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Frequently
Asked Questions
As
an ohs&e professional, why should I pursue the CRSP designation?
What
are the minimum eligibility requirements for making application
for the CRSP designation?
Is
the minimum eligibilty criteria changing?
I have an old application, may I still use it to
make by submission to the Board?
How often are the study guides and Examination Blueprint
updated?
Do I have to have a high school diploma to be eligible?
How does BCRSP determine ohs&e professional practice/related
experience?
What are the steps to applying and receiving the CRSP
designation?
How long does the entire process take?
Are there deadlines for submitting an application
to BCRSP?
Are foreign applications considered for the CRSP designation?
How soon after immigrating to Canada, may I apply
for certification?
Once I obtain the CRSP designation, what is required
to maintain the designation?
What are the costs associated with obtaining the
CRSP designation?
Are there any circumstances when the examination
requirement is waived?
Does the BCRSP offer examination preparatory courses?
Does the BCRSP have a recommended list of texts which
may be used in preparing to write the examination?
As an ohs&e professional, why
should I pursue the CRSP designation?
The
ohs&e profession is becoming more and more competitive. You
may set yourself apart from others in your field with certification.
It can make a remarkable impact on your career path.
The
CRSP certification is considered a benchmark in the ohs&e profession
and the designation of choice for Canadian ohs&e safety professionals.
A
majority of employers prefer or require applicants for ohs&e
positions to hold the CRSP, particularly for mid-career or senior
positions. CRSPs also receive the best opportunities for career
advancement and are sought for their expertise.
What
are the minimum eligibility requirements for making application
for the CRSP designation?
- The
minimum requirements are
- the
applicant must have high school graduation or equivalency*,
- the
applicant must be currently employed in an ohs&e function
where ohs&e activities/responsibilities comprise greater than
50% (minimum of 900 hours per year) of the applicant's time, and,
- the
applicant must have at least three continuous years of ohs&e
experience immediately prior to making application.
*For candidates who do not have a high school graduation diploma,
equivalency is considered if a high school equivalency certificate
is obtained from a provincial ministry/department of education.
Alternatively, the Board will accept as high school equivalency,
candidates who have successfully completed a full year's program
in any discipline at a college or university (usually in the range
of 10-12 credit courses).
Is
the minimum eligibility criteria changing?
The
Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP) has announced
that it will be raising the minimum formal education requirement
for certification.
Effective January 1, 2009, all applicants must, as a minimum, have
successfully completed either:
- a
one (1) year college or university certificate or diploma program
in occupational health, safety or environment or,
- a
two (2) year college or university non-occupational health, safety
or environment certificate or diploma program.
In
announcing this change, Board Chair, David Clark, stated, “The
issue for the Governing Board has always been when and how, not
if, we were going to raise the formal education bar. The vast majority
of current applicants for the Canadian Registered Safety Professional
(CRSP) designation have a college diploma or undergraduate university
degree. While this change may create a challenge for potential applicants
with only secondary school graduation, the Board believes that the
expanding field of occupational health, safety and environment requires
Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) candidates to respond
to this change. We believe that an implementation date of January
1, 2009 provides a sufficient window of opportunity for those wishing
to make application for the designation.
I
have an old application, may I still use it to make by submission
to the Board?
Old applications
(issued prior to 2004 with Factors 1 through 9 rather than the current
application that has only three Factors) will be accepted by the
BCRSP up to the December 23, 2005 application deadline. After December
23, 2005, old applications will be returned for resubmitting using
the new format.
If you have
an old application, you may e-mail the BCRSP and request the new
version of the application. Once it has been confirmed in the Board's
database that you have previously purchased the Guide to Registration,
you will be e-mailed an electronic copy of the application form,
professional practice questionnaire and professional reference questionnaire.
How
often are the study guides and Examination Blueprint updated?
The Board, through
the Certification and Examination Committee, has a program to update
a minimum of two study guides (domains) each year. In 2005, the
Law and Ethics (LE) and Occupational Health Safety and Environment
Systems (OES) study guides (domains) will be reviewed and revised.
In addition, a new study guide is being developed on Occupational
Health and Safety Auditing (AUD). In 2006, the Health Promotion
(HP) and Safety Techniques and Technology study guides (domains)
will be reviewed and revised. In 2007, the Accident Theory (AT)
and Risk Management (RM) study guides will be reviewed and revised.
In 2008, the Environmental Practices (EP) and Occupational Hygiene
(OH) study guides will be reviewed and revised. In 2009, the Ergonomics
(ERG) and Fire Prevention and Protection (FPP) study guides will
be reviewed and revised.
If you have
purchased the Guide to Registration within the past five years,
you may contact the BCRSP office to receive a copy of the revised
study guides at no charge.
The Examination
Blueprint is scheduled to be updated every five years following
the administration of the Survey on the Competencies Required of
Certified Safety Professionals in Canada. Updates of the Examination
Blueprint will be posted to the BCRSP's web site, included with
the Guide to Registration and the CRSPEX Candidate Handbook.
Do
I have to have a high school diploma to be eligible?
Yes,
a CRSP candidate must meet one of the following educational
requirements:
- high
school graduation or
- high
school equivalency certificate or
- completion
of a full year's program at a college/university
How
does BCRSP determine ohs&e professional practice/related experience?
The
Qualifications Review Committee (QRC) evaluates each job position
to determine whether it is accepted as professional safety experience.
In order to qualify for certification, (1) The position
must be full time. (2) The ohs&e function must
be greater than 50% (minimum of 900 hours in a year) of the listed
position duties - the position's responsibility must be
the prevention of harm to people, property and the environment,
rather than the responsibility for responding to harmful events.
(3) The position must be at a professional level.
This is determined by evaluating the responsibilities, activities,
and reliance by peers, employers, or clients on the person's ability
to defend analytical approaches used in professional practice and
the recommendations made for controlling hazards through engineering
and/or administrative approaches. (4) The position must have
a broad scope of duties. This is determined by evaluating
the variety of hazards about which a candidate must advise and the
range of skills involved in recognizing, evaluating and controlling
hazards.
What
are the steps to applying and receiving the CRSP designation?
- The
process begins with a request to the BCRSP for a "Guide
to Registration". The Guide contains an overview of the
certification process, study guides (domains) based on the examination
syllabus, examination blueprint, and, the application. The cost
of the "Guide to Registration" is $79.50 ($75.00 +
6% GST) for the CD-ROM version or $132.50 ($125 + 6% GST) for
the hard copy version.
- Candidates
prepare the application form (Factors 1 through 3) and submit
two copies along with one copy of supporting documentation and
the application fee of $450.50 ($425.00 + 6% GST) to the BCRSP
office. There is a schedule of application deadlines identified
in the Guide to assist the candidates with applicable timelines.
- Each
application receives an initial review by the Qualifications Review
Committee (QRC). This committee meets four times each year to
conduct a review of applications. Following this review, applications
are forwarded to Regional Screening Centres (RSC) across Canada
(there are currently 31). However, if the applicant does not meet
the minimum criteria, has not submitted the appropriate documentation,
or the QRC requires clarification of the applicant's qualifications
(this usually relates to formal education and/or related experience),
the applicant is advised, in writing, as to what is required and
this information/documentation must be supplied to the QRC before
the application may proceed.
- The
Regional Screening Centre personnel are responsible for conducting
candidate interviews. These interviews are conducted to verify
the candidate's information, clarify any questions raised by the
QRC's review, and allow the candidate the opportunity to present
additional information (in most cases, this will be related to
professional development completed since the application was submitted
to the BCRSP).
-
The Regional Screening Centre personnel, following a successful
interview, will recommend that the candidate be permitted to proceed
to the examination stage.
- Examinations
are scheduled for May and October. Examinations may only be
written at established Regional Screening Centres across Canada.
Candidates who do not receive a passing mark are permitted up
to three rewrites of the examination. The re-examination fee
is $106.00 ($100.00 + 6% GST).
- The
names of the successful examination candidates are forwarded to
the Governing Board with a recommendation from the Qualifications
Review Committee that they be granted the CRSP designation.
- Upon
approval of the Governing Board, applicants are advised of their
certification number, must complete and have witnessed the Code
of Ethics, and submit pro-rated dues for the current year
before they are entitled to use the CRSP designation.
How
long does the entire process take?
Candidates
should expect the process to take from six months to a year or
more and certainly longer if additional documentation/clarification
is required after the initial review process or if re-examination
is required. Once candidates have completed their interview and
are recommended by the Regional Screening Centres, they are granted
a two year window in which to write the examination for the first
time. Candidates may request, for a fee of $106.00 ($100.00 +
6%GST), a one time, one year extension should they be unable to
schedule the examination writing within the initial two year period.
Are
there deadlines for submitting an application to BCRSP?
Application
Deadlines, Qualifications Review Committee (QRC) Meetings, Regional
Screening Centre (RSC) Interviews, Examination Dates
Applications
Must be received by |
For
QRC meeting scheduled for |
RSC
interviews to be completed by |
Examination
scheduled for |
Mar
23/07 |
Apr
11/07 |
Aug
31/07 |
Oct
13/07 |
Jun
1/07 |
Jun
20-21/07 |
Aug
31/07 |
Oct
13/07 |
Oct
19/07 |
Nov
1/07 |
Mar
21/08 |
May
3/08 |
Dec
21/07 |
Jan
9-10/08 |
Mar
21/08 |
May
3/08 |
Mar
21/08 |
Apr
02/08 |
Aug
22/08 |
Oct
4/08 |
May
30/08 |
Jun
11-12/08 |
Aug
22/08 |
Oct
4/08 |
Oct
17/08 |
Oct
30/08 |
Mar
20/09 |
May
2/09 |
Dec
22/08 |
Jan
7-8/09 |
Mar
20/09 |
May
2/09 |
Mar
20/09 |
Apr
1/09 |
Aug
21/09 |
Oct
3/09 |
May
29/09 |
Jun
10-11/09 |
Aug
21/09 |
Oct
3/09 |
Oct
16/09 |
Oct
29/09 |
Mar
19/10 |
May
1/10 |
Dec
18/09 |
Jan
6-7/10 |
Mar
19/10 |
May
1/10 |
Mar
19/10 |
Apr
7/10 |
Aug
20/10 |
Oct
2/10 |
May
28/10 |
Jun
9-10/10 |
Aug
20/10 |
Oct
2/10 |
Are
foreign applications considered for the CRSP designation?
Yes.
However, foreign applicants must be prepared to make a minimum of
two visits to Canada as part of the application process. One for
the Regional Screening Centre interview and a second to write the
CRSPEX.
If
the first writing of the examination is unsuccessful, foreign applicants
will have to arrange subsequent visits to Canada for re-examination
purposes.
How soon after immigrating
to Canada, may I apply for certification?
As long as the minimum requirements are met,
including current employment in an ohs&e function, applications
may be submitted at any time.
Once I obtain
the CRSP designation, what is required to maintain the designation?
All CRSPs (except those who have been reclassified
as 'non-practicing') are required to participate in the BCRSP's
Certification Maintenance Program (CMP). Information on the CMP
is provided to each new CRSP. It requires CRSPs to maintain an individual
record of ohs&e activities and when requested, to submit worksheets
to the Board claiming CMPs for Academic Activities, Examinations
and Additional Qualifications, and, Professional Pursuits.
The CMP is based on the calendar year and begins January 1 following
the year in which the designation is obtained.
CRSPs must also pay an annual registration fee of $132.50 ($125.00
+ 6% GST).
What are the costs associated
with obtaining the CRSP designation?
Guide to Registration: $ 79.50 CD-ROM; $132.50
hard copy
Application fee: $450.50
Re-examination fee: $106.00
Extension of examination writing period: $106.00
Annual registration fee: $132.50
Are
there any circumstances when the examination requirement is waived?
No. The examination became mandatory for all
applicants on January 1, 1982.
Does the BCRSP offer examination
preparatory courses?
No. However, there are a number of organizations
that offer "Examination Preparatory Courses". While none
of these courses is endorsed/accredited by BCRSP, nor is enrollment
in any of these courses a prerequisite for pursuing the designation,
BCRSP provides interested persons with contact information for these
organizations (click on "Preparatory
Courses").
Does
the BCRSP have a recommended list of texts which may be used in
preparing to write the examination?
RECOMMENDED REFERENCE
BIBLIOGRAPHY (Revised to January 1, 2006) The
following texts have been recommended by the Board’s Certification
and Examination Committee for use by candidates preparing to write
the CRSPEX. Prices are approximate and subject to change by the
publisher without notice. Prices do not include taxes or shipping
charges.
Accident Prevention
Manual for Business and Industry, 12th Edition, Administration
and Programs, National Safety Council, PO Box 558, Itasca, IL
60143-0558, ISBN 0-87912-212-9, Product number12153-0000 (www.nsc.org)
$145.00 US
Accident Prevention
Manual for Business & Industry, 12th Edition, Engineering
and Technology, National Safety Council, PO Box 558, Itasca, IL
60143-0558, ISBN 0-87912-213-7, Product number12154-0000 (www.nsc.org)
$145.00 US
Disability Management:
Theory, Strategy and Industry Practice, 2nd edition, Dianne Dyck,
ISBN 0-433-43955-6, Butterworths, 75 Clegg Road, Markham, ON L6G
1A1 (www.lexisnexis.ca/bookstore/bookstoreinfo.php?pid=494)
$95.00 CDN
Fitting the
Task to the Human, 5th Edition, K.H.E. Kroemer and E. Grandjean,
Taylor and Francis (www.tandf.co.uk/books/default.html),
click on “Ordering” and follow the instructions, ISBN
0-7484-0665-4, or, National Safety Council, PO Box 558, Itasca,
IL 60143-0558, Product number12051-0000 (www.nsc.org)
$90.00 US
Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene, 5th Edition, National Safety
Council, PO Box 558, Itasca, IL 60143-0558, ISBN 0-87912-243-9,
Product number 15148-7000 (www.nsc.org)
$165.00 US
Health, Safety
and Environmental Management Systems Auditing, Gene Marie Shematek,
Paul MacLean, Peter Lineen, LexisNexis Canada Inc., 700-123 Commerce
Valley Drive, Markham, ON L3T 7W8, ISBN 0-433-43114-8, (www.lexisnexis.ca/bookstore/bookstoreinfo.php?pid=21)
$99.00 CDN
Occupational Health and Safety Law: Study Guide (course materials
for OHS/COHS 208), send cheque payable to “Ryerson University”
in the amount of $85.17 CDN (includes taxes, shipping and handling)
to the School of Occupational and Public Health, Ryerson University,
350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3 (416-979-5154)
Practical
Loss Control Leadership, Revised Edition, Frank E. Bird, Jr.,
and George L. Germain, ISBN 0-88061-054-9, Burnell & Associates,
PO Box 43070, Calgary, AB T2J 7A7 (www.managingrisk.ca)
$105.00 CDN
The Fire Safety
Management Handbook, 2nd Edition, Daniel E. Della-Giustina, Ph.D.,
American Society of Safety Engineers, 1800 East Oakton Street,
Des Plaines, IL 60018-2187, ISBN 1-885581-23-8, Order #4398 (www.asse.org)
$60.00 US
TLVs® and
BEIs® - Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances and
Physical Agents and Biological Exposure Indices, ISBN 1-882417-49-6,
Publication number 0103. Published annually by the American Conference
of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), 1330 Kemper Meadow
Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45240 (www.acgih.org)
$40.00 US
Text prices, availability, and publisher are subject to change without
notice. Texts must be ordered directly from the publisher - they
are not available from the BCRSP office.
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