There are more certifications for safety professionals than you can shake a stick at. This series will look at the North American certifications for industrial hygienists. Today, we're going to look at the Canadian designation, the Registered Occupational Hygienist (ROH).

What Do ROHs Do?

Occupational hygienists study, anticipate and evaluate hazards in work environments. They suggest changes to work processes and provide information to management on ways to reduce the risk of injuries and illnesses. For example, hygienists may be asked to analyze the hazards of a chemical process used in a manufacturing plant.

Application/Educational Requirements

Eligibility for the ROH examination is based on having one of the following combinations of academic qualifications and professional experience:

• PhD (occupational hygiene or equivalent, 2 years);
• PhD (acceptable science or engineering, 3 years);
• Master (occupational hygiene or equivalent, 3 years);
• Master (acceptable science or engineering, 4 years); or
• Bachelor (acceptable science or engineering, 5 years).

Most occupational hygienists start with a bachelor's degree in science or engineering, then take further education specifically related to occupational hygiene. Whatever the path, occupational hygienists need:

• A commitment to workplace health and safety;
• Good oral and written communication skills;
• The intellect and perseverance to solve complex problems;
• Tact, confidence and an even temper; and
• The ability to think quickly and act decisively.

The Examination Format

The examination is divided into two parts: a one-day written exam, consisting of multiple choice and essay-style questions; and an oral examination where the applicant must answer questions by a group of examiners. Candidates must pass the written exam before they take the oral exam. The minimum grade necessary for successful completion is set prior to the exam.

Candidates are expected to be familiar with a broad range of occupational hygiene topics, such as air sampling, analysis of chemical hazards, physics, industrial toxicology, ergonomics and biohazards.

ROH Registration

Registration with the Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists (CRBOH) gives individuals the right to use the ROH designation. Membership dues are $170.

All ROHs who wish to maintain their registration status are required to undertake approved activities in order to maintain professional competence. Each ROH must obtain a minimum of 50 registration maintenance points in every five-year reporting period. These point-related activities consist of various workshops, courses and conferences that ROHs must attend.

Conclusion

Still want to be an ROH? All the information you need is on the CRBOH website. Next week, we'll look at the CIH (Certified Industrial Hygienist), the American counterpart designation.

LAUGHTER AT WORK

Joke of the Week

A Safety Guy walks into the shop and spots a guy grinding with no safety glasses on. He politely reminds him, "Got your safety glasses, Bill?"

The gruff old welder says, "Nope. And I ain't goin' to either. I been weldin' 18 years without 'em, so I reckon I don't need 'em now. Take a hike, runt."

Safety Guy hands him a written reprimand and walks away.

The next day, the Safety Guy walks into the shop and sees the same scenario. He asks the welder, "Got your safety glasses, Bill?"

Welder says "No. I told you yesterday that I been weldin' 18 years without 'em, so I reckon I don't need 'em. Now take a hike, shrimp."

Safety Guy hands him a written reprimand and walks away.

The next day, the Safety Guy walks into the shop. He sees the same welder. Curious, he waits until old Bill raises his hood to find he has no safety glasses on. He asks the welder "Got your safety glasses, Bill?"

Welder says "No. Look squirt, I told you yesterday and the day before that. I don't need safety glasses. You ask me again and I'm gonna duct tape your mouth shut. Now, take a hike."

Safety Guy hands him a written reprimand and walks away.

The next day, the Safety Guy walks into the shop and asks the welder, "Hey Bill, you got any duct tape?"

The welder growled. "No."

The Safety Guy smiles. "Got your safety glasses, Bill?"

Submitted by
Ralph B. White

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