Hygiene at work and diseases related to them have been a topic of study since very early in history. In the century BC. C. Hippocrates described the diseases that miners suffered when extracting lead. Later it was Pliny, in the century BC. C. which refers to the use of face shields as a preventive means against metal dust. Another of those who studied this problem was Avicenna, who did a study on the relationship between saturnine colic and the use of paints made of lead.[6]​.

With the appearance of the steam engine and the first industries, concern began to arise about the working conditions and hygiene of these industrial factories. In 1830, for example, the owner of an English factory hired the doctor Robert Baker to begin studying this problem in his industry. Baker came daily to visit the factories to learn about the influence that the types of work had on the workers. In this way, the first rudimentary industry inspection service in the world was created.[6]​.

Despite the study of all predecessors, industrial hygiene as such and its serious concern for dealing with this problem began to take shape at the beginning of the century. Currently, workplace safety statistics are typically measured by the number of annual injuries and deaths. Before the 20th century, these types of statistics were difficult to obtain because it did not seem important to track workplace injuries and deaths.

The profession of industrial hygiene gained respectability in 1700 when the Italian Bernardo Ramazzini published a comprehensive book on industrial medicine, De Morbis Artificum Diatriba, meaning "The Diseases of Workers", this book is considered the first book dedicated to industrial hygiene to appear in history. Where he detailed the precise description of the occupational diseases that most of the workers suffered from. He was fundamental to the future of the industrial hygiene profession because he stated that occupational diseases should be studied in the work environment and not in hospital wards.

At the turn of the century, Dr. Alice Hamilton led an effort to improve industrial hygiene. He began by observing industrial conditions first finding evidence that there was a correlation between workers' illnesses and their exposure to chemical toxins. He presented proposals to eliminate unhealthy working conditions. As a result, the US federal government also began investigating health conditions in the industry. In 1911, states passed the first workers' compensation laws.

Occupational hygienists have historically been involved in changing society's perception of the nature and extent of hazards and preventing exposures in the workplace and communities. Many occupational hygienists work day to day with industrial situations that require control or improvement of the work situation. However, larger social problems affecting entire industries have occurred in the past, for example, since 1900, asbestos exposure that has affected the lives of tens of thousands of people.

The most recent problems affecting society in general are, for example, in 1976, legionellosis. More recently, again in the 1990s, radon, and in the 2000s, the effects of mold on indoor air quality situations at home and at work. In the late 2000s, concerns arose about the health effects of nanoparticles.

Many of these problems have required coordination over several years to detect and then characterize the nature of the problem, both in terms of the hazard and in terms of the risk to the workplace and, ultimately, to society.

The occupational hygienist may be involved in the evaluation and control of physical, chemical, biological, or environmental hazards in the workplace or community that could cause injury or illness. Physical hazards may include noise, temperature extremes, lighting extremes, ionizing or non-ionizing radiation, and ergonomics. Occupational hygienists frequently investigate chemical hazards related to dangerous goods or hazardous substances. Other related areas, including indoor air quality (IAQ) and safety, may also receive the occupational hygienist's attention. Biological hazards may arise from the potential for exposure to legionella at work or the investigation of biological injuries or effects at work, such as dermatitis.

As part of the investigation process, the occupational hygienist may be asked to communicate effectively regarding the nature of the hazard, the potential for risk, and appropriate methods of control. Appropriate controls are selected from the hierarchy of control: by elimination, substitution, engineering, management, and personal protective equipment (PPE) to control the hazard or eliminate the risk. Such controls may involve recommendations as simple as appropriate PPE, such as a particulate dust mask to occasionally designing dust extraction ventilation systems, workplaces, or management systems to manage people and programs for the preservation of the health and well-being of those who enter a workplace.

Examples of occupational hygiene include:.

Contenido

Aunque hay muchos aspectos del trabajo de higiene ocupacional, el más conocido y buscado es el de determinar o estimar las exposiciones") potenciales o reales a los peligros. Para muchas sustancias químicas y peligros físicos, los límites de exposición ocupacional se han derivado utilizando datos toxicológicos, epidemiológicos y médicos que permiten a los higienistas reducir los riesgos de efectos sobre la salud mediante la implementación de la "Jerarquía de controles de peligros". Se pueden aplicar varios métodos para evaluar el lugar de trabajo o el medio ambiente para determinar la exposición a un peligro conocido o sospechado. Los higienistas ocupacionales confían en conocer con certeza y precisión los límites del equipo o método que se usa y el error o variación dada al usar ese equipo o método en particular.

Los principales pasos para evaluar y gestionar las exposiciones ocupacionales:.

Basic characterization, hazard identification and route studies

The first step in understanding health risks related to exposures requires gathering “basic characterization” information from available sources. A traditional method used by occupational hygienists to initially inspect a workplace or environment to determine both the types and potential exposures to hazards (e.g., noise, chemicals, radiation). The walkthrough survey can be focused or limited to particular hazards such as silica dust or noise, to focus attention on controlling all hazards to workers. A comprehensive survey is frequently used to provide information on how to establish a framework for future investigations, prioritize hazards, determine requirements for measurement, and establish some immediate control of potential exposures. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Health Hazard Assessment Program is an example of an industrial hygiene inspection survey. Other sources of basic characterization information include worker interviews, observation of exposure tasks, material safety data sheets, workforce scheduling, production data, equipment, and maintenance schedules to identify potential exposure agents and possibly exposed persons.

The information that must be gathered from sources must apply to the specific type of work from which the hazards may come. As mentioned above, examples of these sources include interviews with people who have worked in the hazard field, history and analysis of past incidents, and official reports of the work and hazards encountered. Of these, staff interviews may be the most critical in identifying undocumented practices, events, releases, hazards, and other relevant information. Once information is collected from a collection of sources, it is recommended that they be archived digitally (to allow quick searching) and have a physical set of the same information to make it more accessible. An innovative way to display complex historical hazard information is with a historical hazard identification map, which distills hazard information into an easy-to-use graphical format.[7]​.

Sampling

An occupational hygienist may use one or more commercially available electronic measurement devices to measure noise, vibration, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, dust, solvents, gases, etc. Often, each device is specifically designed to measure a specific or particular type of contaminant. Electronic devices must be calibrated before and after use to ensure the accuracy of the measurements taken and often require a system of certification of the instrument's accuracy.

Collecting occupational exposure data is resource- and time-intensive, and can be used for different purposes, including assessing compliance with government regulations and planning preventive interventions.[8]​[9]​ The usability of occupational exposure data is influenced by these factors:[10][11]​.

In 2018, in an effort to standardize industrial hygiene data collection among workers' compensation insurers and to determine the feasibility of pooling data collected from IH, IH Air and Noise Survey forms were collected. The importance of data fields was assessed and a study list of core fields was developed and sent to an expert panel for review before finalization. The final list from the main study was compared to recommendations published by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA).[12] Essential data fields were identified and verified to standardize HI data collection. "Essential" data fields are available and could contribute to improving data quality and management if incorporated into IH data management systems.[10]​[13]​.

Canada and several European countries have been working to establish occupational exposure databases with standardized data elements and improved data quality. These databases include MEGA, COLCHIC and CWED.[14][15][16][17]​.

Nuisance dust is considered to be the total dust in the air, including inhalable and respirable fractions.

There are several internationally recognized dust sampling methods. Inhalable dust is determined using the modern equivalent of the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) MRE 113A Monitor (see section on Workplace Exposure, Measurement, and Modeling). Inhalable dust is considered dust less than 100 micrometers equivalent aerodynamic diameter (AED) that enters through the nose or mouth.

The respirable dust is sampled using a cyclonic dust sampler design to sample a specific fraction of AED dust at a set flow rate. The respirable dust fraction is the dust that enters the "deep lung" and is considered to be less than 10 micrometers AED.

Nuisance, inhalable and respirable dust fractions are sampled using a constant volumetric pump over a specified sampling period. By knowing the mass of the sample collected and the volume of air sampled, a concentration for the sampled fraction can be given in milligrams (mg) per cubic meter (m). From such samples, the amount of inhalable or respirable dust can be determined and compared to relevant occupational exposure limits.

Exposure management and controls

The hierarchy of control defines the approach used to reduce exposure risks that protect workers and communities. These methods include elimination, substitution, engineering controls (insulation or ventilation), administrative controls, and personal protective equipment. Occupational hygienists, engineers, maintenance, management, and employees should be consulted to select and design the most effective and efficient controls based on the hierarchy of control.

The development of industrial hygiene societies originated in the United States, beginning with the first call for membership for the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists in 1938 and the formation of the American Industrial Hygiene Association in 1939. In the United Kingdom, the British Society of Occupational Hygiene began in 1953. Over the years, professional occupational societies have formed in many different countries, leading to the formation of the International Occupational Hygiene Association in 1987, with the aim of promoting and developing occupational hygiene worldwide through member organizations.[20]​ The IOHA has grown to 29 member organizations, representing more than 20,000 occupational hygienists worldwide, with representation from countries present on all continents.[20]​[21]​.

There are several academic journals focused specifically on the publication of studies and research in the field of occupational health. The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (JOEH) has been jointly published since 2004 by the American Association of Industrial Hygiene and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, replacing the former Journal of the American Industrial Hygiene Association and the journals of Applied Environmental and Occupational Hygiene. Occupational Hygiene,* published by the British Occupational Hygiene Society") since 1958.[23] In addition, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health maintains a searchable bibliographic database (NIOSHTIC-2) of occupational safety and health publications, documents, grant reports and other communication products.[24]

Ejemplos de carreras de higiene ocupacional incluyen:.

Education

The basis of technical knowledge of occupational hygiene comes from competent training in the following areas of science and management:.

Academic programs offering bachelor's or master's degrees in industrial hygiene in the United States may apply for accreditation of their program with the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

In the US, training is supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health through its NIOSH Education and Research Centers.

Professional credentials

In 2005, the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygiene (AIOH) accredited professional occupational hygienists through a certification scheme. Occupational hygienists in Australia certified through this scheme are entitled to use the phrase Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH) as part of their qualifications.

Professionals who satisfy specific education and work experience requirements and pass a written examination administered by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH) are authorized to use the term Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) or Certified Associate Industrial Hygienist (CAIH). Both terms have been codified into law in many states in the United States to identify the minimum qualifications of individuals who oversee certain activities that may affect the general public and employee health.

After initial certification, the CIH or CAIH maintains its certification by meeting ongoing requirements for ethical behavior, education, and professional activities (e.g., active practice, technical committees, publications, teaching).

The ABIH is a certification board recognized by the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA). The CIH certification has been internationally accredited by the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC 17024). In the United States, the CIH has been accredited by the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards [CESB].

The Association of Professional Industrial Hygienists, Inc. (APIH) was established in 1994 to provide accreditation to industrial hygienists who meet the education and experience requirements found in Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 40.[25]​ The APIH Registration Committee investigates and verifies, through electronic means or correspondence, educational and experiential achievements. The Committee determines the appropriate level of registration, registered industrial hygienist or registered professional industrial hygienist, and then authorizes the issuance of the certificate of registration.

Spain.

In Spain, professionals dedicated to occupational hygiene must comply with the requirements established by Law 31/1995 on Occupational Risk Prevention and Royal Decree 39/1997,[26]​ which regulates Prevention Services. To work as an industrial hygiene technician, it is necessary to have specific training in Occupational Risk Prevention,[27]​ obtained through master's programs or qualifying university degrees, or through higher training in Occupational Health and Safety. This qualification allows professionals to perform the functions of Senior ORP Technician, with specialization in Industrial Hygiene.

In addition, industrial hygienists can opt for specific certifications and accreditations granted by professional associations such as the Spanish Association of Industrial Hygiene (AEHI).[28] This type of organizations encourage the development and constant updating of professionals through continuous training programs and accreditation of skills.

In Canada, a professional who successfully completes a written test and interview administered by the Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists may be recognized as Registered Occupational Hygienist (ROH) or Registered Occupational Hygiene Technician (ROHT). There is also a designation to be recognized as a Canadian Registered Security Professional (CRSP).

The Faculty of Occupational Hygiene, part of the British Society of Occupational Hygiene, represents the interests of professional occupational hygienists.

Membership of the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene is limited to BOHS members who hold a recognized professional qualification in occupational hygiene.

There are three grades of faculty members:

All faculty members participate in a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme designed to maintain a high level of awareness and current knowledge in occupational hygiene.

The Indian Society of Industrial Hygiene was formed in 1981 in Chennai, India. Later, its secretariat was shifted to Kanpur. The society has around 400 registered members, of which 90 are life members. The society publishes a newsletter, "Industrial Hygiene Link."

Hygiene at work and diseases related to them have been a topic of study since very early in history. In the century BC. C. Hippocrates described the diseases that miners suffered when extracting lead. Later it was Pliny, in the century BC. C. which refers to the use of face shields as a preventive means against metal dust. Another of those who studied this problem was Avicenna, who did a study on the relationship between saturnine colic and the use of paints made of lead.[6]​.

With the appearance of the steam engine and the first industries, concern began to arise about the working conditions and hygiene of these industrial factories. In 1830, for example, the owner of an English factory hired the doctor Robert Baker to begin studying this problem in his industry. Baker came daily to visit the factories to learn about the influence that the types of work had on the workers. In this way, the first rudimentary industry inspection service in the world was created.[6]​.

Despite the study of all predecessors, industrial hygiene as such and its serious concern for dealing with this problem began to take shape at the beginning of the century. Currently, workplace safety statistics are typically measured by the number of annual injuries and deaths. Before the 20th century, these types of statistics were difficult to obtain because it did not seem important to track workplace injuries and deaths.

The profession of industrial hygiene gained respectability in 1700 when the Italian Bernardo Ramazzini published a comprehensive book on industrial medicine, De Morbis Artificum Diatriba, meaning "The Diseases of Workers", this book is considered the first book dedicated to industrial hygiene to appear in history. Where he detailed the precise description of the occupational diseases that most of the workers suffered from. He was fundamental to the future of the industrial hygiene profession because he stated that occupational diseases should be studied in the work environment and not in hospital wards.

At the turn of the century, Dr. Alice Hamilton led an effort to improve industrial hygiene. He began by observing industrial conditions first finding evidence that there was a correlation between workers' illnesses and their exposure to chemical toxins. He presented proposals to eliminate unhealthy working conditions. As a result, the US federal government also began investigating health conditions in the industry. In 1911, states passed the first workers' compensation laws.

Occupational hygienists have historically been involved in changing society's perception of the nature and extent of hazards and preventing exposures in the workplace and communities. Many occupational hygienists work day to day with industrial situations that require control or improvement of the work situation. However, larger social problems affecting entire industries have occurred in the past, for example, since 1900, asbestos exposure that has affected the lives of tens of thousands of people.

The most recent problems affecting society in general are, for example, in 1976, legionellosis. More recently, again in the 1990s, radon, and in the 2000s, the effects of mold on indoor air quality situations at home and at work. In the late 2000s, concerns arose about the health effects of nanoparticles.

Many of these problems have required coordination over several years to detect and then characterize the nature of the problem, both in terms of the hazard and in terms of the risk to the workplace and, ultimately, to society.

The occupational hygienist may be involved in the evaluation and control of physical, chemical, biological, or environmental hazards in the workplace or community that could cause injury or illness. Physical hazards may include noise, temperature extremes, lighting extremes, ionizing or non-ionizing radiation, and ergonomics. Occupational hygienists frequently investigate chemical hazards related to dangerous goods or hazardous substances. Other related areas, including indoor air quality (IAQ) and safety, may also receive the occupational hygienist's attention. Biological hazards may arise from the potential for exposure to legionella at work or the investigation of biological injuries or effects at work, such as dermatitis.

As part of the investigation process, the occupational hygienist may be asked to communicate effectively regarding the nature of the hazard, the potential for risk, and appropriate methods of control. Appropriate controls are selected from the hierarchy of control: by elimination, substitution, engineering, management, and personal protective equipment (PPE) to control the hazard or eliminate the risk. Such controls may involve recommendations as simple as appropriate PPE, such as a particulate dust mask to occasionally designing dust extraction ventilation systems, workplaces, or management systems to manage people and programs for the preservation of the health and well-being of those who enter a workplace.

Examples of occupational hygiene include:.

Contenido

Aunque hay muchos aspectos del trabajo de higiene ocupacional, el más conocido y buscado es el de determinar o estimar las exposiciones") potenciales o reales a los peligros. Para muchas sustancias químicas y peligros físicos, los límites de exposición ocupacional se han derivado utilizando datos toxicológicos, epidemiológicos y médicos que permiten a los higienistas reducir los riesgos de efectos sobre la salud mediante la implementación de la "Jerarquía de controles de peligros". Se pueden aplicar varios métodos para evaluar el lugar de trabajo o el medio ambiente para determinar la exposición a un peligro conocido o sospechado. Los higienistas ocupacionales confían en conocer con certeza y precisión los límites del equipo o método que se usa y el error o variación dada al usar ese equipo o método en particular.

Los principales pasos para evaluar y gestionar las exposiciones ocupacionales:.

Basic characterization, hazard identification and route studies

The first step in understanding health risks related to exposures requires gathering “basic characterization” information from available sources. A traditional method used by occupational hygienists to initially inspect a workplace or environment to determine both the types and potential exposures to hazards (e.g., noise, chemicals, radiation). The walkthrough survey can be focused or limited to particular hazards such as silica dust or noise, to focus attention on controlling all hazards to workers. A comprehensive survey is frequently used to provide information on how to establish a framework for future investigations, prioritize hazards, determine requirements for measurement, and establish some immediate control of potential exposures. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Health Hazard Assessment Program is an example of an industrial hygiene inspection survey. Other sources of basic characterization information include worker interviews, observation of exposure tasks, material safety data sheets, workforce scheduling, production data, equipment, and maintenance schedules to identify potential exposure agents and possibly exposed persons.

The information that must be gathered from sources must apply to the specific type of work from which the hazards may come. As mentioned above, examples of these sources include interviews with people who have worked in the hazard field, history and analysis of past incidents, and official reports of the work and hazards encountered. Of these, staff interviews may be the most critical in identifying undocumented practices, events, releases, hazards, and other relevant information. Once information is collected from a collection of sources, it is recommended that they be archived digitally (to allow quick searching) and have a physical set of the same information to make it more accessible. An innovative way to display complex historical hazard information is with a historical hazard identification map, which distills hazard information into an easy-to-use graphical format.[7]​.

Sampling

An occupational hygienist may use one or more commercially available electronic measurement devices to measure noise, vibration, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, dust, solvents, gases, etc. Often, each device is specifically designed to measure a specific or particular type of contaminant. Electronic devices must be calibrated before and after use to ensure the accuracy of the measurements taken and often require a system of certification of the instrument's accuracy.

Collecting occupational exposure data is resource- and time-intensive, and can be used for different purposes, including assessing compliance with government regulations and planning preventive interventions.[8]​[9]​ The usability of occupational exposure data is influenced by these factors:[10][11]​.

In 2018, in an effort to standardize industrial hygiene data collection among workers' compensation insurers and to determine the feasibility of pooling data collected from IH, IH Air and Noise Survey forms were collected. The importance of data fields was assessed and a study list of core fields was developed and sent to an expert panel for review before finalization. The final list from the main study was compared to recommendations published by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA).[12] Essential data fields were identified and verified to standardize HI data collection. "Essential" data fields are available and could contribute to improving data quality and management if incorporated into IH data management systems.[10]​[13]​.

Canada and several European countries have been working to establish occupational exposure databases with standardized data elements and improved data quality. These databases include MEGA, COLCHIC and CWED.[14][15][16][17]​.

Nuisance dust is considered to be the total dust in the air, including inhalable and respirable fractions.

There are several internationally recognized dust sampling methods. Inhalable dust is determined using the modern equivalent of the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) MRE 113A Monitor (see section on Workplace Exposure, Measurement, and Modeling). Inhalable dust is considered dust less than 100 micrometers equivalent aerodynamic diameter (AED) that enters through the nose or mouth.

The respirable dust is sampled using a cyclonic dust sampler design to sample a specific fraction of AED dust at a set flow rate. The respirable dust fraction is the dust that enters the "deep lung" and is considered to be less than 10 micrometers AED.

Nuisance, inhalable and respirable dust fractions are sampled using a constant volumetric pump over a specified sampling period. By knowing the mass of the sample collected and the volume of air sampled, a concentration for the sampled fraction can be given in milligrams (mg) per cubic meter (m). From such samples, the amount of inhalable or respirable dust can be determined and compared to relevant occupational exposure limits.

Exposure management and controls

The hierarchy of control defines the approach used to reduce exposure risks that protect workers and communities. These methods include elimination, substitution, engineering controls (insulation or ventilation), administrative controls, and personal protective equipment. Occupational hygienists, engineers, maintenance, management, and employees should be consulted to select and design the most effective and efficient controls based on the hierarchy of control.

The development of industrial hygiene societies originated in the United States, beginning with the first call for membership for the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists in 1938 and the formation of the American Industrial Hygiene Association in 1939. In the United Kingdom, the British Society of Occupational Hygiene began in 1953. Over the years, professional occupational societies have formed in many different countries, leading to the formation of the International Occupational Hygiene Association in 1987, with the aim of promoting and developing occupational hygiene worldwide through member organizations.[20]​ The IOHA has grown to 29 member organizations, representing more than 20,000 occupational hygienists worldwide, with representation from countries present on all continents.[20]​[21]​.

There are several academic journals focused specifically on the publication of studies and research in the field of occupational health. The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (JOEH) has been jointly published since 2004 by the American Association of Industrial Hygiene and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, replacing the former Journal of the American Industrial Hygiene Association and the journals of Applied Environmental and Occupational Hygiene. Occupational Hygiene,* published by the British Occupational Hygiene Society") since 1958.[23] In addition, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health maintains a searchable bibliographic database (NIOSHTIC-2) of occupational safety and health publications, documents, grant reports and other communication products.[24]

Ejemplos de carreras de higiene ocupacional incluyen:.

Education

The basis of technical knowledge of occupational hygiene comes from competent training in the following areas of science and management:.

Academic programs offering bachelor's or master's degrees in industrial hygiene in the United States may apply for accreditation of their program with the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

In the US, training is supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health through its NIOSH Education and Research Centers.

Professional credentials

In 2005, the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygiene (AIOH) accredited professional occupational hygienists through a certification scheme. Occupational hygienists in Australia certified through this scheme are entitled to use the phrase Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH) as part of their qualifications.

Professionals who satisfy specific education and work experience requirements and pass a written examination administered by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH) are authorized to use the term Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) or Certified Associate Industrial Hygienist (CAIH). Both terms have been codified into law in many states in the United States to identify the minimum qualifications of individuals who oversee certain activities that may affect the general public and employee health.

After initial certification, the CIH or CAIH maintains its certification by meeting ongoing requirements for ethical behavior, education, and professional activities (e.g., active practice, technical committees, publications, teaching).

The ABIH is a certification board recognized by the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA). The CIH certification has been internationally accredited by the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC 17024). In the United States, the CIH has been accredited by the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards [CESB].

The Association of Professional Industrial Hygienists, Inc. (APIH) was established in 1994 to provide accreditation to industrial hygienists who meet the education and experience requirements found in Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 40.[25]​ The APIH Registration Committee investigates and verifies, through electronic means or correspondence, educational and experiential achievements. The Committee determines the appropriate level of registration, registered industrial hygienist or registered professional industrial hygienist, and then authorizes the issuance of the certificate of registration.

Spain.

In Spain, professionals dedicated to occupational hygiene must comply with the requirements established by Law 31/1995 on Occupational Risk Prevention and Royal Decree 39/1997,[26]​ which regulates Prevention Services. To work as an industrial hygiene technician, it is necessary to have specific training in Occupational Risk Prevention,[27]​ obtained through master's programs or qualifying university degrees, or through higher training in Occupational Health and Safety. This qualification allows professionals to perform the functions of Senior ORP Technician, with specialization in Industrial Hygiene.

In addition, industrial hygienists can opt for specific certifications and accreditations granted by professional associations such as the Spanish Association of Industrial Hygiene (AEHI).[28] This type of organizations encourage the development and constant updating of professionals through continuous training programs and accreditation of skills.

In Canada, a professional who successfully completes a written test and interview administered by the Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists may be recognized as Registered Occupational Hygienist (ROH) or Registered Occupational Hygiene Technician (ROHT). There is also a designation to be recognized as a Canadian Registered Security Professional (CRSP).

The Faculty of Occupational Hygiene, part of the British Society of Occupational Hygiene, represents the interests of professional occupational hygienists.

Membership of the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene is limited to BOHS members who hold a recognized professional qualification in occupational hygiene.

There are three grades of faculty members:

All faculty members participate in a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme designed to maintain a high level of awareness and current knowledge in occupational hygiene.

The Indian Society of Industrial Hygiene was formed in 1981 in Chennai, India. Later, its secretariat was shifted to Kanpur. The society has around 400 registered members, of which 90 are life members. The society publishes a newsletter, "Industrial Hygiene Link."