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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION: 
Registered Occupational Hygienist 
DESIGNATION ID DESIGNATION TITLE
456  Registered Occupational Hygienist 
PROFESSIONAL BODY DESIGNATION STATUS
SAIOH - Southern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene  Reregistered 
SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
SAQA 12141/23  2023-07-27  2028-07-26 


DESCRIPTION:
An Occupational Hygienist is the advance level of the SAIOHPCB registration system. Typically a ROH will be able to do everything required of an ROHA and a ROHT. The ROH will also do comprehensive OH Risk Assessments, compile OH Monitoring Strategies, develop OH Monitoring Programmes, do quality assurance and evaluations of the OH reports going out, as well as supervise and mentor ROHA and ROHT. The ROH will also qualify to be a Technical Signatory for all OH reports and can manage an AIA as per the DoL and SANAS requirements. 
AWARDING CRITERIA
For the Professional Designation to be awarded, professionals must comply with the following minimum requirements: 
Underlying Registered Qualification or Part Qualification:
A minimum of four years tertiary qualification (Grade 12/Matric + 4 or NQF Level 7) in an appropriate technical or scientific discipline. 
Experiential Learning or Experience
Candidates wishing to be registered at the Hygienist level are required to provide proof that they have at least five (5) full years (at least 70% full-time Occupational Hygiene work done per year claimed) relevant and comprehensive Occupational Hygiene experience. It should be noted that full-time Occupational Hygiene management, training, lecturing and/or research activities, can form part of the 5 years experience (Note: Any time spent during formal education (as a requirement to obtain such qualification) may not be counted towards the required years of relevant Occupational Hygiene experience, thus no "double dipping" allowed). 
Competency Assessment
The scope of the assessments will be in line/comply with the minimum Occupational Knowledge and Competency requirements as stipulated by IOHA. A copy of this document is available on the SAIOH or IOHA Websites.

Written Assessment:
This will consist of a number of short questions on basic principles, calculations or legislative issues. There is also a choice of several essay questions in which the candidate will be required to discuss key issues. Finally the candidate will be presented with a case study and will be required to carry out a simple risk assessment and recommend appropriate control measures.

The candidate will be expected to show an awareness of the wider issues of Occupational Hygiene practice including management, strategic and costing issues, relevant legislation, controls and the integration of occupational medicine and medical surveillance, safety, and environmental matters.

Note: A list is available from SAIOH containing international professional qualifications in Occupational Hygiene which may allow a candidate, at the discretion of the OHPC, to be exempted from the written assessment at the SAIOH PCB's Occupational Hygienist category. All other Qualification, Experience and Oral Assessment requirements are still required.

Length of Assessment:
The maximum time allowed for the written assessment is 3 hours.

Oral Assessment:
An oral assessment will be conducted by at least two registered Occupational Hygienists, at least one of whom will be a qualified lead assessor. The assessment will follow a formal process as outlined in Table 1 below. Three elements will be assessed for each topic; i.e. basic principles, legislation and controls. These elements will be marked in the ratio of 25, 25 and 50% for the Hygienist assessment. This reflects an emphasis on the skills necessary to ensure that adequate control measures are recommended and applied.

Note: The topics for questions will be selected by the Assessors in line with the candidates work experience, but will cover the comprehensive Occupational Hygiene spectrum as required for the Occupational Hygienist level he/she is assessed at.

Length of Assessment:
The oral assessment will normally take no longer than 1 hour.

Pass mark:
A sub-minimum of 68% must be obtained for each of the written and oral assessments with an average of 70% for the written and oral assessment combined.

Note: Only candidates that obtained the sub-minimum for the written assessment will be allowed to go forward to the oral assessment. They will be notified by the PCB within 45 days of their results and of the date of their oral assessment. 
Designation RPL Statement
This Designation may be awarded through Recognition of Prior Learning. 
RETAINING CRITERIA
In order to ensure the currency of professional knowledge and to retain the Professional Designation, the professional must comply with the following minimum requirements: 
Code of Conduct
Members must adhere to the Professional Body Codes of Conduct and Ethics. 
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
To maintain registration as an Occupational Hygienist (ROH), OH Technologist (ROHT) or OH Assistant (ROHA) you must accumulate 60, 50 or 40 points respectively over a five-year period. With the exception of the 8 base points for active practice in category 1 or 2, a maximum of 5 points per year can be claimed in each activity category. The maximum total points which can be claimed in any one year are 15, 12 or 8 points respectively. An overview of the different categories in which points may be claimed is provided below. (More details can be obtained from the SAIOH website).
Categories in which points may be claimed:
  • Active OH practice (8 points per year).
  • Lectures (8 points per year).
  • Training and Education Courses (different point allocations as per SAIOH requirements).
  • Technical/Professional OH committee (different point allocations as per requirements).
  • Professional Membership (0.5 points per year).
  • Publications and certification questions (different point allocations according to SAIOH requirements).
  • Research (2 points per topic).

    Once-off points may also be claimed from the following:
  • Mentorship.
  • Examination/Certification/Related additional qualification.
  • Open category. 
    		•
    Fees
    Ensure that the annual membership fee is paid. 


    PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION PROGRESSION PATHWAY
    (The Designation being reported on here is shown in italics.)

    Sequence Designation ID Designation Title
    1454Registered Occupational Hygiene Assistant
    2455Registered Occupational Hygiene Technologist
    3456Registered Occupational Hygienist


    PROFESSIONAL BODY WEB ADDRESS:
    For more information on this Professional Designation, please visit www.saioh.co.za