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Certified Safety Management Specialist (CSMS)
Frequently Asked Questions
For the Safety Management Specialist Certificate & the Certified Safety Management Specialist (CSMS)
What is the difference between a Certificate program and a Certification (Certified) program?
- A certificate is a document presented at the end of a training program to indicate attendance
- Certification is a designation from a professional certifying agency earned by completing a test, exam or other evaluation tool
What is a CSMS? The CSMS is a certification based upon the Safety Management Specialist Certificate that has been taught by the Safety Center Incorporated since the mid 1990s. The CSMS can only be obtained by those persons who have completed the twelve-day certificate program. The CSMS is a means for full and part-time safety people to acquire a certification based upon one standard body of Knowledge.
Why should I obtain a CSMS designation?
- Confidence
- Credibility
- Competitive Advantage
- Skill Development
- Personal Satisfaction
- Recognition
Who should take the CSMS exam?
- People whose job includes responsibility for workplace safety and health
- Anyone who would like to develop, improve or maintain an effective safety program
- Anyone who wants to advance their career.
What classes should I take first if I am new to the field of safety management? It is recommended that people start with Establishing a Successful Safety Program or Selling Safety. These classes are part of the Core Safety Certificate, which helps to provide a foundation for having an effective safety program for your organization.
Do I have to take these courses all in one year? No, the time for completing the Safety Management Specialist Program and the CSMS exam are open ended so that participants can fit classes into their busy schedules.
How often are classes held?
- Core Safety Certificate course (3 classes over 3 days) is offered four times a year
- Technical Safety Certificate and Management Safety Certificate (3 classes over 3 days for each certificate) are available twice a year.
- Instructor Safety Certificate (1 class over 3 days) is offered twice a year.
- CSMS Exam is offered four times a year
Do I have to take all of the classes to be eligible to sit for the CSMS exam? Yes, the twelve-day Safety Management Specialist Program must be completed before you take the CSMS exam.
Can I attend just some of the classes? Yes, the classes are designed as stand-alone training sessions for you and members of your staff.
Are there any education and or experience prerequisites required? No formal education and/or work experience is required to participate in the Safety Management Specialist courses. To obtain a CSMS designation, the 12-days of instruction from Safety Center must be completed.
Does the CSMS designation require periodic re-certification? No, the CSMS is a lifetime designation. It does not require costly ongoing education and there are no annual re-certification fees.
Are the Safety Management Specialist courses available online? No, most of the classes have an interactive format that cannot be delivered effectively through an online program. The in-person approach has an additional benefit in helping participants build a network within the safety community that can assist them in achieving their personal and professional goals.
Can I receive Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for these courses? Yes. Upon completing each day’s course, participants receive a certificate with .6 CEUs. At the completion of the entire Safety Management Specialist Certificate, participants will have received 7.2 CEUs.
Are there any discounts? Yes, there is a discount if the entire twelve-day program (10 classes) is paid for in advance. This does not include the CSMS Exam Fee or Study Manual.
If I do not pass the exam, can I take it again? Yes, for a “re-take fee” the exam can be taken again.
Is CSMS in competition with national certifications such as Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)? No, the national certifications require examinees to have a certain level of formal education, a certain number of years in a specified career, a high level of knowledge in some very sophisticated topics and the national exams have application fees and annual maintenance fees, plus the costs of taking courses and attending seminars to maintain the certifications.
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