During the past several years, state legislators, and administrators of regulatory agencies in different states throughout the country have debated safety and health issues. The central issue primarily focuses upon and galvanizes around those who deliver or provide such services, the safety professional. These discussions and debates, when reaching a final analysis and conclusion, have invariably addressed the competencies, credentials, education, experience, and continuing professional development of these persons.
These initiatives have significant impact on safety professionals if/when they are promulgated. The vast majority of ASSE members are aware of these very significant public policy proposals and their impact on the safety profession
This presentation will follow the outline below:
Background on some key state proposals
Basic outline and considerations.
Key aspects to be considered.
Title Protection versus licensing - is there a difference?
ASSE response to initiatives.
Potential impacts, both positive and negative.
What safety professionals can do to prepare, if/when the standards/rules are promulgated.
Potential timelines.
Relationships to other state initiatives.
Final insights.
Question and Answers
State Activities (available in full paper).
There is at this very moment a national debate taking place on whether or not the federal government should be able to utilize third party consultants when reviewing a company/organization for compliance with existing safety and health regulation/legislation. The focus of the debate appears to be on the qualifications of the safety and health professionals who would be doing these consultations. The point has already been made, at the highest levels of the U.S. government, that third party consultations are an avenue which should be pursued. There appears to be an implied guarantee that if such a concept is ever implemented, safety and health professionals, who are professionally credentialed, will be included. Those who do not possess these credentials could be either excluded or forced to take several examinations and fill out numerous forms.
In some ways, the current debate addressed above is similar to what is going on in many areas of the United States. Discussion appears to be revolving around three (3) key points. 1.) Is the designation of CSP a true measure of a safety professionals basic competence? 2.) Should the Society be actively pursuing title protection initiatives in the different states? 3.) Is the Society pursuing a course of action that may more appropriately be handled by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals?
To the above questions the answer is accordingly: "Yes", the CSP is apparently considered to be the "Benchmark" for many safety professionals as measured by most organizations in the private and public sectors. "Yes", the Society should be pursing title protection in the states, as it is in the best interests of the entire profession. And "Yes", we should be actively pursuing issues which could also be addressed by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.
