eho

Eho, typically written as EHO, denotes the Environmental Health Officer, a public-health professional employed by local or national authorities to protect community health by enforcing environmental health legislation and advising on health-related issues. The term is most common in countries that organize public health work through local government or regional health authorities.

EHOs perform a range of duties aimed at preventing health problems linked to the environment. They inspect food businesses, lodging houses, and workplaces to ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, housing, drainage, and pollution standards. They investigate complaints and suspected health hazards, monitor disease outbreaks, and coordinate responses with other agencies. Enforcement actions may include education and advisory notices, as well as formal sanctions, penalties, or closures when violations persist.

Qualifications and training for EHOs typically involve a degree in environmental health, public health, or a related science field, followed by professional registration or accreditation with the relevant regulatory body. EHOs usually work within environmental health departments of local governments, health authorities, or private consulting firms, often collaborating with police, fire services, and public-health laboratories. The exact duties, powers, and scope of authority vary by country and region, and some places use alternate titles such as Environmental Health Practitioner or Public Health Inspector.

Outside the professional usage, the acronym EHO (and the lowercase form eho) is not widely established as a standalone term in other fields. In most contexts, eho is understood to refer to the Environmental Health Officer when encountered in discussions of public health and safety. Related terms include public health inspector and environmental health.