Study Results in CSP Examination Changes Next Year

July 7, 2000
Late in 2001, there will be changes to the Safety Fundamentals and Comprehensive Practice examinations.

Late in 2001, there will be changes to two examinations leading the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) designation -- the Safety Fundamentals and Comprehensive Practice examinations.

The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP), with assistance from Columbia Assessment Services Inc., recently completed an extensive study of professional safety practice.

The study, which identified what today''s safety professionals do on the job, involved a role-delineation workshop with practitioners from 16 areas of safety and a survey of more than 1,300 CSPs and Associate Safety Professionals (ASPs).

This was the most comprehensive study of professional safety practice since a study in the 1970s funded by the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, according to BCSP.

BCSP is nationally accredited by the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB) and the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). Conducting periodic validation studies is one requirement for certification accreditation.

"BCSP meets national accreditation requirements of CESB and NCCA. Safety professionals were enthusiastic about participating in each phase of this validation study," said Roger Brauer, BCSP''s executive director. "Based on the results, CSP examinations will move from a subject-based to a task-based structure. The content of the Safety Fundamentals and Comprehensive Practice examinations will change somewhat to reflect changes in professional safety practice."

While both examinations cover the same subject, subject distributions are different. And there are other major difference between the examinations.

The Safety Fundamentals and Comprehensive Practice examinations differ by candidate, examination and certificant characteristics.

The Safety Fundamentals examination covers basic and fundamental knowledge for the safety discipline. Advanced knowledge of the safety discipline and application of principles and practices are on the Comprehensive Practice Examination.

BCSP will continue to use current CSP examinations which follow the existing subject-based blueprints throughout most of 2001. Late in 2001, it will switch to the examinations structure around the new, task-based organization.

For additional information, visit the BCSP Web site at www.bscp.org/validation.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

Sponsored Recommendations

June 16, 2025
This free guide will define complacency, explain individual and organizational complacency, provide insights into the contributing factors and give a high-level overview of what...
May 22, 2025
Heat stress is a serious challenge that poses immediate and long-term health effects for workers in high-temperature environments. To combat heat stress, it's critical to educate...
May 15, 2025
Foot safety is a serious concern. At your next safety meeting, give your crew eye-opening facts about feet and how proper footwear matters more than they may know. Show your team...
May 15, 2025
If reimbursing employees for safety footwear is how its always been done, maybe its time to learn about the advantages a managed footwear program can offer instead. See a ...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!