The latest company to formally join BCSP's STS Sponsorship Program, Gilbane Inc., asked a few of their superintendents for their thoughts on the Safety Trained Supervisor (STS) certification.

"Obtaining the STS certification has helped me out professionally, as well as my projects in a few ways." said Joseph Martin, STS. "It is an excellent refresher course for the OSHA 30. It focuses on correcting and reinforcing good behavior on job sites, very similar to our Gilbane Cares philosophy. I would recommend that more of our superintendents and PMs obtain the Board of Certified Safety Professionals' accredited and reputable STS certification. The training is used all day every day on the jobsite and can ultimately make our jobsites a safer, more desirable place to work."

Mike Chowaniec, STS contributed his thoughts in an interview.

How has having the STS improved safety on your project?

 

"It’s another level of safety training, which enhances the quality of safety Inspections and items inspected on our project. It gives our team in the field another set of eyes and ears to work with our subcontractors reviewing JHA’s and safety plans. The STS Certification helps strengthen what is already a strong commitment to safety onsite."

 

How has having the STS helped you professionally?

 

"For the most part, we all know what is and isn’t safe. But we don’t always look at the reason of why it’s being done unsafely. The STS Certification gives you the tools to identify the root cause for an unsafe practice. Knowing the reason behind the unsafe act, allows you to address the problem correctly."

 

Recommendations to PM’s, Super’s, and others about STS?

 

"If you’re on a project, I believe it’s the next logical step in continuing our company commitment to safety. It emphasizes your personal dedication to safety, provides your team in the field another trained set of eyes and ears, and most importantly, reinforces our company wide commitment to an Incident and Injury Free environment."

 

BCSP is glad to hear that the STS certification has served these two certificants and their company well. In our commitment to advancing safety, it is always a pleasure to learn of the positive impact made through quality certifying programs.

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Regina McMichael, CSP is the President of her own consulting company, The Learning Factory. She provides a diverse set of risk management services with a focus on fun, effective training. “Some days I may be teaching a two day class on leadership skills for new safety supervisors, other days I may be writing grants, policies and procedures, and at other times I could be hosting e-learning for clients and subject matter experts,” McMichael says.

McMichael’s dedication to safety is built on experience, some quite personal -- Her decision to work as a safety professional began with the loss of her first husband, “an easily preventable loss,” she says. A young woman at the time, she used the workers’ compensation settlement she received to pursue her goals through college.

“I started as a business major, assuming that was how to impact job safety, when I saw an advertisement for the Safety and Risk Administration degree at VCU,” McMichael explained. “I knew I wanted to make a difference about jobsite safety but had no idea I could actually get a degree in the discipline, working full-time at changing companies’ and workers’ behaviors. From that point, it has been a whirlwind career of opportunities. I actually became an expert in the hazard that killed my husband. It was never my intention to do that, specifically, but the path was laid out for me it seemed.”

Online discussion with other safety professionals has made it apparent that many individuals working in the SH&E field have lost family or other loved ones in work-related accidents. “Oddly, a post on the BCSP LinkedIn group introduced me to others like me for the first time,” says McMichael. “I am saddened by what they have had to experience, but overjoyed to see adversity turned to opportunity.”

Turning adversity into opportunity is not only what McMichael and these other safety professionals have done, but what they constantly challenge everyone to do as part of their work. McMichael says she loves to teach, that “when people come up to you after the class and acknowledge that they can change and that they have a responsibility to themselves and others to be safe – it feels pretty amazing!”

McMichael achieved her CSP after she graduated from college and has maintained the certification for over 20 years. For McMichael, certification represents dedication. “It requires commitment and study, so when I meet others who are certified, especially those long out of school, I am impressed by their efforts to take that next step to the profession,” McMichael explains. “If a client asks me to help find a safety professional for their company, I always check for the designation. It matters to me, and it matters to my clients.”

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The Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) released a report this month titled A Look at the Value of Professional Certification. BCSP was happy to have its CSP certification featured in the new ICE report. BCSP has long emphasized certification's value, using the phrase "prove your value with certification" on brochures and conference material.

The report is part of a The Value of Certification Toolkit, a result of several years of work by ICE’s Research and Development Committee. It covers topics such as the increase in opportunity for certified individuals, related monetary reward, raised public opinion of companies that utilize certification, and companies' better compliance with regulations and the conditions of third-party payers.

The CSP was used primarily to illustrate the higher salaries of certified professionals compared to non-certified professionals, citing CSP's average annual salary being about $17,000 more than the salaries of those without certification.

The CSP, OHST/CLCS, CHST and STS certifications are all accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), an organization which is a component of ICE.

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People have started to recognize me from my posts to the BCSP Facebook page or the welcoming messages I send when they join the BCSP LinkedIn group. When this first occurred, at a conference, I was admittedly taken off guard. I've since started to enjoy being thought of as "the LinkedIn guy," because I've met so many friendly people and heard so many interesting stories as a result.

As the Board of Certified Safety Professionals' social media presence grows, more and more opportunities for safety professionals to share their stories have developed. We at BCSP are enthusiastically working on ways to further include you in defining the safety profession.

Beginning at ASSE's Safety 2012 Professional Development Conference, we will be recording video's of certificants' stories about how certification have helped them and their professional practice. We hope to begin doing this regularly.

I'd also like to start highlighting safety professionals who have achieved a BCSP safety certification on BCSP's blog and social media.

If you would like your share your story, reply to the LinkedIn post here with why you work in safety and why you pursued your safety certification.

I look forward to your responses.

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Oakland University, one of the select colleges offering a Qualifying Academic Program (QAP) as part of the BCSP's Graduate Safety Professional (GSP) designation process, now provides CSPs who would like to continue their education with a special offer.

Based on the fact that a CSP has knowledge of safety fundamentals, qualifying work experience, and has passed the comprehensive practice exam, Oakland University identified 22 credit hours, almost half of the course requirements for a declared major, for which a CSP may be awarded competency credit within their Occupational Safety and Health program.

These 22 credit hours are at a cost of $50 per credit, compared to the instate tuition rate of about $350 per credit and $800 per credit for out of state students. In addition, the remainder of our BS OSH degree is available online at instate tuition rates for out of state students.

This is of special relevance to CSPs who received their certification before BCSP required CSPs to have a college degree, but may also be of interest to individuals who would like to emphasize their knowledge on a specific subject of study offered by the university.

More details on the program can be found on the website for Oakland University's Occupational Health and Safety Program.

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The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) is accepting nominations for the First Annual Award of Excellence, which recognizes the exceptional safety practice of individuals who hold CSP, OHST, CLCS and CHST certifications. All applicantions can be either self nominated or by peers. All nominating documents and details can be found on the BCSP website at www.bcsp.org/awardofexcellence.

The award ceremony will take place at the ASSE Safety 2012 Conference's Wednesday lunch, June 6, 2012 from 12:00-1:30 at the Colorado Convention Center, Denver, Colorado. All award winners will receive their award medallions and long time certificants will receive recognition with distinctively designed pins.

BCSP will be accepting nominations until March 31, 2012 -- Nominate here.

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BCSP hosted the new Board Member orientation January 23, 2012. Mark Friend, J. Terrence Grisim, and Bruce Guiliani visited the BCSP headquarters in Champaign, Illinois to prepare for their year in Board positions. Rixio Medina, Vice President of the Board, was on hand to lead the process.

The new Board Members met with staff to go over how they would interact with individual areas within BCSP. They were brought up to date on current Board activities. The majority of the visit consisted of reviewing the process of Board responsibilities including; legal, governance, certification, finance and budget, marketing and business development. The meeting was capped off with a lunch with the staff and a visit from the United Way of Champaign County acknowledging the contributions of the staff of BCSP.

     
From left to right: Mark Friend, Ed.D, CSP; J. Terrence Grisim, CSP, CDS, CPSM, ARM; Bruce Guiliani, CSP, CET, CIT; Daniel Fuqua, CSP, P.E., CPCU, ARM

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As part of your promotion of safety in 2012, consider taking advantage of BCSP's tabletop display system.

Tabletop displays are a great way get noticed, share your expertise 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 -- all at no cost to you.

If you would like to request a display, fill out a Tabletop Display Request form and email it to Colan Holmes. As the schedule fills up quickly, we ask that you request materials six to eight weeks prior to an event.

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The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) is hosting its annual ASSE kids' poster contest, in which children ages 5-14 illustrate the importance of safety through artistic expression. Contest winners receive prizes and are recognized in Washington, D.C. during the opening events of North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) week, May 6-12, 2012.

Contest rules, as well as the top placing posters from 2011, can be found at ASSE's Kids Safety-On-The-Job 2012 Poster Contest webpage.

Young safety advocates have until February 14, 2012 to submit their designs -- it's time to start drawing! BCSP looks forward to seeing the contest winners' new ideas, always presented in such brilliant colors.

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BCSP has been spreading cheer throughout the community this year.

We donated to the Honor Flight program, contributed to the fight against breast cancer, gave to our local food bank and are working on a project for United Way.

Yesterday, Anne Price, Kathie McMaster and Rose Amacher delivered presents staff had purchased for several young children to the local crisis nursery.

All of us at BCSP enjoy working on these projects together. It's part of our wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year.

 

 

See our goofy holiday photo on the BCSP Facebook Page.

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