What Does
Registered Safety Professional Mean?
A registered safety professional is an occupational health and safety professional whose credentials and expertise have been certified by a recognized accrediting organization, such as the U.S. Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP).
The specific title used by a registered safety professional varies and depends on the organization through which he or she was accredited.
Safeopedia Explains Registered Safety Professional
Because different organizations are linked to different national jurisdictions, a variety of specific titles may be held by an individual considered to be a registered safety professional. The term may also be used formally to refer to the “Registered Safety Professional” designation provided by the International Society of Safety Professionals (ISSP).
Individuals referring to themselves as a registered safety professional do not necessarily hold qualifications of equal value or that represent equal levels of expertise, as the requirements for certification vary between accrediting organizations. The most widely recognized accreditations are all certified to meet ISO 17024, an international consensus standard that imposes minimum requirements for accreditation programs.
Widely recognized credentials include the Certified Safety Professional designation, which is offered by the BCSP, the Charter Member IOSH designation, which is offered by the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH, UK), and the Canadian Registered Safety Professional designation, which is offered by the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP). In lieu of the latter designation, some BCRSP-accredited professionals style themselves as a “Certified Registered Safety Professional.”
The BCSP, IOSH, and BCRSP all maintain memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with each other. These provide individuals who are registered with one organization with a streamlined path to apply for membership in the others. By contrast, individuals with the ISSP’s RSP designation are not entitled to a streamlined application process, as the RSP designation is not widely recognized by other accrediting bodies.
Employers may draw upon the skills of registered safety professionals to ensure that they are complying with various regulatory requirements and as a means of demonstrating that they have met their general duty to provide a safe work environment. Accrediting organizations also work directly with OHS authorities to help promote safe work practices. For instance, OSHA has previously allied with the BCSP to co-develop various workplace safety guidance documents.