Industrial Hygiene: Science and art devoted to the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, prevention, and control of those environmental factors or stresses arising in or from the workplace which may cause sickness, impaired health and well being, or significant discomfort among workers or among citizens of the community. Industrial hygienists are scientists and engineers committed to protecting the health and safety of people in the workplace and the community.A professional industrial hygienist is a person possessing either a baccalaureate degree in engineering, chemistry, or physics or a baccalaureate degree in a closely related biological or physical science from an accredited college or university, who also has a minimum of three years of industrial hygiene experience. A completed doctoral in a related physical, biological or medical science or in related engineering can be substituted for two years of the three-year requirement. A completed master's degree in a related physical or biological science or in related engineering can be substituted for one year of the three-year requirement. Under no circumstances can more than two years of graduate training be applied toward the three-year period.
While this definition does not include certification, the American Industrial Hygiene Association recognizes the need for such certification by every professional industrial hygienist as an appropriate hallmark by one's peers and strongly urges all eligible members to obtain American Board of Industrial Hygiene certification.
The American Board of Industrial Hygiene has established that successful candidates for certificates shall attain the status of Diplomate of the American Academy of Industrial Hygiene subject to compliance with requirements established by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene.
The active ABIH certification requires that the person be admitted to examination based upon academic training and 4 years experience for the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), successfully pass a one day examination, and maintain active professional involvement by re-certification on a 5-year cycle following first certification.
The goal of the industrial hygienist is to keep workers, their families, and the community healthy and safe. They play a vital part in ensuring that federal, state, and local laws and regulations are followed in the work environment. Typical roles of the industrial hygienist include:
Industrial hygienists deal with the health and safety challenges facing people everywhere including:
What is an Industrial Hygienist