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Why a certification from the BCRSP is the gold standard for employers
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THE BOARD OF CANADIAN REGISTERED SAFETY PROFESSIONALS (BCRSP) was founded in 1976 and provides safety certifications for OHS practitioners across Canada. Having competent safety professionals is important to any business. More organisations are turning to certified health and safety professionals because of the enormous costs associated with occupational incidents.
A standardized approach
The safety profession – like occupational health and safety as a career choice – is relatively new. It’s also a path that many discovered while building their careers, through friends, co-workers, or university courses. The OHS sector brings together people from varied backgrounds such as health care, mining, fire prevention, food safety, business, and more.
The Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals is a public interest, not-for-profit, federally incorporated self-regulating organization that sets the certification standards for the OHS profession. BCRSP strives to advance the body of knowledge, the competency of the profession, and the value our certificants bring to society. The BCRSP grants the CRSP® and CRST certifications to individuals who successfully complete the certification process through application assessment and examination. The board governs its certificants in order that the public interest may be served and protected.
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“Obtaining a CRSP designation to be able to practice in the field really comes down to credibility as a safety professional”
Paul Andre,
Workplace Safety North
Safety attracts individuals with a wealth of practical experience and good intentions who may initially be lacking in technical expertise. This is why many safety practitioners pursue higher education (including part-time, while employed) to further their knowledge and gain the right skills to be effective.
And while different experiences are extremely valuable, having a standardized approach to safety knowledge is incredibly important. This is why accredited certifications are essential to the safety profession, as they ensure that all OHS practitioners have their knowledge, skills, and abilities benchmarked to an examination standard.
Paul Andre, president and CEO, Workplace Safety North, is a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) who started his career in health and safety over 30 years ago. He came to the sector via industry as a skills trainer for the forestry sector.
There are a number of accredited certifications and designations available to OHS practitioners in Canada, including those offered by the BCRSP – the CRSP, and the Canadian Registered Safety Technician (CRST) certification. Andre – who obtained his CRSP in 1996 – says that though he had deep experience in skills training and in industry, it was important for him to have a good grounding in occupational health and safety principles and techniques through education.
The absence of title protection “opens up the risk for employers and employees – but mainly employers – who are looking for sound advice around occupational health and safety, and might not be getting that from someone who does not have the necessary background and education to be able to provide that advice,” says Andre.
“Obtaining a BCRSP certification really comes down to credibility as a safety professional,” says Andre. And for those who obtain their CRSP or CRST certification, there is also a continuous professional development (CPD) program. As part
of the process, those with the certification must demonstrate every five years that they are keeping up to date with the professional development needed to continue to advance their knowledge. This means that employers and employees can be assured that a CRSP or CRST is always on the cutting edge of the profession.
The process to become certified includes an assessment of eligibility and a certification examination. The BCRSP provides ample information for safety practitioners wanting to pursue certification.
The gold standard
Andre says that, in hiring occupational health and safety professionals, he and his organization always advertise with the requirement for a BCRSP certification or the ability to obtain it (which means a person who has a deep industry background) – “because the employers we serve are coming to us for advice, and they want to know that advice is sound. In order for us to give them confidence in the advice we’re giving them, we want to make sure that we have the necessary professionals in place to do that.”
Employers who are hiring safety professionals want the best outcomes for their employees and want to ensure that they are providing safe working conditions and a safe working environment, says Andre. “[Employers] are going to be best served by someone who has the necessary qualifications to be able to provide advice and guide them to the best possible outcomes,” Andre says.
“[Employers] are going to be best served by someone who has the necessary background to be able to provide advice and guide them in that way”
Paul Andre,
Workplace Safety North
Integrity, respect, and accountability
Outside of the benefits to the employer, an accredited certification like the CRSP or CRST certifications also brings value to the practitioner and to the public. The public can be assured that the holder of a BCRSP certification is committed to public safety and worker protection through the work, experience, and continuous professional development needed to obtain and maintain an accredited certification. A governing body like the BCRSP also holds its certificants accountable to a high standard.
Holders of an accredited certification like the CRSP or CRST have to abide by a code of ethics. This includes the values of
integrity, accountability, and respect, as well as support for fellow safety practitioners. BCRSP certification holders also must show that they are committed to being as knowledgeable as possible about workplace health and safety, and demonstrate the necessary continuous professional development needed to maintain the certification.
Safety professionals also benefit from holding a CRST or CRSP. Because safety is a newer profession, leaders of organizations may not know what safety professionals do – they may not even know that various certifications exist. Having a certification helps safety professionals more clearly articulate the skill set they bring to the table. It also helps managers lay out the expectations of the role.
Many safety professionals will tell you that the expertise that comes with an accredited certification can really help make a difference within an organization in terms of reducing injury and fatality rates. Once an organization is aware of the value of a CRST or CRSP certification, they will rarely want to go back to hiring uncertified practitioners for the role. Only positive things can come from the expectations that have been set around certifications and the skilled practitioners working in the OHS space.
Safety professionals also benefit from increased recognition and respect from their peers, as holders of a recognizable certification. They find that their employment prospects are improved and that they are able to build sustainable careers in the field – which include better compensation. They also ultimately find that they have greater confidence in their abilities, which only improves the quality of their work and the profession in general.
First official meeting of the Board of Governors held on June 2, 1976 in Hamilton, Ontario
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Copyright © 2022 Key Media
Advertise
About us
Contact us
Privacy
Terms of Use
RSS
Newsletter
Digital editions
Authors
External contributors
News
Topics
Resources
Events
Best In Safety
Subscribe
Copyright © 2022 Key Media
Advertise
About us
Contact us
Privacy
Terms of Use
RSS
Newsletter
Digital editions
Authors
External contributors
News
Topics
Resources
Events
Best In Safety
Subscribe
number of CRSPs (good standing) from 1976-2022
275
number of CRSTs (good standing) from 2019-2022
Find out more
The Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals is a public interest, not-for-profit, federally incorporated self-regulating organization that sets the certification standards for the OHS profession. BCRSP strives to advance the body of knowledge, the competency of the profession, and the value our certificants bring to society. The BCRSP grants the CRSP® and CRST certifications to individuals who successfully complete the certification process through application assessment and examination. The board governs its certificants in order that the public interest may be served and protected.
Integrity, respect, and accountability
Outside of the benefits to the employer, an accredited certification like the CRSP or CRST certifications also brings value to the practitioner and to the public. The public can be assured that the holder of a BCRSP certification is committed to public safety and worker protection through the work, experience, and continuous professional development needed to obtain and maintain an accredited certification. A governing body like the BCRSP also holds its certificants accountable to a high standard.
Holders of an accredited certification like the CRSP or CRST have to abide by a code of ethics. This includes the values of
The gold standard
Andre says that, in hiring occupational health and safety professionals, he and his organization always advertise with the requirement for a BCRSP certification or the ability to obtain it (which means a person who has a deep industry background) – “because the employers we serve are coming to us for advice, and they want to know that advice is sound. In order for us to give them confidence in the advice we’re giving them, we want to make sure that we have the necessary professionals in place to do that.”
Employers who are hiring safety professionals want the best outcomes for their employees and want to ensure that they are providing safe working conditions and a safe working environment, says Andre. “[Employers] are going to be best served by someone who has the necessary qualifications to be able to provide advice and guide them to the best possible outcomes,” Andre says.
Those with a CRSP or another accredited certification have demonstrated that they have the education and the experience in occupational health and safety to offer their professional services. It is of great value to employers who know that the certification functions as a seal of approval and really makes a difference in terms of the quality of the advice on offer. “You get all of that expertise whenever you hire someone with a certification; otherwise, it’s buyer beware,” says Andre.
Those who hold a BCRSP certification have achieved the gold standard of the safety profession. Decades ago, employers may not have fully understood the true value of a CRSP or CRST certification (or even been aware of it), but today, many employers are willing to invest in their people by supporting them to obtain or maintain a BCRSP certification because they understand the importance of having access to the right talent.
The absence of title protection “opens up the risk for employers and employees – but mainly employers – who are looking for sound advice around occupational health and safety, and might not be getting that from someone who does not have the necessary background and education to be able to provide that advice,” says Andre.
“Obtaining a BCRSP certification really comes down to credibility as a safety professional,” says Andre. And for those who obtain their CRSP or CRST certification, there is also a continuous professional development (CPD) program. As part
Safety attracts individuals with a wealth of practical experience and good intentions who may initially be lacking in technical expertise. This is why many safety practitioners pursue higher education (including part-time, while employed) to further their knowledge and gain the right skills to be effective.
And while different experiences are extremely valuable, having a standardized approach to safety knowledge is incredibly important. This is why accredited certifications are essential to the safety profession, as they ensure that all OHS practitioners have their knowledge, skills, and abilities benchmarked to an examination standard.
Paul Andre, president and CEO, Workplace Safety North, is a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) who started his career in health and safety over 30 years ago. He came to the sector via industry as a skills trainer for the forestry sector.
There are a number of accredited certifications and designations available to OHS practitioners in Canada, including those offered by the BCRSP – the CRSP, and the Canadian Registered Safety Technician (CRST) certification. Andre – who obtained his CRSP in 1996 – says that though he had deep experience in skills training and in industry, it was important for him to have a good grounding in occupational health and safety principles and techniques through education.
THE BOARD OF CANADIAN REGISTERED SAFETY PROFESSIONALS (BCRSP) was founded in 1976 and provides safety certifications for OHS practitioners across Canada. Having competent safety professionals is important to any business. More organisations are turning to certified health and safety professionals because of the enormous costs associated with occupational incidents.
A standardized approach
The safety profession – like occupational health and safety as a career choice – is relatively new. It’s also a path that many discovered while building their careers, through friends, co-workers, or university courses. The OHS sector brings together people from varied backgrounds such as health care, mining, fire prevention, food safety, business, and more.
Those with a CRSP or another accredited certification have demonstrated that they have the education and the experience in occupational health and safety to offer their professional services. It is of great value to employers who know that the certification functions as a seal of approval and really makes a difference in terms of the quality of the advice on offer. “You get all of that expertise whenever you hire someone with a certification; otherwise, it’s buyer beware,” says Andre.
Those who hold a BCRSP certification have achieved the gold standard of the safety profession. Decades ago, employers may not have fully understood the true value of a CRSP or CRST certification (or even been aware of it), but today, many employers are willing to invest in their people by supporting them to obtain or maintain a BCRSP certification because they understand the importance of having access to the right talent.
1976
Mandatory examination introduced
1982
CPD program approved at the AGM
1989
Multiple Choice examination format adopted
2001
Granted accreditation by Standards Council of Canada for ISO/IEC 17024 (Personnel Certification Body)
2005
ISO 9001 certification granted by BSI Management Systems
2008
Administered first CRST examination in March 2019
2019
Granted the 8,000 CRSP certification since 1976
2021
