BACKGROUND

There are education, experience, and examination standards for certification by NRCC.  Applicants voluntarily present their education and experience credentials to the Registry’s Board of Directors as part of an application to sit for examination.  After applications are approved, candidates are eligible to sit for examination.  A candidate who passes an examination is then certified by the Board for the current year and a certificate is issued in the candidate’s name with a registration number.

The National Registry in Clinical Chemistry was organized in 1967 to certify Clinical Chemists and Clinical Chemistry Technologists.

NRCC started a certification program for Toxicological Chemists in 1987.

NRCC started a certification program for Chemical Hygiene Officers in 1997.

NRCC started a certification program for Environmental Analytical Chemists and Environmental Analytical Technicians in 1998.

In 1999 the Board of Directors of NRCC changed the organization’s name to National Registry of Certified Chemists.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) lists as an approved Certification Board for Clinical Consultants and Directors of High Complexity Testing:
“NRCC -----National Registry of Certified Chemists (limited to individuals with a doctoral degree).”

Various states have passed legislation recognizing NRCC certification as a method to qualify certain laboratory personnel for licensure.  NRCC certificants may use their listing in the NRCC annual directory as one credential supporting their expert witness status.  Basically, individuals seek certification to enhance their professionalism in their career fields and among their peers.

The Registry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in the District of Columbia.  Its sponsors include major chemical and industrial hygiene organizations in the United States.  Each of
these organizations nominates periodically individuals to serve on the Registry’s Board of Directors.  Those elected to the Board may be reelected and may serve a maximum of three consecutive, three-year terms.

The responsibility for evaluating applicants is vested in a Credentials Committee of the Board.  Three members of the Board are selected at random and on a rotating basis to serve as a Credentials Committee for each completed application.  If a Credentials Committee does not reach a unanimous decision to approve or disapprove an application, the application is referred to the full Board of Directors for action.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE STANDARDS FOR CHEMICAL HYGIENE OFFICER CERTIFICATION

Academic training (no degree) with at least 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) in chemical, physical, biological, industrial hygiene, environmental, or health and safety sciences from an institution acceptable to the Board and at least 3 years of experience in chemical health and safety.

Earned associate’s degree with at least 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) in chemical, physical, biological, industrial hygiene, environmental, or health and safety sciences from an institution acceptable to the Board and at least 2 years of experience in chemical health and safety.

Earned bachelor’s degree with at least 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) in chemical, physical, biological, industrial hygiene, environmental, or health and safety sciences from an institution acceptable to the Board and at least 1 year of experience in chemical health and safety.

Earned master’s degree with at least 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) in chemical, physical, biological, industrial hygiene, environmental, or health and safety sciences from an institution acceptable to the Board and at least 1 year of experience in chemical health and safety.

Earned doctor’s degree with at least 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) in chemical, physical, biological, industrial hygiene, environmental, or health and safety sciences from an institution acceptable to the Board and at least 1 year of experience in chemical health and safety.

Acceptable institutions are institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada accredited by a regional accrediting association or whose pertinent program is accredited by a national accrediting agency. Transcripts must be sent by institutions directly to NRCC.

Applicants with education at higher education institutions outside the United States and Canada must, at their expense, have credentials evaluated for equivalence by an acceptable evaluation agency for foreign transcript evaluations.  A list of acceptable evaluation agencies will be provided by the Board.  Reports must show course titles and hours and must be sent by agencies directly to NRCC.

EXAMINATION STANDARDS FOR CHEMICAL HYGIENE OFFICERS

Chemical Hygiene Officer examinations consist of 150 multiple-choice questions covering both the theoretical, fundamental, and practical aspects of chemical health and safety.

Questions are concerned with the Laboratory Standard; other pertinent regulations; standard operating procedures; hazard assessment; safe work practices; personal hygiene practices; general laboratory practices; special procedures (by hazard class); procedures for select carcinogens, reproductive toxins, highly toxic substances, and substances with unknown toxicity; finding information sources; control measures, including respirators, laboratory ventilation, and exposure monitoring; employee training and information; medical consultation and examination; emergencies, including plans for power failure, spills, etc.. laboratory visitors, contractors, maintenance personnel, etc.; record keeping and documentation; and audits, inspections, and self-evaluations.

Examinations are developed by a Chemical Hygiene Officer Examination Committee, appointed by the President.  The committee determines content areas and relative emphasis for each area.  Questions may be solicited from practitioners from within and outside the Board.  Questions are analyzed and edited periodically by the Examination Committee to ensure subject matter accuracy and relevancy.   Questions are maintained in a database from which items are selected for each form of an examination.

Three hours are allowed for completion of an exam.

Answer sheets are scored in-house at NRCC.  Reports of scores, along with normative data, are reviewed by the Board of Directors which sets the passing score for examinations.  Candidates are identified in the scoring process by number, not by name.  Pass-fail results are reported to candidates.

2008 NRCC EXAM SITES tentative

03-15-08  Brampton, Ont., Canada
04-06-08  New Orleans, LA (ACS meeting)
04-29-08  Brampton, Ont., Canada
05-15-08  St. Joseph, MO
07-28-08  Washington, DC (AACC meeting)
07-31-08  Ithaca, NY
08-17-08  Philadelphia, PA (ACS meeting)
??-??-08 Chicago, IL
??-??-08  Denver, CO
??-??-08  New Orleans, LA
??-??-08  Richmond, CA
??-??-08  San Diego, CA
??-??-08  Local Sites/Local Proctors (to be determined)

FEES FOR CHEMICAL HYGIENE OFFICER CERTIFICATION

The current application fee is $100.00.
The current examination fee is $125.00.
The current reexamination fee is $125.00
The current renewal fee for Chemical Hygiene Officer is $75.00 per year or $200.00 for three years.

Fees are not refundable.

CATEGORIES OF NRCC CERTIFICATION

Chemical Hygiene Officer
Clinical Chemist
Clinical Chemistry Technologist
Environmental Analytical Chemist
Environmental Analytical Technician
Toxicological Chemist

LINKS

ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
 Laboratory Safety Institute