Key Ideas from the Management Safety Certificate
By Bob Lapidus, CSP, CSMS
The Management Safety Certificate is the fourth series of classes in the Safety Management Specialist Certificate. Taken by students who are studying for the Certified Safety Management Specialist (CSMS) designation and others who simply want to take these practical and information-packed courses, these three one-day courses give students the opportunity to learn about creating safety management programs that make a difference, and that seek to prevent serious losses. Key points to ponder from these critical courses are:
Point to Ponder #1: Be Open To Doing More Than Just Occupational Safety & Health
In today's ever increasing technological society, advisors need to have expertise in a variety of subjects so they can assist management in preventing losses, reduce loss exposures, and comply with governmental regulations. The field of risk control is very broad including many subjects, all of which pose a threat to the organization.
Today you may be involved in preventing occupational injuries and illnesses and complying with Cal-OSHA standards, but tomorrow you could be given other responsibilities in the field of risk control. Other duties could include security, environmental compliance, fire prevention and protection, general liability, auto liability, and possibly even product liability. Each of these subjects gives you the opportunity to expand your skills and knowledge in the field of risk control and allows you to be open to these new possibilities.
Point to Ponder #2: Make Safety Performance Matter on a Moment to Moment Basis
Safety should be an integral part of what managers, supervisors and employees do. Safety management specialists provide the advisory support needed to help the line people in the organization achieve overall safety success. Safety is not something that is placed on top of what we do, but rather, safety is inseparable from everything we do.
Our goal in the field of safety management is to make safety performance matter at all times, not just occasionally. Working with managers, supervisors and fellow employees to become aware of this fact is a long-term process, but worth every minute of time to achieve this level of safety.
Point to Ponder #3: It Takes Creativity to Solve Safety Problems
Creativity is the ability to look at the ordinary and see the extraordinary, and every act can be a creative one. Think about these ideas:
- Creativity is a matter of perspective
- There is always more than one right answer
- Reframe problems into opportunities
- Break the pattern; seek new ways of solving your problems
- Train your technique; keep learning
- Really care about preventing accidents
Bonus Point to Ponder:
The Safety Management Specialist Certificate is a worthy program to further your safety education. You will learn new success paradigms, problem-solving tools, and gain new knowledge while confirming things you already know. Attaining the Certified Safety Management Specialist (CSMS) designation will enhance your safety credentials and once you obtain it, the certification is yours for the rest of your life without any ongoing costs to keep it.
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