs monitor levels of noise, air, land and water pollution, often liaising with other professionals and dealing with issues such as the contamination of land with toxic waste or a complaint about noisy neighbours. Most EHOs work for local councils. They may have a generalist role, covering all aspects of environmental health issues in their area or, particularly in larger councils, they may be part of a specialist team, eg food safety. EHOs are also employed by the armed forces, the Civil Service, universities and colleges and increasingly in private sector firms such as supermarket chains. In the private sector they are usually called environmental health advisors and they act to ensure that their firm is complying with legislation and maintaining standards.