Chair's Message Fall 2022

Welcome to the fall edition of the Message from the Chair

IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility) Task Force 

The Chair of the IDEA task force attended the 2022 Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) conference and participated in diversity and inclusion sessions. BCRSP is in the process of reviewing and implementing the best practices from this conference. It is very encouraging to be able to participate and gain insights to emerging issues in the realm of IDEA. 

To date the IDEA Task Force has completed the following:
•    Added territorial acknowledgement to the BCRSP website
•    Recommended a modification to the values statements for the BCRSP that was approved by the governing board at the September 2022 meeting
•    Commenced a review of documents and policies from an IDEA lens
•    Joined the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) as a non-aboriginal supporter member
•    Regular social media posts highlighting different IDEA related topics or events
•    Completed a board matrix with the support of the Governance Committee on the diversity of the Board

Follow up to the 2022 Annual General Meeting 

Many of you asked important questions during the 2022 June AGM. Thank you for your active participation and insightful questions. Going forward, in order to ensure accuracy, and to enable follow up when needed, we will be asking that you include your name in the virtual chat function during the AGM. Starting with the 2023 AGM, all questions and answers received during the meeting will be posted on a Q&A forum on the BCRSP website. We will not publish identities.

Watch for more information on this at the 2023 AGM, scheduled for June 19, 2023. 

International Focus

At the beginning of October, the BCRSP participated in the International Network of Safety and Health Professional Organizations (INSHPO) meeting in Barcelona, Spain.  This was the first in-person meeting for INSHPO in over 2 years. A lot of promising work was completed, including a comprehensive review of the OHS Professional Capability Framework. The review of the Framework included input from the INSHPO member organisations as well as a review of other feedback received since the Framework was published in 2017. The input data has been collected and is being collated and consolidated for final review and approval.

INSHPO Member Representatives Meeting in Spain
INHSPO Meeting, Barcelona, Spain

 

The INSHPO board participated in the first INSHPO-AEPSEL Technical Scientific Meeting where countries from around the world shared the requirements for OHS certification or regulation, the range of roles performed by OHS professionals and the education requirements in their respective countries. This session was attended by representatives from around the globe including INSHPO members NZISM, BCSP, AIHS, NEBOSH, AEPSAL, IOSHM, CSSE, BCRSP, ROSPA, ASSP, and other representatives from Latin America, Africa, and Europe. It remains important for BCRSP to be an active member on the international stage to ensure we are aware of emerging issues and best practices, as well as to highlight the Canadian safety profession. 

Promoting the Profession

I was invited to discuss the topic of Ethics with the Ontario Municipal Health & Safety Professionals Association (OMPHSA). This topic is vitally important to ensure that all members that make up the OHS ecosystem are not only aware of the ethical requirements but that they are also practicing within their scope of work. If you would like to have the BCRSP present this topic to your association or workplace, please reach out via email to mycrsp@bcrsp.ca. 

Protecting Your Certification

A reminder to certificants to protect your certification and issued certificate from fraudulent access. Posting an image of your certificate online can lead to theft of your certification. BCRSP has seen instances where certificates have been modified in photoshop and presented as evidence of certification to an employer. It is safer to use your digital badge as an electronic representation of certification as it can be verified by clicking on it.  A reminder also to employers to always verify credentials with the issuing organisation. 

Partnerships

The BCRSP and Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygiene (CRBOH) continue to meet and review opportunities for collaboration. We are currently reviewing the examination blueprints for each organization to determine where competencies are the same and where differences exist. This analysis will help everyone to understand the differences between the scope of work for the two certification bodies. 

Governance

The Governance Committee has been working diligently under the leadership of the Committee Chair, Mark Fernandes to develop a template of required competencies for Board members. All governing board members completed a competency survey, the results of which were reviewed during the September Board meeting. The matrix is being used to highlight capabilities and competencies that are needed and will be incorporated in the Expression-of-Interest for new governors and executive members. 

Committee Updates

BCRSP would not function without the hard work and dedication of the volunteers that make up the many operational and corporate committees, and task forces. September through November the following committees that have met, or will be meeting include the Qualifications Review Committee, Communications Committee, CRSP Examination Committee, CRST Examination Committee, Item Review Committee, Item Bank Maintenance Committee, Certification Development Advisory Task Force, Accreditation Task Force, Finance Committee, and the Governance Committee.  Thank you to all the volunteers who contribute to the success of the BCRSP.  If you would like to express interest to be a BCRSP volunteer, please complete a volunteer expression of interest form.  

Virtual Item Writing Workshop

BCRSP held a virtual item writing workshop at the end of October, and we had over 75 certificants register to participate in the item writing process. Thank you to all of you who took part. 

On behalf of the BCRSP, I wish you happiness and a safe journeys.

Robin