The economy is on everyone's mind, including those who work in the safety profession. In workplaces, at conferences, and across social media, safety professionals are discussing challenges they face protecting people's safety as budgets contract.

Safety, humorously, is often defined by what it is not. It is thought of as the absence of accidents. We find this funny because we know that it takes a considerable amount of work to prevent harm and injury. When resources are scarce it is important that decision makers also understand accidents are prevented by very real precautions and practices that safety professionals advocate.

In economic terms, it is estimated that investment in a good safety program returns four to six dollars for every dollar spent in its promotion. But what does safety look like?

Safety is efficient. By employing safety professionals an organization is employing specialists who ensure their team members' work remains uninterrupted and focused. By preventing accidents and injury through workplace training and the reporting of hazards, safety is also dependable. It is the achievement of planned goals and the completion of projects on schedule. Finally, safety is considerate. Those who demonstrate a commitment to safety often see an increase in workplace morale as well as engagement in the identification of potential issues before those issues become major problems.

Just as it is important to define safety by what it is, rather than what it is not, it is also important to define safety professionals by their achievements. BCSP is proud to make safety expertise visible through our accredited certifications.

In 2012 we will be expanding our efforts to recognize outstanding achievements in the SH&E profession. BCSP will be hosting an awards luncheon honoring top safety professionals from each of our certification programs at the June 2012 ASSE Professional Development Conference in Denver, Colorado. You can expect to see nomination forms for these awards soon.

Until then, I hope you enjoy our enewsletters.

In this issue you will find stories on the accomplishments of certified safety professionals, articles on organizations committed to building a strong safety culture, and news regarding new or improved ways to achieve certification.

Enjoy the Fall season!

A quick glance at the annual percentage of those applying for safety certifications shows that women are dedicating their lives to the safety field in greater numbers every year.

In an effort to give us a better idea of who these women are, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and Women in Safety Engineering (WISE) are releasing a book titled 100 Women, Making a Difference in the Safety, Health and Environmental Profession.

BCSP anticipates the books release, looking forward to learning about the unique experiences of the individuals profiled as well as what role certification bodies have had, and can have, in the lives of outstanding women safety professionals.

Heather Earl, CSP

"I am absolutely honored to be recognized in the 100 Women in Safety publication," says Heather Earl, CSP. Earl works as the Manager of Safety Services for the Magic Kingdom® Park at the Walt Disney World Resort. She let BCSP know she and Jennifer Zipeto, CSP, a colleague of hers who works as Senior Safety Services Manager Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, would be featured in the book. "When I look at the list of honorees, I am amazed at being included with such dynamic, brave, and smart women," Zipeto adds.

Zipeto works in safety because it is a profession that is both fulfilling and helpful to others. "I like the satisfying feeling at the end of the day knowing that I helped people to stay safe, to go home to their families and come back to work

Jennifer Zipeto, CSP

the next day," she says.

Earl says an experience at a college internship drove her to safety. She was shadowing a safety manager in the sugar industry when they had to respond to a very serious ATV incident. "I immediately understood the consequences:  that employee would never be the same again, not be able to provide for his family again, not be able to relate to other human beings in the same way again after suffering a traumatic brain injury," recalls Earl. "When I realized I could have a career whose success would be measured in preventing incidents like that, I was hooked - what could be more rewarding than that?"

Both Earl and Zipeto are excited to welcome more women to the safety profession. They are also excited to know more women are pursuing certification.

"In a profession still dominated by men having your CSP helps others understand that, regardless of gender, you know what you are talking about, you are a professional and an expert in the field of safety," says Zipeto. "Having my CSP has opened doors for me."

"By all means, pursue certification," adds Earl. "Find a mentor.  Know it is attainable.  You will have to study and work for it, but it will be well worth the effort! I wanted my CSP as soon as I learned about it in college, but I had to gain the required amount of experience to become eligible.  I find the CSP to be the 'gold standard' among dozens and dozens of possible safety credentials and certifications.  I wanted to be recognized as the best of the best in my profession."

Through accredited certification, BCSP is proud to play a part in recognizing the skills of these new leaders.

Flatiron is one of BCSP's Diamond Class STS Sponsors, having assisted 250 individuals in achieving STS certification. This year alone, the construction company has had 33 members become STSs.

Members of Flatiron's construction team finish a bridge.

"Safety is about protecting our most precious resource -- the people who perform the work for this company every day," says Flatiron's Marketing and Communications Manager, Christie DeLuca. "Safety is always at the forefront of everything we do, and all employees know that safety should be their priority. This is not just something we say, it is how we do business."

Flatiron has made it mandatory that all Executives of the company be STS certified and it is expected that professionals in division, or region, management positions gain the certification too.

The company has always held safety as a value and, when they saw their incident rates hovering at the national average in 2007, they decided that "normal" was not good enough. That same year Bob Dice, CSP, joined the Flatiron team. Now retired, Dice left an impressive imprint on the organization.

"When I think of Bob I always think of how he is a driven, no-nonsense kind of person when it comes to safety," says Tom Rath, a colleague of Dice's at Flatiron. "He did not care who or where you were, he would bend over backwards to work with you." Dice strongly promoted a unique safety culture for Flatiron and was fully supportive of the drive to empower the field through education. He pushed education hard - in particular the STS certification of superintendents. He helped to develop an original STS boot camp-style prep course that got Flatiron's program rolling. It is now a part of the new hiring process for superintendents and the company is beginning to prepare foreman for certification.

"Dice served as a mentor to the safety managers who desperately needed leadership at the time," recalls Vicky Hoyt, Flatiron's Western Region Safety Manager. "He pushed all the safety managers to get the Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST) certifications as a minimum bar and we can still reach him by phone, even when he's fishing. Many of us go all the way, for the CSP. He introduced us to a network of individuals that share his level of experience and commitment in the safety industry that have been instrumental in helping the Flatiron team take the lead in authentic safety culture change."

Bob Dice retired in the summer of 2011. BCSP remembers him as a strong advocate of certification who has held the CSP for over 20 years. Flatiron shares respect for him as an integral figure in their company's creation of an exceptional safety culture. They seek to carry on his work in what they do and who they are.

In 2012, BCSP will hold an inaugural Awards Luncheon at ASSE's Safety 2012 conference. Watch for more information on awards, qualifications, and applications. We are excited at the opportunity to recognize the achievements of our certificants.

As part of the American Society of Safety Engineers' (ASSE) 100th Anniversary celebration, Samuel J. Gualardo, CSP, was honored with the Society Fellow Award.

Mr. Gualardo is a faculty member at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana, PA. He serves as the Director for the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Consultation Program for the State of Pennsylvania. He is currently the Past President of the Board of Certified Safety Professionals' Board of Directors. Additionally, he has held positions as Director of Corporate Safety and Health for Niagara Mohawk Power, Manager of Safety and Health for Metropolitan Edison, and Manager of Safety at Hershey Foods USA.

Mr. Gualardo has been a member of the BCSP Board of Directors since 2005. He was nominated as Vice President in 2009 and became President in 2010. His term with the BCSP Board of Directors will end in December 2011. Mr. Gualardo noted that "BCSP certificants serve to raise the level of competency and professionalism in the SH&E profession, increasing its credibility among business leaders, government officials, and society." He feels increasing competency and professionalism also increases the stature and force of ASSE in the global SH&E arena.

BCSP Executive Director, Thomas Adams said, "Sam Gualardo has served the safety profession in a myriad of ways over many years. Some of his most important contributions have come as an officer on the Board. He will leave a legacy of leadership in defining the profession."

Gualardo's drive to not only ensure the safety of workers where he was given responsibility, but to advocate for workers safety generally, resulted in his being recognized as an exceptional safety professional. Safety management systems of his design are used by various organizations throughout the world today.

The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) and National Environmental Safety and Health Training Association (NESHTA) have agreed to an acquisition of all interest in NESHTA's certification programs administered by the Certified Environmental, Safety and Health Trainer Board of Certifications (CETBOC) by BCSP.

The acquisition by BCSP of all interests of NESHTA in CETBOC, would result in more effective certification of individuals engaged in improving the safety of human beings through professional training. The acquisition will allow BCSP and NESHTA to enhance the shared missions and goals of both organizations' certification programs.

Thomas Adams, Executive Director of BCSP, said, "BCSP's Board believes that the delivery of educational content in the SH&E field is increasing in difficulty at the same time demand for trained safety professionals is increasing. The student needs to be assured that the individual providing the training is knowledgeable in adult education specific to the field."He also stated, "The CET and CIT certifications are a good fit with the existing BCSP family of certifications. We expect that there will be a number of current holders of BCSP certifications who will be interested in holding dual certifications with the CET or CIT." Once the acquisition is complete, NESHTA will become the 8th sponsoring membership organization for the BCSP.

Rick Richardson, Executive Director of NESHTA said "Our goal of excellence in training in the SH&E career field will be well served through affiliation with BCSP, whose certifications are considered to be the gold standard in the industry."

More information on what BCSP is working on regarding the NESHTA certifications was provided by Adams in an interview which can be read on BCSP's Blog.

BCSP has added a new Qualified Academic Program (QAP) to the Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP) program. The Bachelors of Science degree in Aviation Safety Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach obtained program accreditation from the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) in February 2011. Their spring 2011 graduates will be the first class to be awarded the GSP designation.

"ABET and AABI accredited degree programs meet a rigorous review and maintenance process to ensure graduates receive an exceptional level of safety and health knowledge," said Michelle Sutherlin, BCSPRecertification and GSP Coordinator. "Graduates from these programs enter the safety profession with a base of knowledge similar to ASPs who have passed the Safety Fundamentals Examination and we like to recognize their accomplishment."

In October 2008, the BCSP Board of Directors approved the AABI accreditation as a second program accreditation allowed for GSP QAPs. Embry Riddle is the first university to achieve AABI accreditation for a safety degree. The first program accreditation approved for GSP QAPs is Applied Science Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET-ASAC).

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Now, those who have CSP, OHST, CLCS, CHST or STS certifications can earn credits toward their Recertification by reading articles offered by Workplace HR & Safety and taking an associated quiz.

For each eLe@rn quiz passed, BCSP offers Recertification points equal to 0.01 times the number of questions on a quiz. 

eLe@rn sends two quizzes per month by email, plus one bonus quiz in December. The eLe@rn system automatically generates your score and confirmation. It's that easy.

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Questions? Contact Amy Lehr or call +1 800-793-4209.   

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CSP 2011 Anniversaries