A number of Canadian safety associations and educational institutions were among the signatories to an international agreement ratified at the XXI World Congress on Safety & Health at Work hosted by the International Network of Safety Practitioner Organisations (INSHPO) in Singapore on September 3rd. For the last six years, INSHPO has been developing The Occupational Health and Safety Professional Framework – A Global Framework for Practice which is intended to promote enhanced capability standards for OHS practitioners.
The Singapore Accord, as it is being called, is “a commitment to improving OHS professional and practitioner capabilities so they may more effectively guide and lead the creation of healthier and safer workplaces”. The Framework was developed with the consensus of many OHS organizations from around the world. It is as an adaptable tool for guiding improvements in safety professionals’ education and knowledge to provide a common international platform.
Canadian signatories to the Singapore Accord include:
- Board of Canadian Registered Safety professionals
- Canadian Society of Safety Engineering
- Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC
- Minerva Canada Safety Management Education
- University of Fredericton
- University of New Brunswick
The signing universities are now committed to using the Framework to inform their work in relation to improving the competences and capabilities of the safety profession as they develop and review their OHS education programs. Similarly, the safety associations, certifying bodies, and credentialing organizations have signed-on to using the Framework as a reference and gap analysis tool in relation to their professional practices and career development programs to ensure their continuing professional development programs meet the common standard.
Your ACSA is also adopting the course development framework at the practitioner level. This means ACSA’s courses will align with these new global guidelines.
In a press release issued on September 3rd, BCRSP Chair, Paul Andre, CRSP said, “In terms of advancing the occupational health and safety profession the establishment of a global framework for practice is an important milestone. This sets the stage for certification bodies to align to this global framework, providing the foundation for a profession that will be recognized globally for its ability to support improved occupational health and safety outcomes.”
“This standard supports a better understanding within the profession of the capabilities that both professionals and practitioners should bring to their respective roles and further informs the employer community what they should expect in a health and safety role.”
INSHPO has 14 member organizations based in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, the Russian Federation, Singapore, and Korea.
You can download a copy of the Framework here. Information about INSPHO can be found here.
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