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o achieve CMIOSH status is one
THE KNOWLEDGE OPINION
of the highest goals for many IOSH VS BCSP
OSH professionals. However,
Tfor Claire Wells – who has spent
recent years working in both the UK
and the US – it was important to have
respected professional certification that PROCESSES
originated on both sides of the Atlantic.
‘I undertook my IOSH Chartered
membership in 2017. I submitted a
portfolio that looked at risk management We speak with Claire Wells CMIOSH
and identifying different hazards, and I about how achieving Chartered
could use these examples to demonstrate
Member status with IOSH
the improvements that I had made,’
compares with being a certifi ed
she says.
‘The process finished with a peer- safety professional in the US.
review interview. At the time, it involved
going to IOSH HQ in Leicestershire and WORDS MATT LAMY
interviewing with three or four panel
members. I was asked OSH technical
questions, I spoke about my CV, what I had
done up until that point, and what I was
going to do moving forwards.’

Living in America
Shortly after achieving CMIOSH status,
Claire worked for three years in the US
before returning to the UK. Then, in April
2023, she headed to the US again to work
as an environment, health and safety
(EHS) officer – she has recently been
promoted to EHS director – at the Desert
Research Institute in Las Vegas.
‘I actually started my certification
with the BCSP [Board of Certified Safety
Professionals] before heading out to the
US this time. That was all done completely
online, with modules featuring videos
with instructors talking through different
safety topics. Those videos are anything exam. In the case of CSP [certified safety minded than the CMIOSH process (see
from 30 minutes to 90 minutes, so it professional] certification, you have five IOSH and BCSP – how they compare,
demanded some time,’ Claire says. and a half hours to complete the exam and overleaf), Claire said it shone a light on
While engaging with the online there are 200 multiple-choice questions. the underlying factors that have gone into
resources is mandatory, applicants are Once you’ve submitted your answers, you forming the US’s slightly different health
also encouraged to do their own reading find out immediately whether you have and safety culture.
around the subjects and test themselves passed or not.’ ‘The CSP’s focus on regulations, not
with past exam questions before taking just health and safety but environmental
the certification exam. Regulation not litigation as well, really helped me to understand
‘It’s very different from IOSH. I had to While the focus of the CSP certification what the US government is aiming IMAGE: GETTY
go to an exam centre where I did an online process is perhaps more technically towards and the wider health and safety

20 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 | IOSHMAGAZINE.COM

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