CIH Exam Information and Outline
Certified Industrial Hygienist
Syllabus Update Checked on: November 6, 2026
CIH Exam Syllabus & Study Guide
Before you start practicing with our exam simulator, it is essential to understand the
official CIH exam objectives. This course outline serves as your roadmap.
The information below reflects the 2026 syllabus defined by
BGC.
Below are complete topics detail with latest syllabus and course outline, that will help you good knowledge about exam objectives and topics that you have to prepare. These contents are covered in questions and answers pool of exam.
- Exam Format
- 180 multiple-choice questions (150 scored, 30 pilot)
- Two 2.5-hour sections with an optional 30-minute break
- Domain I: Exposure Assessment Principles and Practice (50%)
- Anticipate and recognize potential health hazards
- Assess exposure–effect relationships
- Design and implement exposure assessment strategies
- Formulate conclusions, prioritize risks and communicate findings
- Subject areas: basic science, air sampling and instrumentation, analytical chemistry, toxicology, biostatistics and epidemiology, biohazards, community exposure, health risk analysis and hazard communication
- Domain II: Control Selection, Recommendation/Implementation and Validation (35%)
- Assess and select controls using the hierarchy of controls
- Develop, recommend and implement controls
- Validate control effectiveness
- Subject areas: engineering controls and ventilation, noise, thermal stressors, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, non-engineering controls (PPE, administrative), ergonomics
- Domain III: Risk Management (15%)
- Develop and implement programs addressing health risks
- Evaluate and maintain program effectiveness
- Subject areas: work environments and industrial processes, IH/OEHS program management