OHST Certification (Occupational Hygiene and Safety Technician): Requirements & Guide (2026)

If you work in manufacturing, warehousing, or a healthcare safety role and you’ve been looking at BCSP credentials, you’ve probably noticed a gap. The CSP requires a bachelor’s degree. The ASP does too. The CHST is aimed at construction. None of those fit cleanly if you’re a general industry safety tech without a four-year degree.

The OHST fills that gap.

What the OHST Actually Is

The OHST stands for Occupational Hygiene and Safety Technician. It’s issued by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, better known as BCSP, the same organization behind the CSP and ASP.

It carries ANSI/ISO 17024 accreditation. That’s the same international standard that applies to the CSP. It means the credential was developed and is maintained according to rigorous psychometric and professional standards, not just whoever decided to create a test.

Technician-level credentials from BCSP, including the OHST and CHST, are positioned one step below the associate and graduate-level CSP path. They’re built for practitioners who do the hands-on safety and hygiene work: conducting inspections, implementing controls, monitoring hazards, supporting programs. Not necessarily managing the overall safety function at a strategic level.

That’s not a lesser credential. It’s a different credential for a different career level and a different daily job.

Who the OHST Is For

Be specific about this before you invest time in the exam.

The OHST fits general industry safety technicians and coordinators. Think manufacturing plants, distribution centers and warehouses, utility operations, food processing facilities, healthcare support roles where the work involves physical plant safety rather than clinical practice, and similar environments.

It does not target construction safety specifically. That’s the CHST. If you work in construction, the CHST is the credential that will mean more to your employer and your resume.

It also doesn’t fit people who have a bachelor’s degree and are on a path toward CSP certification. If you qualify for the ASP, the ASP is worth more over a full career because it connects directly to the CSP. The OHST doesn’t bridge to the CSP path the way the ASP does.

The OHST is the right move for general industry safety professionals who don’t yet have a degree, want a BCSP credential with genuine credibility, and are doing work that matches the technician scope. If that description fits you, this credential is worth pursuing.

Requirements in 2026

BCSP requires 40 months of full-time safety and occupational hygiene work experience. This must be in positions where safety and hygiene tasks are a primary function of the job, not incidental duties alongside another role.

BCSP offers education credits that can reduce the experience requirement. A completed degree in a related field, or significant coursework, may shorten the path. The specifics change periodically, so go to bcsp.org directly to check current eligibility requirements before assuming anything here is exact.

No bachelor’s degree is required. This is a meaningful distinction from the ASP and CSP. You qualify based on verified work experience, not academic credentials.

The exam fee runs approximately $275 to $350 based on recent BCSP schedules, but verify the current amount at bcsp.org before budgeting. Fees do change.

Certification renews on a five-year cycle. Renewal requires continuing education through BCSP’s point system. The specifics are in the BCSP Examination Handbook, which you should download before you apply.

OHST vs. CHST vs. ASP: The Clear Comparison

These three credentials come up together constantly because they’re all BCSP credentials at a similar career stage. The distinction is straightforward.

The CHST is for construction. The OHST is for general industry. Both are technician-level credentials from BCSP. Both require experience without a degree requirement. Both carry ANSI/ISO 17024 accreditation. Neither connects directly to the CSP path.

The ASP is a different category. It requires a bachelor’s degree in any field. It targets safety professionals in any industry. It connects directly to the CSP, which is the benchmark professional credential in the field. If you have a degree and want a long-term career as a safety manager, the ASP-to-CSP path is the more valuable sequence.

The question isn’t which credential is better in some absolute sense. It’s which credential matches your current situation. Degree status is usually the deciding factor. No degree: OHST or CHST depending on industry. Degree with career aspirations toward manager level: ASP then CSP.

The Exam

The OHST exam is 200 questions delivered at Pearson VUE testing centers. It’s computer-based. You schedule it directly through Pearson VUE once BCSP approves your application.

BCSP publishes a detailed exam blueprint on their website. Download it. It shows every content domain tested and the percentage of questions in each domain. That document is the foundation of any study plan. If you’re not studying from the blueprint, you’re guessing.

The domains cover hazard identification and control, safety and health programs, measurement and evaluation of safety and hygiene factors, and emergency response procedures. The content is weighted toward general industry applications, which is what distinguishes it from the CHST exam.

Study approach: use the BCSP blueprint to identify the domains where you’re weakest, find study materials that specifically target those areas, and take practice exams under timed conditions. The same general approach used for the ASP and CSP applies here. BCSP’s own publications and the ASSP learning resources are the most reliable starting points.

Budget enough preparation time. The exam tests applied knowledge, not just familiarity with terminology. Most candidates with solid field experience still need focused study time to perform well on the measurement and evaluation content.

Where the OHST Fits in a Safety Career

At a technician or coordinator level, the OHST opens doors. Employers in general industry who require or prefer BCSP credentials will recognize it. It demonstrates that you passed a nationally accredited exam, which is more credible than a company-specific training certificate.

For roles at the safety coordinator or senior technician level in manufacturing and warehousing, the OHST is often the specific credential listed in job postings. It signals professional commitment to the work and distinguishes you from candidates who have only employer-specific training.

At the safety manager level, the CSP remains the dominant credential. The OHST doesn’t carry the same weight for management roles at companies with formal credential requirements. If your goal is a safety manager role, the OHST is a meaningful step but not the finish line.

The Path After OHST

Two realistic directions from here, depending on where you want to go.

If you want to advance to manager-level roles and are working on a degree, the OHST is a solid credential to hold in the meantime. Once you complete your bachelor’s degree, you can pursue the ASP. That puts you on the direct path to the CSP. The OHST and ASP aren’t mutually exclusive. Some safety professionals hold both while the OHST is active.

If you’re in a stable general industry role and manager-level titles aren’t the goal, the OHST can function as your primary professional credential for years. Companies that respect BCSP credentials will recognize it at the level the work requires. Add continuing education, stay current in your industry, and the credential stays meaningful.

A third scenario worth mentioning: if your career takes you into construction work, the CHST is worth adding. The two credentials together, OHST plus CHST, give you recognized BCSP credentials in both major sectors.

The concrete recommendation: if you’re a general industry safety tech without a degree and you’ve got 40 months of qualifying experience, the OHST is the right next step. Don’t wait for a perfect time to apply. Start the application at bcsp.org, download the exam blueprint, and build a study plan from there.