Dr. Doo Yong Park is a Professor of Industrial Hygiene and the Dean of the Graduate School at Hansung University in Korea.
He was the President of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) from December 2017 to December 2021, and previously served as the Director General of the KOSHA Research Institute from 2006 to 2008. He is also the Immediate Past President of both the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA, 2016–2017) and the Korean Industrial Hygiene Association (KIHA, 2015–2017).
Dr. Park played a pivotal role in founding the Asian Network of Occupational Hygiene (ANOH) and served as its inaugural President from 2014 to 2017.
Over the past decade, he has actively collaborated with industrial hygienists across Asia—including Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, and India—to advance the field of industrial hygiene through various initiatives. He has served as a member of the International Advisory Panel (IAP) to the Ministry of Manpower, Singapore, and was recently appointed as an Advisor to the Regional Center for the Future of Work under the Singapore WSH Council.
In recognition of his lifelong contributions to occupational hygiene, Dr. Park received the ANOH Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 and the IOHA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021.
Abstract
Qualification and certification systems for professionals generally follow two major tracks: technical qualifications and professional qualifications. Technical qualifications are typically granted under legislation related to occupational skills and include various certificates for engineering and technology professionals. Professional qualifications, on the other hand, are more akin to licensure systems granted for specific professions or areas of practice.
Technical qualifications—such as those for mechanical engineers—are often subdivided by specialty (e.g., mechanical design, construction machinery, agricultural machinery) and offered at different proficiency levels (e.g., technician, engineer, technologist). In contrast, professional qualifications are usually structured as a single credential per profession (e.g., physician, lawyer), with further specialization occurring only after licensure (e.g., dermatologist, criminal lawyer).
In Asia, each country has developed its own distinct qualification and certification system for industrial hygienists. These systems tend to reflect a hybrid model, combining elements of both technical and professional qualification frameworks, although the specific configuration varies by country.
In many countries, qualification requirements for certain industrial hygiene-related roles—such as workplace health managers or work environment measurement engineers—are stipulated in national occupational safety and health legislation. These requirements are largely based on technical qualifications or certificate systems.
Some countries have also adopted, or recently introduced, certification systems grounded in professional qualification models, moving toward more standardized or licensure-based approaches. However, many countries in Asia still lack a nationally recognized qualification or certification system for industrial hygienists.
This presentation will look into the key features of these two types of qualification systems and how industrial hygiene certifications are structured across different Asian countries. It will further explore possible future directions for enhancing and harmonizing these systems in line with newly emerging hazards, rapidly advancing technologies, and evolving regional needs.
