Overview

OHTA was formed to promote better standards of occupational hygiene practice throughout the world. We develop training materials and make them freely available for use by students and training providers through our website www.ohtatraining.org. We also promote an international qualifications framework so that all hygienists are trained to a consistent, high standard, recognized in all participating countries. OHTA began as an informal collaboration between dedicated occupational hygiene professionals who wanted people around the world to enjoy the benefits of healthy working environments. It has matured into an international framework supported by many national occupational hygiene organisations and the International Occupational Hygiene Association. Our aims are to be: Inclusive Straightforward Transparent Accessible Engaging We believe that adhering to these operating principles will help to grow the global occupational hygiene community and encourage consensus standards. What is occupational hygiene? Occupational hygiene uses science and engineering to prevent ill health caused by the environment in which people work. It helps employers and employees to understand the risks and improve working conditions and working practices. Occupational hygiene practitioners come from varied backgrounds. They can be chemists, engineers, biologists, physicists, doctors, nurses and other professionals all of whom have chosen to apply their skills to protecting the health of workers. Occupational hygiene is multidisciplinary so its practitioners must acquire a broad and solid foundation of knowledge across all these disciplines and more. Common to all practitioners is a core of knowledge that can only be described as"occupational hygiene" and a strategic approach to managing health hazards at work.