Canada's top safety title - the Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation - is about to become a bit harder to get. Following a decision by the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP), the educational and work experience requirements for attaining CRSP designation will be raised on July 1, 2018 in an effort to enhance the standing of Canadian safety professionals.

According to the BCRSP website, countries such as the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and various EU member states currently have more stringent requirements in their occupational health & safety certification schemes. Said Paul Andre, chair of the BCRSP, "We are continually benchmarking internationally with like organizations to ensure the progression of the profession, and the changes to the certification scheme here in Canada is keeping pace with our partners from abroad."

The BCRSP, acknowledging that stringent CRSP eligibility requirements may deter safety professionals from seeking the "gold standard" designation, has created a new type of certification with lower requirements - the Canadian Registered Safety Technician (CRST). According to OHS Canada, "The difference between the two designations is that a CRSP designs, leads and manages an organization’s safety-management system, while a CRST is responsible for implementing those safety protocols." The first CRST examination will take place in 2019.

Click here for more information, including specific details of the upcoming eligibility changes as well as commentary from Canadian safety professionals.