CHSC Maintenance Program

Overall Requirements for Maintaining your Designation

Membership in good standing with the CSSE
Continued proof, on an annual basis, of professional liability insurance (minimum of $1 million) or employer's indemnification
Evidence of activities within a 100-point Maintenance Program, undertaken during continuing five-year cycles, demonstrating on-going involvement and growth in the safety profession (an audit of 5% of submissions on a random targeted basis will be performed by the CSSE)
Deadline for completion of the 5-year maintenance program is December 31st of the fifth year of the cycle (CHSCs are encouraged to enter maintenance activities on an on-going basis rather than wait for the fifth year deadline)
$50 Maintenance Administration Fee payable at the end of the five-year maintenance cycle

Important Information

Maintenance Activity Areas and the Point System

Points are assigned to professional activities in three key areas:

Continuing Education (a minimum of 20 points out of the 100 point minimum requirement)
Professional Practice (a minimum of 30 points out of the 100 point minimum requirement)
Leadership and Volunteer Activities (no minimum requirement, points may assist in reaching the 100 point minimum requirement)

Information about each key area, plus the point criteria, is summarized in the sections below.

Continuing Education

Minimum 20 Points of the overall minimum 100 point requirement

Criteria

Continuing Education (CE) generally relates to OHSE professional development or training, but is not meant to exclude professional development intended to enhance the capabilities or attributes or role of an OHSE professional in providing service to his or her employer, OHSE colleagues, or clients.

Continuing Education (CE) activities may be used to maintain other designations in addition to the CHSC and vice-versa.

Activities may include attending seminars, workshops and conferences, and courses (including individual courses towards attaining a recognized certificate or professional designation, diploma or degree or other post-secondary education, whether full-time or part-time). Continuing Education (CE) may include webinar participation and other on-line training or education. Minimum length of any continuing education activity is three hours.

Guidelines for CE Points

1 instructional/contact hour = 1 point
Minimum event time is 3 hours, i.e., 3 points (although a professional development module delivered in two or more connected sessions totalling at least 3 hours is allowable)
A full day is generally considered to be 8 hours (e.g. 9 am - 5 pm) = 8 points
A full university or recognized college program when completed is deemed to be 300 hours = 300 points (individual course completions may be claimed for partial points)
10 additional points each for the CRSP, CHRP, and CSP designations when earned after the CHSC was awarded

Documentation requirement

Each Continuing Education (CE) activity must be accompanied with one or more appropriate document(s). The documents must:

Identify the provider and/or facilitators
Describe the event or program delivered
Indicate the start and end dates, and hours involved
Provide evidence of the CHSC’s participation and/or successful completion or examination

Professional Practice

Minimum 30 points of the overall minimum 100 point requirement

Criteria

Professional Practice (PP) involves active practice in the safety profession either employed within a business, industry, or government or providing OHSE advice as an external consultant to such entities. There must be a minimum of 50% role responsibilities or position duties (or minimum of 900 hours in a year) related to OHSE.

Partial years with one or more employers may be claimed.

Guidelines for PP Points

Each full year of professional practice (50% or more OHS duties) = 10 points
Partial years with one or more employers may be claimed, e.g., 6 months = 5 points

PP Documentation Requirement

Each employment practice must be accompanied with one or more appropriate document(s). The documents must:

Identify the employer, or if an external consultant the name of the company providing consulting services and proof of its existence
Describe the CHSC’s role or duties or responsibility and attest to the percentage of time assigned to those responsibilities, 50% or more to full-time
Attest to the start and end dates of employment

Leadership & Volunteer Activities

Minimum 0 points of the overall minimum 100 point requirement (LVA points may be used in addition to the minimum point requirements for Continuing Education and Professional Practice to reach 100 points)

Criteria

Leadership and Volunteer activities are unpaid activities outside of the CHSC’s professional work or employment which contribute to the betterment of the OHSE profession and his or her colleagues’ careers.

Possible leadership and volunteer activities include such involvement as chairing and/or serving on OHSE related association and professional organizations, boards of directors, committees, task forces, etc., authoring or publishing (books, magazine or journal articles), presenting safety-related topics at conferences, institutes, etc., mentoring such as presentations at high school/college career nights, study groups, etc.

On-going teaching, for which one is paid, does not qualify for Leadership & Volunteer Activity, but rather would be included in Professional Practice.

Guidelines for LVA Points

Each OHS-related volunteer position = 5 points/year
OHSE Association/Professional Organization Executive/Committee Member = 5 points/year
Author or Publisher of OHS-related paper or article in public media = 5 points
Presenting an OHS-related topic = 5 points
Author or Publisher an OHS-related text = 20 points
Developing an OHS-related university or college-level course = 20 points
Providing OHS-related mentorship: 1 instructional hour = 1 point
Serving as a CHSC Auditor = 5 points

LVA Documentation Requirement

Each leadership/volunteer activity must be accompanied with one or more appropriate document(s). The documents must:

Identify the organization, group, or individuals involved
Describe the CHSC’s leadership or volunteer role
Identify the start and end dates of the activity
Attest to the CHSC’s involvement and commitment