Careers · SAIOH registration
SAIOH Registration Requirements: Assistant, Technologist and Hygienist
What the Southern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene asks for at each of its three registered levels: the qualification, the experience, the assessment and the pass mark.
The Southern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene (SAIOH) is the professional body for occupational hygiene in South Africa. It has three professional designations registered with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA): Registered Occupational Hygiene Assistant, Registered Occupational Hygiene Technologist and Registered Occupational Hygienist. Each level has its own entry requirements, assessment and pass mark, and each one changes what you are allowed to do on the job.
This guide summarises the requirements as SAIOH publishes them on the SAQA professional designations register. Requirements can change, so always confirm the current rules with SAIOH before you apply.
The three levels at a glance
| Level | Minimum qualification | Experience | Assessment | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupational Hygiene Assistant | Grade 12 (NQF 4), or the OHTA201 module, or AIHA Basic Principles, or BOHS M200 | Studying in an occupational hygiene field, or working under a registered occupational hygienist | Written, multiple choice, up to one hour | 50% |
| Occupational Hygiene Technologist | Grade 12 with the OHTA Intermediary Certificate (or BOHS ICertOH), or a tertiary qualification at NQF 6 | At least two full years of occupational hygiene work | Written (up to three hours) and oral | 65% in each |
| Occupational Hygienist | A tertiary qualification at NQF 8 with relevant science subjects, plus the OHTA Intermediary Certificate or BOHS ICertOH (or a recognised alternative) | At least five full years of occupational hygiene work | Written (up to three hours) and oral | 70% in each |
Registered Occupational Hygiene Assistant
The Assistant level is the entry point, and the only one that does not need a degree. SAIOH lists the minimum qualification as a Grade 12 school certificate (NQF Level 4), or the OHTA201 Principles of Occupational Hygiene module, or the AIHA Basic Principles course, or the BOHS M200.
- Experience: you must be studying in an occupational hygiene related field, or working under the supervision of a registered occupational hygienist.
- Assessment: a written (electronic or paper) set of multiple choice questions on the basic principles of occupational hygiene and workplace exposure factors, with a maximum of one hour.
- Pass mark: at least 50%.
- What it allows: Assistants work under constant supervision and mentorship. They do not interpret results or write reports.
- Note: this designation cannot be awarded through Recognition of Prior Learning.
Registered Occupational Hygiene Technologist
The Technologist level is for people who already do occupational hygiene work day to day. The minimum qualification is Grade 12 together with the OHTA Intermediary Certificate in Occupational Hygiene (or the BOHS ICertOH), or a tertiary qualification at NQF Level 6.
- Experience: at least two full years, with at least 70% of each year claimed spent on full-time occupational hygiene work. Time in formal education does not count.
- Assessment: a written assessment of up to three hours, followed by an oral assessment run by at least two registered occupational hygienists.
- Pass mark: at least 65% in each of the written and oral assessments.
- What it allows: Technologists work under the direct supervision and mentorship of a Registered Occupational Hygienist and may not be the Technical Signatory of an occupational hygiene report.
Registered Occupational Hygienist
The full professional level. The minimum qualification is a tertiary qualification at NQF Level 8 with relevant science subjects, plus the OHTA Intermediary Certificate or BOHS ICertOH. SAIOH also lists alternatives, including the BOHS Diploma of Professional Competence.
- Experience: at least five full years, with at least 70% of each year claimed spent on full-time occupational hygiene work. Time in formal education does not count.
- Assessment: a written assessment of up to three hours and an oral assessment by at least two registered occupational hygienists. SAIOH may exempt holders of certain international qualifications from the written part.
- Pass mark: at least 70% in each of the written and oral assessments.
- Note: this designation may be awarded through Recognition of Prior Learning.
Keeping your registration
At every level, registration stays active only if you earn the required Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points, follow SAIOH’s code of conduct and ethics, and pay the annual membership fee.
Where OHTA201 fits
OHTA201, Basic Principles in Occupational Hygiene, is the foundation course of the Occupational Hygiene Training Association. It is one of the routes SAIOH accepts for the Assistant level, and it is the first step towards the OHTA intermediate modules that the Technologist and Hygienist levels refer to. OH Gear Up is an OHTA approved training provider and teaches OHTA201 live online over five days. See OHTA201 course dates and payment plans, or read our guide to the OHTA201 course.
Not sure which level your current experience points to? That is what the Occupational Hygiene Career Session covers, and our salary guide shows what each level pays.
Common questions
No. The minimum for the Assistant level is a Grade 12 certificate (NQF Level 4), or the OHTA201 module, or the AIHA Basic Principles course, or the BOHS M200. You also need to be studying in an occupational hygiene related field or working under a registered occupational hygienist, and you must pass a one hour multiple choice assessment.
Assistant: at least 50% in the written assessment. Technologist: at least 65% in both the written and the oral assessment. Occupational Hygienist: at least 70% in both the written and the oral assessment.
No. SAIOH counts full years of occupational hygiene work, with at least 70% of each year claimed spent on occupational hygiene, and time spent in formal education is not counted.
No. A Technologist works under the direct supervision and mentorship of a Registered Occupational Hygienist and may not be the Technical Signatory of an occupational hygiene report.
At every level you must earn the required Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points, follow SAIOH’s code of conduct and ethics, and pay the annual membership fee.
Source: SAIOH’s registered designations on the SAQA register (designations 454, 455 and 456), checked 15 October 2026. This guide is a summary, not SAIOH policy.
Start at the first rung