NZOHS Code of Ethics

Members who belong to other occupational hygiene organisations may be required to abide by the ethics codes of those organisations. The codes of other organisations are likely to be compatible but if any conflicts arise, they should be addressed to the NZOHS committee.

1. Professional responsibility
   Occupational hygienists are responsible for exercising their profession in an honest and competent manner in accordance with the recognised principles of Occupational Hygiene, which acknowledge that the life, health and well-being of individuals depend on their professional judgement. They avoid circumstances which might compromise their professional judgement or give rise to conflicts of interest, so that they can guarantee the integrity of their profession. They conduct their work in accordance with agreed standards of quality assurance.
2. Responsibility for themselves and others
   Occupational hygienists must maintain a high degree of integrity and competence, use appropriate scientific methods and interpret their results with good faith in a neutral manner. They must share scientific knowledge for the well-being of workers, society and the profession, protect confidential information and only deal with subjects within their own sphere of competence. They apply a systematic approach based on a sound analysis of hazard, risk and risk management methods.
3. Responsibility towards employees and other workers
   Occupational hygienists must acknowledge that their first duty is to protect the health and well-being of employees and workers. They take an objective approach to the assessment, identification, evaluation and control of risks to health, without subjecting themselves to external influences, in recognising that the health and well-being of employees and other persons depend on their competence and professional judgement. They aim to provide the same standard of care, in an even‐handed manner, to all the employees for whom they are responsible.
4. Responsibility towards employers and clients
   Occupational hygienists must provide advice to employers and clients in an honest, responsible and competent manner. They must respect confidentiality and properly discharge their responsibilities to employers and clients. However, these responsibilities are subordinate to their ultimate responsibility, which is to protect the lives and well-being of employees. They advise employers and clients on current standards, directives and all other legal requirements in the area of occupational hygiene. They report their results and make their recommendations in a true and honest manner and make sure that their professional judgement is applied only within their own sphere of competence and expertise. They manage and administer their professional services to ensure a high standard of sound and reliable reporting, which records and explains the results obtained and the conclusions drawn from them.
5. Responsibilities towards the public and the environment
   Occupational hygienists must take into account the eventual impact of the decisions and actions they take on the public and the environment. They give honest, effective and pragmatic advice to all parties concerned with risks to health and the means of protection. They apply the principles of occupational hygiene in a responsible manner to contribute to the creation and maintenance of a good environment for everyone.
6. Responsibilities towards the community and conflicts of interest
   Occupational hygienists must operate on the principle that in dealing with risks that impinge on both the working and the wider community, employers, clients, employees and the public will have common interests. However, if conflicts of interest do appear, they must be resolved in a manner which does least damage to workers, the environment and the community.