Joshua Franklin, Business Growth and Partnership Director, Board of Certified Safety Professionals
In HS&E, we train and educate to the regulatory standard and focus on compliance. But is compliance alone enough in your business?
Whether through federal law promulgators such as OSHA and the EPA, or by international standards like those of the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), regulations exist to protect the health and safety of our loved ones and the people we work with every day. However, if you've taken part in a complex building project or managed a team of remote workers on various jobsites, you also know that compliance alone does not ensure the safety of workers. Workers and the systems they work in, while in full compliance with existing laws, can and do make errors leading to injuries, equipment damage and even death. Whether the HS&E standard hasn't been updated in decades (as is the case with many federal safety regulations) or advanced building technology demands new processes not entirely covered by existing standards, compliance is no longer enough for an organization dedicated to the safety and health of its workers.
Mandatory compliance is simply the beginning, a point upon which excellence in safety and health in human performance can be built.
Where does excellence in safety and health begin?
Excellence in safety and health starts with the decision to commit to a journey of continual improvement. For many people with HS&E responsibilities, this commitment takes the form of an accredited certification in safety and health. The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) provides ANSI-accredited certifications for supervisors, managers and leaders at every level. BCSP certifications, such as the Safety Trained Supervisor Construction® (STSC®) and the Safety Management Specialist (SMS), provide credible third-party verification of experience, education and ongoing learning.
They also indicate strong organizational and professional commitment to a higher standard of safety and health in your business and to your workforce.
The STSC is intended for leaders at all levels of an organization because all employees have responsibilities for a safe work environment. This certification is intended for executives, directors, managers, supervisors, superintendents and employees. These individuals may not have safety as a primary duty, but their knowledge of safety practices ensures safer and healthier worksites and their example strengthens the foundation of safety in the organization. This level of commitment creates and enhances a safe work culture for the organization based on a shared value and common understanding of basic safety criteria.
An SMS is an individual with the management skills required for a business's safe operation, who applies these safety skills on a full-time or part-time basis as part of his or her job duties. The SMS requires 10 years of experience in occupational safety or health management. Some examples of an SMS's activities include defining and utilizing an organization's safety management systems, risk management, incident investigation and emergency preparedness, maintaining current knowledge of HS&E concepts and identifying the business case for safety.
Are you and your team ready to go above compliance and commit to the safety of your workers? Is it time to break through the trap of "good enough" and devote yourself to safety excellence and continual improvement?
Joshua Franklin, MBA, CSP, SMS, CET, CPCU, ARM, is a safety and professional development expert and serves as the business growth and partnership director at BCSP. Previously, Franklin served in the U.S. Air Force as the career field manager for Air Force safety, where he led 781 military safety professionals worldwide.
For more information about elevating your personal and business commitment to safety and health, visit www.bcsp.org or call (317) 593-4800.
Excellence in safety and health starts with the decision to commit to a journey of continual improvement.
