The Canadian Registered Safety Professional CRSP Designation Certification

The Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) Designation Certification Overview Version 3. 0/2004

Certification Overview This presentation outlines the steps required to be granted the Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation.

Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) A Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) is an individual who has, through peer review, met the formal education, related experience and examination requirements for certification established by the Governing Board.

Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP) l National Certification Body l 1976 - Consumer & Corporate Affairs (Letters Patent) l Governing Board (15 CRSPs elected by members) – Accountable to the Federal government and membership (CRSPs) – Responsible for evaluation, examination (CRSPEX), registration, discipline, maintenance

Introduction l The Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation has become extensively recognized as the national standard of certification for ohs&e generalists in Canada. l Although there a variety of agencies that offer designations in ohs&e related fields, most concentrate on specialized disciplines to the exclusion of other related fields (eg. ROH, CCPE, CEA).

Certification Overview l Minimum eligibility criteria l Application l Interview process requirement l Examination l Certification (CRSPEX) Maintenance

Minimum Eligibility Requirements Formal Education l High school graduation or equivalency* * Equivalency is considered if an applicant has obtained a Department/Ministry of Education High School Equivalency Certificate or has completed one year (10 -12 credit courses) of college or university program (any discipline).

Minimum Eligibility Requirements OHS&E Experience/Employment l Current full-time employment with ohs&e position duties greater than 50% (minimum 900 hours/year) l A minimum of three years full-time ohs&e experience immediately prior to making application

Guide to Registration l Certification Overview l Self Study Guides l Examination Blueprint l Application form (available in either hard copy or CD-ROM format)

Certification Process l l l Candidate submits application Qualifications Review Committee assessment Regional Screening Centre (RSC) interview Examination (CRSPEX) administered at RSC Governing Board approves successful CRSPEX candidates Governing Board confirms CRSP designation

Application l Complete three Factors on application (Formal Education, Professional Development, Related Experience) l Attach supporting documentation l Professional Practice Questionnaire and three Professional Reference Questionnaires required l Submit to the BCRSP with $350 non-refundable application fee (increasing to $450 January 1, 2005)

Application Factors l Factor 1 - Formal Education l Factor 2 - Professional Development l Factor 3 - Related Experience

Formal Education Application Evaluation Criteria Factor 1 – Formal Education (maximum 100 points) Level OHS&E Related Value Secondary school diploma No 10 One year college certificate or university diploma or provincial journeyman’s certificate No 20 College diploma or university undergraduate degree or interprovincial journeyman’s certificate No 40 Post graduate degree No 50 One year ohs&e college or university certificate Yes 60 Two year college diploma (or post diploma certificate) in ohs&e Yes 70 Three year college diploma or university undergraduate degree in ohs&e Yes 80 Post graduate degree in ohs&e Yes 100

Professional Development Application Evaluation Criteria Factor 2 – Professional Development (maximum 100 points) Note: The time limit for claiming ohs&e-related professional development activities is five (5) years. Activity Value Ohs&e courses/seminars/ conferences of a minimum one day (6 hours) duration 1 point/day College/university ohs&e credit course 10 points/course

Related Experience Application Evaluation Criteria Factor 3 – Professional Practice (maximum 100 points) Full-time ohs&e related experience Valu e Minimum 36 months (3 years) 50 37 -60 months (3 years - 5 years) 65 61 -84 months (5 years - 7 years) 80 85+ months (7+ years) 100

Application Evaluation Criteria l A minimum of 150 points from all three Factors are required for an applicant to proceed to the Regional Screening Centre interview. l Candidates must obtain a minimum of 10 points in Factor 1 (Formal Education) and 50 points in Factor 3 (Professional Practice) in order to be eligible for certification.

The Qualifications Review Committee (QRC) Assessment l Application, supporting documentation, professional practice questionnaire, professional reference questionnaires reviewed l Minimum of 150 points required for application to proceed to Regional Screening Centre interview

The Regional Screening Centre Interview l Coordinated through 31 Regional Screening Centres across Canada l Purpose – to meet with the candidate to verify/clarify application information and discuss any issues raised by the Qualifications Review Committee’s assessment l Recommend/Not Recommend candidate proceed to the CRSPEX

Examination (CRSPEX) l Set by Examination Committee with contracted, external psychometrician l Scheduled twice annually (May & October) l Location – Regional Screening Centres l 3 ½ hour, multiple-choice examination based on the Examination Blueprint

Examination (CRSPEX) l Candidates have two years to write the CRSPEX for the first time l Unsuccessful candidates may have up to three supplementary writings over the two years following their first writing l Candidates may apply for a one-time, one year extension ($100 fee applies) for either stage of the CRSPEX writing, but not both

Examination (CRSPEX) l Administered annually in May and October through the 31 Regional Screening Centres across Canada l Based on Examination Blueprint – 10 domains (123 competencies, the competencies expected of entry-level practitioners)

OHS&E’s Multidisciplinary Interfaces Safety Techniques & Technology Law and Ethics Health Promotion Occupational Hygiene Fire Prevention and Protection OHS&E PROFESSION Ergonomics Risk Management OHS&E Systems Accident Theory Environmental Practices

Examination (CRSPEX) l Based on Examination Blueprint – 190 -210 operational questions – up to 25 experimental questions – questions may be either case-based (10 -30%) or independent questions (70 -90%)

CRSPEX Competency Categories l Accident Theory (AT) 6 competencies or 5% of the set competencies l Environmental Practices (EP) 8 competencies or 6% of the set competencies l Ergonomics (ERG) 8 competencies or 6% of the set competencies

CRSPEX Competency Categories l Fire Prevention and Protection (FPP) 13 competencies or 11% of the set competencies l Health Promotion (HP) 7 competencies or 6% of the set competencies l Law and Ethics (LE) 13 competencies or 11% of the set competencies

CRSPEX Competency Categories l Occupational Health Safety and Environment Systems (OES) 21 competencies or 17% of the set competencies l Occupational Hygiene (OH) 18 competencies or 15% of the set competencies

CRSPEX Competency Categories l Risk Management (RM) 5 competencies or 4% of the set competencies l Safety Techniques and Technology (STT) 24 competencies or 19% of the set competencies

Weighting of Competencies by Category l Accident Theory (AT) - 4 -6% of questions l Environmental Practices (EP) - 4 -6% of questions l Ergonomics (ERG) - 4 -7% of questions l Fire Prevention and Protection (FPP) - 7 -12% of questions l Health Promotion (HP) - 3 -5% of questions l Law and Ethics (LE) - 11 -15% of questions

Weighting of Competencies by Category l Occupational Health Safety and Environment Systems (OES) - 13 -20% of questions l Occupational Hygiene (OH) - 14 -20% of questions l Risk Management (RM) 2 -4% of questions l Safety Techniques and Technology (STT) 18 -26% of questions

Competency Groupings l Group 1 (31 competencies) – Critically important (35 -45% of the CRSPEX) l Group 2 (30 competencies) – Very important (2535% of the CRSPEX) l Group 3 (30 competencies)– Important (15 -25% of the CRSPEX) l Group 4 (32 competencies)– Somewhat important (5 -15% of the CRSPEX)

Approval l Governing Board approves list of successful CRSPEX candidates l Board Chair advises each successful candidate of certification l Permanent registration number assigned

Confirmation l Confirmation requires signing and having witnessed the Board’s Code of Ethics l Registration certificate, card and registration manual issued to new CRSP

Certification Maintenance l First cycle may be 1 -5 years, all subsequent cycles are 5 years l CMPs awarded for Professional Development Activities l CRSPs responsible for records retention l CRSPs randomly selected for audit (must provide supporting documentation for all CMPs claimed)

Certification Maintenance l Applies to all practicing CRSPs l Must earn a minimum of 25 CMPs over 5 years l Maintenance period begins January 1 following year in which designation granted l Worksheets provided

Certification Maintenance l Academic Activities Continuing formal education, course development, teaching/training, professional development, advanced degrees l Examination and Additional Pursuits CRSPEX re-examination, related certification (CSP, CIH) l Professional Pursuits Professional practice, related association involvement, committee work (regional/national), authoring papers, preparing CRSPEX questions

Associated Costs l Guide to Registration - Hard Copy ($125) - CD-ROM ($75) l Application Fee $350 (increasing to $450 in 2005) Includes application processing and first writing of CRSPEX

Associated Costs l Supplementary CRSPEX Writings (maximum of three supplementary writings permitted) - $100 l CRSPEX Writing Extensions One-year, one-time writing extension (may be applied to initial writing or to supplementary writing but not both) - $100

Associated Costs l Reopen a closed file (applicant advanced successfully through the process but did not write CRSPEX) - $100 + $100 CRSPEX fee l Reopen a closed file (wrote but did not pass CRSPEX, two year writing period expired) Must reapply

Associated Costs l Certification Reinstatement - Two years or less – payment of back dues and confirmation of full-time ohs&e employment - Greater than two years – reinstatement by CRSPEX only and confirmation of full-time ohs&e employment

Associated Costs l Current Annual Renewal Fee $125 (practicing CRSPs) $50 (non-practicing/retired CRSPs) (7% GST is added to all BCRSP fees)

Certification Benefits l Indicates that the individual has achieved a specified level of qualification as judged by their peers l Provides a measure of self-development in an individual’s professional career l Results in more tangible benefits to the careers of practicing ohs&e professionals l Enhances employability

Summary l Incorporated in 1976 as a not-for-profit organization l 2196+ ohs&e professionals certified since 1976 l ~1600 on current roster l Accomplished with no external funding

Summary l Pursuing ISO 17024 and 9000 accreditation l Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (U. S. ) l Increasingly prerequisite an ohs&e employment

Contact Information Peter Fletcher, CRSP Executive Director Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals 6519 -B Mississauga Road Mississauga, ON L 5 N 1 A 6 905 -567 -7198/1 -888 -279 -2777; fax 905 -567 -7191 bcrsp@sympatico. ca www. bcrsp. ca