If you need help studying for the Occupational Hygiene and Safety Technician (OHST) exam or just want some more information about what the exam is like, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below to take a free OHST practice test!
Exam Eligibility
Before you can begin the registration process, you’ll need to have a high school diploma (or an equivalent) and at least three years of experience in occupational hygiene or safety.
Once you meet those requirements, you can begin the registration process!
What’s on the Exam?
First, let’s talk about the questions on the exam. There are 200 multiple-choice questions total, but only 175 of the questions will count toward your score. Why is that?
The 25 unscored questions on the OHST exam are called “beta” questions. These are added to the exam to determine if they’re good enough questions to add to future versions of the test.
The trick is that you won’t have any way of knowing which questions are scored and which ones are beta. They will appear just like the scored questions throughout the test.
The time limit for the exam is 4 hours. There aren’t any scheduled breaks, but you’re free to take restroom breaks as needed.
Let’s take a closer look at the different sections of the OHST exam.
1. Fundamental Math and Science and Business Calculations/Analysis
11.3% of the exam
- Basic business financial concepts and terminology
- Economic effects of losses
- Benchmarking procedures and standards
- Fundamental biology and anatomy concepts
- Fundamental chemistry concepts
- Fundamental mathematics
- Fundamental physics concepts
- Fundamental statistics
- Qualitative data collection and analysis
- Calculating performance metrics
- Interpreting quantitative measures to track and report performance
2. Safety, Health, and Environmental Programs
19.5% of the exam
- Administrative controls
- Audit processes and practices
- Basic concepts of hazardous waste management
- Basic concepts of process safety management
- Behavior-based safety principles
- Assessing external and internal risks to facilities
- Applying behavior-based safety principles
- Conducting investigations
- Fundamental elements of risk analysis techniques
- Fundamental risk management concepts
- The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals
- Incident investigation practices or processes
- Interview techniques for investigations
- Processes for continuous improvement
- Relevant international safety, health, environmental and security standards, guidelines, and best practices
- When to consult with equipment manufacturers, suppliers, or subject matter experts
3. Hazard Identification and Control
21.1% of the exam
- Hazard identification and analysis
- Risk assessment and management
- Incident investigation techniques
- Safety and health program management
- Occupational safety laws and regulations
- Workplace ergonomics and human factors
- Fire prevention and protection systems
- Emergency response planning
- Industrial hygiene principles
- Personal protective equipment standards
- Training and communication strategies
- Audit and inspection processes
4. Health Hazards and Basic Industrial Hygiene
15.8% of the exam
- Acute and chronic occupational exposures and control methods
- Basic concepts in ergonomics
- Basic concepts of industrial hygiene sampling and indicator media
- Hazards and controls associated with biological safety and containment
- Hazards and controls associated with noise
- Industrial hygiene terminology
- Lighting requirements for job tasks
- Occupational illnesses
- Occupational injuries
- Principles of medical surveillance and their relevance to health hazards
- Respiratory hazards and controls
- Sampling equipment, applications, and limitations
- Stress-related conditions and responses
5. Emergency Preparedness, Fire Prevention, and Security
11.5% of the exam
- Agents that could be used in terrorist events
- Appropriate selection of available emergency response equipment
- Disaster and emergency response and crisis planning
- Emergency equipment use, inspection, and required performance tests
- Functioning in the Incident Management Structure
- Participating in emergency response drills and exercises
- Emergency response procedures or action plans
- Emergency systems operations and limitations
- Organizational and community preparedness and response plans
- Techniques for conducting and evaluating the effectiveness of exercises and drills
6. Organizational Communication and Training/Education
12.6% of the exam
- Appropriate training for content and audience
- Basic concepts of adult learning theory
- Basic conflict resolution techniques
- Basic management principles
- Methods to evaluate student learning
- Techniques for evaluating the quality of the trainer
- Techniques for evaluating the quality of the training delivered
- The most appropriate channels or methods for communicating various types of information
- Training delivery mediums and technologies
- Types of records that must be retained
7. Ethics and Professional Conduct
8.2% of the exam
- BCSP Code of Ethics
- Obligation to ensure safety information is delivered without bias
- Protecting confidential information
How to Register
To get started with the registration process, you’ll need to submit an application via the BCSP website. This application includes a $140 application fee.
Once your application is approved, you’ll be given the necessary information to register for the exam. The registration process includes a $300 exam fee.
OHST Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
Exam Scores
The exam is scored using two methods: the modified Angoff method and the bookmark standard setting method.
This method relies on a group of subject matter experts to evaluate each question on the exam and determine its overall difficulty. Once a rating is agreed upon for each question, they establish a cut score, which indicates how many questions you need to answer correctly to be at the minimum level of competency.
Bookmark Standard Setting Method
This method relies on a group of subject matter experts to evaluate each question on the exam one at a time. The goal is to find a single question that represents the minimum level of knowledge/ability required to be a competent OHST (in some cases, they may decide there are multiple “bookmark” questions).
To pass the exam, you’ll need to answer at least 132 questions correctly.
Retaking the Exam
If you didn’t get a passing score on your first try, that’s okay! You can retake the test as many times as you’d like. Just note that there’s a mandatory six-week waiting period between attempts.
FAQs
How many questions are on the OHST exam?
The exam contains 200 questions.
What is the time limit for the OHST exam?
The exam is timed at 4 hours.
What is the passing score for the OHST exam?
You’ll need to answer at least 109 questions correctly to pass.
How much does the OHST exam cost?
The application and testing fees total to $440.