Why did you decide to pursue a CRSP Certification?
In 1978, I was working for the Alberta Government as one of the first batch of OH&S Officers. It was pretty obvious to me that I had a great deal to learn about OH&S and it seemed to me to be a good way to force myself to learn what I didn’t know.
How did you find out about the Certification?
I first heard of the CRSP designation at a Calgary Chapter of the CSSE meeting. The “buzz” was about applying for a “grandfathering” of the limited time offer of a CRSP designation before it was too late.
How long have you had your Certification and why do you still maintain it?
I had missed the opportunity to be grandfathered into the Certification. So, in 1985 I was happy to challenge myself to prepare and write the CRSP Examination. In early days, the exam was in two parts: Multiple choice in the morning then long answer case studies in the afternoon. One of the longest days of my life but certainly a rewarding one. I can’t imagine a time when I won’t want to be a CRSP. It’s good for me, it’s good for my clients and frankly, it opens a lot of doors. Being one of the growing number of Professionals and Technicians dedicated to helping create safe workplaces for our fellow humans is extremely rewarding.
If you could give some advice to someone about why they should be a CRSP, what would you tell them?
I meet and chat with candidates for the CRSP and CRST designations almost daily. My advice is simple:
- Preparing for the examination will make you much more valuable to your employer and/or clients than you are before you start to prepare to challenge the examination.
- You have no idea what you don’t know until you take on this challenge.
- The designations force you to commit to continuous and life long learning. That’s a very good thing to commit to.