Issue 4
March 2016
BCSP Partners eNewsletter
  

Welcome to the BCSP Partners eNewsletter!

The BCSP Partners eNewsletter is an eNewsletter designed to share information about organizations which play a part in advancing the safety profession. In it you will find news from our sponsoring organizations, resources from collaborative efforts, and perspectives from companies using BCSP certifications.

 

We encourage you not only to read the eNewsletter, but to share your ideas on what you would like to see in it.

 

Safer Together 
Treasa M. Turnbeaugh, PhD, CSP, ASP, CET, CAE 
   
TreasaT So much has occurred in the last year that supports BCSP and our partners' use of certification to build a safer world.

Our staff continues to grow, and we have added new colleagues who will strengthen our existing connections as well as reach out to new stakeholders in the safety profession. You may have met or read about several of these new staff members as they supported efforts in certification sponsorship, or traveled the world to further our mission.

The Safety Trained Supervisor® (STS) and Safety Trained Supervisor Construction® (STSC) certifications have continued to grow in use. Together, this led to about 1,500 supervisors achieving safety certification last year, in no small part thanks to companies and organizations that find value in the STS and STSC Sponsorship Program. In this time, the Certification Management System (CMS) has had new tools added to it for sponsors to use when managing groups of prospective certificants, more details on which can be found in several guides now available to our partners.

International interest in BCSP certifications is also growing, with new CMS profiles created by persons outside the U.S. more than doubling in 2015. We are conducting outreach that spans the globe to build relationships with interested safety professionals, traveling to India, Kuwait, and the UK. BCSP and the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) recently established an important agreement that will build upon this interest.

I look forward to continuing our growth, with several planned visits to Canada, India, and the UK in the coming months. I was glad to have just attended the 2016 North American Iron Workers/IMPACT Labor-Management Conference, speaking to some of our most committed STS and STSC sponsors, and look forward to doing so again with members of the Associated General Contractors (AGC).

Thank you for joining us in advancing safety, health, and environmental practice.
 
NEBOSHBCSP Signs Agreement with NEBOSH

The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) and the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will create further avenues for safety certification internationally, better protecting people, property, and the environment worldwide.

The MOU between BCSP and NEBOSH allows for persons who hold the National and/or International Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety to waive the Associate Safety Professional (ASP) examination so that they may sit directly for the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certification's examination, if they meet all other requirements.

Likewise, a CSP may achieve the National and/or International Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety without taking the related NEBOSH course, but by taking either diplomas' assessments.

"This agreement is important as it provides more international opportunities for safety, health, and environmental certification," explains Dr. Treasa Turnbeaugh, CSP, CAE, the CEO of BCSP. "By providing skilled and knowledgeable safety professionals a method to enhance their careers, we advance the profession, and that protects workplaces and the public."

Speaking after the signing, Teresa Budworth, NEBOSH Chief Executive said, "As an organisation, we are always looking for ways to help our students take advantage of their NEBOSH qualifications, wherever they want to work in the world. For NEBOSH qualification holders wishing to work in the US or countries which adopt American standards, this is excellent news, because the dual certification of BCSP and NEBOSH will make them very attractive to employers."

The BCSP-NEBOSH MOU is in effect now and can be read in full here.
 
L-R: NEBOSH Chief Executive Teresa Budworth and
BCSP's 2015 Board President Cece Weldon, CSP, CHST, STSC
shake hands after signing the memorandum.

STSCValueSTSC Sponsor Places Real Value in Safety 

In collaboration with the Ironworker Management Progressive Action Cooperative Trust (IMPACT), Permasteelisa embraced the Safety Trained Supervisor Construction® (STSC) certification program as a method for building strong safety culture, and the company is placing real value in its supervisors.

"If we want to be the best, we must provide the very best training and certification opportunities for our people," says Ben Juarez, CSP, CHST, Permasteelisa Corporate Quality Assurance and Sustainability Director (QHSE). "At our 2015 annual Construction Safety Conference, we raised the bar for our construction supervision, announcing the STSC as the new standard for our company."

Permasteelisa truly believes in the value of safety, and now offers a $1.50 an hour pay incentive for construction supervisors who achieve and maintain the STSC. "We believe when our people are succeeding, Permasteelisa will also be successful," explains Juarez.

The certification and investment have had a positive effect on the safety culture at the construction company. The standard and incentive has made it easier to recruit and maintain top construction supervisors. Interest in continuing education and learning has grown, and becoming a STSC is an accomplishment that supervisors and safety personnel take pride in.

"I have seen how our supervisors prominently display the certificate of completion on their office walls," says Juarez. "The pride of our STSC supervisors and their pride in Permasteelisa Safety is for me one of the greatest benefits of the STSC credential. It raises the bar for our supervision and also our leadership position in the marketplace."

Juarez believes sustainable safety practice is built, and the STSC program will support this further development as plans are made to implement the OHSAS 18001 system for Permasteelisa's construction installation activities. The OHSAS 18001 provides a defined, robust set of requirements based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act model, and the STSC should assist those with the responsibility and authority of safety at job-sites with their understanding of the safety management system and how all activities are connected.

"Permasteelisa's approach to improved safety performance is a focus on our culture," Juarez adds. "The best rules and best equipment alone will not keep our people safe if not complimented with leadership and a good safety culture. The STSC is a means to add to our safety culture by demonstrating to our supervision that we value their initiative to better themselves through certification, and also signals to our employees our desire to provide them with supervision that will never jeopardize their safety."

This commitment to employees is the commitment made by Permasteelisa and BCSP STS and STSC Sponsorship Program participants.
 
IntlStrengthening Global SH&E Practice Through Certification  

While each country has its own set of safety, health, and environmental (SH&E) regulations, keeping people from being harmed is important everywhere, and there is a recognized set of knowledge and skills necessary for professionals tasked with the safety of others.
 
The International Network of Safety and Health Practitioner Organisations (INSHPO) outlined the qualities that make an effective safety professional in their recently published OHS Professional Capability Framework. This framework included the study of a multitude of certification programs from around the world, and described as part of the roles of a safety professional "keeping up to date with new developments and knowledge through professional development, certification and further qualifications."
 
"The value of SH&E certifications is that one continuously maintains their credentials, and this process will help in understanding the advanced control systems, standards, and practices that create safer workplaces," says Ashok Garlapati, CSP, QEP, CMIOSH. Garlapati is an active SH&E professional and mentor in the Middle East and India whose safety advocacy recently led to his election as the American Society of Safety Engineers' (ASSE) first-ever Global Region Vice President.
 
Garlapati sees interest in safety certification growing. "I get several requests from budding and experienced professionals around the world who are interested in entering the SH&E field, or who are already in the field and want to improve upon their skills," he explains. "I use ASSE and BCSP mentoring as a tool to support these professionals, and I advise them to register as a mentee if they want to be involved and excel in the SH&E profession."
 
BCSP's CEO, Dr. Treasa Turnbeaugh, CSP, CAE; and Government Affairs and Outreach Manager, Erica Poff, IOM; joined Garlapati and ASSE Ambassador Jitu Patel at Safety India 2015, held October 15-17 in Mumbai, India. "The response from delegates was fantastic, as many of the delegates were keen to obtain globally recognized SH&E certifications, to improve their skills and marketability towards employment opportunities," said Garlapati.
 
Workshops and discussion at the Safety India 2015 conference led to further activities focused on enhancing safety practitioners' careers and advancing the profession. Patel took information from the sessions and spoke with hundreds of Indian students and SH&E professionals in the following month. In December, Poff joined Garlapati again in Kuwait, where they spoke to those attending the 8th International HSSE and Loss Prevention Professional Development Conference.
 
"I was glad to have the opportunity to share the benefits of safety certification with SH&E practitioners and the communities they serve," Poff said. "My presentation was well received, there were many good questions, and I think we all felt prepared to make positive changes in safety practice."
 
Garlapati, Poff, Patel, and Dr. Turnbeaugh will continue reaching out to and supporting SH&E professionals in many countries in 2016, advocating the advancement of the safety profession through SH&E certification.

Garlapati presents on safety certification at Safety India 2015

GuidesGuides to Group Management, Certification Through Sponsorship Released    

Several tools have been added to the BCSP CMS in the past year that make it easier for sponsors to manage groups of individuals who they are sponsoring. New guides are now available to assist group managers and sponsored applicants with using the online system.

The greatest change for group managers is the CMS's "Sponsor Group Management" section. This section lists applicants, examination candidates, and certificants who have linked themselves to a sponsoring organization so that that organization's group manager can track their progress and make payments on their behalf. More details on these tools can be found in the Group Management Guide and the tutorial video below.

To assist individuals who are pursuing their certification with a sponsor's support there is now a handout, Applying for Certification with a STS or STSC Sponsor, that explains the process. It covers everything from application to recertification in ten steps, highlighting essential actions involved for sponsored applicants. Group managers may print this handout and share it with those ready to pursue the STS or STSC.

These guides and more information on sponsorship can be found on the STS and STSC Sponsorship Program webpage.


In This Issue
BCSP Sponsoring Organizations

BCSP's sponsoring organizations help ensure that the governance of BCSP includes broad representation from across the safety profession by recommending Board Members. These organizations do not provide funding or support to BCSP or its operations. They do provide their members with a variety of services important to safety professionals.

American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), 1974

 
Send Us Your News

Consider the BCSP Partners
eNewsletter your eNewsletter.  

Contact Colan Holmes, BCSP Communications Manager, with any SH&E industry or professional practice story ideas.

Newsletters and Annual Reports Archive

BCSP keeps an archive of all of its eNewsletters and Annual Reports. You can view these other publications in the eNewsletter section of the About BCSP webpage's resources column. 
 
The ASSE Guide to Hiring the Right Occupational Safety and Health Professional is a helpful tool for HR professionals, safety managers, and anyone looking to hire quality safety personnel.

The information is provided to ensure the quality of organizations' safety practitioners. You may download the guide, and sharing it is encouraged.
 
Promoting the  
Value of Certification 

BCSP will be exhibiting at the following conferences in the remainder of 2016:
 
RIMS 2016  
Booth #929  
April 10-13 
San Diego, CA

AIHce 2016  
Booth #431
May 23-25 
Baltimore, MD

NECA Safety Professional Conference
Booth #16
May 23-25
Indianapolis, IN
 
ASSE Safety 2016
Booth #1744
June 26-29
Atlanta, GA
 
ASCA Annual Conference
Booth #606
July 9-11
New Orleans, LA
 
VPPPA National Conference
Booth #513
Aug 29-Sept 1
Kissimmee, FL
 
NSC Congress and Expo
Booth #TBD
Oct 15-21
Anaheim, CA 
 
Please stop by our booth. We would be glad to meet you!
 
BCSP's Toolkit for Advancing the Safety Profession


Banner displays are a great way to promote BCSP certifications and earn Recertification credit. A display is available to any certificate holder for use at chapter meetings, regional or local conferences, career fairs, and other safety-related seminars, meetings, and presentations. BCSP ships to and from any U.S. venue and provides literature at no cost.

If you would like to borrow a display, fill out a Display and Literature Request Form. Your request will be received by Yi Liu, BCSP Marketing Specialist. Displays are first come, first serve.

Presentations on safety certification can also be done for Recertification credit, and BCSP has many resources that can be used for presentations, including pre-made PowerPoints, on our Articles and Presentations webpage.

Item writing illustrates your safety knowledge, earning you Recertification credit as well. Find out more on our Item Writing webpage.
 

 
 
 
BCSP Career Center

The BCSP Career Center connects job seekers with prospective employers in the safety, health and environmental industry. Results are just a click away!

The Career Center allows job seekers who hold any of our credentials to post an anonymous resume in our resume bank for free.

For companies looking to hire individuals who hold our credentials this is your direct route to qualified individuals.