Becoming an Industrial Hygienist

Education

Industrial hygienists generally prepare for their careers by pursuing an undergraduate degree in industrial hygiene or one of the sciences, such as engineering, chemistry, or biology. Many then continue on to attain a master’s or doctoral degree in industrial hygiene. According to a 2003 member survey by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), which is composed of more than12,000 health and safety professionals, 93 percent of AIHA members are college graduates, 60 percent have master’s degrees, and nearly 10 percent have doctoral degrees. Some colleges offer a one- to three-year associate’s degree and a certificate program that qualifies students as industrial hygiene technicians. A technician assists industrial hygienists and other occupational health and safety professionals ingathering and analyzing data and in ensuring that programs and regulations are enforced.

Certification

After you have worked in the industrial hygiene field for four years, you are eligible for certification. To become certified, you must take a comprehensive one-day certification exam, similar in form and intensity to the CPA exam that accounting professionals take. When the exam is passed and all requirements are met, an industrial hygienist becomes a certified industrial hygienist, also known as a CIH. To maintain certification, the industrial hygienist participates in continuing education programs. The certification process distinguishes an industrial hygienist and also advances the profession in general. Government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency have recognized the special competency of CIHs in their regulations and many employers see the CIH designation as one of their selection and promotion criteria.