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State Required Duties of the Board of Health

Local Boards of Health are required by State Statutes and regulations to perform many important and crucial duties relative to the protection of public health. The following is a small list of duties the local Board of Health has concerning sanitation and environment problems.
 

  • Record Keeping. Administrative: Permits, Licenses, Plan review, maintain records for the minimum time period, process death certificates.
  • Health and Disease control communicable disease tracking and reporting 105 CMR 300.100. Report listed diseases to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Receive track, inspect and report to the state DPH cases of food poisoning.
  • Housing and dwellings: Enforce chapter II of the State Sanitary Code. 105 CMR 410.000 (Minimum Standards For Human Habitation). Inspections, Condemnation and demolition orders. Hearings on associated issues.
  • Hazardous Waste controls 310 CMR. Hazardous waste management. Oil and hazardous material spills Permits for waste haulers. Contact DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) for approved waste sites and spill incidences. Approve waste sites and transfer stations.
  • Solid waste: landfills 310 CMR. Approve sanitary landfills and transfer stations.
  • Sewage and garbage: Enforce Title V of the State Environmental Code 310 CMR( Minimum Requirements For The Subsurface Disposal of Sewage). Inspections of new and existing systems. Review of engineered septic plans. Investigate complaints. Process permits
  • Nuisances: Judged a public health risk.
  • Food Establishment Inspections: 105 CMR 590. Inspection. Follow up on complaints. Investigate food borne illness. Address deficiencies and bring food establishments up to code. Assure the proper/sanitary preparation of foods (temperature and storage conditions). Monitor labeling requirements for food products.
  • Pool and Beaches Inspections: Chapter V of the State sanitary Code.
  • Camps, Motels and Mobile Home Parks: 105 CMR 440.000.
  • Miscellaneous Health Complaints: Day care, Pesticides etc.
  • Permitting and inspecting. This includes biotechnology facilities with rDNA and or Infectious agents classification under Town Bylaw Ch. 198-1.