9.2 Professional Credentials: BOHS Membership & Occupational Hygiene
Professional Bodies & Credentials
Chartered Occupational Hygienist: BOHS awards Chartered status (CMFOH or CFFOH) to members with the Diploma of Professional Competence and 5+ years experience.
Scope of practice: Occupational hygienists specialise in recognition, assessment, and control of workplace health risks including noise.
CPD requirement: Chartered members must complete ongoing CPD.
Professional register: BOHS maintains a Professional Register of competent practitioners.
Why it matters for fit testing: Occupational hygienists with BOHS qualifications provide expert oversight of hearing conservation and can conduct fit testing.
The British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS)
What it is:
The British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) is a Royal Charter body and the UKs leading professional organization for occupational hygienists.
Occupational hygiene is the science of recognizing, assessing, and controlling workplace exposures including noise.
What occupational hygienists do
In hearing conservation context, they conduct noise risk assessments, design noise control measures, select appropriate hearing protection, oversee fit testing programmes, manage health surveillance and audiometry, train workers and managers, advise on Control of Noise at Work Regulations compliance.
Chartered Occupational Hygienists
BOHS is the only organization globally that can award Chartered status as an Occupational Hygienist. Chartered Members (CMFOH) and Chartered Fellows (CFFOH) have: BOHS Diploma of Professional Competence, at least five years professional experience, demonstrated ongoing CPD and professional ethics. Professional Register:
Register of Occupational Hygiene Professionals
BOHS maintains the Register of Occupational Hygiene Professionals, the UKs regulated professional register. CPD Requirement: All BOHS members undertake CPD to maintain knowledge and skills. Why it matters: Occupational hygienists with BOHS qualifications provide high-level expertise in hearing conservation. They can oversee comprehensive programmes integrating noise assessment, control, protection, fit testing, health surveillance, and training.
They provide expert witness testimony defending employers programmes and advise on regulatory compliance. For employers, engaging a BOHS Chartered Occupational Hygienist demonstrates commitment to professional, evidence-based hearing conservation, strengthening legal defence. Verification: Verify BOHS membership status. Look for post-nominals CMFOH or CFFOH.