It has been observed that in the safety profession, many practitioners do not proactively choose this career path when preparing for or entering the workforce. Oftentimes they join this field by "falling into it" while gradually performing safety- related tasks in addition to their other duties and responsibilities at some point in their professional careers. And this is not necessarily a bad thing. However, the question becomes how you determine all the characteristics that accurately describe a safety professional. What are the core competencies of a safety professional? These questions pose an even greater challenge for multinational businesses because of the various educational, cultural and regulatory differences in these markets.
This is where professional safety credentials, issued by an independent, reputable third-party such as the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP), play a critical role in the process of establishing a baseline level of professionalism and expertise. BCSP is a leader in the field of professional credentialing in safety because credentialing is its core expertise.
It is not involved in any other business activities such as training or professional development to maintain its impartiality and avoid any potential conflicts of interest. BCSP credentials verify three very important aspects of one's professionalism in the safety field and also include an adherence to a Professional Code of Ethics. The aspects include:
1.Education or training.
2.Professional experience.
3.Passing a comprehensive examination.
Safety credentials help shape the profession. They are also instrumental in establishing a mature safety culture within an organization. An organization that is characterized by a mature safety culture would have credentialed safety professionals in every level of its organization. This is because safety is not limited to management. Ideally, it starts with senior management and cascades down to mid-management, and finally to front-line supervisory positions such as project managers, crewmen and superintendents. Ultimately, safety is everyone's responsibility.
During its almost 50 years of existence, BCSP has developed a robust portfolio of safety certifications that includes professional, management, technical and supervisory levels of professional credentials. Each certification is designed for a specific job level/role within the safety practice. Certifications can be used as a pathway for advancing from one job to another. All certifications are designed for safety and health practitioners, except for the Safety Trained Supervisor (STS) and Safety Trained Supervisor Construction (STSC) certifications. These two are targeted toward front-line supervisors. While not safety practitioners, certified frontline supervisors understand the importance of workplace safety and have the confidence to mitigate hazards and drive a culture focused on safety. Progressive safety- minded organizations also realize the importance of hiring, training and retaining certified and thus competent front-line supervisors.
There are safety positions with different levels of responsibility in a safety career path. As responsibilities increase, a higher level of education and experience as well as knowledge and skills in business practices, leadership and additional technical expertise are typically required. Other certifications and licenses can supplement quality safety certifications. For example, a professional engineering license complements the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) credential. With specialized roles in safety, health and environmental practices, professionals may choose the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) or other designations to complement their CSP. The important consideration, however, when choosing a certification is to verify that it is accredited through independent, third-party evaluations. Only a few organizations have met recognized national and international standards to demonstrate quality. These accreditation bodies include the American National Standard Institute (ANSI), National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB).
For more information, visit www.bcsp.org or call (317) 593-4800.
