Advancing the Safety Profession
Certification of Generalist OHS Professionals and Practitioners
Today
• 9.30 – 9.45 – Introduction (SIA Chair/CEO)
• 9.45 – 10.00 - Fears, Facts and Fiction (Activity)
• 10.00 – 10.30 – Why Certify?
• 10.30 – 11.00 – The Body of Knowledge
• 11.00 – 11.10 – Break
• 11.10 – 12.00 – The Certification Process?
• 12.00 – 12.30 – Discussion & remaining issues (group exercise)
WHY CERTIFY?
Issues Driving Certification
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Varied competence in the profession
Lack of clarity of knowledge required for generalist role
Inconsistent education (level, content, delivery)
Unqualified/ inexperienced working without supervision
Lack of selection criteria for consumers
Poor role clarity of generalist role
Poor professional boundaries across the safety profession
SAFESEARCH 2013
“….This industry may benefit from some form of industry based
accreditation scheme, similar to those operating in the
accounting field, so that customers can gain a level of
confidence about the consultants that they may engage”
(Victorian Workcover Authority 2004).
Legal Obligations
International law - Recommendation 161: Occupational Health Services, which calls
for organisations to have access to “sufficient and appropriate expertise” as a basic
right of all workers
Australian Law – a clear obligation for employers to demonstrate due diligence
when obtaining advice about health and safety and its management. A key element
of meeting the reasonably practicability test is demonstrating what information has
been obtained to determine what measures can be implemented to eliminate or
reduce risks.
SWA - While certification is not mandated under the model legislation, the
Australian Strategy includes an improved work health and safety infrastructure as
one of its key outcomes: this would include business having access to suitable
advice and that those providing work health and safety education, training and
advice have the appropriate capabilities
What Certification Achieves
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Certainty to consumers
Demonstration of due diligence by clients
Role recognition
Recognition of education, knowledge and
experience
Recognition of the Practitioner and Professional roles
International comparability
Current Qualifications
Safesearch 2013
THE BODY OF KNOWLEDGE
PROJECT
The OHS Body of Knowledge Project
1. Funded by WorkSafe Victoria in 2008 to ;
1. Define OHS Body of Knowledge for Generalist OHS Professionals
2. Develop and implement accreditation criteria and process for OHS
professional education programs
3. Develop a certification process for OHS professionals
Conducted in consultation across the safety profession – HASPA
HEALTH AND SAFETY PROFESSIONALS
ALLIANCE
Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists
Australian and New Zealand Society of Occupational Medicine
Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia
Safety Institute of Australia Ltd
RMIT/BALLARAT UNIVERSITY/MONASH UNIVERSITY
TRADES HALL COUNCIL (Observors)
OHS Minimum Service Standards
(2007)
• Knowledge obtained through education and industry experience
• Recent professional activity
• Able to provide referees
• Member of a professional association which requires CPD
• Familiar with OHS legislation
• Technical expertise
• Knowledgeable in contemporary risk management theory
• Commitment to an ethics process
The Body of Knowledge
Developed through consultative processes including:
• A two-day workshop attended by 40 OHS educators from across Australia
• SIA College of Fellows Professional Reference Group convened for the project
• Eight workshops conducted in all states and the ACT attended by 137 OHS
professionals
• Focus groups conducted as part of developing the Model of OHS practice,
involving approximately 30 OHS professionals.
• Expert authors and peer review
• Ongoing
• International recognition
The Body of Knowledge
The key concepts, core theories and related evidence
that should be shared by Australian generalist OHS
professionals. This knowledge will be gained through a
combination of …
education and experience.
The Body of Knowledge
• Science
• Law
• Socio-political science
• Organisational behaviour and design
• Psychology
• System design and management
• Causation
• Control
• Hazards
• Professional practice and research
Engineers
Ergonomist
Occupational
Hygienist
OHS Generalist
SYSTEMIC FOCUS
The OHS Profession
Occupational
Nurse
Occupational
Psychologist
Occupational
Physician
WORKER FOCUS
Physiotherapist
(Generalist) OHS Professional – A
specialist role
“one who applies a multidisciplinary Body of
Knowledge in a unique way to provide enterprises with
advice on the organisational arrangements that will
lead to the systemic and systematic management and
reduction of fatality, injury, disease and ill-health”
What Does a Generalist Do?
• Diagnose and identify risk profile
• Identify regulatory requirements
• Refer for specialist services
• Work with organisations as a whole
• Develop organisational OHS strategy
• Educate and support
• Provide risk management advice (specific and general)
• Monitor & report
What Knowledge Does a Generalist
Need?
• Science
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Law (OHS, industrial, contract)
Socio-political science
Organisational behaviour and design
Psychology and behaviour
System design and management
Causation
Hazards
Controls
Professional practice and research
The Certification Process
Generalist OHS Professional Certification
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Implemented by SIA as representative body for Generalist OHS Professionals
Reflecting ISO 17024 – Certification of People
Certification considers and assesses
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Experience
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Qualifications
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Capability
SIA grading assesses qualifications, experience and CPD – no capability
assessment
SIA grading does not recognise Diploma/ Adv Diploma
4 categories, not levels
Certified Roles
Certified OHS
Graduate
Tertiary qualified
No experience
Must work under
supervision
Must undertake IPD
Certified OHS
Practitioner
Certified OHS
Professional
Chartered OHS
Professional
Site based
Implementer, Oversight
and drive compliance
Effectively use a range
of OHS tools and
processes
Work under supervision
(may be remote)
Problem solvers
Systems development
Planning
Reporting
Analysis of trends
May manage others
Designer of strategy
and influential with
senior managers
High level strategic
skills
Consider broader
organisational and
social context
The Generalist OHS Practitioner - A
special note
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Certification promotes a specified role for OHS practitioners (which
is currently the situation in US and EU but not Australia)
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OHS Practitioner role is an important role in its own right, not just a
step on the way to OHS Professional
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OHS Practitioner (implementer) role requires a different set of skills
to that of OHS Professional
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Certification will be accompanied by a communication strategy
which will benefit all practitioners and professionals
Certification Criteria
Certified OHS practitioner
Certified OHS Professional
Membership
Chartered OHS Prof’snl
Of SIA
Qualifications
VET Diploma/Adv Diploma in OHS
Degree, Grad Dip or Masters
in OHS
Doctoral qualification in OHS
related area
OR
Masters in OHS
OR
Degree/ Grad Dip in OHS plus
Masters in any other
discipline
Experience
3 yrs
3 yrs
10 years org experience incl 5
yrs OHS
Evidence of capable
practice
Portfolio report
Referees
Practice report
Referees
Reflective journal
Referees
Interview
CPD
CPD
CPD
Code of ethics
Code of ethics
Code of ethics
Certificate IV Qualified?
• The SIA recognises those who have a Certificate IV in OHS but it is
seen as an entry level qualification and is not adequate for
professional certification.
• A process of recognising those with a Cert IV plus experience in a
dedicated OHS role is being considered.
• This process will bench mark against comparable international
categories.
Other Professions Working in OHS &
O/S Related Qualifications
• Each profession is responsible for certifying those working within that
professional discipline e.g.
• Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists certify hygienists
• Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia certify ergonomists
• Safety Institute of Australia certify Generalist OHS Professionals/ Practitioners
• Related qualifications will be assessed against the BoK to ensure they
have the necessary content to enable certification as an OHS
Generalist
• O/S qualifications will be assessed against the BoK plus a law exam.
International context
• USA – certification by examination (BCSP) (technical
focus)
• Canada – certification by examination (BCRSP)
(technical focus)
• UK – qualification, assessment and/or skills portfolio
(depending on qualification), interview (IOSH)
• EU – EuSafe
Who Will Assess Applications
• Pool of qualified assessors –
• equivalent of level being assessed (min professional
category)
• TAE
• Trained in process
• Appeals processes
• Assessors will be required to agree to an ethics
process
• Quality control
The Standard Certification Process
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Complete online application including
evidence of qualifications
evidence of experience
Complete practice or portfolio report (Cert OHSPract / Cert OHSProf)
Complete reflective journal (Cert ChartOHSProf)
Attend interview (Cert Chart OHS Prof)
Provide names of referees
Complete ethics declaration
Pay required fees
Transition
Administrative Transition - (available for 12 months)
• Open to all financial members as at 31 January 2015 of SIA Ltd
Requires
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Evidence of experience, qualifications
Complete ethics declaration
Pay required fees
Certification category awarded based on the above
Alternative Knowledge Assessment Exam (available for 24 months)
To enable those with significant experience (7 yrs +) with a diploma in OHS to
change their certification category from certified practitioner to certified
professional
SIA Grading & Certification
• SIA grades will remain and can be used along with certification
categories.
• Grading applications will be accepted up to 31 December 2014
• SIA grading applications will not be accepted after January 2015
• Certification is voluntary
SIA Fellows
• The Fellow Program will continue and all Fellows will retain their
Fellow status.
• The process and criteria to award Fellow status is being reviewed.
When will it start?
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Announced in March 2014
Workshops being held in Nov 2014
Financial SIA Ltd member transition commencing January 2015
(available for 12 months)
Standard applications commencing April 2015 (new members and
financial SIA members as at 31 Jan 2015 )
Alternative knowledge assessment commencing June 2015
CERTIFICATION FEES
One off fee
• Initial administrative transition = TBA (~$130)
• Initial standard application = TBA (~$450)
• Alternative Knowledge Assessment = TBA (~$1200)
Ongoing fees
• Renewal & CPD confirmation = included in SIA membership renewal
fee or equivalent fee for non SIA members.
Where are we now?
The Generalist OHS Profession can be proud that it has voluntarily
recognised the need to ensure that those working in the field have the
highest level of capability, obtained through a combination of
education and experience, to ensure the highest level of health and
safety for all Australian workers.
We can now take our rightful place as a true profession, with a clear
framework for ensuring the professions ongoing integrity, through a
process of accountability for all those who practice in it.
SUPPORT
• Formal promotion of certification to employers, regulators and unions
• The SIA is planning to deliver workshops to support applicants
prepare;
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Practice reports
Portfolio reports
Reflective journal
For the Alternative Knowledge Assessment
• Email info@ohscertification.org.au
• Go to www.sia.org.au
Group Activity
• Review the issues you identified at the beginning of the session.
• Cross out what has been addressed
• Raise what has not