CERTIFIED (NOTE: THIS CREDENTIAL HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED)

What is the Certified Associate Industrial Hygienist (CAIH) Credential?

A portion of people doing industrial hygiene-like work were unable to qualify for the CIH credential due to some aspect of their education or experiences. These individuals have been making valuable contributions to the prevention of occupational and non-occupational illnesses; therefore, the Certified Associate Industrial Hygienist Credential (CAIH) professional certification was developed to improve recognition of their contributions by management, employees, and the public.

From 2001-2006, we offered the Certified Associate Industrial Hygienist (CAIH) program to meet this perceived need. The certification process for the CAIH was similar to the CIH except that the qualifications for education, experience, and examination were less stringent, targeted for those who had less science education; were in narrow scope (specialty) roles; or were spending less time in an industrial hygiene role (due to multi-disciplinary roles). The CAIH examination itself was different from the CIH, with more emphasis on recognition and evaluation and fewer questions on program management. The examination differences were based on the Role Delineation/Task Analyses done for both the CIH and CAIH job descriptions.

The Board discontinued the CAIH examination in 2006 because of low demand from potential candidates. However, the CAIH designation is still recognized and supported by BGC through its certification maintenance program. Many practicing CAIHs have chosen to maintain their certification through on-going education, recognizing the value of the BGC mark of certification. As is true for all BGC credential holders, CAIHs must also agree to adhere to the BGC Code of Ethics and to be governed by the BGC Ethics Case Procedures.

For more information on the specific details of recertifying as a CAIH, please read the CAIH Recertification Handbook pages.