BCSP Viewpoints: Know what to look for when hiring a safety pro

Hiring the right safety professional can seem like a challenging task. It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between candidates. So, it’s important to keep a few principles in mind as you conduct your search, identify candidates and navigate the hiring process.

To start, make sure your job announcement is consistent. Any listed experience and qualification requirements should match the position for which you’re hiring. Like all occupations, safety positions can range from entry level to executive. Listing director-type qualifications for entry-level positions, or vice versa, will only confuse candidates. For instance, the Certified Safety Professional credential requires four years of safety experience. Listing the CSP as a requirement for an entry-level position will eliminate even highly talented young pros who might be a great fit simply because they haven’t yet worked long enough to obtain it.

Certifications are important indicators of competence, though, and should be prioritized if they’re properly aligned with the job type. The Board of Certified Safety Professionals, for instance, offers a total of eight certifications designed for various levels of experience, education and job responsibilities. Other highly respected certifications for safety pros include the Certified Industrial Hygienist from the Board for Global EHS Credentialing and the Certified Hazardous Materials Manager from the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management. For BCSP certifications, you can validate a job seeker’s certification through the BCSP Credential Holder Directory at directory.bcsp.org.

You’ll want to ensure any certifications listed on a candidate’s résumé are accredited, meaning they’ve been validated by an impartial third-party for their quality and standards. Each of the certifications listed in the directory is accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board, the largest multidisciplinary accreditation body in North America. You can confirm a certification’s accreditation status by searching the ANAB directory for Personnel Certification Bodies.

Another way to identify candidates who are dedicated to growing in their careers and continually learning is to prioritize those who are active in professional organizations. Participation in professional organizations demonstrates a candidate’s desire to stay up to date on best practices, as well as learn from other safety pros.

To give yourself the best chance to attract quality candidates who are dedicated to their careers, make sure the salary listed in your job description matches the qualifications you’re seeking. Good safety pros have often invested heavily in education, training, professional development, certification and more. They’re an extremely valuable asset to any organization because of their ability to both protect people and enhance operational efficiency, and they’re typically compensated as such. BCSP and the National Safety Council annually survey safety pros for an industry Salary Survey, which can give you an idea of optimal salaries based on a variety of qualification types.

Once you’ve finalized the right qualifications and salary, how can you find the right candidate? You may want to use job boards provided by a variety of industry leaders. Posting your job on the BCSP Career Center, the NSC Online Career Center and Job Board, and a variety of others can help you attract qualified candidates. Then, it’s a matter of conducting your interviews and hiring the right fit for your organization.