| Full name | American Industrial Hygiene Association |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1939 |
| Members | 10,077 (2011)[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Affiliation | Non-profit organization |
| Key people | Elizabeth Pullen, CIH, president |
| Office location | Fairfax, Virginia |
| Website | www.aiha.org |
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is a membership organization of occupational and environmental health professionals practicing industrial hygiene in industry, government, labor, academic institutions, and independent organizations.
AIHA was founded in 1939 and is a nonprofit organization with more than 75 local sections. AIHA's 10,077 members are highly educated professionals; 96 percent are college graduates, 51 percent hold master's degrees, and 12 percent possess doctoral degrees. A majority of the AIHA membership is certified indutrial hygienists. Industrial hygienists are scientists and engineers committed to protecting the health and safety of people in the workplace and the community.
A professional industrial hygienist is a person possessing either a baccalaureate degree in engineering, chemistry, or physics or a baccalaureate degree in a closely related biological or physical science from an accredited college or university, who also has a minimum of three years of industrial hygiene experience. A completed doctoral in a related physical, biological or medical science or in related engineering can be substituted for two years of the three-year requirement. A completed master's degree in a related physical or biological science or in related engineering can be substituted for one year of the three-year requirement. Under no circumstances can more than two years of graduate training be applied toward the three-year period.
While this definition does not include certification, the American Industrial Hygiene Association recognizes the need for such certification by every professional industrial hygienist as an appropriate hallmark by one's peers and strongly urges all eligible members to obtain American Board of Industrial Hygiene certification.
The American Board of Industrial Hygiene has established that successful candidates for certificates shall attain the status of Diplomate of the American Academy of Industrial Hygiene subject to compliance with requirements established by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene.
The active ABIH certification requires that the person be admitted to examination based upon academic training and 4 years experience for the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), successfully pass a one day examination, and maintain active professional involvement by re-certification on a 5-year cycle following first certification.