About BOHS

Contact details

British Occupational Hygiene Society
5/6 Melbourne Business Court
Millennium Way
Pride Park
Derby
DE24 8LZ

Telephone: 01332 298101
Website: http://www.bohs.org

BOHS – The Chartered Society for Worker Health Protection – is one of the major international scientific societies in occupational hygiene. As a learned and professional society, established for over 60 years, it provides internationally recognised qualifications, scientific conferences, membership services and the world leading research journal ‘The Annals of Occupational Hygiene’. Based in the UK, BOHS has over 1800 members in 50 countries. As a Royal Charter body, BOHS awards the coveted professional certification of ‘Chartered Occupational Hygienist’ to members of its Faculty of Occupational Hygiene who have achieved the Diploma of Professional Competence in Occupational Hygiene. BOHS is a science-based charitable body providing information, expertise and guidance in the recognition, control and management of workplace health risks. Working with other stakeholders in the field of health and safety, BOHS seeks to raise awareness of these risks and influence national and international policy and practice to better protect the health of workers.

Occupational Hygiene is about the recognition, assessment and control of health risks from workplace exposures to hazards such as chemicals, dusts, fumes, noise, vibration, heat and cold.

Occupational hygienists understand the health effects of hazards, can recognise the risks and assess them through monitoring and measurement, and can help employers and employees to understand these risks and minimise or eliminate them. Occupational Hygiene Consultants work with small businesses through to multi-nationals, across a wide range of industries such as construction, engineering, manufacturing, transport, oil and gas, chemical, pharmaceutical, nuclear and defence.

BOHS has a well-earned reputation for high standards of evidence-based, scientific objectivity and professionalism on exposure-related health risks and risk management. Our professional arm, the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene, sets, develops and maintains the professional standards of occupational hygienists, and is also the only UK examining board for qualifications in occupational hygiene.

Members or Fellows of the Faculty will all be of post-graduate calibre, with strong science, mathematics or engineering educational backgrounds; in addition, they hold the BOHS Diploma of Professional Competence on Occupational Hygiene and have a minimum of five years’ experience of occupational hygiene practice. Fellows of the Faculty will also have demonstrated seniority in the field of occupational hygiene as well as making a distinct contribution to the advancement of the profession.

As a Royal Charter body, BOHS awards the coveted professional certification of ‘Chartered Occupational Hygienist’ to practising Members and Fellows of its Faculty of Occupational Hygiene who hold the Diploma of Professional Competence in Occupational Hygiene. They are entitled to use the post-nominal letters CMFOH or CFFOH respectively.

In April 2015, BOHS launched its first major campaign – Breathe Freely – aimed at construction workers to raise awareness about the high risk within that industry, of contracting lung disease. The Breathe Freely campaign is a collaborative initiative led by BOHS in partnership with key organisations such as HSE, Land Securities, Mace, and Constructing Better Health, and is also supported by many other organisations. For more information about the campaign please visit www.breathefreely.org.uk.

For more information on BOHS and its services please visit www.bohs.org