Boards of Health

Boards of Health are made up of people from every walk of life who care about the well being of their community. They are elected or appointed to a term of office and are given the legal authority to set policies and make regulations to protect the public and environmental health.

It’s a fact. In 1799, Paul Revere was Chairman of the Board of Health in Boston, the first local health board in Massachusetts. He and his fellow board members were given broad authority to control the “filth and offal” that contaminated the environment and produced deadly epidemics.

Today our health is threatened by an epidemic of chemical contamination, the inadequate disposal of wastes, and the emergence of new diseases.

More About Massachusetts Boards of Health

Today we know that human health is tied to the health of the environment. We ignore the threats to clean air and water at our peril. Your board of health or health department has unique and special authority to protect both the public and environmental health. Yet as elected or appointed members of town government, they need the support of their community.

Local Health Regulations
Abrasive Blasting – Newton

 

 

Animals – Newton

Animals – Hamilton 

Animals – Medfield

Asbestos – Brookline

Betterments – North Attleborough

Boat Pump Out – Fairhaven

Body Art

Body Piercing – Milford

Building Guidelines – Mendon

Cesspool Additives – Walpole

Change of Use

Dredge Regulations – Gloucester

Energy Facility Siting – Littleton

Environmental Review (MAHB Model) – Plainville

Feeding Waterfowl – Winchester

Food Temporary Outdoor – Walpole

Food Service Training – Manchester

Groundwater Protection

Hazardous Materials – Walpole

Land Application of Sludge – Uxbridge

Massage – Lexington

Mobile Homes – Plainville

Nail Salon – Essex

Nitrate Loading – Yarmouth

Dredge Regulations – Gloucester

Energy Facility Siting – Littleton

Environmental Review (MAHB Model) – Plainville

Feeding Waterfowl – Winchester

Food Temporary Outdoor – Walpole

Food Service Training – Manchester

Groundwater Protection

Hazardous Materials – Walpole

Land Application of Sludge – Uxbridge

Massage – Lexington

Mobile Homes – Plainville

Nail Salon – Essex

Nitrate Loading – MAHB Model

Noise

Noisome Trades – MAHB Model

Nuisance – MAHB Model

Outdoor Wood Boiler Ban – Longmeadow

Rental Property – Williamstown

Special Accounts

Stormwater Mgt. – Wrentham

Subdivision Review

Subsurface Sewage (MAHB Model)

Swimming Pools – Walpole

Swimming Pools – Millis

Title 5 – Hingham

Title 5 Property Transfer – North Attleborough

Title 5 Property Transfer – Brewster

Tobacco Youth Access

Trash, Recycling, Haulers – Plainville

Trash, Recycling, Haulers – Williamstown

Underground Storage Tanks – Marion

Wells – Semi Private/Public – Medfield

Wells Private – Essex

Wells Private – Marion

Did you know that many state and federal laws and regulations are written to provide a “basic minimum coverage” which often provides less protection than most citizens would want. For example, local health regulations are often necessary to prevent flooding and other draining problems from new development, or to prevent contamination of private and public water supplies. Many boards of health also adopt regulations to reduce the illegal sale of tobacco to minors, and to protect non-smokers from the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke.

Under Massachusetts General Laws, state and local regulations and community direction, Boards of Health are held responsible for disease prevention and control, and health and environmental protection and promoting a healthy community. Boards of Health serve as the local arm of both the Mass. Department of Public Health and the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection. To fulfill their duties, they develop, implement and enforce health policies, oversee inspections to maintain minimum standards for sanitation in housing and food service, and assure that the basic health needs of their community are being met.