WASHINGTON -- The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are joining forces to advance safe and more healthful American workplaces.

BCSP signed an Alliance today that begins a collaborative effort with OSHA to encourage safety professionals to continue to strive for enhanced knowledge of safety and health programs and to educate those same professionals on how to achieve the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) designation.

"Strengthening the professional expertise of safety professionals through outreach and education is extremely important to advancing safety practices in this country," said OSHA Administrator John Henshaw. "By working with BCSP, we can enhance the educational tools available to professionals and others and promote the value of safety in the workplace."

Added BCSP President David Herbert, CSP: "BCSP is pleased to be joining with OSHA in the Alliance to build awareness of, to promote, and to encourage safety professionalism. A key objective through this Alliance is to develop information on the specific skills, knowledge, abilities, and processes that permit safety professionals to contribute most effectively to excellence in safety and health performance in the workplace."

OSHA and BCSP will work together to provide information and guidance regarding the value of safety and health professionalism and accredited certifications, including the CSP designation. Both organizations will also review and share the results of the Board's studies to define a job performance metrics for safety and health professionals. Safety curricula will be developed that could be incorporated into training and education courses, including those offered by OSHA's education centers.

The development of joint research objectives and projects are on tap that could link the elements of safety professionalism to the enhancement of the safety and health profession. OSHA and BCSP will also exchange information regarding case studies and lessons learned by employers and individuals resulting from improving safety professionalism and attaining safety and health accredited certifications.

OSHA and BCSP will participate in forums and roundtable discussions on improving safety and health practices and professionalism, and will encourage safety and health professionals to assist in the mentoring of individuals interested in accredited professional certification. Finally, both organizations will speak, exhibit or appear at conferences or workshops and use print and electronic media, including websites, to disseminate information on safety and health certification.

BCSP is a nationally accredited peer certification board authorized to award the CSP designation. The Board evaluates safety professionals' academic and professional experience and qualifications and administers examinations.