American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH)

Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)

Credential: Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)  In-Demand resource  GI Bill resource  NCCA resource  ANSI resource
Credentialing Agency: American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH)

Renewal Period: 5 years

The American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) certification is for individuals working in professions that are based on the science of protecting and enhancing the health, safety, and environment of people at work and in their communities. A CIH's major areas of responsibility include exposure assessment principles and practice, control selection, implementation, and validation, and risk management. To earn the CIH certification, applicants must currently work in the practice of industrial hygiene (IH), meet academic and IH coursework requirements, meet a professional IH experience requirement that is supported by two professional references, and pass a written exam.

More information can be found on the certifying agency's website.

Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

 

Eligibility Requirements (View Details)

  • Credential Prerequisite
  • Experience: 4 years
  • Education: Bachelors
  • Training
  • Membership
  • Other
  • Fee

Note: This credential may have multiple options for becoming eligible. Listed are the minimum requirements based on the minimum degree required. To view other options, see the Eligibility tab.

Exam Requirements (View Details)

  • Exam
  • Written Exam
  • Oral Exam
  • Practical Exam
  • Performance Assessment

RECERTIFICATION SUMMARY

Renewal Period: 5 years

  • Continuing Education
  • Exam
  • Continuing Education OR Exam
  • Fee
  • Other

AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH)

6005 West St. Joseph
Suite 300
Lansing, MI  48917-4876

Phone: (517) 321-2638

Fax: (517) 321-4624
Email: abih@abih.org

Show All / Hide All

Applicants must meet both formal education and specific Industrial Hygiene (IH) coursework requirements:

  • Academic Degree
    • Applicants must have at least a 4-year bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college or university:
      • in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Engineering or
      • in IH or Safety from an ABET-accredited program, or
      • with at least 60 semester hours of science, math, engineering, or science-based technology (15 hours at the junior, senior, or graduate level).
  • Specific IH coursework
    • Applicants must have completed at least:
      • 180 academic contact hours or 240 continuing education contact hours of IH coursework with at least half of those hours in the areas of Fundamentals of IH, Toxicology, Measurements and Controls
      • two hours of ethics training or coursework

Applicants must have professional level, broad-scope IH experience spanning:

  • at least four years of IH practice (one year or six months of credit available for graduates of an ABET-accredited IH program, with a master’s or bachelor’s degree respectively), and
  • at least two of the following occupational health stressors: chemical, physical, biological or ergonomics

The Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) credential has the following other requirements:

  • Applicants need to provide at least two written confidential questionnaires from:

    • current supervisor to verify the applicant's current level of IH work
    • all other supervisors verifying all other work experience periods claimed
    • one CIH who is familiar with the applicant's work experience (alternatives are available)

  • Applicants must document completion of at least two contact hours of coursework in ethics. Acceptable ethics courses include academic ethics courses, company training on business conduct, or other ethics related subjects, or continuing education courses that present ethics topics. This ethics coursework will count as part of the current industrial hygiene coursework requirement. Credit for ethics is capped at five contact hours.

Written Exam

  • Exposure Assessment Principles and Practice (50%)
    • Task 1: Anticipate and recognize potential health hazards by studying environments, tasks, and people to identify risks associated with stressors, products, and processes.
    • Task 2: Assess the relationship between exposure and the potential adverse health effects to determine if further action is warranted using recognized scientific principles, literature, and standards.
    • Task 3: Design and implement an exposure assessment strategy (qualitative and/or quantitative) to determine the extent and magnitude of exposure using relevant principles to ensure scientific validity.
    • Task 4: Formulate conclusions, prioritize risks, and communicate findings and recommendations based on analysis and evaluation of data using standards, guidelines and ethical professional judgment.
  • Control Selection, Implementation, and Validation (35%)
    • Task 1: Assess and select options to eliminate or mitigate exposure using the hierarchy of controls and recognized scientific principles, literature, standards, and design and performance criteria.
    • Task 2: Develop and implement appropriate control programs and techniques designed to eliminate or mitigate exposure, using standards, guidelines, literature and ethical professional practice.
    • Task 3: Validate the effectiveness of controls to eliminate or mitigate exposure using recognized scientific principles, literature, standards, and design and performance criteria.
  • Risk Management (15%)
    • Task 1: Develop and implement programs/systems that address health risks using recognized risk-based methods and scientific principles, literature, standards and effective communication strategies.
    • Task 2: Evaluate and maintain the effectiveness of programs/systems designed to eliminate or mitigate exposure using regulations, standards, guidelines, and ethical professional practice.

Exam Preparation Resources

There are a number of resources available to help you prepare for the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) examination:

RECERTIFICATION

Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)

Renewal Period: 5 years

The Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) credential has the following recertification information:

  • The CIH certification is renewed every five years. Certification holders must agree to adhere to the ABIH Code of Ethics and to be governed by the ABIH Ethics Case Procedures, pay an annual fee, and either retake the CIH exam or submit a Certification Maintenance (CM) Worksheet, which reflects the accrual of at least 40 CM points.

    Additional information can be found on the ABIH website.

In Demand

This certification is considered in demand

COOL Bucks

See your installation Education Service Officer for credential exam information and coordinating instructions.

COOL Summary

Click to go to the COOL Summary page for this MOC.

COOL Summary

Click to go to the COOL Summary page for this MOC.

COOL Summary

Click to go to the COOL Summary page for this MOC.

COOL Summary

Click to go to the COOL Summary page for this MOC.

Some

Credential is related to some tasks associated with the duties of the military occupation (at least one critical task but less than 80%)

Most

Credential is directly related to most of the major duties associated with the military occupation (at least 80%)

Other

Credential is related to this military occupation, but is more advanced or specialized and therefore will likely require additional education, training, or experience

Promotion Points

This certification has been approved for promotion points.

Click for more information.

Star

Star credentials are MOS enhancing, as designated by the Proponent. MOS enhancing credentials are directly related to an MOS or ASI, are taught either partially or completely as part of a Program of Instruction (POI), and improves the MOS technical proficiency.

Skill Level

The Skill Level reflects the level, based on MOS training and/or experience, the Soldier should be the most prepared to successfully earn the credential. See the Table Legend for details about each level.

Proponent Funded

Indicates the credential may have funding through the MOS proponent. Some proponents offer credentialing opportunities in conjunction with military training and/or as part of MOS development beyond the training base.

Click for more information.

Navy Bucks

Credential voucher or reimbursement for credential exam, re-certification, or maintenance fee has been approved for payment through the Navy's Credential Program Office. To get a voucher request form, click 'Complete Voucher and Apply' at the top of any page.

CG Bucks

Coming Soon - Coast Guard policy regarding service member eligibility requirements to participate in the Voluntary Credentialing Program is under review with a projected release date of first quarter FY20.

Early Career

1-3 years experience; Enlisted E1 through E4

Mid Career

4-10 years experience; Enlisted E5 through E6

Late Career

10+ years experience; Enlisted E7 and Above

Early Career

1-3 years experience; Enlisted “A” School through E5

Mid Career

4-10 years experience; Enlisted E6 through E7

Late Career

10+ years experience; Enlisted E8 and Above

LaDR

This credential is recommended on the rating Learning and Development Roadmap (LaDR) for Sailors currently in the pay grade indicated on the icon, BUT MAY BE TAKEN BY SAILORS IN OTHER PAY GRADES.

Click for more information.

GI Bill®

Reimbursement for exam fees has been approved for payment through the GI Bill. Click for external link to GI Bill licensing and certification information.

Note: GI Bill approval data is updated quarterly. For the latest information, visit the WEAMS Licenses/Certifications Search page. Make sure to select "Both" in the LAC Category Type drop-down before searching.

Click here for more information.

ANSI

This credential has been accredited by ANSI. Click for external link to the ANSI web site.

Click here for more information.

ICAC

This credential has been accredited by ICAC. Click for external link to the ICAC web site.

Click here for more information.

ABSNC

This credential has been accredited by ABSNC. Click for external link to the ABSNC web site.

Click here for more information.

NCCA

This credentialing program has been accredited by NCCA. Click for external link to the NCCA web site.

Click here for more information.

IAS

This credential has been accredited by IAS. Click for external link to the IAS web site.

Click here for more information.

Low

May be difficult to attain: minimum education requirement is a Bachelor's degree, and/or minimum experience is 10 or more years.

Note: In some cases “years of experience” refers to time actively on duty or while holding a certain occupation or prior certification and not always in consecutive calendar years. Additional years required for certain preliminary stages may not be included in this classification. For requirements measured in hours, 1080 hours was considered a year. For days, 365 days was considered a year. Please review all prerequisites and requirements for eligibility, and additional information for details.

Medium

Moderate ease of attainment: minimum education requirement = Associate's and/or prerequisite and/or minimum experience = more than 2 years and less than 10 years of experience.

Note: In some cases “years of experience” refers to time actively on duty or while holding a certain occupation or prior certification and not always in consecutive calendar years. Additional years required for certain preliminary stages may not be included in this classification. For requirements measured in hours, 1080 hours was considered a year. For days, 365 days was considered a year. Please review all prerequisites and requirements for eligibility, and additional information for details.

High

Highly attainable: mimum education requirement = HS or less and/or minimum experience = 2 years or less experience and no additional requirements.

Note: In some cases “years of experience” refers to time actively on duty or while holding a certain occupation or prior certification and not always in consecutive calendar years. Additional years required for certain preliminary stages may not be included in this classification. For requirements measured in hours, 1080 hours was considered a year. For days, 365 days was considered a year. Please review all prerequisites and requirements for eligibility, and additional information for details.

MOS is Military Occupational Specialty
ASI is Additional Skill Identifier
WOMOS is Warrant Officer Military Occupational Specialty

Army e-learning

State-of-the art Computer Based Training available for free to the Army Workforce. Click for more information.

Click here for more information.

NKO e-learning

Credential preparation courses are provided at no cost through Navy e-Learning. Click for external link to the Navy Knowledge Online (NKO) web site, then select the “Navy e-Learning” link within the “Learning” tab to proceed to Navy e-Learning.

Bright Outlook – new job opportunities are very likely in the future for this job
Registered Apprenticeship
Click here for External link to: My Next Move for Veterans - Industrial Safety and Health Engineers
Click here for External link to: My Next Move salary info for Industrial Safety and Health Engineers
Click here for External link to: My Next Move for Veterans - Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
Click here for External link to: My Next Move salary info for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
This is an official U.S. Navy website
Updated: October 16, 2019
Top