Looking for an ergonomist but not sure what the alphabet soup of letters behind his or her name means? A number of non-profit and for-profit organizations in the U.S. offer credentials to ergonomists ranging from simple certificates of completion to full-blown professional certification. To be a truly effective ergonomist, a person needs more than just a weekend course on the subject. Normally a college degree in a related field plus actual work experience in ergonomics is required. Short courses and books, however, can help an ergonomics professional brush up on an aspect of the field he or she is already in. Understanding what the letters behind the name stand for can help determine if the ergonomist you?e considering really fits your needs.
Abbreviation | Meaning | Certifying Organization | Requirements |
CPE | Certified Professional Ergonomist | BCPE (Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics) | Masters degree or above in related field, plus 4 years work experience and passing score on exam. |
CHFP | Certified Human Factors Professional | BCPE | Same as CPE |
CEA | Certified Ergonomics Associate | BCPE | Bachelor? degree plus 200 contact hours of ergonomics training, 2 years full-time work in ergonomics, passing score on exam. |
AEP | Associate Ergonomics Professional | BCPE | Same as CPE but without the work experience requirement; intended as an interim form of certification while ergonomist obtains work experience. |
AHFP | Associate Human Factors Professional | BCPE | Same as AEP |
CIE | Certified Industrial Ergonomist | ORI (Oxford Research Institute) | Masters degree in related field plus 5 years related work experience OR Ph.D. plus 3 years related work experience, plus approved work samples or technical contributions to field, recommendations from sponsoring ergonomists and passing score on exam. |
CHFEP | Certified Human Factors Engineering Professional | ORI | Same as CIE |
CAE | Certified Associate Ergonomist | ORI | Bachelor? degree in related field plus 1 year experience in ergonomics, recommendation from sponsor (does not have to be an ergonomist), passage of exam. |
CEAS | Certified Ergonomic Assessment Specialist | Back School of Atlanta | Home study course. |
CSP Ergonomics Specialty | Certified Safety Professional with Ergonomics specialty | Board of Certified Safety Professional | In the process of discontinuing the ergonomics specialty; currently referring safety professionals to BCPE for ergonomics certification. |
CECD | Certified Ergonomics Compliance Director | Columbia Southern University | Home study program. |
CSHE | Certified Specialty in Health Ergonomics | ErgoRehab Inc. | Series of 3 home study courses plus 3 quizzes and 5 job task analyses. |
CEM | Certified Ergonomics Manager | Ergonauts | 1 week course |
CLE | Certified Lean Ergonomist | Ergonauts | 3 week course |
AOEE | Accredited Office Ergonomics Evaluator | The Ergonomics Center of North Carolina | High school diploma plus 22 hours of course work and practical training by The Ergonomics Center of NC, 6 additional hours of home work plus exam. |
AOES | Accredited Office Ergonomics Specialist | The Ergonomics Center of North Carolina | Two- or four-year degree OR seven years related work experience, plus 36 hours of course work and practical training by The Ergonomics Center of NC, 20 additional hours of home work plus 2 exams. |
CEES | Certified Ergonomics Evaluator Specialist | Roy Matheson and Associates | Open to qualified occupational therapists, physical therapists, occupational health professionals, vocational evaluations, kinesiology, exercise physiology, industrial hygiene, safety or human resource professionals, plus attendance in 4 day program, completion of 25 ergonomics evaluations and submission of application package. |
This article originally appeared in The Ergonomics Report™ on 2004-02-01.