Third Quarter 2018

BCSP eNewsletter  


Welcome to this Third Quarter 2018 BCSP eNewsletter.

No matter which certification or designation you hold with BCSP, or if you are in the process of attaining one, we have included news and information that will help you in your professional safety career.

See the In This Issue section to the right to navigate to the stories of most interest to you.

Message from the President of the Board
Linda F. Martin, CSP, SMS, ASP, OHST, CHST, STSC, CET
Safety is our highest value.
 
As a not-for-profit, BCSP is guided by our mission to set and certify technical competency criteria for safety, health, and environmental (SH&E) practitioners worldwide; enhancing careers, advancing the profession, protecting the public.
 
As leaders in SH&E practice, we know that we must engage the people with whom we work to protect our workplace and one another. This is why BCSP provides a comprehensive set of safety certifications to match each degree of safety responsibility in an organization, lifting up those committed to challenging themselves to ensure workplaces and communities are safe.
 
It was with these values in mind that we recently introduced the Transitional Safety Practitioner (TSP) as a new path to the Certified Safety Professional ® (CSP ®). Like the Graduate Safety Practitioner ® (GSP ®), the TSP is a temporary designation that meets the CSP's credential requirement, providing those who hold it a way to show their commitment to attaining the CSP while they fulfill that certification's education and experience requirements. Just as safe operations are the result of proper preparation, so too are strong safety professionals.
 
The BCSP team -staff and certificants- are busy engaging stakeholders, encouraging others who value safety to build it through use of safety certification. Certificant ambassadors are conducting outreach in Kuwait and Egypt. Our new business development team is explaining to business leadership the role certification plays in ensuring safety.
 
When business leaders are considering safety certification, they can be assured our quality is unparalleled. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) just accredited all eight (8) BCSP certifications under their most rigorous of standards. BCSP certifications now make up the majority of credentials specifically addressing occupational safety that are accredited under ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024.
 
BCSP is now collaborating with other certification bodies to communicate the value of professional credentials to elected government officials too, joining the Professional Certification Coalition (PCC). Just a s it is important that industry leaders understand certificants' role in eliminating workplace hazards, it is also important that those who may enact legislation and regulations understand this as well.
 
Guided by our mission, our credentials play a crucial role in building a safer world. If you hold safety as a value, we look forward to serving you with quality, accredited safety certifications.

 
BCSPNewTeamNew BCSP Team Members to Advance Safety
In August, BCSP was happy to welcome two new additions to our business development team: Dan Flinta, CSP, CIH, ACB, FAIHA; and Nancy Colone join us as BCSP's new Directors of Business Development. 


Dan Flinta, CSP, CIH, ACB, FAIHA

Flinta is responsible for developing and implementing strategies for promotion of current and future certifications. He will focus on professional development, organizational and trade association excellence, and government agency distinction. 

Prior to joining BCSP, Flinta was a safety professional with experience in the electrical power industry, automotive industry, primary metal manufacturing industry, and government organizations. He has an undergrad degree in Biology and Chemistry from Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis and is working toward his MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University. He obtained his CSP in 2007. 

Flinta became involved in safety because he had a personal interest in making wise choices and learning from mistakes. "My dad always told me 'better safe than sorry,' and that stuck with me," said Flinta. "As I grew up I enjoyed the sciences and gravitated toward industrial hygiene, and I've been enjoying the safety profession ever since."

When asked why he values safety, Flinta added, "How valuable is human life? The value is priceless, so our duty as safety professionals to protect life is of the utmost importance."

Flinta strongly believes in continuing education. He attributes his certifications to adding value both professionally and personally, and at a time in society when new technologies are frequently being introduced -and along with them new hazards- continuing to educate ourselves and devise new safety measures to meet the changing landscape is a must.  

"The next step in safety processes will be challenging. New solutions bring new hazards, and the next generation of safety professionals will need to use newly acquired skills and knowledge to mitigate those new hazards." 


Nancy Colone

Colone is joining BCSP to support the advancement of safety through certification through conversations with global and national corporations, major employers, industry associations, and government associates who are interested in adopting safety as a value. She is also responsible for creating performance goals, sales and evaluation metrics, promotional activities, and managing annual budgets. 

Colone held various leadership, business development, and strategist roles in the electronic physical security industry before joining BCSP. She was a Senior Manager in the National and Global Accounts departments for ADT Security Services, Tyco Integrated Security, and Securitas Electronic Security. She holds two bachelor's degrees from Purdue University with concentrations in Marketing, Technology, and Business. She serves as the second Vice President for Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana and is a member of ASIS. She is working towards her Safety Trained Supervisor®  (STS ® certification. 

For Colone, safety is a way of life. Professionally, safety was always paramount in helping her team avoid high-risk factors associated with elevated heights and conditions in underground tunnels. "Safety impacts employees' levels of satisfaction and attrition. A company's ability to survive the market, public perception, and social responsibility depends on safety," said Colone. 

Colone is pursuing BCSP's STS certification because she believes certification gives the holder a high degree of competency in SH&E fields. "It's a quantitative vehicle to demonstrate a safety professional's ongoing commitment to the field and its ever-evolving challenges," said Colone.

Colone firmly believes that safety is fundamental for all individuals both in our professional and personal lives, and that it gives us all a shared loyalty to one another.  "When we're all looking out for everyone's safety, a shared sense of responsibility is developed."


If you would like to integrate certification into your organization's safety program, contact Dan Flinta or Nancy Colone.

 
TSPBCSP Introduces Transitional Safety Practitioner (TSP) Designation
The United States Army Combat Readiness Center's (USACRC) Professional Certificate in Safety and Occupational Health (CP-12) has been reviewed by BCSP and approved as the first Qualified Equivalent Program (QEP), now providing the program's certificate holders the option to apply with BCSP for the new Transitional Safety Practitioner (TSP) designation.
 
The TSP meets the credential eligibility requirement for the CSP, allowing those who qualify for it to sit for the CSP exam upon meeting all other requirements.
 
The TSP is a temporary designation, those who hold it demonstrating their current accomplishments while also showing a commitment to further professional development. TSPs must meet the CSP's experience and education requirements before they can apply for the CSP certification and sit for its exam. The TSP designation communicates intent to achieve the CSP.
 
"We welcome the United States Army Combat Readiness Center's exceptional CP-12 safety program and those holding its designation," says the CEO of BCSP, Dr. Treasa Turnbeaugh, CSP, ASP, CET, CAE. "Those who complete a program from QEPs have demonstrated a set of knowledge and skills that deserve recognition, and BCSP is committed to further support their dedication to professional development."
 
A QEP is a program in safety, health, and environmental (SH&E) practice that meets BCSP standards for participation and demonstrates a substantial match to the Associate Safety Professional ® (ASP ®) exam blueprint. Any person having completed the USACRC's CP-12 during its applicable dates may apply for the TSP designation.
 
The TSP is an important component in the fulfillment of BCSP's mission, enhancing the careers of knowledgeable safety practitioners and providing a path to professional certification, which keeps our knowledge and skills relevant and up to date. The advancement of safety practitioners and safety practice go hand-in-hand.
 
More information on the CP-12 can be found at safety.army.mil/CP-12/Home, and details on the TSP are available at bcsp.org/tsp.

 
ANSIAll BCSP Certifications Now Accredited by ANSI
We are happy to announce that all eight (8) of BCSP's certifications are accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as of September 21, 2018.

Previously, ANSI accredited a total of 10 professional SH&E-related certifications, including the CSP, ASP, and SMS certifications. Now, with the addition of the CET, CHST, OHST, STS, and STSC certifications, BCSP has greatly expanded safety professionals' options in safety certifications accredited by this highest accreditor.
 
Of the more than 300 safety certifications available, only 20 of those programs are accredited, and eight (8) of them are BCSP's certification programs.
 
Accreditation is important because it provides third-party review, attesting to the objective quality of a product. ANSI accreditation, in particular, is the measuring stick by which a certification gains merit across several federal, state, and local agencies.
 
Certifications' accreditation standards assess fairness in testing, financial disclosure, independence in governance, validated examination content, non-discrimination policies, and many other criteria. Accreditation evaluates the integrity of the certification programs, ensures validity of a certification's development and revalidation, enhances authority of the certification body, and promotes public confidence in the certification holders.
 
BCSP's CSP, ASP, CHST, OHST, STS, STSC, and CET programs are also accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

 
BCSP and NIOSH Extend Partnership with New Memorandum of Understanding
NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard and
BCSP Board President Linda Martin, CSP, SMS, ASP, OHST, CHST, STSC, CET
The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) Foundation and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are entering into a collaborative partnership to protect the safety and health of our nation's young workers. The signing of a new 5-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) occurred today at NIOSH offices in Washington DC.

Dr. Rebecca Guerin, in charge of youth safety at NIOSH Cincinnati
Young workers, who often have limited or no prior work experience and lack safety training, have high rates of job-related injury when compared to their adult co-workers. To address this public health problem, NIOSH and the BCSP Foundation seek to develop and disseminate a comprehensive, online workplace safety and health training. The training will be available to the public free of charge and used in conjunction with high school career development courses, CTE (career technical education), STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) pathways, and apprenticeship programs. The new training will expand on Youth@Work: Talking Safety, a foundational curriculum from NIOSH and its partners for middle school and high school students, and will promote core competencies for workplace safety and health, such as the ability to recognize hazards in a work environment and the best methods for controlling them.
 
L-R: BCSP Board President Linda Martin, CSP, SMS, ASP, OHST, CHST, STSC, CETNIOSH Director Dr. John Howard; BCSP CEO  Dr. Treasa Turnbeaugh, CSP, ASP, CET, CAE, IOM
"NIOSH has a long history of collaboration with the BCSP. This new partnership with the BCSP Foundation allows us to extend our work and share a vision for preparing current and future generations of workers with the knowledge and skills they need to contribute to and benefit from safe, healthy and productive workplaces," said NIOSH Director John Howard, MD.

The partnership between NIOSH and the BCSP Foundation will involve outreach to educators, high school counselors, businesses, labor organizations and trades. NIOSH and the BCSP Foundation will also work together to develop an assessment tool for the online training, analyze student assessment data, and evaluate the effectiveness of the training to increase young workers' safety competence. The joint activities between NIOSH and the BCSP Foundation may contribute to a downstream reduction in injuries among young workers and help ensure the health and well-being of the emerging workforce.
 
More information on young worker safety and health can be found at: www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/youth and www.bcspfoundation.org/youth-safety-institute.

More information on the NIOSH young worker curriculum, Youth@ Work-Talking Safety, can be found at: www.cdc.gov/niosh/talkingsafety.

The BCSP Foundation, working in concert with BCSP, is dedicated to advancing the field through strategic investment in Professional Advancement, Innovation and Research, and the Youth Safety Institute. Learn more at www.bcspfoundation.org.

NIOSH is the federal institute that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths. For more information about NIOSH visit www.cdc.gov/niosh.

 
VPPPA Elects CSP Holder as New Chair
The Voluntary Protection Programs Participants' Association (VPPPA) announced on Friday that J.A. Rodriguez Jr., who achieved the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and Associate Safety Professional (ASP) certifications from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP), has been elected as the new Chairman of the VPPPA Board of Directors. He replaces Mike Guillory of The Brock Group.

The new Board was announced during the Closing General Session of the annual Safety+Symposium, presented by VPPPA and the Tennessee Safety & Health Conference at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Rodriguez has served on the VPPPA Board of Directors as a Director-at-Large for the last seven (7) years. As the Global Senior Leader of Environmental, Health, Safety, and Sustainability (EHSS) for Raytheon Company in Dulles, Virginia, Rodriguez is the leader of an EHSS organization supporting 16,000+ employees at 550+ sites in 100 countries for a 6+ billion-dollar business.

Running on a campaign of "Transforming Tomorrow Together," Rodriguez felt privileged to be voted in by his peers in the safety and health industry. "In the long history of our Association, only a few people have been granted the responsibility of Chairperson. I am truly honored to serve our members in this regard. Our Association is on the verge of breakthrough growth. We will be in a continuous mode of reinvention as a matter of course, and our focus on demonstrating value, growing our strategic partnerships, enhancing our global presence, and being a resource for safety management system excellence is absolute. We collaboratively bring stakeholders together for the protection of their most valuable resource... their people, our members. Progressive leadership transforms lives. Our Association helps save them."

BCSP and VPPPA joined as part of a partnership last year and continue to collaborate to improve occupational safety and health at workplaces throughout the United States. 

 
PCCBCSP Joins Professional Certification Coalition to Advocate for Certificants
BCSP has become a member of the Professional Certification Coalition (PCC) to reach policymakers and educate them on legislation, ordinances, and/or regulations that affect certificants.
 
According to the organization's website, "The newly formed Professional Certification Coalition will address efforts to enact state legislation that would undermine the activities or recognition of certifications developed or offered by non-governmental, private certification organizations."
 
As recently reported, the coordinated action of PCC members thwarted an attempt to undermine the value and recognition of voluntary professional certifications in Louisiana, where a bill would have prohibited individuals holding voluntary professional certifications from using the term "certified" in a professional title. The bill was amended to remove all reference to certification, primarily due to the response legislators received from Louisiana certification holders.
 
Another bill, Ohio's Senate Bill 255, has been introduced in the House and would negatively impact individuals possessing a voluntary professional certification. In short, SB255 (if passed as is) calls for state action to offer governmental voluntary certification programs. There is no reason for government officials, who lack subject-matter expertise in occupational safety and health, to establish programs that compete with professional certification from BCSP.
 
BCSP coordinated with the PCC and certificants to voice our concerns about this bill to elected Members of the Ohio House of Representatives, which quickly gained response.
 
"We appreciate the enthusiasm certificants in each of these states have shown when speaking to the value of safety certification," says BCSP's Strategic and Global Relations Director, Erica Poff, CAE, IOM.
 
The PCC is a coalition of more than 70 local, national, and international nonprofit organizations that provide certification and other credentials to professionals who meet established standards in their field of knowledge, skill, or other specialized qualifications.
 
Through this coalition, BCSP will continue to express the connection between professional advancement and advancement of the profession.

 
IntlKuwait, Egypt ASSP Chapters Promote Benefits of Safety Certification

In July of this year, the Kuwait Chapter of The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) organized a technical meeting to discuss the value of BCSP certifications in Mahboula, Kuwait. 

The meeting was led by Ashok Garlapati, CSP, and Sanjay Jaiswal, CSP, SMS, CET, who briefed the group on the importance of the CSP certification, as well as other certifications available to those who may not yet have the qualifications for the CSP, like the Safety Management Specialist (SMS). 

Garlapati recently led an online awareness and educational webinar, arranged by BCSP and hosted by ASSP Egypt, on September 27 as well.

BCSP continues to make efforts to encourage safety certification and strives to make safety education a global endeavor. Meetings like this and groups like the ASSP help us in making sure the world is a safer place for all workers.

 
BCSP Provides CSPs Without Bachelor's Degree Module to Meet New Requirement
CSPs who applied for certification before it required a minimum of a bachelor's degree, as it has beginning July 2, 2018, have several options to meet the new education requirement before January 1, 2021, including a convenient online education program.
 
The online education program, at education.bcsp.org, may be used by any CSP certificant who does not have a bachelor's or more advanced degree.
  • The program is free
  • The modules are self-paced and can be taken anytime through December 31, 2020
  • The modules can be taken as many times as needed to pass
  • The modules cover the following topics:
    • Professional development
    • Project management
    • Interpersonal communication
    • Ethics
  • Each module is followed by a 10-question quiz, the passing score for which is 80%
CSPs may also provide BCSP a copy of an official academic transcript that meets the requirement, with the degree awarded and conferred date, from the issuing university. Transcripts may be sent by email or university eScript to educationprogram@bcsp.org.

 
RecertRecertification Due March 1, Activities Can be Logged as Earned

As a BCSP  certificant , you can log your recertification activities at any time, and if you are in the final year of your recertification cycle, you can submit your recertification worksheet now!

Please note, in an effort to encourage timelier submission of recertification documents, the final submission date has been changed from March 31 to March 1. If your recertification cycle ends this year, maintain your certification by submitting your recertification worksheet before March 1, 2019.

BCSP offers a helpful worksheet to help log and keep track of your recertification points. You can access this tool by logging into your  My Profile account and selecting the "Recertification" section. There you will find a worksheet that will save your points online and make it easier to log and submit them to BCSP.

BCSP has also offered two new methods of obtaining recertification points. Under Category 10, you can now become a Certified Safety Management Practitioner which will garner six (6) points towards your recertification goal. You can also take advantage of BCSP's recent agreement with the United States Army Combat Readiness Center (USACRC) and earn your CP-12 Professional Certificate in Safety and Occupational Health. This certificate will award you 25 points towards your recertification needs. Please note, the CP-12 is only available to military civilians and federal employees serving in safety and occupational health job roles.

If you have any other questions you can reference our  FAQ regarding the recertification changes, the  Recertification webpage, or  contact Certification Services.

 
In This Issue
» Message from the President of the Board
» New BCSP Team Members to Advance Safety
» BCSP Introduces Transitional Safety Practitioner (TSP)
» All BCSP Certifications Now Accredited by ANSI
» BCSP and NIOSH Extend Partnership
» VPPPA Elects CSP as Chair
» BCSP Joins Professional Certification Coalition
» Kuwait, Egypt ASSP Chapters Promote Benefits of Safety Certification
» New Education Module for CSPs without Bachelor's Degrees
» Recertification Due March 1, Activities can be Logged as Earned
BCSP
Board of Directors

Linda F. Martin, CSP, SMS, ASP, OHST, CHST, STSC, CET
(President)

Joshua J. Franklin, CSP, SMS, STS, CET
(Vice President)

Mario A. Varela, CSP, ASP

(Treasurer)

Treasa M. Turnbeaugh, PhD, CSP, ASP, CET, CAE, IOM
(Secretary and CEO)

C. Christopher Patton, CSP, SMS, ASP
(Past President)

Joaquin M. Diaz, CSP, CHST, OHST

V. Raymond Ferrara, CFP

Jim S. Kreinbrink, CSP

Daniel T. Lyons, CSP

Michael H. Overholt, CSP, OHST

Leslie R. Stockel, CSP, SMS


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Current Changes Index
Over the course of the year, a range of policy changes, procedure updates and other modifications occur. We want to make everyone aware of these changes on a regular basis, as well as keep an archive of the announcements.

Visit the Current Changes Index page on our website to find the most up-to-date policy and procedure information.



BCSP Foundation
Recognizing the power of philanthropy to create change, BCSP made a commitment to advance the field and support professionals dedicated to building safer communities in which they live, serve and work. Today, the BCSP Foundation acts as an extension of BCSP in developing programs with measurable impact in the area of SH&E. This is your opportunity to make an impact, so become a part of the community of donors and make a gift to the BCSP Foundation. Together, we are people saving people! 


Earn Recertification Points with myBCSP

Take quizzes and earn recertification points with the myBCSP app! Available for iPhone and Android.
Your Source for
Safety Expertise
A Who's Who listing over 1,000 safety professionals, eSafetySource helps individuals and companies find certificants that can assist them with their particular safety needs.

Enroll in or search eSafetySource. 

Mentor Program
The BCSP Mentor Program recognizes certificants who assist the career development of other safety practitioners.

Credential holders who are interested in mentoring an applicant should visit the BCSP Mentoring webpage.

Those currently mentoring are honored in the Mentoring Honor Roll.


Promoting the
Value of Certification

BCSP will be exhibiting at the following conferences in the remainder of 2018: 

NSC Congress and Expo
Booth #720
October 20-26
Houston, TX, USA
 
Please stop by our booth. We'd love 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 reserve a display, fill out a Banner Display Request. Displays are first come, first serve and must be returned.

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

Unauthorized Use of Our Credentials
BCSP pursues cases of individuals claiming to hold our credentials without permission. We pursue those cases in which there is clear evidence of the unauthorized use and the individual has a clear responsibility, control, or knowledge of the use. Evidence may be a business card, resume, letter, website, or other publication. If there is no clear evidence, BCSP cannot act on the case.

BCSP 2017 Certificants
Congratulations to everyone who achieved certification last year! 
 


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.