Guidance on Preparing for the ROHT and ROH Examinations
Each year, we receive numerous inquiries from prospective applicants and candidates seeking advice on how best to prepare for the ROHT or ROH exams. The CRBOH accreditation process is designed to assess both academic knowledge and practical experience—together serving as indicators of a candidate’s readiness to successfully complete the examination.
We recognize that the journey to becoming a well-rounded Occupational Hygienist varies for everyone. In response, we’ve updated our list of recommended resources, drawing from the experiences of past successful candidates who have completed our exams. These materials are intended to support your preparation and provide insight into the breadth of knowledge expected.
Use of CIH Study Materials in ROHT and ROH Exam Preparation
You may notice that many recommended resources reference study materials are developed for the BGC CIH examination. This is because both the BGC CIH and CRBOH ROH accreditations are recognized under the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) Model Certification Program. The core competencies of occupational hygiene are shared globally across accrediting bodies.
Canada and the United States also share a significant number of standards and scientific literature. As a result, many resources produced by AIHA and those geared toward CIH preparation are relevant and applicable when studying for the ROHT and ROH exams.
Disclaimer on Reference Materials for Exam Preparation
This list of preparatory materials and courses is intended as a helpful guide for exam preparation and includes a selection of resources that current ROH’s and ROHTs have used in the past.
Please note that the list is not comprehensive and may not address all possible exam topics. Conversely, one does not need to review all the listed reference materials in order to be successful on the exam. There is overlap in the content of the reference materials. You may have access to some reference materials and not others. Ensuring that you are comfortable with materials from all the competency domains is key.
Inclusion of these materials does not imply they are the only resources required, nor does it guarantee that exam questions will be based solely on them. Candidates are encouraged to use additional resources to ensure thorough and well-rounded preparation.
Not all reference materials are freely and/or publicly available. Applicants are advised to explore avenues for accessing materials through their local public, college, or university libraries. You may have privileges as an alumni of your training institution. In some cases, attending an institutional library in-person may provide more fulsome access to their print and online holdings.
Resources by Type
Topic or Competency Specific Texts
Klaassen, C. D. (Ed.). (2018). Casarett & Doull’s Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Patty’s Industrial Hygiene. Cohrssen, B. Ed. Wiley
The Occupational Environment, Its Evaluation Control and Management (2nd ed.) DiNardi Ed. AIHA
Occupational Toxicology by T.C. Marrs and R.L. Maynard (3rd ed., 2019).
Eastman Kodak Company. (2003). Kodak’s Ergonomic Design for People at Work. Wiley.
Occupational Ergonomics: A Practical Approach by Waldemar Karwowski (2020).
Ergonomics: Foundational Principles, Applications, and Technologies by Pamela McCauley (2021).
Niland, J., & Elam, L. A. (2021). Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene (7th ed.). National Safety Council.
DiNardi, S. R. (Ed.). (2011). The Occupational Environment: Its Evaluation, Control, and Management (3rd ed., Vols. I & II). American Industrial Hygiene Association.
A Strategy for Assessing and Managing Occupational Exposures (4th ed., AIHA, 2015)
Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health by Friend & Kohn (2021).
Essentials of Industrial Hygiene by Thomas Fuller (2015)
Industrial Hygiene Simplified by Frank Spellman (2020).Cohrssen, B. (Ed.). (2021).
Burgess, W. A. (1995). Recognition of Health Hazards in Industry: A Review of Materials and Processes (2nd ed.). Wiley.
Occupational and Environmental Health: Recognizing and Preventing Disease and Injury by Levy et al. (6th ed., 2017).
Occupational Health: Recognizing and Preventing Work-Related Disease and Injury by Barry S. Levy (2021).
The Noise Manual (AIHA, 6th ed., 2022).
Occupational Noise and Hearing Conservation by Morata & Themann (2021).
Ness, S. A. (2004). Air Monitoring for Toxic Exposures: An Integrated Approach (2nd ed.). Wiley.
Maslansky, C. J., & Maslansky, S. P. (1993). Air Monitoring Instrumentation: A Manual for Emergency, Investigatory, and Remedial Responders. Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Important Instrumentation and Methods for the Detection of Chemicals in the Field (AIHA, 2nd ed., 2020)
Field Guide to Industrial Hygiene by Frank Spellman (2020).
Stern, M. B., & Mansdorf, S. Z. (1998). Applications and Computational Elements of Industrial Hygiene. CRC Press.
AIHA’s Field Guide to the Detection of Chemical and Biological Agents (2020).
Macher, J. (Ed.). (2024). Bioaerosols: Assessment and Control (2nd ed.). ACGIH.
U.S. EPA & NIOSH. (1991). Building Air Quality: A Guide for Building Owners and Facility Managers. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA 402-F-91-102.
Indoor Air Quality Engineering by Nazaroff & Alvarez-Cohen (2020).
ASHRAE Indoor Air Quality Guide (2022).
Bioaerosols: Assessment and Control (2nd ed.). Marcham, C. & Springston, J. (Eds.). ACGIH
Manuals
Rumble, J. (Ed.). (2025). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (106th ed.). CRC Press.
ACGIH. (2023). Industrial Ventilation: A Manual of Recommended Practice for Design (31st ed.). American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.
NIOSH Guide to Industrial Respiratory Protection. (1987).
NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM). (5th Edition). Continuously updated online.
ACGIH Air Sampling Instruments Handbook. (9th Edition). (2001).
Journals
American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal. Ceased publication in 1999. Continued as AIHA Journal, then merged into the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (JOEH).
Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. Ceased in 2003. Continued as Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (JOEH).
Annals of Occupational Hygiene. Now published as Annals of Work Exposures and Health.
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health.
Regulations, Standards
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS). The most current version is WHMIS 2025 (fully in force Dec 14, 2025 from Dec 2022 for suppliers)
Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act (Canada). Current as of March 31, 2025.
ACGIH: TLVsⓇ and BEIsⓇ 2025 Edition.
AIHA Workplace Environmental Exposure Levels (WEELs) Guides. As of October 2025.
CSA Standards referenced in Canadian Legislation.
Guides / Guidelines
Health Canada Guidance for Indoor Air Quality https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/guidance-indoor-air-quality-professionals.html
CCOHS https://www.ccohs.ca/
Study Apps/Software/Courses
Bowen EHS CIH Prep Course https://www.bowenehs.com/cih-exam-prep/cih-online-review.html
AIHA CIH Crash Course and related IH courses
Education in CIH Exam Prep | AIHA
https://www.aiha.org/education/elearning/online-courses/cih-crash-course
https://www.aiha.org/education/elearning/online-courses/eih-i-elemental-industrial-hygiene
DataChem CIH Practice Exam https://www.datachemsoftware.com/products/cih-v110-program-description