Board of Health
Click on one of the links below for
more information about the Hanover Board of Health:
About the Board of
Health
Current Board
Members
Staff / Contact Us
Schedule
Applications, Fees &
Forms
Processes &
Procedures
Frequently Asked
Questions
Meeting Minutes
Regulations - Links
About the Board of Health
The Board of Health was
established by state statue before the turn of the twentieth century. The Board
is made up of three (3) elected members who volunteer their time to ensure
compliance with federal, state and local regulations. These regulations maintain
the safety of public health and the environment through field work, inspections,
approval and permitting of regulated activities, public education and policy
setting. Board members are elected for a three year term with no limit to the
number of terms that they may serve. The board and it's staff administer the
rules and regulations of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Federal
Government as set forth by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) in the areas of wastewater disposal, solid waste, noise, odor,
and hazardous waste regulations and the Department of Public Health (DPH)
through its community sanitation program in the areas of food protection, lead
abatement, camps, pools, housing, infectious waste, tanning, and infectious and
contagious diseases and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through the food
protection program. Through public meetings, a Board of Health can enact
reasonable health regulations (pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 111§ 31) and the
office has local regulations concerning wells, body art, massage, catering,
barns and stables, keeping of domestic animals, piggeries, local septic
regulations, and infectious and hazardous waste. The Board sets fees and enacts
policies and practices concerning not only human public health but also animal
health.
Plans for new construction- septic, pools, camps, food, housing and building
additions- are submitted to and approved by the Health Agent. Any variances from
the codes and regulations require approval by the Board. The time frames
stipulated for approval is designated in many regulations but generally ranges
from 30 days to 45 days.
The Board is also responsible for the investigation and control of infectious
and contagious diseases in humans, animals and insects. Our office provides
vaccine to many of the medical practices in Hanover and partners with the VNA to
offer adult immunizations clinics for flu, pneumonia and tetanus. The VNA also
provides a public health nurse to provide follow-up to reports of infectious or
contagious disease. We also partner with Roberts Animal Hospital to provide the
annual Rabies Clinic for cats and dogs in the spring. We work closely with the
Animal Control Officer to monitor the health of domestic animals, livestock and
wildlife.
Current Board Members
Lynn White – Chair
John Dougherty – Board Member
Richard Farwell – Board Member
Staff / Contact Us
Health Agent (full time): Anthony Marino, Building Commissioner (communityservices@hanover-ma.gov)
Assistant Health Agent (part time): Arthur Ceurvels
Public Health Nurse: Nancy
Funder, RN
Administrative Assistant: Kimberly Dixon
Phone: 781-826-4611
Fax: 781-826-5289
Address:
Board of Health, Suite 17
550 Hanover Street
Hanover, MA 02339
Schedule
The Board generally
meets twice a month. Upcoming meetings dates and times are posted on the Town
Calendar page. Appointment are scheduled every fifteen(15) minutes.
Please contact the office for more information.
Processes & Procedures
The Board relies on the
professional and the clerical staff to administer the permitting process. Many
applications require field work or site inspections prior to submitting plans.
Please contact the office for information.
Applications for approval for septic, wastewater treatment, food establishments,
camps, semi-public or public pools and rental housing require four sets of
plans, a plan review fee and an application fee. All other applications require
two sets of plans. Those establishments that require an annual operating fee
must submit the first year's fee at this time. All plans and applications must
be complete before being processed.
Plans for new construction or remodeling and expansions- septic, pools, camps,
food, housing and building additions- are submitted to and approved by the
Health Agent. Any variances from the codes and regulations require approval by
the Board. Time frames stipulated for approval is designated in many regulations
but generally ranges from 30 days to 45 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Food Establishments
1. My friend makes great stuffed peppers. Can he just can them in his
home and sell them to the public? State and Federal laws require that anyone who
serves food to the public have a valid food permit from the local board of
health. Although most of us prepare foods in our own kitchens daily, a higher
standard of care is required when we prepare foods for the “public”. Potentially
hazardous foods are not allowed to be prepared in a home kitchen and are
required to be prepared in properly licensed commercial kitchens. All food
served to the public must be labeled as to ingredients and place of origin to
ensure that the food are safe for consumption.
2. When are food handlers required to use gloves in food establishments ?
One of the primary route of exposure to a contagious or infectious disease is
from someone hands to our mouths. Washing and covering hands while preparing
ready-to-eat foods is the best way to prevent this type of contamination.
A ready-to -eat food is a food that will not be cooked again before being served
to the public. Salads, subs, all fresh fruits and vegetables and cooked food
items are all ready-to-eat items. Food employees handling these items must was
their hands and wear gloves or use utensils while handling these items.
Vinyl gloves are recommended over latex gloves since latex can cause allergic
reactions in sensitive individuals.
Title V Septic
1. I am just selling my house to a relative. Do I need a Title V
inspection? Under 310 CMR 15.00 if you are selling to a person and your name is
not remaining on the title of the property, then the Title V inspection is
required. If you are adding your relative's name to the property, the Title V
inspection is not required by the Board of Health but may be required by the
lending institution.
2. I am remodeling my house and adding a room to the back. Do I have to
do a Title V inspection?
The regulations require an inspection if there are no records available to the
Board of Health that show the location and capacity of the septic system. If our
office has records, then the staff can determine if the proposed addition meets
the required setbacks and if the septic system has the capacity to handle the
additional design flow for the proposed addition. If that information is not
available, then an inspection is necessary.
3. The 40 year old property we want to purchase has a Title V
Certificate. What does that mean?
The Title V certificate is the septic equivalent of a home inspection. The
septic system was located and assessed according to specific criteria. Although
the system is forty years old, it works well at the time it was inspected.
Septic systems typical lasted 25- 40 years and I would expect to repair or
upgrade this system within the next few years.
4. We found our dream house but it failed the Title V inspection. Who's
responsibility is it to repair the septic system ? The regulations require that
the septic system be repaired or upgraded within two years of a transfer of
title or a shorter time if it is considered an “imminent public health threat”.
The regulations do not say who is responsible for the repair. If a mortage
lenders does not require the system to be repair prior to the passing, they
typically require placing up to 2.5 times the estimated cost of the repair in an
escrow account.
Meeting Minutes
April 17, 2012
April 3, 2012
March 20, 2012
March 6, 2012
February 21, 2012
February 7, 2012
January 24, 2012
January 10, 2012
December 27, 2011
December 13, 2011
November 29, 2011
November 15, 2011
November 1, 2011
October 18, 2011
October 4, 2011
September 20, 2011
September 6, 2011
August 23, 2011
August 9, 2011
July 26, 2011
July 12, 2011
June 28, 2011
June 14, 2011
May 31, 2011
May 17, 2011
May 3, 2011
April 19, 2011
April 5, 2011
March 22, 2011
March 8, 2011
February 22, 2011
February 8, 2011
January 25, 2011
January 11, 2011
December 14, 2010
November 23, 2010
November 9, 2010
October 26, 2010
October 12, 2010
September 28, 2010
September 14, 2010
August 31, 2010
August 3, 2010
July 20, 2010
July 6, 2010
June 22, 2010
June 8, 2010
May 25, 2010
May 11, 2010
May 4, 2010
Regulations - Links
Links to Massachusetts Laws &
Regulations:
Massachusetts General
Laws (MGL)
Code of Massachusetts
Regulations (CMR)
State and Federal Regulations:
Beaver
Trapping (Ch. 111§ 31 & 31)
Burial
Permits (M.G.L. 111§ 46-48)
Contagious
Disease (105 CMR 300.000)
Camps (105
CMR 440.000)
Food
Establishments(1999 Federal Food Code & 105 CMR 590.000)
Frozen Foods
and Desserts (105 CMR 561.000)
Hazardous
Materials (MGL 111 § 150B)
Housing 105
CMR 400.0-419.000)
Indoor Air
Quality (310 CMR 7.00)
Infectious
Waste(310 CMR 16.06, 105 CMR 480.000)
Lead Paint
(104 CMR 460.400)
Noise (310
CMR 7.00)
Nuisance (MGL
111§ 122 &123)
Odor, Dust
Demolition (310 CMR 7.00)
Pesticide
application
Pools (105
CMR 435.000)
Solid Waste
(310 CMR 16.00)
Trash
Removal(MGL 111 § 31A & 31B)
Tanning 105
CMR 123.000
Vaccination
Programs (MGL 111§ 181-183)
Wastewater,
Septic (Title V) (310 CMR 15.00)
Local Regulations: (These are LOCAL
regulations adopted by the Hanover Board of Health)
Application Forms & Fees
Animal
Regulations - adopted March 10, 2009, revised May 8, 2009
Body Art (Tatooing,Body
Piercing)
Catered
Functions
Farmer's Market
Regulations
Floor Drain
Regulations
Hazardous
Materials Regulations
Infectious
Waste Disposal Regulations
Pigs and
Piggeries
Regulations Governing the Distribution of Tobacco Products and Non-Tobacco Nicotine Delivery Products" revised April 13, 2010
Title V - Supplementary Regulations for Wastewater (Septic) - Effective October 28, 2009
Wells-
Irrigation and Drinking - January 2009
Water Supply Protection |
