What is an SMS? If your first thought is a text message then you probably haven’t heard of the new safety designation.
The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) recently announced that their Safety Management Specialist (SMS) certification will finally come to light after over a year in the making, with the final form being released by July 31, 2017.
A panel of subject matter experts was involved in developing the new certification. Panel members outlined what their industries would require from an SMS. Their involvement in the development phase included things like job task analysis, item writing, score panels and participating in the examination.
More than 1,000 safety professionals sat for the beta exam between March and May 2017. SafeStart’s Senior Safety Consultant and workshop presenter Danny Smith was among them and he recently received word that he achieved his designation. “It’s pretty cool because it allows an opportunity for folks like me with a number of years of safety experience to obtain a higher profile designation,” Danny proclaimed.
A BCSP designation demonstrates safety management competency, and proven knowledge demonstrated through education and examination—typically a BCSP designation identifies the most highly trained, educated and experienced individuals in the industry.
According to the BCSP, some SMS activities include “defining and utilizing an organization’s safety management systems; risk management; incident investigation and emergency preparedness; maintaining current knowledge of safety, health, and environmental (SH&E) concepts; and identifying the business case for safety.”
The requirements to achieve the SMS designation include:
- Work in the occupational health or safety field with a minimum 35% of job tasks related to safety management, processes, procedures or personnel.
- Have 10 years occupational health or safety experience.
- Must pass SMS examination.
Visit the BCSP website for more information on this new designation that will help shape organizations to achieve safer workplaces.