We Can Do This Together
Brian J. Finder, DIT, CIH; Professor, Operations and Management Department;
M.S. Risk Control and Safety Management Program Director, University of Wisconsin-Stout
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Please accept heart-felt congratulations to all of you who have completed another year of academic preparation and/or your chosen degree. Rest assured that this life-long learning venture will permit each of you to stand on the shoulders of countless professionals who have helped shape the proactive manner in which most organizations view and thus manage manufacturing and service-oriented risks. It can never be overstated that this career path requires an extensive amount of collaboration with individuals from all levels of an organization to identify and solve process errors that are placing people, property, legal, and environmental assets at significant risk.
Individuals in the risk control and safety management profession understand that success lies in the ability to thoroughly learn the technical aspects of moderate to high risk processes as well as the communication and employee involvement strategies which prompt organizations to implement needed risk-reduction activities. This is the perfect time to channel your enthusiasm into developing a customer service focus that continuously strives to provide timely and accurate risk-reduction advice to all individuals within the organization in a manner that numerous successful risk control and safety management professionals consistently display.
Your desire to be an “agent of change” within an organization carries significant responsibilities
—
take every opportunity to sincerely commend your respective employees for their ability to embrace change in order to reduce certain process risks to an acceptable level. Risk reduction-based changes are easier to sell when we sincerely speak with hourly employees in terms of caring for their ability to return home to their families and to convey needed process improvements in terms of cost and return on investment to upper management individuals.
While you will undoubtedly retain a great deal of loyalty to your academic institution and classmates, please keep in mind that other professional entities like the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, the American Society of Safety Professionals, the American Industrial Hygiene Association, and the Human Factors Engineering Society are worthy organizations to join and serve in leadership roles. You have the ability to become a servant-leader who maintains a “we can do this together” attitude to support your selected employer and society to overcome risk-based challenges that are similar in magnitude to the COVID-19 situation that we are currently facing.
Please accept this commendation for your academic and employment achievements to date, and best wishes for a fulfilling future in the dynamic risk control and safety management profession.
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BCSP Academic Database
BCSP maintains the
Academic Database
for those seeking the knowledge required to become SH&E professionals, looking to earn recertification points, or looking to stay knowledgeable of the latest developments in safety practice.
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College Professor and Department Chair on Importance of Professional Certification
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As Chair of the School of Geoscience, Physics, and Safety, and a Professor of Safety Sciences at the University of Central Missouri for 21 years,
Leigh Ann Blunt knows the importance of safety in the workplace and professional certification. A career in safety, however, was not what she had planned for herself at an early age.
Blunt began her career as an English teacher and track coach in Missouri, but realized it was not the long-term vision she had for herself. “I loved coaching, but I realized that this was not where I wanted to be in 20 years,” said Blunt. As she wondered what else she could do with her career, she saw a newspaper ad for an interactive television (ITV) course, a type of remote learning, from the University of Central Missouri. She recalled a conversation she had with her husband about a friend who tried to convince him to get a safety degree. So, she made a decision. “By the time my husband returned [from an elk hunting trip] I had bought a fish and signed up for a master’s degree,” said Blunt. “The fish soon died, but the degree had a much better ending!”
She was able to pursue her degree thanks to UCM’s ITV distance learning program. Blunt recalled taking a final exam while she was in the hospital waiting to deliver her twin daughters. “Distance learning has evolved substantially since then, but at the time, UCM's Safety Sciences Department was one of the first to look outside the box to deliver quality education in new ways.” After that, she quit her job and her now larger family moved to Warrensburg, MO. “It was one of the best decisions we ever made."
Now as a college educator, Blunt pushes her staff and students to pursue professional certification, especially the
Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
. “Along with the sense of accomplishment that comes with earning the CSP, there is also an increased level of credibility,” said Blunt. “Of course, that credibility has to be backed up by actions, but it is a clear and convincing way to demonstrate my personal level of commitment to the discipline.”
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The
BCSP Career Center
connects job seekers with prospective employers in the safety, health, and environmental industry. Results are a click away!
Posting open positions for companies looking to hire individuals who hold our credentials is also free. This site is your direct route to qualified individuals!
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Qualified Academic Programs Eligible for Examination Fee Waivers
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BCSP is pleased to offer a free exam for the Associate Safety Professional
®
(ASP
®
) and/or Certified Safety Professional
®
(CSP
®
) certifications to faculty at institutions that have met the criteria necessary to become a member of BCSP's Qualified Academic Program (QAP)*.
In order to qualify for the examination waivers, you must be full-time or part-time SH&E faculty at a university with a QAP program. Waivers are only available for the ASP and CSP examinations, and e
ach qualified faculty member may apply the exam fee waiver to both ASP and CSP examinations, but only once per certification type.
This offer began on February 3, 2020 and only lasts for six months, so act quickly to take advantage! Click the button below to apply today!
*
A
QAP
is a bachelor's, master's, or PhD academic degree program in safety, health, and the environment (SH&E) whose required course curriculum has been reviewed by BCSP and has been found to be a substantial match to the current Associate Safety Professional (ASP) examination blueprint.
Graduates of a QAP are eligible to apply for the
Graduate Safety Practitioner
®
(GSP
®
)
, a BCSP qualified credential necessary to apply for the Certified Safety Professional (CSP). It is only available to SH&E graduates from degree programs which meet BCSP QAP standards.
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Send Us Your News
Consider the BCSP Collegiate eNewsletter your eNewsletter.
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Newsletters and Annual Reports Archive
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Education Now Serves as Pathway to STS/STSC Certifications
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The eligibility requirements for the Safety Trained Supervisor
®
(STS
®
) and the Safety Trained Supervisor Construction
®
(STSC
®
) certifications were expanded earlier this year to include education, training, and apprenticeships.
Under the new criteria, applicants may now apply for the STS or STSC with an associate degree in occupational safety, risk management, or construction management. Completion of a two-year trade or union training program or apprenticeship is also recognized.
The change comes in an effort to provide a pathway for graduates who may not yet have the work experience but who possess the comprehensive knowledge required to demonstrate proper safety work practices.
For more information about the STS and STSC certifications and the ways in which they can benefit recently-graduated safety professionals, visit bcsp.org.
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Share Events With Us
Have an upcoming job fair, conference, or chapter meeting that you would like to share with readers? Would you like to invite a BCSP representative to attend an event? We would like to hear about it!
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How Do I Begin a Job in Health and Safety?
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In many fields, beginning a career is pretty simple. You go to school, get a degree or gain experience, and join the workforce in your chosen field. However, there are many different ways in which people enter the safety, health, and environmental (SH&E) field. The SH&E sector doesn't require a linear progression the way a lot of careers do; it's common for people entering the safety workforce to be at many different ages and points in their career. Below are a few examples and testimonials of the different ways current safety professionals have entered the workforce.
One common way to enter the safety field is through the traditional education route. There are many different
SH&E majors/minors
to choose from, and graduates often enter the SH&E workforce with a bachelor's, master's, and sometimes associate degrees.
Stephanie Miller, CSP, CIH, STS realized after a conversation with her husband that pursuing a graduate degree in safety was the right move for her
. "After finishing a bachelor's degree, my husband suggested going to graduate school for safety and health, and I am so glad he did," said Miller. "I love having the opportunity to positively impact people and their workplace through communication and problem-solving." Miller has since been in the safety field for seven years and serves as the Safety & Health Services Manager at UCOR.
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Promoting the Value of Your School
If your academic program is a Qualified Academic Program (QAP), BCSP would like to work with you in making sure individuals seeking quality SH&E education know your school produces future leaders.
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College and Certification Tips for the Military Safety Professional
Josh Franklin MBA
,
CSP, SMS, CIT, STS, CPCU, ARM, Vice President, Strategic Advancement and Learning Solutions, BCSP
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There are many ways to complete and pay for college and professional certifications while serving in the U.S. military.
As a 21-year service member in the Air Force, I utilized many of the educational and professional certification benefits offered to military members. Continue reading for examples of benefits available that I personally used, how much money I saved, and links for more information.
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Hazards exist in every workplace across the globe, and where there are hazards, there exists a need for safety professionals. Safety professionals prevent injuries and incidents, protect people, and ensure they return home safely.
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Custom BCSP Webinars for Students and Faculty
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Hosted by BCSP's
Vice President, Strategic Advancement and Learning Solutions
, Josh Franklin
MBA
,
CSP, SMS, CIT, STS, CPCU, ARM, BCSP has created two custom webinars to help students and faculty decide which certifications are right for them and highlight the importance of professional development through accredited safety certification.
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Brief Description:
(30 Min) What is certification and how does it apply to today’s safety and health professional? This session highlights the importance of certification and accreditation, as well as helps the attendee identify the right Board of Certified Safety Professionals' certification for their career.
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Brief Description:
(30 min) Compliance with state and federal regulations is the absolute minimum and does not ensure the safety and health of workers. Safety and health in today’s dynamic industry space must no longer be defined as the absence of harm and death.
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