If you need help studying for the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) certification exam or just want some more information about what the test is like, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below to take a free CIH practice test!
CIH Exam Eligibility
Before you can register to take the CIH certification exam, you’ll have to meet at ALL of the requirements below:
- You need to complete a 60-hour college course in science, math , engineering, or science-based technology
- You need at least 180 academic hours (or 240 continuing education contact hours) of industrial hygiene courses
- You need at least two contact hours of ethics coursework
- You need to be in active practice within a year of applying for the exam
- You need to have at least two professional references to support four years of your industrial hygiene work with documentation
If you meet these requirements, you’re set to begin the registration process!
What’s on the CIH Exam?
First, let’s talk about the questions on the exam. There are 180 multiple-choice questions total, but only 150 of the questions will count toward your score. Why is that?
The 30 unscored questions on the CIH exam are called “pilot” questions. These are added to the exam to determine if they’re good enough questions to add to future versions of the test.
The trick is that you won’t have any way of knowing which questions are scored and which ones are pilot questions. They will appear just like the scored questions throughout the test.
The time limit for the exam is 5 hours, with an optional 30-minute break halfway through.
Let’s take a closer look at the different sections of the CIH certification exam.
1. Exposure Assessment Principles and Practice
50% of the exam
- Anticipating and recognizing potential health hazards
- Studying environments, people, and tasks
- Identifying risks pertaining to processes, stressors, and products
- The relationship between exposure and the potential adverse health effects
- Determine if further action is needed using scientific principles, standards, and guidelines
- Designing and implementing an exposure assessment strategy
- Formulating conclusions and communicate findings and recommendations based on analysis and evaluation of data
2. Control Selection, Recommendation/Implementation, and Validation
35% of the exam
- Assessing and selecting options to eliminate/mitigate exposure
- Developing and implementing appropriate controls to eliminate/mitigate exposure
- Validating the effectiveness of controls to eliminate/mitigate exposure
3. Risk Management
15% of the exam
- Developing and implementing programs/systems that address health risks
- Evaluating and maintaining the effectiveness of programs/systems that eliminate/mitigate risk
How to Register
Once you’ve ensured that you meet all of the eligibility requirements, you can register for the exam.
To get started, you’ll need to submit an application via BGC’s Computer Application and Portfolio System. The application will ask you for your contact information and any documentation to prove your eligibility (among other things). You’ll also be asked to send in your transcripts.
When you submit the application, you’ll also need to submit the application fee, which is $160.
Once your application is approved, you’ll need to register for the exam appointment, which costs $370.
CIH Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
CIH Exam Scores
The scoring system for the CIH exam is very simple: Your final score is based on how many questions you answered correctly. You don’t get points taken away for answering incorrectly, so you should try to answer every question!
The passing score varies depending on which version of the exam you take.
Retaking the Exam
If you didn’t get a passing score on your first try, that’s okay! You can retake the test during the next available testing period.
Keep in mind that you will have to pay the full testing fee every time you retake the test.
FAQs
What is CIH?
CIH stands for Certified Industrial Hygienist. A CIH certification is given to people who have the knowledge and skills to protect the health and safety of workers and the public by identifying, evaluating, and controlling workplace hazards.
How hard is the CIH exam?
The exam is considered to be pretty tough. The current pass rate is only 54.6%.
How many questions are on the CIH exam?
The exam contains 180 questions.
What is the time limit for the CIH exam?
The exam is timed at 5 hours.
What is the passing score for the CIH exam?
The score you need in order to pass varies depending on which version of the exam you take.
How much does the CIH exam cost?
The testing fee is $370, which doesn’t include the $160 application fee.