First Quarter 2023

Message from the President of the Board

Bruce K. Lyon, CSP, SMS, P.E., ARM, CHMM

It is truly an honor and a privilege to serve as Board President for BCSP this year. I am grateful for Leslie Stockel’s amazing servant-leadership and wisdom in this role in 2022, along with that of the entire Board, and I am excited to work with our incredible team at BCSP to carry on the mission. Together, we will continue to innovate and create value-adding opportunities and resources for our profession.

It was more than 33 years ago that I earned my Certified Safety Professional credential, and I can still remember the day I received my certificate. It was especially meaningful to me that it featured the signature of Fred Manuele, the 1990 Board President. Thinking back on that makes me realize how important our mentors are in shaping our careers and how important it is that we ourselves serve as mentors to others.

There is much to be excited about in the year ahead as we continue to pursue our vision of a safer world. A variety of ongoing initiatives are helping us make that vision a reality.

Through increased global outreach and expansion, specifically the recent work of BCSP in the region of India, the Middle East, and Africa (IMEA), we are enhancing safety through certification internationally. Through expanded professional development opportunities like our Dale Carnegie courses and new BCSP Webinars, we are training leaders in the field. And through our newly created Emerging Professionals Committee, we are striving to meet the needs of the newest generation of safety, health, and environmental practitioners.

We look forward to continued growth in each of those areas and more in 2023. As we complete the first quarter, we remain focused on our strategic goals of advancing the profession, supporting our credential holders, and strengthening our partnerships. Together, there is much we can accomplish. As we all know, we are on this Earth for a brief moment – let’s make the most of it.

BCSP Board of Directors

President

Bruce K. Lyon, CSP, SMS, P.E., ARM, CHMM

Vice President

Ashok Garlapati, CSP, QEP, CFIOSH, FASSP

Treasurer

Jay R. Harf, PhD, CSP

Past President

Leslie Stockel, CSP, SMS

CEO, Secretary

Christy Uden, CAE, IOM

Directors

Teresa A. Cole, CSP

Mary Hjorth, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Bruce D. Hollcroft, CSP, ARM, CHMM

Daniel G. Hopwood, MPH, CSP, SMS, ARM

Patricia A. Kagerer, CSP

Regina McMichael, CSP, CIT

Donald A. Robinson, PhD, CSP, P.E., ARM-E

Mike Sutton, CFRE, CFRM

Recognizing Growing Certification Champions

BCSP's Certification Champions program honors organizations that invest in their safety cultures and employees through certification. Champions are recognized by level based on the number of credentials held within their organizations—Sapphire (5-24), Ruby (25-49), Emerald (50-99), and Diamond (100+)—and earn a wide array of benefits (PDF). Learn how BCSP can help you grow your safety culture by visiting the Workplace Safety and Certification page at BCSP.ORG.

BCSP is proud to recognize the following organizations that have attained a new level in the Certification Champions program this quarter (credential total and level as of March 20 listed in parentheses).

IEA - Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives

(91 | Emerald)

EMCOR Group, Inc.

(42 | Ruby)

Adolfson & Peterson Construction

(26 | Ruby)

Woodward Design + Build

(26 | Ruby)

Carpenters International Training Fund

(25 | Ruby)

RQ Construction

(25 | Ruby)

View All BCSP Certification Champions

Looking For a New Career or Your Next Superstar Employee?

The BCSP Career Center connects job seekers with prospective employers in the safety, health, and environmental industry at no cost!

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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Striving to Take the Next Step as a Safety Manager?

You want to take your career to the next level. But how do you become a safety manager?

Did you know just one year of safety experience and a bachelor’s degree qualifies you to pursue the Associate Safety Professional (ASP) credential?

Once you have achieved the ASP and gained four years of experience, you are eligible to pursue the Certified Safety Professional (CSP), the gold standard of safety certification. A CSP places you in the top tier of safety and health professionals, setting you apart and positioning you for positions of influence.

While a college degree is required for the ASP and the CSP, BCSP offers another option for highly experienced safety and health professionals—the Safety Management Specialist (SMS). Designed for professionals with at least 10 years of experience who already hold at least some safety management responsibilities, the SMS can affirm your knowledge and help you take the next step in your career.

How to Become a Safety Manager

Beyond Safety: Roller Derby

According to her CSP credential, her name is Ashley Gill. But when she straps on her helmet and laces up her skates for the Dallas Derby Devils, she morphs into "Guillotine Grace."

As the vice chair of her roller derby team, Gill's training and risk management duties are not vastly different from her daily responsibilities as a safety professional. But when the whistle blows, the rink provides an escape through camaraderie and competition.

This is Ashley Gill, beyond safety.

"Roller derby gives us a unique outlet. Being in this career for 15 years now, we have stressful days as safety professionals. It's a good opportunity to kind of release stress and not take those things home with you every day ... Even on my worst day, roller derby helps."

— Ashley Gill, CSP

Prep for Your Exam!

BCSP offers exam training through BCSP examCORE. Trainings include CSP, ASP + CSP Connect, SMS, ASP, OHST, CHST, STS, STSC, and CIT. For more information, visit examCORE.ORG.

*To ensure impartiality, BCSP utilizes subject-matter experts for the development of the examCORE program and products who are independent from the certification examination development process.

Visit BCSP's Affinity Products Page

As a BCSP credential holder, you have access to exclusive products! Design custom BCSP Apparel in the BCSP store. Get unique pins and rings.

Through BCSP's collaboration with the Financial Planning Association® (FPA®), certificants further qualify for a 20% discount on first-year financial planning services with CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional members.

Click here for more info!

Share Your Safety Stories with Us

We want to tell your safety story. Whether it's a personal story of how you became involved with the safety profession, or a proud company safety moment, we want to hear from you!

If you have an interesting story to share, please contact safetystories@bcsp.org and a member of our team will reach out to you.

Your story could be featured on the BCSP social media channels, a promotional video, or many other avenues.

Continue Your Professional Development with These Resources

BCSP Webinars

BCSP provides accessible and convenient professional development for safety, health, and environmental (SH&E) professionals through our new series of BCSP Webinars.

Experts provide informative, one-hour sessions on both general and industry-specific topics. Presentations are available live and on-demand. Visit the BCSP Webinars Hub to view the schedule or archive and to register for the presentations of your choice.

Upcoming Webinars (times Eastern)

April 4 (1 p.m.): How to Stand Out In the Current EHS Job Market; presented by Shirley Parsons
April 20 (11 a.m.): When the Worst Case Happens - Planning for Successful Major Incident Investigation Outcomes; presented by Brian Dunagan
April 25 (11 a.m.): Heating Up? Don't Stress Out!; presented by Daniel Engling

Visit BCSP Webinars Hub

Dale Carnegie

The BCSP + Dale Carnegie partnership continues to open the door to leadership training opportunities.

In 2022, the partnership made the world-famous Dale Carnegie Course available to SH&E professionals through a series of eight live, online sessions offering tools to improve leadership skills. You can still register to take part in upcoming sessions of this course.

This year, we have expanded the offerings by adding the BCSP + DC Mastery Track series aimed specifically at safety professionals. The series features two- and three-hour modules on presentation, influencing, and leadership. Register individually for any or all of these modules

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.

Report Unauthorized Use

Find Unauthorized Use on the Credential Directory

Present on Behalf of BCSP!

Presentations on safety certification can be done for recertification credit! BCSP has many resources available for certificants to use during presentations, including pre-made PowerPoints, technical reports, and videos.

These resources can be found on our Presentations and Outreach webpage.

Become a BCSP Webinar Presenter

Do you have wisdom or best practices to share? Valuable insights to reveal? BCSP Webinars wants you as a presenter.

To express interest in presenting, please view and complete the Webinar Presenter Interest Form. List your areas of expertise and submit the form for consideration.

If you have further questions, please contact webinars@bcsp.org.

Help Shape Future BCSP Examinations

Seeking subject matter experts for upcoming Item Writing sessions

Do you want to share your knowledge for the development of future BCSP exams and earn recertification points in the process?

Your expertise and experience can help us write and validate new exam questions.

BCSP is currently seeking subject matter experts this spring and summer to participate in Item Writing panels for the following exams and the following dates:

CIT; May 22-25, 2023; Apply

CSP; June 12-14, 2023; Apply

ASP; July 17-19, 2023; Apply

Item Writing is just one area in which BCSP utilizes credential holders’ knowledge in the exam process. Opportunities also exist regularly for Job and Task Analysis exercises, which help to craft updated examination blueprints, and Passing Score Activities, which evaluate exam questions to identify proper passing scores.

Item Writing panel activities are held in-person at the BCSP office in Indianapolis with reimbursement for reasonable travel expenses. Job and Task Analysis and Passing Score panel activities are held remotely via Zoom.

Participants earn 0.1 recertification points for each hour of participation in Passing Score exercises and 1.0 point for each day of participation in Item Writing and Job Task Analysis activities. You must hold the corresponding certification for the activity in which you participate.

Additional information, including full descriptions of each type of panel activity and links to submit interest, is available on the Exam Development page at BCSP.ORG.

Participate in Exam Development

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!

Submit information on upcoming events using our new Event Request Form.

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.

Find Your Next Opportunity at the 2023 Virtual Career Fair

The fourth annual BCSP Foundation Virtual Career Fair is set for April 28, providing an online platform for safety, health, and environmental job seekers, industry professionals, students, and employers to make connections, discuss job opportunities, and grow professionally.

The event once again fittingly coincides with World Safety and Health Day at Work. Job seekers can register to attend for free.

This year’s fair will feature more than 20 speakers delivering pre-recorded presentations on topics ranging from safety leadership and communication to career planning, mental health, and much more. Attendees also gain access to the BCSP Foundation’s April 4 Webinar with Shirley Parsons, “How to Stand Out in the Current EHS job market.”