Synergist - November 2011

Staff Works

Introducing the New Registry Programs

Over 20 years ago, AIHA established the AIHA Registry Programs to address the need for competent analysis related to field identification of asbestos-containing materials. Recently, AIHA Registry Programs partnered with industry leaders to develop EHS specialty credential programs for qualified individuals who have mastered a specialized area of industrial hygiene, environmental health or safety. Participants must regularly demonstrate their competencies by successfully completing a written and/or practical assessment, and the Body of Knowledge, which was developed by volunteer teams of subject matter experts, serves as the foundation for the specialty assessment.

Through our application process and competency assessment, our registry programs confirm an individual’s knowledge and abilities in a specialized area of practice, ensuring a level of quality among professionals. To gain the newly developed Registered Specialist credentials, participants must meet the established qualifications and regularly demonstrate their competencies in the skills and knowledge defined by the specific program’s Body of Knowledge.

To provide these EHS specialty credentials, AIHA Registry Programs is rolling out four new registry programs—the SDS and Label Authoring Registry program, the Real-Time Detection/4-Gas Meter and PID Registry program, the EHS Value Assessment Registry program and the Exposure Judgment Registry program.

SDS and Label Authoring
AIHA Registry Programs has collabo-
rated with the Society for Chemical Haz-
ard Communication (SCHC) to create the
SDS and Label Authoring Registry—a
program for professionals who specialize
in developing safety data sheets (SDS)
and labels. This program is the first EHS
specialty credential for recognizing indi-
viduals who have the minimum educa-
tion, training and experience of a hazard
communication professional and who
consistently demonstrate competency in
authoring SDSs and labels. The program
aims to improve the quality of SDSs and
labels by motivating participants to de-
velop the knowledge and skills needed to
gain this credential. The SDS and Label
Authoring Registry program officially
launched in October at the 2011 Fall
SCHC meeting in Washington, D.C.

Real-Time Detection Competent users of a 4-gas meter and photoionization detector (PID) will be interested in participating in the Real-Time Detection/4-Gas Meter and PID Registry program. This program’s Body of Knowledge focuses on first responders, fire fighters, and refinery and other industrial workers who use direct-reading instruments to assess field conditions and potential worker exposure concerns. This AIHA Registry Program will be the first EHS Specialty Credential that provides recognition for workers who have expertise in this area. By motivating participants to develop the knowledge and skills needed to gain this credential, the overall quality of potential exposure assessment in critical incidents will be improved. This Specialty Credential will be launched during PCIH 2011 in Baltimore, Md., Nov. 3–9.

EHS Value Assessment
The EHS Value Assessment Registry
program recognizes individuals who
successfully demonstrate their compe-
tency in the financial and nonfinancial
value assessment of industrial hygiene,
environmental health and safety projects
and programs. This registry program will
be the first EHS Specialty Credential that
provides recognition for individuals who
have worked to develop expertise in de-
termining the value of an IH or EHS
project. This expertise helps business
leaders gain a more comprehensive un-
derstanding of the value that industrial
hygiene, environmental health or safety
projects bring to the business. In addi-
tion, this program aims to help profes-
sionals in the field understand the
company’s business and how their work
adds value to it.

Exposure Judgment

The Exposure Judgment Registry program recognizes competency in environmental health, safety and industrial hygiene exposure assessment. This program will be the first EHS Specialty Credential that provides recognition for professionals who have worked to develop expertise in the structured scientific approach to IH-and EHS-related exposure assessments. The program will also improve the overall quality of qualitative and quantitative exposure assessments by motivating individuals to develop the knowledge and skills needed to gain this credential.

Questions?

For additional information on AIHA Registry Programs, contact Carter Dezio, manager, AIHA Registry Programs, LLC at (703) 846-0798 or cdezio@aiha.org.