A Pathway to Success: Becoming an IBERA Certified Environmental Risk Assessor
Late last year I was delighted to become one of the growing number of IBERA Certified Environmental Risk Assessors.
What is IBERA:
The International Board of Environmental Risk Assessors is a global programme that promotes the conduct of scientifically robust and technically advanced assessments of risks from chemical exposure through certification of individuals with demonstrated expertise in Environmental Risk Assessment.
What is the certification process?
A stringent eligibility check is initially required to accept applicants onto the programme. This requires submission of proof of both education and professional experience relevant to the programme, verified with a letter of support from supervisors. Once accepted onto the programme, the applicant must prepare for and take a 4-hour exam that covers all areas of environmental risk assessment: from concepts and principles through fate and behaviour of chemicals influencing exposure assessment, then onto ecological effects at different levels of biological organisation and statistics. It is a wide-ranging assessment requiring both breadth and depth of knowledge to pass. Once certified, all Diplomates must also commit to completing the re-certification process every 5 years, by demonstrating further participation, contribution and experience in the sector.
Why did I apply?
There is currently no regulatory need to be certified to perform risk assessment work under European Directives such as 1107/2009 and the BPR. However, certification is a recognised way of demonstrating one’s expertise, having been tested and assessed by your peers and community. Professional certification may be new for chemical risk assessment, but it is routinely used in other sectors. For example, the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) has more than 6000 Chartered Ecologists, with many senior roles in the sector requiring membership. Similarly, the American Board of Toxicology (ABT) has over 2000 certified members, with certification considered advantageous or desirable in many senior job listings. IBERA is an effort to professionalise a disparate group with varying backgrounds and provide confidence to potential clients that someone will perform their task well. Having been through the process, I am delighted to put my support behind this initiative. The exam was a thorough grilling! My preparation was an opportunity to take a step back and address any gaps in my knowledge and as a result I now feel more confident about my knowledge and capabilities. Some questions also re-emphasised the need to keep the principles of risk assessment in mind in our day-to-day work and to consider the wider picture of both exposure and effects, which can easily be lost when focusing on a single regulatory issue for a substance or product.
Want to know more?
I would be happy to share my experiences further if you would like to contact me at Charles.Hazlerigg@enviresearch.com