A Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) is a person who has completed a college degree in environmental health, or science, has at least five years of relevant experience, and has successfully passed an examination with the American Board of Industrial Hygiene. Below is a listing of the subject areas covered in the exam. Maintaining the certification requires obtaining ongoing continuing education credits and recertifying every five years.
- Air Sampling & Instrumentation
- Analytical Chemistry
- Basic Science
- Biohazards
- Biostatistics & Epidemiology
- Community Exposure
- Engineering Controls/Ventilation
- Ergonomics
- Health Risk Analysis & Hazard Communication
- IH Program Management
- Noise
- Non-Engineering Controls
- Radiation – Ionizing and Non-ionizing
- Thermal Stressors
- Toxicology
- Work Environments & Industrial Processes
Areas of practice that a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) specializes in can change over time, and the ABIH does not place restrictions on specific career paths of a CIH as long as they meet the on-going requirements and adhere to the ABIH Code of Ethics.