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Core Competencies for the Practice of Industrial/Occupational Hygiene

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Core Competencies for the Practice of Industrial/Occupational Hygiene Core Competencies for the Practice of Industrial/Occupational Hygiene A Publication by American Industrial Hygiene Association Core Competencies For the Practice of Industrial/Occupational Hygiene Contributors This document was originally prepared in 2012 as a joint effort of the Academy of Industrial Hygiene (AIH), the Ameri- can Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA®), the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists® (ACGIH®), and the American Board of Industrial Hygiene® (ABIH®). A volunteer team of industrial hygienists nominated by their respective boards created an outline of the essential competencies required for the practice of industrial hygiene. The 2018 version is the first revision of the original document and was revised by a group of volunteers selected from individuals who self-nominated through a solicitation by AIHA®. The team was ably assisted by the Academic Special Interest Group within AIHA® and representatives from ABIH® and ACGIH®, with several other industrial hygienists pro- viding comments through a peer review process. The following people were members of the team which updated this document. David Albright, CIH, CSP Buford Ang, CIH, CSP, CHMM Lyndle Burton, CIH, CSP Jack Caravanos, DrPH, CIH Barbara Dawson, CIH, CSP, facilitator Marcella Donnellan, CSP Karen Kelley, CIH, CLSO Gayla McCluskey, CIH, CSP, ROH, QEP Mark Milroy, CAE Timothy Paz, CIH Robert Storment, RN, CIH, CHMM Kevin Sun, CIH, CSP Laura Weems, CIH, CSP, CHMM iii Core Competencies For the Practice of Industrial/Occupational Hygiene Table of Contents Introduction .....................................................1 Functional Core Competencies ........................................17 Background...................................................................... 1 Collaborative Teamwork ..................................................17 Purpose ............................................................................ 1 Communication .................................................................17 Creative Thinking/Innovation ........................................17 Definition of Industrial/ Influencing/Advocacy Skills ............................................17 Occupational Hygiene ......................................3 Leadership/Management ...............................................18 Ethics ................................................................5 Lifelong Learning ...............................................................18 Listening Skills ....................................................................18 The Case for Industrial/ Negotiation Skills ...............................................................18 Occupational Hygiene ......................................7 Planning and Organization ............................................18 Problem-Solving ................................................................18 Expertise Profile ...............................................9 Professional Demeanor ...................................................18 Employment Profile .......................................11 Project Management ........................................................18 Relationship Building .......................................................18 Core Competencies Defined...........................13 Strategic Thinking ..............................................................18 Technical Core Competencies ....................................... 13 Foundation for Industrial/Occupational Hygiene .......13 Key Definitions ...............................................19 Basic Science and Math ....................................................13 Certificate ..................................................................... 19 Fundamentals of Industrial/Occupational Hygiene ...13 Diploma ......................................................................... 19 Workplace Hazards, Advanced Science and Associate Degree .......................................................... 19 Evaluation Techniques .....................................................13 Baccalaureate (Bachelor’s) Degree .............................. 19 Air Sampling and Instrumental Analysis ................13 Technician ..................................................................... 19 Biological Hazards .........................................................14 Practitioner (Paraprofessional) .................................... 19 Biostatistics and Epidemiology .................................14 Professional .................................................................. 19 Chemical Hazards ..........................................................14 Knowledge and Skill Sets of Community Exposure ...................................................14 Industrial Hygiene Practice Levels ................21 Emerging Issues ..............................................................14 Technician ..................................................................... 21 Ergonomics ......................................................................14 Knowledge ...............................................................................21 Fatigue Management ....................................................14 Skills ...........................................................................................21 Health Regulations ........................................................14 Practitioner (Paraprofessional) .........................................21 Indoor Air Quality ...........................................................14 Skills ...........................................................................................21 Management ...................................................................15 Professional ................................................................... 21 Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention .........................15 Knowledge and Experience ................................................21 Radiation (Ionizing and Non-Ionizing) ....................15 Skills ...........................................................................................22 Toxicology and Human Disease .................................15 Basic Controls ......................................................................15 Technical Core Competency Breakdown by Elimination .......................................................................16 Level of Practice .............................................23 Substitution .....................................................................16 Engineering Controls/Ventilation ...........................16 The Future of Industrial Hygiene ..................33 Administrative Controls ...............................................16 Abbreviations/Acronyms ...............................35 Personal Protective Equipment ................................16 Work Environments, Occupations, and Industrial References ......................................................37 Processes .........................................................................16 Appendix .........................................................39 Application of Knowledge to Protect Comparison of Core Competencies with Accrediting Worker Health .....................................................................16 Bodies and Other Providers .......................................... 39 Risk Assessment .............................................................16 ABET ............................................................................... 43 Risk Characterization ...................................................16 CEPH ............................................................................... 43 Risk Management and Communication .................17 OHTA .............................................................................. 43 v Core Competencies For the Practice of Industrial/Occupational Hygiene Introduction Background development opportunities with the various career stag- es of the profession. The resulting program encourages This document updates the original work of represen- and supports the attainment of credentials such as certi- ® tatives of the boards of AIHA (American Industrial Hy- fications and registrations. giene Association), AIH (Academy of Industrial Hygiene), The IH Professional Pathway™ defines two develop- ABIH® (American Board of Industrial Hygiene), and ACGIH® ment tracks—technical and management—with bench- (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hy- marks for achievement at each career stage. Each track gienists), who in 2009 defined the knowledge and skills also encompasses elements of leadership at each stage. for the subject matter areas tested by ABIH®. In 2012, The competencies in the foundation, fundamentals, and these representatives differentiated each core compe- application categories outlined in this document map tency by practitioner level and compared the core com- to the technical track of the IH Professional Pathway™. petencies to those specified under ABET, the Council on Those at the foundation level are usually mastered prior Education for Public Health (CEPH) accredited programs to employment in the field during the Student/Intern and those offered by Occupational Hygiene Training As- level while those at the fundamentals level are usually sociation (OHTA). All four boards approved the original mastered in the early stages of the career during the 2012 set of competencies for the practice of industrial hy- Student/Intern and Early Career
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