Why Many Safety Professionals Pursue Dual Certifications

In 1969, the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) was founded as a peer-operated certifying organization.  Shortly thereafter, the BCSP began offering the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certification.  Since then, thousands of safety professionals have gone through the CSP program.
 
In 2003, the Institute for Safety and Health Management (ISHM) was formed as a credentialing organization founded by the National Safety Management Society (NSMS).  The ISHM promotes the establishment of professional standards for the profession and recognizes safety and risk management professionals who, through demonstrated professional experience and the passing of a comprehensive exam, have met ISHM’s requirements for mastering the safety management body of knowledge.  Today, the ISHM administers the Certified Safety and Health Manager (CSHM), Associate Safety Health Manager (ASHM) and Certified Safety Management Practitioner (CSMP) programs.
 
Both of these organizations have worked diligently to advance the safety profession and many safety professionals hold dual certifications from both the BCSP’s CSP and the ISHM’s CSHM programs.  Although there is an overlap between the two certification programs, there are also clear distinctions that make both programs a valuable asset to certification holders.

 “In most circumstances a good safety professional is typically a good safety manager and vice versa,” reported Jan Rosenberg, ISHM’s Treasurer who holds multiple certifications.  “However, there are distinct differences in the CSP and CSHM programs. The CSP demands a high level of environmental, health and safety technical knowledge while the CSHM is focused on one’s ability to apply EHS improvement skills to operations. The CSP requires in depth command of EHS engineering principles and the CSHM requires command of a broad range of management related skills such as communication, human resources and business principles in addition to technical EHS knowledge.  The blueprint for the CSP exam focuses on identifying, assessing and managing risk.  The CSHM’s exam blueprint is focused on EHS management improvement systems – planning, implementing, managing and correcting issues.  Additionally, the CSP is highly skilled at the EHS fundamentals of safety, industrial hygiene, environmental and security while the CSHM is highly skilled at employing management related knowledge and skills for EHS improvement in a business environment.  Because both programs provide valuable credentialing to safety professionals and safety managers, many people in the industry today hold both certifications.”
 
To learn more about the Institute for Safety and Health Management or the CSHM, ASHM and CSMP programs, please visit http://www.ISHM.org, email info@ISHM.org or call (877) 201-4053.
 
About the Institute for Safety and Health Management
The Institute for Safety and Health Management is the premier credentialing organization that promotes the establishment of standards and recognition of safety and risk management professionals.  Through the ISHM’s certification programs, Certified Safety and Health Manager (CSHM), Associate Safety Health Manager (ASHM) and Certified Safety Management Practitioner (CSMP), it promotes the advancement of safety management through the application of management principles and the integration of safety into all levels and activities of management. 

Contact Information

Larry Curtis

Executive DIrector

ISHM

(1) 928-344-5221

manager@ishm.org