The American Industrial Hygiene Association®(AIHA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with AIHA Registry Programs, LLC and the Society for Chemical Hazard Communication (SCHC). Through this collaborative agreement, all parties commit to developing and maintaining the safety data sheets (SDS) registry program for chemical hazard communication and environment health professionals. The SDS & Label Authoring Registry program offers a credential to qualified individuals who demonstrate proficiency related to the requirements of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS), an international standard. Individuals must submit an application and successfully complete a competency assessment to be listed in the Registry's database for consumer and industry access.

"AIHA has a focus on strategic partnerships, and we often hold up our relationship with SCHC as the model for how a good partnership should work," said AIHA President Daniel H. Anna, PhD, CIH, CSP.  "We are really proud of the work we have done together, and we are looking forward to our next phase of this relationship."

The agreement will also allow both organizations to: work cooperatively to maintain the technical framework or Body of Knowledge, known as the BoK, that supports the SDS Registry; assemble a team of subject matter experts and an advisory group comprising both SCHC and AIHA representatives; and cross-promote materials related to the SDS Registry.

"The partnership with SCHC and AIHA has been very successful," said Mary Ann Latko, CAE, CIH, CSP, QEP, FAIHA™, Managing Director at AIHA and representative of the AIHA Registry Program, LLC.  "Subject matter experts from both organizations have worked exceptionally hard to develop and support this Registry Program. We are very excited about transitioning the Registry assessment to an online platform and to be able to offer remote proctoring, which will allow candidates to take the exam any time at any location," said Latko.

The agreement is in effect until December 31, 2020, unless otherwise extended.

Click here to view the full MOU.

About AIHA

Founded in 1939, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is the premier association of occupational and environmental health and safety professionals. AIHA's 10,000 members play a crucial role on the front line of worker health and safety every day. Members represent a cross-section of industry, private business, labor, government and academia. More information is available at www.aiha.org.

About AIHA Registry Programs, LLC

The AIHA Registry Programs LLC was formed to advance the profession of industrial/occupational hygiene and to recognize an individual's knowledge and skills in specific areas of industrial/occupation hygiene, environmental health or safety practice. The first AIHA registry program was established in 1986 within the American Industrial Hygiene Association's Laboratory Quality Assurance Programs to recognize competency of fiber-counting analysts. In 2009, the AIHA Registry Programs LLC was formed to separate credentialing from AIHA's membership and education activities to better ensure impartiality. More information is available at www.aiha.org/registries/.

About SCHC

The Society for Chemical Hazard Communication (SCHC) is a professional society committed to serving chemical hazard communication professionals and to promoting knowledge and awareness in all areas of chemical hazard communication. Areas covered include worker safety, domestic and international regulatory compliance, toxicology and other chemical and physical hazards, environmental toxicology, risk analysis, etc. Members are professionals who represent industrial, consumer, and specialty chemical companies, pharmaceutical firms, manufacturers, distributors and importers, government agencies, universities and consultants.