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Canons of Ethical Conduct and Interpretive Guidelines

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OBJECTIVE

These canons provide standards of ethical conduct for industrial hygienists as they practice their profession and exercise their primary mission, to protect the health and well-being of working people and the public from chemical, microbiological and physical health hazards present at, or emanating from, the workplace.

CANONS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT

Industrial Hygienists shall:

  • Practice their profession following recognized scientific principles with the realization that the lives, health and well-being of people may depend upon their professional judgment and that they are obligated to protect the health and well-being of people.
  • Counsel affected parties factually regarding potential health risks and precautions necessary to avoid adverse health effects.
  • Keep confidential personal and business information obtained during the exercise of industrial hygiene activities, except when required by law or overriding health and safety considerations.
  • Avoid circumstances where a compromise of professional judgment or conflict of interest may arise.
  • Perform services only in the areas of their competence.
  • Act responsibly to uphold the integrity of the profession.

 

CANON 1

Practice their profession following recognized scientific principles with the realization that the lives, health and well-being of people may depend upon their professional judgement and that they are obligated to protect the health and well-being of people.

INTERPRETIVE GUIDELINES

  • Industrial Hygienists should base their professional opinions, judgments, interpretations of findings and recommendations upon recognized scientific principles and practices which preserve and protect the health and well-being of people.
  • Industrial Hygienists shall not distort, alter or hide facts in rendering professional opinions or recommendations.
  • Industrial Hygienists shall not knowingly make statements that misrepresent or omit facts.

 

CANON 2

Counsel affected parties factually regarding potential health risks and precautions necessary to avoid adverse health effects.

INTERPRETIVE GUIDELINES

  • Industrial Hygienists should obtain information regarding potential health risks from reliable sources.
  • Industrial Hygienists should review the pertinent, readily available information to factually inform the affected parties.
  • Industrial Hygienists should initiate appropriate measures to see that the health risks are effectively communicated to the affected parties.
  • Parties may include management, clients, employees, contractor employees, or others dependent on circumstances at the time.

 

CANON 3

Keep confidential personal and business information obtained during the exercise of industrial hygiene activities, except when required by law or overriding health and safety considerations.

INTERPRETIVE GUIDELINES

  • Industrial Hygienists should report and communicate information which is necessary to protect the health and safety of workers and the community.
  • If their professional judgment is overruled under circumstances where the health and lives of people are endangered, industrial hygienists shall notify their employer or client or other such authority, as may be appropriate.
  • Industrial Hygienists should release confidential personal or business information only with the information owner’s express authorization except when there is a duty to disclose information as required by law or regulation.

 

CANON 4

Avoid circumstance where a compromise of professional judgment or conflict of interest may arise.

INTERPRETIVE GUIDELINES

  • Industrial Hygienists should promptly disclose known or potential conflicts of interest to parties that may be affected.
  • Industrial Hygienists shall not solicit or accept financial or other valuable consideration from any party, directly or indirectly, which is intended to influence professional judgment.
  • Industrial Hygienists shall not offer any substantial gift, or other valuable consideration, in order to secure work.
  • Industrial Hygienists should advise their clients or employer when they initially believe a project to improve industrial hygiene conditions will not be successful.
  • Industrial Hygienists should not accept work that negatively impacts the ability to fulfill existing commitments.
  • In the event that this Code of Ethics appears to conflict with another professional code to which industrial hygienists are bound, they will resolve the conflict in the manner that protects the health of affected parties.


CANON 5

Perform services only in the areas of their competence.

INTERPRETIVE GUIDELINES

  • Industrial Hygienists should undertake to perform services only when qualified by education, training or experience in the specific technical fields involved, unless sufficient assistance is provided by qualified associates, consultants or employees.
  • Industrial Hygienists shall obtain appropriate certifications, registrations and/or licenses as required by federal, state and/or local regulatory agencies prior to providing industrial hygiene services, where such credentials are required.
  • Industrial Hygienists shall affix or authorize the use of their seal, stamp or signature only when the document is prepared by the Industrial Hygienist or someone under their direction and control.

 

CANON 6

Act responsibly to uphold the integrity of the profession.

INTERPRETIVE GUIDELINES

  • Industrial Hygienists shall avoid conduct or practice which is likely to discredit the profession or deceive the public.
  • Industrial Hygienists shall not permit the use of their name or firm name by any person or firm which they have reason to believe is engaging in fraudulent or dishonest industrial hygiene practices.
  • Industrial Hygienists shall not use statements in advertising their expertise or services containing a material misrepresentation of fact or omitting a material fact necessary to keep statements from being misleading.
  • Industrial Hygienists shall not knowingly permit their employees, their employers or others to misrepresent the individuals’ professional background, expertise or services which are misrepresentations of fact.
  • Industrial Hygienists shall not misrepresent their professional education, experience or credentials.

 

Provided by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (1995).


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Contents

Ethical Issues References

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