Consulting Skills for the OH&S Professional

Course Description

Consulting Skills for the OH&S Professional is a two-day course that is highly recommended for both internal and external occupational health and safety consultants. It will provide an understanding of, and practice in, the application of professional consulting skills in the context of OH&S practice.

This course reviews the functions and roles of a consultant; describes the phases of the consulting process; examines the processes of engagement, contracting and needs assessment; provides a conceptual and practical examination of client-consultant interactions and dynamics; reviews client motives and purposes for retaining consultants; and provides instruction in aspects of project and practice management through a case study approach. The course has a strong practical component.

Course participants will be able to:

• identify the qualities and attributes of an effective consultant
• describe the functions and roles of an internal or external consultant in six phases of the consulting process
• examine client-consultant interactions and dynamics and model effective processes of engagement and contracting
• implement effective marketing of consultant services to clients and employers
• develop a cost appraisal of setting up an independent consulting practice
• manage on-going self-appraisal and client evaluation strategies

Course Examination

The course exam is provided to participants by email within five business days of course completion. Participants have 4 weeks from the release date to complete the exam, along with a Statement of Independent Completion. The exam deadline is final. Only documented emergencies will be considered by the CSSE as extenuating circumstances for any written request for extension. Please note that delays in opening the exam after delivery, new or added work requirements, and holidays/vacations are not considered extenuating circumstances.

Successful completion of CHSC courses requires completion of a CHSC Exam with a minimum 75% standard. Exams require 10-24 hours of additional time commitment beyond in-class time for the student to demonstrate mastery of the course expectations.

Candidates who fail to successfully challenge a course exam on three separate occasions will be withdrawn from the CHSC program.

•   Meet the Instructor

  Matthew Allen has held various global Executive roles in the Consulting, Assurance and Professional Services fields, most recently leading SAI Global’s 500 person Assurance & Risk Management division for the Americas as President. Matthew is a Professional Chemical & Materials Engineer in Canada (P.Eng.) and Certified Health & Safety Consultant (CHSC) with over 20 years' engineering consulting and risk management experience in the areas of environmental, health & safety, regulatory compliance, sustainability, pollution prevention, hazardous materials, infrastructure, spills and forensic engineering.

  Matthew has a Bachelors and Masters of Chemical Engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada and has served as a Naval Officer. Matthew has spoken and published internationally on EH&S, risk management, chemical stewardship and food safety topics. Matthew is an active national instructor of Consulting Skills and Applied Risk Communication with the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE). Matthew was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario and currently lives in the Toronto area where he is an active outdoorsman, dog lover, (slowly) developing rhythm and blues musician, hobby farmer and father to 3 busy teenagers.

Course Credits

• CSSE has awarded this course 16 CHSC Maintenance Points.