Top 10 Occupational Health & Safety Certifications for EHS Leaders

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Invest in your career with these Top Certifications for Safety Professionals:

CSP - Certified Safety Professional

The Certified Safety Professional (CSP) Certification is the "Gold Standard" for the Safety Professional. Covering a broad range of EHS concepts, this certification carries some prestige within the world of occupational safety. Having the "CSP" credential behind your name shows competency and credibility as a safety professional. No matter what industry the safety professional is in (construction, general industry, etc.), this certification should be one that a safety professional strives to attain over the course of their career. It is the premier certification in the safety profession.

The Certified Safety Professional Exam is for safety professionals who perform safety tasks for at least 50% of their duties, including performing risk assessments, conducting audits and inspections to assess potential hazards, identifying and evaluating hazard control measures, preparing emergency response plans, and investigating incidents.

The requirements of sitting for the CSP Exam include:

• Bachelor's degree

• Having four years of work experience where safety is at least 50% of the duties

• Having a prerequisite qualification credential of BCSP, including the Associate Safety Professional (ASP), Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), and more.

The exam covers nine main domains, including:

• Advanced Science and Math

• Management Systems, Risk Management

• Advanced Application of Safety Concepts

• Emergency Preparedness/Fire

• Prevention/Security

• Occupational Health and Ergonomics

• Environmental Management Systems

• Training and Education

• Law and Ethics.

The application fee is $160, and the exam fee is $350.

Individuals are provided 5.5 hours to complete 200 multiple choice questions on the CSP Exam.

Find everything you need to prep for the CSP Exam: CSP Prep

ASP – Associate Safety Professional

The Associate Safety Professional (ASP) Certification is for novice safety professionals with at least one year of experience who possess a bachelor's or associate degree. Candidates must demonstrate a broad scope of EHS knowledge when taking this exam. Many safety professionals take the ASP exam as a prerequisite for the CSP. ASP is for safety professionals who perform safety tasks for at least 50% of their duties, including performing risk assessments, conducting audits and inspections to assess potential hazards, evaluating control measures for hazards, preparing emergency response plans, and investigating incidents.

The requirements for sitting for the ASP Exam include:

• Bachelor's degree in any field or an associate degree in safety, health, or the environment

• Having one year of work experience where safety is at least 50% of the duties

The exam covers nine main domains, including:

• Advanced Science and Math

• Safety Management Systems

• Ergonomics

• Fire Prevention and Protection

• Emergency Response Management

• Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Health

• Environmental Management

• Training/Education/Communication

• Law and Ethics.

The application fee is $160, and the exam fee is $350.

Individuals are given 5 hours to complete 200 multiple choice questions on the ASP Exam.

Find everything you need to prep for the ASP Exam: ASP Prep

OHST - Occupational Hygiene and Safety Technician

The Occupational Hygiene and Safety Technician (OHST) Certification is for people with a least three years of safety experience who perform occupational hygiene and safety activities on a full-time or part-time basis as a component of their normal job functions. This certification would show credibility for a safety professional who does not possess a bachelor's or an associate degree. Duties include assessing the work site for potential hazards, evaluating controls for those hazards, investigating incidents, and preparing emergency response plans.

The requirements for sitting for the OHST exam include:

• Working part-time or full-time in occupational health and safety (minimum of 35%) with duties that require technical skills and knowledge in occupational health and safety

• Having three years of experience in occupational health and safety

The exam covers seven main domains, including:

• Fundamental Math and Science and Business Calculations/Analysis

• Safety, Health, and Environmental Programs & Risk Management

• Hazard Identification and Control

• Health Hazards and Basic Industrial Hygiene

• Emergency Preparedness, Fire Prevention, and Security

• Organizational Communication and Training/Education

• Ethics and Professional Conduct

The application fee is $140, and the exam fee is $300.

Individuals are given 4 hours to complete 200 multiple choice questions on the OHST Exam.

Find everything you need to prep for the OHST Exam: OHST Prep

CHST – Construction Health and Safety Technician

The Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST) certification is geared towards competent safety and health professionals who work either full-time or part-time on construction job sites and are committed to preventing construction illnesses and injuries. These individuals have at least three years of work experience in construction health and safety. This certification would show competency for a safety professional in the construction industry who does not possess a bachelor's or an associate degree.

The requirements for sitting for the CHST Exam include:

• Working part-time or full-time in construction health and safety (minimum of 35%) with duties that require technical skills and knowledge in construction health and safety

• Having three years of experience in construction health and safety

The exam covers four main domains, including:

• Hazard Identification and Control (includes Health Hazards)

• Emergency Preparedness and Fire Prevention

• Safety Program Development and Implementation

• Leadership, Communication, and Training

The application fee is $140, and the exam fee is $300.

Individuals are given 4 hours to complete 200 multiple choice questions on the CHST Exam.

Find everything you need to prep for the CHST Exam: CHST Prep

CIT – Certified Instructional Trainer

The Certified Instructional Trainer (CIT) Certification is for individuals with experience and knowledge in creating, designing, and teaching safety, health, and environmental training. This certification is for individuals in every industry, including general industry, construction, and the oil & gas industry. An individual who obtains the CIT may not only be a trainer of environmental, health, and safety topics but may also be a Supervisor, Manager, or Director.

The only requirement to sit for the CIT exam is a minimum of 135 hours of developing, designing, and teaching in any Safety, Health, and Environmental topics in any industry.

The exam covers eight main domains, including:

• Communication and Interpersonal Skills

• Needs Assessment

• Course Design

• Course Development

• Course Implementation

• Trainee Evaluation

• Course Evaluation

• Ethics in Training

The application fee is $140, and the exam fee is $300.

Individuals are given 2 hours to complete 100 multiple choice questions on the CIT Exam.

Find everything you need to prep for the CIT Exam: CIT Prep

STSC – Safety Trained Supervisor Construction

The Safety Trained Supervisor Construction (STSC) certification is for individuals who work in the construction industry who may or may not have a degree. They are Jobsite leaders and are knowledgeable about safety regulations but may not have safety as their primary responsibility. This certification could be for superintendents, foremen, supervisors, managers, directors, and executives. Duties of STSC candidates include maintaining safe working conditions on construction sites, ensuring regulatory compliance, providing safety training, job hazard analysis, and managing the corrections of safety hazards.

The requirements for sitting for the STSC Exam include:

• 30 hours of Environmental, Health, & Safety Training

• Two (2) years of supervisor experience; or four (4) years of work experience related to construction; or an associate degree or higher in occupational safety, risk management, or construction management; or completion of a two (2) year trade or union training program/apprenticeship

The exam will involve five (5) main domains, including:

• Safety Program Implementation

• Hazard Identification and Control

• Health Hazards and Basic Industrial Hygiene

• Emergency Preparedness and Management

• Leadership, Communication, and Training

The application fee is $120, and the exam fee is $185.

Individuals are given 2 hours to complete 100 multiple-choice questions on the STSC exam.

Find everything you need to prep for the STSC Exam: STSC Prep

STS – Safety Trained Supervisor

The Safety Trained Supervisor (STS) Certification is geared towards individuals who work in various industries such as general industry or oil and gas. They are leaders in their organization who are responsible for their workers' health and safety but may not have safety as their primary responsibility. This certification would be beneficial for supervisors, managers, directors, and executives. STS individuals' duties include maintaining a safe and healthy workplace, ensuring regulatory compliance, providing safety training, identifying and controlling hazards, managing the corrections of safety hazards, and communicating with safety specialists.

The requirements for sitting for the STS Exam includes:

• 30 hours of Environmental, Health, & Safety Training

• Two (2) years of supervisor experience; or four (4) years of work experience in any industry; or an associate degree or higher in occupational safety, risk management, or construction management; or completion of a two (2) year trade or union training program/apprenticeship

The exam will involve five (5) main domains, including:

• Safety Program Implementation

• Hazard Identification and Control

• Health Hazards and Basic Industrial Hygiene

• Emergency Preparedness and Management

• Leadership, Communication, and Training

The application fee is $120, and the exam fee is $185.

Individuals are given 2 hours to complete 100 multiple-choice questions on the STS exam.

Find everything you need to prep for the STS Exam: STS Prep

SMS- Safety Management Specialist

The Safety Management Specialist (SMS) Certification is for individuals with at least ten years of safety and health experience in any industry who do not have a degree. Candidates for the SMS Exam are usually managers who apply safety knowledge on a full-time or part-time basis. Duties include participation in the organization's safety management system, managing incident investigations, identifying and controlling hazards through risk management, preparing emergency action plans, and recognizing and implementing the business case for safety.

The requirements for the SMS exam include:

• Working part-time or full-time in occupational, health, and safety with a minimum of 35% of duties including managing safety-related programs, policies, people, and/or processes

• Ten (10) years of experience in health and safety

The exam covers five (5) domains, including:

• Management Systems

• Risk Management

• Safety, Health, and Environmental Concepts

• Incident Investigation and Emergency Preparedness

• Business Case of Safety

The application fee is $160, and the exam fee is $350.

Individuals are given 4.5 hours to complete 200 multiple-choice questions on the SMS exam.

Find everything you need to prep for the SMS Exam: SMS Prep

CHMM – Certified Hazardous Materials Manager from Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM)

The Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) certification is for individuals who are knowledgeable about the management of hazardous materials and hazardous waste. Individual’s tasks include planning for and managing hazardous materials emergencies, identifying, assessing, and mitigating hazardous materials risks, analytical sampling of wastes, and site investigation and remediation.

The requirements for the CHMM exam include:

• A bachelor’s degree

• Four years of experience with hazardous materials management

The CHMM Exam covers twelve (12) main domains including:

• Planning for Materials with Hazards

• Shipping and Transporting Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Materials

• Store Materials with Hazards

• Facility Operations Involving Materials with Hazards

• Disposition of Materials with Hazards

• Recordkeeping and Reporting

• Training Personnel

• Response and Recovery

• Remediation

• Management Systems

• Environmental Studies

• Health and Safety

The application fee is $175 and the exam fee is $360.

This exam allows the individual 3 hours to complete 140 multiple-choice questions.

Find everything you need to prep for the CHMM Exam: CHMM Prep

CIH – Certified Industrial Hygienist from American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH)

The Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) certification is for individuals who have vast knowledge and experience in Industrial Hygiene (IH) topics. Candidates of the CIH exam should have skills and education in air sampling, IH program management, risk management, identifying and controlling hazards, engineering controls including ventilation, and analytical chemistry.

Requirements to sit for the CIH exam include:

• Bachelor’s Degree in biology, chemistry, engineering, physics or an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredited program in industrial hygiene or safety

• Several years of experience

The exam covers three main domains including:

• Exposure Assessment Principles and Practice

• Control Selection, Implementation, and Validation

• Risk Management

The application fee is $150 and the exam fee is $350.

The exam allows an individual five hours to complete 150 multiple-choice questions.

Find everything you need to prep for the CIH Exam: CIH Prep

Learn More about Top Certifications for Safety Professionals