How to obtain your CRSP^® designation

BCRSP® exams are held three times per year in February, May and October over a 10-day window.

The Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP®) is the national standard for practicing occupational health and safety professionals. The CRSP® designation denotes technical accomplishment and professional practice.

CRSP® tools and resources

The following briefly describes the tools and resources available to help you navigate the maze of applications, study group participation, preparation courses and other useful resources.

To obtain your CRSP® designation, you must pass the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP®) exam. This exam contains approximately 200 multiple-choice questions, which must be answered within a three and a half hour period. The exam follows the 2020 BCRSP blueprint.

To be allowed to write the BCRSP® exam, you must apply and be approved by the board. Approval of your application is based on the total number of points earned from work experience, education and training completed.

The BCRSP requires that applicants have:

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree (4-year) in any field OR a 2-year diploma (or certificate - minimum of 900 hours or 60 credits) in occupational health and safety or a closely related field from a recognized academic institution.
  
  
• At least four (4) years of experience where occupational health and safety is at least 50% preventative, professional level with breadth and depth of health and safety duties.

The process

For more information about the CRSP® designation and the requirements, please visit the BCRSP website. The following are a few possible pathways to CRSP® designation:

1. Get a job in the OHS field to acquire work experience and figure out if this field is right for you.
   
   
2. Register into a program of formal study, such as the University of New Brunswick's Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety and the Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety. The combined total hours of these two programs, 922, meets the BCRSP® standard for formal OHS education. Courses in these programs are 100% online, instructor-supported, and available anywhere, anytime. Intake is continuous, meaning that you may register at any time and complete the courses in a flexible and self-paced fashion—start and finish the courses at times that are convenient for you.
   
   
3. Continue working in the field. You will need at least 48 months of full-time equivalent work experience; more time provides more points toward meeting the application requirements.
   
   
4. Take a few other mini-courses and attend a conference or two to obtain additional informal training and experience (for example, visit www.csse.org or www.hsconference.ca). There are also many local conferences; for more information, check with your local CSSE Chapter or other local health and safety associations.
   
   
5. Having acquired 48 months of full-time experience and sufficient formal and informal training, submit an application to write the BCRSP® exam.
   
   
6. Join a local study group to act as a support to you during this intensive period of self-preparation. Local CSSE Chapters run study groups on an ongoing basis.
   
   
7. Practice exam writing ahead of the BCRSP® exam with online exam testing tools. This has proven to be a big help to people preparing to write the exam.
   
   
8. UNB offers an online CRSP® Preparation course. To register, contact us at customerservice@unb.ca, or call us at 506 453-4694 (or toll-free at 1 888 259-4222).
   
   
9. Complete the BCRSP® application, including the professional practice questionnaire, and get two professional references. Submit your application. The deadlines for the application associated with each planned sitting of the exam are listed on the BCRSP® website. Candidates typically write the exam in February, June or October every year.
   
   
10. Write the exam, pass it, sign a copy of the BCRSP® Code of Ethics and, voilà, you have your CRSP® designation!