BCSP CSP Examguide

Examination Guide
SEVENTH EDITION | JULY 2014
Advancing the Safety, Health and Environmental

Profession Since 1969
2301 W. Bradley Avenue
Champaign, IL 61821 USA
2013 Board of Certified Safety Professionals, Champaign, Illinois, USA

All rights reserved.
A BCSP Publication
All or any part of this document may be freely copied and distributed with the following
restrictions: Excerpts, in any form or medium, must include a formal statement
acknowledging that the Board of Certified Safety Professionals is the owner of the
copyrighted material excerpted from this document. Copies and redistributions of this
whole document, in any form or medium, must include the entire copyright notice and the
restrictions shown on this page.
The CSP logo is a registered mark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. CSP,
Certified Safety Professional, ASP, and Associate Safety Professional are
registered certification marks and service marks issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office to the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.
The Board of Certified Safety Professionals is committed to impartiality and objectivity
in every aspect of our operation. We have intentionally structured ourselves to segregate
responsibilities in our organization to facilitate this impartiality and objectivity. Any
individual who has a recommendation on how we can improve our implementation of our
commitment is encouraged to contact our Chief Executive Officer with your thought.
CSP Examination Guide
Seventh Edition
July 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................................................1
OVERVIEW OF THE CSP EXAMINATION ...........................................................................................................................4
CSP EXAMINATION BLUEPRINT .........................................................................................................................................5
PREPARING FOR THE CSP EXAMINATION .....................................................................................................................12
SELF-EVALUATION WORKSHEET FOR THE CSP EXAMINATION .............................................................................15
REGISTERING FOR AND TAKING THE CSP EXAMINATION .......................................................................................16
SUMMARY OF COMPUTER-DELIVERED EXAMINATION RULES (U.S. AND CANADA ONLY) ...........................21
SUMMARY OF COMPUTER-DELIVERED EXAMINATION RULES (OUTSIDE THE U.S. AND CANADA) ............22
ELIGIBILITY TIME LIMIT RULES ......................................................................................................................................23
CSP EXAMINATION SAMPLE ITEMS ................................................................................................................................24
ANSWERS AND SOLUTIONS TO CSP EXAMINATION SAMPLE ITEMS............................................................. 29
Note:
The latest edition of the CSP Examination Guide may be downloaded from the BCSP web site at www.bcsp.org/CSP.
INTRODUCTION
Using This Publication
receive your result as soon as you log off the test center's
computer system.
This publication, the CSP Examination Guide, provides

detailed information about the CSP examination leading to
the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certification. A
companion publication to this document, the CSP
Application Guide, provides information on the
qualifications for earning the CSP certification and the
application process. You may download this publication as
well as the CSP Application Guide from the Board of
Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) website at
www.bcsp.org/CSP. Note there is a first examination
leading to the CSP certification, the ASP examination. If
you need information on the ASP examination, be sure to
obtain a copy of the ASP Examination Guide.
If you fail the examination, you may register and pay for
another CSP examination authorization as soon as you
receive your official examination result from BCSP.
However, if you fail the examination, you should try to
enhance your knowledge of the subject material before you
retake the examination in order to increase the likelihood of
passing it.
Complete all requirements for the CSP certification. After
completing all of the requirements, BCSP will award you
use of the CSP certification.
Pay an annual renewal fee. The CSP certification is
awarded on an annual basis. Those holding this
certification must pay an annual fee in order to retain the
use of this certification.
An overview of the CSP examination is presented in this

publication along with its respective examination blueprint.
Sample items typical of the CSP examination are presented
in subsequent sections with solutions and explanations. A
section of this publication explains how to prepare for the
CSP examination. There is a section describing computerdelivered examinations and the procedures used at the
computer test centers.
Meet Recertification requirements. Those holding the CSP

certification must remain up-to-date with changes in
professional practice by compiling 25 Recertification
points every five years.
The CSP Process

Complete and submit application materials. BCSP will
review your application materials to determine whether you
have met the academic and experience requirements and
are eligible for the CSP examination. If you are eligible,
BCSP will inform you of the length of your eligibility
period and the expiration date of your eligibility.
Register to take the CSP examination leading to the
Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certification.
Anytime during your eligibility period, you may register
with BCSP to take the CSP examination. After you register
and pay for a CSP examination authorization, BCSP will
(1) notify the examination delivery service provider that
you are an authorized CSP examination candidate and (2)
inform you how long you have to make an appointment and
to complete the CSP examination. You will not need to
complete any additional applications for continuing to the
CSP as long as your do not allow your eligibility to expire.
Make an appointment to take your examination at a test
center near you, and sit for your examination at the
scheduled time. BCSP's examination delivery service
provider has hundreds of test centers located around the
world that are open every business day (many also have
weekend and holiday hours). Your examination will be
delivered to you on a computer at the test center. You will
1
The CSP Certification
Definitions
The CSP certification is awarded to ASPs who

subsequently pass the CSP examination and meet the
requirements to achieve and retain the certification.
A safety professional is one who applies the expertise

gained from a study of safety science, principles, practices,
and other subjects and from professional safety experience
to create or develop procedures, processes, standards,
specifications, and systems to achieve optimal control or
reduction of the hazards and exposures that may harm
people, property, or the environment.
Certified Safety Professionals are:
Respected by other safety professionals.

Honored by the safety profession.
Preferred or required by most employers of safety
professionals.
Required in many government and private contracts.
Paid on average about $30,000 more per year than
safety professionals without certification.
Paid on average $600,000 or more than safety
professionals without certification over the span of a
career.
Professional safety experience, as interpreted by BCSP,

must be the primary function of a position and account for
at least 50% of the position's responsibility. Professional
safety experience involves analysis, synthesis,
investigation, evaluation, research, planning, design,
administration, and consultation to the satisfaction of peers,
employers, and clients in the prevention of harm to people,
property, and the environment. Professional safety
experience differs from nonprofessional safety experience
in the degree of responsible charge and the ability to defend
analytical approaches and recommendations for
engineering or administrative controls.
The CSP certification:
Is cited in many federal, state and local laws,

regulations and standards.
Is recognized by U.S. and international safety and
health organizations.
Is held by 75% or more of the leaders in the safety
profession.
Adds $300 million to pay for safety professionals
annually
A Certified Safety Professional, or CSP, is a safety

professional who has met and continues to meet all
requirements established by BCSP and is authorized by
BCSP to use the Certified Safety Professional title and the
CSP certification.
An Associate Safety Professional, or ASP, is a temporary
designation awarded by BCSP. This designation describes
an individual who has met the academic requirements for
the CSP certification and has passed the CSP examination,
the first of two examinations leading to the CSP
certification.
Recipients of the CSP Certification receive:
The authority to use the Certified Safety Professional

title and the CSP certification.
A wall certificate showing their achievement.
An annual wallet card.
A personalized BCSP certification announcement.
The BCSP eNewsletter.
The BCSP Annual Report.
Representation for promoting and protecting the CSP
certification.
A Graduate Safety Practitioner, or GSP, is a temporary

designation awarded by BCSP. This designation describes
an individual who has graduated from an independently
accredited academic program meeting BCSPs standards.
About BCSP
Accreditation
BCSP was organized in 1969 as a peer certification board.

Its purpose is to certify practitioners in the safety
profession. The specific functions of the Board are to:
The Certified Safety Professional certification meets or

exceeds the highest national accreditation and personnel
certification standards for certification bodies.
Evaluate the academic and professional experience

qualifications of safety professionals.
Administer examinations.
Issue certifications to those professionals who meet the
Board's criteria and successfully pass required
examinations.
National Accreditation
The CSP is nationally accredited by the National
Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and
internationally accredited by the American National
Standards Institute under the ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024
standards for personnel certification programs.
In 1968, the American Society of Safety Engineers studied

the issue of certification for safety professionals and
recommended the formation of a professional certification
program. This recommendation led to establishing BCSP in
July 1969. The BCSP governing Board consists of directors
who represent the breadth and depth of safety, health, and
environmental practice, as well as the public. Some of the
directors are nominated to a pool by professional
sponsorship organizations affiliated with BCSP. The
professional sponsorship organizations currently affiliated
with BCSP are the following.
American Industrial Hygiene Association

American Society of Safety Engineers
Institute of Industrial Engineers
National Fire Protection Association
National Safety Council
National Environmental, Safety and Health Training
Association (NESHTA)
Society of Fire Protection Engineers
System Safety Society
BCSP has issued the CSP certification to over 30,000

people, and over 14,000 currently maintain their CSP
certification.
OVERVIEW OF THE CSP EXAMINATION

General Description of BCSP Examinations
the subject area of the item review edited items on several

criteria, including importance in and relevance to
professional safety. Also, 1015% of the items on BCSP
examinations are experimental, and do not contribute to a
candidate's pass/fail decision. BCSP analyzes the
performance of these experimental items before deciding to
include them in the official item bank. Items that
successfully complete this quality process are placed in the
item bank for potential use in examinations.
There are two examinations leading to the CSP

certification: ASP and CSP. Some candidates receive a
waiver of the ASP examination if they were rigorously
examined through another allied certification or licensing
process approved by BCSP or if they graduated from a
qualified academic program and if BCSP awarded them
temporary use of the Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP)
designation. All candidates for the CSP certification must
pass the CSP examination.
Throughout item development, examination development,

examination revision, and examination administration,
BCSP consults with experienced testing specialists
(psychometricians) to ensure that BCSP examinations and
the entire testing and certification process conform to
acceptable practices and accreditation standards.
The CSP examination contains 200 multiple-choice items

with four possible answers. Only one answer is correct.
Each item is independent and does not rely on the correct
answer to any other item. Data necessary to answer items
are included in the item or in a scenario shared by several
items. Your score is based on the number of scored items
you correctly answer.
How BCSP Establishes the Minimum Passing Score

BCSP uses a criterion-referenced procedure (the modified
Angoff technique) to establish minimum passing scores for
examinations. This procedure ensures that your score is
independent of scores for other candidates sitting for the
examination and involves having a panel of experts rate
each examination item with respect to the candidate who
would just meet the minimum requirements to sit for the
examination and should know the correct answer. The
minimum passing score is calculated from results across all
raters and across all examination items. The ratings reflect
such things as the difficulty of items and the degree to
which items are common for all areas of professional
practice. As examinations are modified on a regular basis,
the minimum passing score is adjusted for the difficulty of
items on the examination. Item performance is also
evaluated regularly to ensure that BCSP examinations
maintain the highest testing standards.
How BCSP Examinations Are Developed

Periodically, BCSP validates the content of its
examinations to help ensure that the examinations reflect
what is important, relevant, and critical in professional
safety practice. The process for validating professional
certification examinations against current practices
produces examination blueprints.
Examination Content Development and Revision
BCSP updates examinations continuously. Most items
come from safety professionals in practice. Before items
are accepted into item banks, they go through rigorous
technical, psychometric, and grammatical editing. In
addition, practicing safety professionals with expertise in
CSP Examination Blueprint

BCSP examination blueprints are based on a peer review process to determine what safety professionals do in
practice. The CSP examination is required for candidates to demonstrate knowledge of professional safety practice at
the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) level. The table beginning below and continuing on the next several pages
describes the subject matter covered by the CSP examination.
The top three levels, called domains, represent the major functions performed by safety professionals at the CSP level.
Each domain is divided among several tasks. Within each task are lists of knowledge areas and skills necessary for
carrying out the task in that domain. The knowledge areas for the CSP examination build upon the knowledge that
candidates have already demonstrated by virtue of having passed the ASP examination, or by virtue of having earned
one or more allied certifications or university degrees recognized by BCSP.
A percentage label accompanies each domain heading in this table. This percentage represents the proportion of the
actual CSP examination devoted to that domain.
CSP Examination
Domain 1
Collecting Safety, Health, Environmental, and Security Risk Information
28.6%
Task 1
Identify and characterize hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities using equipment and field observation methods in order
to evaluate safety, health, environmental, and security risk.
Knowledge Areas
Skills
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
1. Identifying hazards associated with equipment, manufacturing systems,

and production processes
2. Recognizing external and internal threats to facilities, systems,
processes, equipment, and employees
3. Conducting job safety analyses and task analyses
4. Performing hazard analyses
5. Leading incident investigations
6. Interviewing witnesses to incidents
7. Interpreting plans, specifications, technical drawings, and process flow
diagrams
8. Using monitoring and sampling equipment
9. Communicating with subject matter experts
10. Consulting with equipment manufacturers and commodity suppliers
11. Finding sources of information on hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities
12. Interviewing people
13. Using the Internet to find information
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Types, sources, and characteristics of hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities

Job safety analysis and task analysis methods
Hazard analysis methods
Qualitative, quantitative, deductive, and inductive risk assessment methods
Incident investigation techniques
Methods and techniques for evaluating facilities, products, systems,
processes, and equipment
Methods and techniques for measurement, sampling, and analysis
Sources of information on hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities (e.g., subject
matter experts, relevant best practices, published literature)
Competencies of other professionals with whom the safety professional
interacts
Information security and confidentiality requirements
Internet resources
Task 2
Design and use data management systems for collecting and validating risk information in order to evaluate safety,
health, environmental, and security risk.
Knowledge Areas
Skills
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Mathematics and statistics

Chain of custody procedures
Electronic data logging and monitoring equipment
Data management software
Electronic data transfer methods and data storage options
Information security and confidentiality requirements
Calculating statistics from data sources

Determining statistical significance
Comparing statistics to benchmarks
Preserving evidence from incident investigations
Calibrating and using data logging and monitoring equipment
Using data management software
Creating data collection forms
Maintaining data integrity
Task 3
Collect and validate information on organizational risk factors by studying culture, management style, business climate,
financial conditions, and the availability of internal and external resources in order to evaluate safety, health,
environmental, and security risk.
Knowledge Areas
Skills
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Incident investigation techniques
Sources of information on hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities (e.g., subject
Organizational and behavioral sciences
Group dynamics
Management sciences
Management principles of authority, responsibility, and accountability
Budgeting, finance, and economic analysis techniques
Business planning
interacts
Internet resources

Leading incident investigations
Interviewing witnesses to incidents
Developing surveys to capture data related to organizational culture
Communicating with subject matter experts
Interviewing people
Using the Internet to find information
Task 4
Research applicable laws, regulations, consensus standards, best practices, and published literature using internal and
external resources to develop benchmarks for assessing an organizations safety, health, environmental, and security
performance and to support the evaluation of safety, health, environmental, and security risk.
Knowledge Areas
Skills
1. Benchmarks and performance standards

2. Mathematics and statistics
3. Sources of information on hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities (e.g., subject
4. Sources of information related to local laws, regulations, and consensus
codes and standards
5. Product certification and listing agencies
6. Qualitative, quantitative, deductive, and inductive risk assessment methods
7. Competencies of other professionals with whom the safety professional
interacts
8. Internet resources
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Using statistics to define benchmarks and performance standards
Interpreting local laws, regulations, and consensus codes and standards
Consulting with equipment manufacturers and commodity suppliers
Obtaining information on product certification and listing requirements
CSP Examination
Domain 2
Assessing Safety, Health, Environmental, and Security Risk
36.6%
Task 1
Evaluate the risk of injury, illness, environmental harm, and property damage to which the public or an organization is
exposed associated with the organizations facilities, products, systems, processes, equipment, and employees by
applying quantitative and qualitative threat, vulnerability, and risk assessment techniques.
Knowledge Areas
Skills
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Root cause analysis methods
Basic sciences: anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics, physiology
Applied sciences: fluid flow, mechanics, electricity
Agriculture safety (including food supply safety)
Biological safety
Business continuity and contingency planning
Chemical process safety
Community emergency planning
Construction safety
Dispersion modeling
Emergency/crisis/disaster management
Emergency/crisis/disaster response planning
Environmental protection and pollution prevention
Epidemiology
Equipment safety
Ergonomics and human factors
Facility safety
Facility security and access control
Facility siting and layout
Fire prevention, protection, and suppression
Hazardous materials management
Hazardous waste management
Healthcare safety (including patient safety)
Industrial hygiene
Infectious diseases
Insurance/risk transfer principles
Maritime safety
Mining safety
Multi-employer worksite issues
Mutual aid agreements
Physical and chemical characteristics of hazardous materials
Pressure relief systems
Product safety
Public safety and security
Radiation safety
System safety
Toxicology
Transportation safety and security
Ventilation systems
Workplace violence
Sources of information on risk (e.g., subject matter experts, relevant best
practices, published literature)
45. Information security and confidentiality requirements
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
Leading comprehensive risk assessments

Leading threat and vulnerability assessments
Facilitating chemical process hazard analyses
Conducting root cause analyses
Estimating organizational risk
Estimating public risk
Estimating the risk of human error
Using statistics to estimate risk
Interpreting plans, specifications, technical drawings, and process flow
diagrams
Evaluating facility fire risk
Evaluating life safety features in facilities
Calculating maximum occupancy and egress capacity
Calculating required containment volumes and hazardous materials
storage requirements
Determining how released hazardous materials migrate through the air,
surface water, soil, and water table
Determining occupational exposures (e.g., hazardous chemicals,
radiation, noise, biological agents, heat)
Evaluating emergency/crisis/disaster management and response plans
Using chemical process safety information
Using dispersion modeling software
Interviewing people
Task 2
Audit safety, health, environmental, and security management systems using appropriate auditing techniques to
compare an organizations management systems against established standards for identifying the organizations
strengths and weaknesses.
Knowledge Areas
Skills
1. Safety, health, and environmental management and audit systems (e.g.,

ANSI/AIHA Z10, ISO 14000 series, OHSAS 18000 series, ISO 19011,
U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Voluntary Protection
Programs)
2. Management system auditing techniques
4. Methods and techniques for evaluating facilities, products, systems,
processes, and equipment
5. Methods and techniques for measurement, sampling, and analysis
6. Qualitative, quantitative, deductive, and inductive risk assessment methods
7. Root cause analysis methods
9. Basic sciences: anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics, physiology
10. Applied sciences: fluid flow, mechanics, electricity
11. Organizational and behavioral sciences
12. Management sciences
13. Management principles of authority, responsibility, and accountability
14. Budgeting, finance, and economic analysis techniques
15. Business continuity and contingency planning
16. Business planning
17. Business software
18. Change management
19. Emergency/crisis/disaster management
20. Emergency/crisis/disaster response planning
21. Group dynamics
22. Hazardous materials management
23. Hazardous waste management
24. Job safety analysis and task analysis methods
25. Multi-employer worksite issues
26. Report presentation strategies
interacts
28. Sources of information on hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities (e.g., subject
30. Internet resources
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
Leading management system audits

Comparing management systems with benchmarks
Comparing documented procedures and tasks with actual operations
Evaluating safety, health, environmental, and security plans, programs,
and policies
Evaluating risk assessments
Evaluating the results of root cause analyses
Recognizing external and internal threats to facilities, systems,
processes, equipment, and employees
diagrams
Recognizing management system changes
Using monitoring and sampling equipment
Performing facility and equipment inspections
Evaluating business continuity and contingency plans
Using business software to present reports
Interviewing people
Task 3
Analyze trends in leading and lagging performance indicators related to safety, health, environmental, and security
management systems using historical information and statistical methods to identify an organizations strengths and
weaknesses.
Knowledge Areas
Skills
1. Types of leading and lagging safety, health, environmental, and security

performance indicators
3. Safety, health, and environmental management and audit systems (e.g.,
ANSI/AIHA Z10, ISO 14000 series, OHSAS 18000 series, ISO 19011,
U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Voluntary Protection
Programs)
4. Management system auditing techniques
6. Organizational and behavioral sciences
7. Management sciences
8. Management principles of authority, responsibility, and accountability
9. Budgeting, finance, and economic analysis techniques
10. Business planning
11. Business software
12. Change management
interacts
14. Training assessment instruments (e.g., written tests, skill assessments)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Using statistics to show trends in performance indicators

Using statistics to define benchmarks and performance standards
Evaluating management system audits
Evaluating risk assessments
Evaluating safety, health, environmental, and security plans, programs,
and policies
Evaluating the results of root cause analyses
Interpreting organizational culture surveys and perception surveys
Measuring training program effectiveness
Recognizing management system changes
Using business software to present reports
Interviewing people
Obtaining meaningful feedback
CSP Examination
Domain 3
Managing Safety, Health, Environmental, and Security Risk
34.8%
Task 1
Design effective risk management methods using the results of risk assessments to eliminate or reduce safety, health,
environmental, and security risks.
Knowledge Areas
Skills
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Engineering controls
Principles of managing risk throughout the design process
Administrative controls
Personal protective equipment
Root cause analysis methods
Risk-based decision-making tools
Applied sciences: fluid flow, mechanics, electricity
Basic sciences: anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics, physiology
Management sciences
Business planning
Business software
Adult learning
Cultural norms and population stereotypes
Training methods
Training assessment instruments (e.g., written tests, skill assessments)
Agriculture safety (including food supply safety)
Biological safety
Business continuity and contingency planning
Change management
Chemical process safety
Community emergency planning
Construction safety
Education and training methods
Emergency/crisis/disaster management
Emergency/crisis/disaster response planning
Employee assistance programs
Employee/stakeholder incentive programs
Environmental protection and pollution prevention
Epidemiology
Equipment safety
Ergonomics and human factors
Facility safety
Facility security and access control
Facility siting and layout
Fire prevention, protection, and suppression
Hazardous materials management
Hazardous waste management
Healthcare safety (including patient safety)
Incident command methods
Industrial hygiene
Infectious diseases
Insurance/risk transfer principles
Labels, signs, and warnings (including international symbols)
Maritime safety
Mining safety
Mutual aid agreements
Physical and chemical characteristics of hazardous materials
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
Recommending effective engineering controls

Developing effective administrative controls
Developing procedures that incorporate risk management controls
Developing safety, health, environmental, and security plans, programs,
and policies
Designing effective labels, signs, and warnings
Performing training needs assessments
Developing training programs
Developing training assessment instruments
Applying risk-based decision-making tools for prioritizing risk
management options
diagrams
Creating emergency/crisis/disaster management and response plans
Performing financial analyses of risk management options
Evaluating the costs and benefits of risk management options
Organizing chemical process safety information
Performing gap analyses
Determining hazardous materials storage requirements
Recommending facility life safety features
Recommending methods to reduce the risk of occupational exposures
(e.g., hazardous chemicals, radiation, noise, biological agents, heat)
Reducing the risk of error-likely situations
Selecting appropriate personal protective equipment
Using sampling and measurement devices
Using statistics to understand risk
Using the results of risk assessments to support risk management
options
Using the results of root cause analyses to support risk management
options

Task 1 (CONTINUED)
Design effective risk management methods using the results of risk assessments to eliminate or reduce safety, health,
environmental, and security risks.
Knowledge Areas (CONTINUED)
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
Pressure relief systems

Product safety
Public safety and security
Radiation safety
System safety
Toxicology
Transportation safety and security
Ventilation systems
Workplace violence
interacts
64. Sources of information on risk management options (e.g., subject matter
experts, relevant best practices, published literature)
Task 2
Educate and influence decision makers to adopt effective risk management methods by illustrating the business-related
benefits associated with implementing them to eliminate or reduce safety, health, environmental, and security risks.
Knowledge Areas
Skills
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
1. Applying risk-based decision-making tools for prioritizing risk

management options
2. Creating plans for implementing risk management options
3. Describing the costs and benefits of risk management options
4. Describing the effects of implementing safety, health, and
environmental plans, programs, and policies
5. Describing trends to support risk management options
6. Explaining risk management options to decision makers
7. Making presentations to decision makers
8. Presenting financial analyses of risk management options
9. Recognizing changes needed in management systems
10. Using statistics to explain the effects of risk management options
11. Using the results of risk assessments to support risk management
options
12. Using the results of root cause analyses to support risk management
options

Business planning
Business software
Interpersonal communications
Management sciences
Organizational protocols
Presentation media and technologies
Presentation strategies
Project management concepts
Target audience background
Task 3
Lead projects to implement the risk management methods adopted by decision makers using internal and external
resources to eliminate or reduce safety, health, environmental, and security risks.
Knowledge Areas
Skills
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
1. Implementing project management plans

2. Applying management principles of authority, responsibility, and
accountability
3. Using project management software
4. Developing systems to track project implementation
5. Leading people
6. Leading teams
7. Making presentations to stakeholders
8. Motivating project stakeholders
9. Resolving conflicts
10. Supervising people
Project management concepts

Management sciences
Methods of achieving project stakeholder acceptance of project goals
Financial management principles
Schedule management principles
Business software
Project management software
Change management
Group dynamics
Methods of facilitating teamwork
Principles of supervising people
interacts
10
Task 4
Promote a positive organizational culture that is conscious of its safety, health, environmental, and security
responsibilities by communicating these responsibilities to all stakeholders and by training all stakeholders as part of
the organizations overall risk management program.
Knowledge Areas
Skills
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
1. Explaining risk concepts to stakeholders and the public

2. Explaining risk management options to stakeholders and the public
3. Applying management principles of authority, responsibility, and
accountability
4. Encouraging participation in risk management processes
5. Influencing stakeholder behavior
6. Developing and using lesson plans
7. Conducting training
8. Administering training assessment instruments
9. Providing an effective learning environment
10. Delivering motivational presentations
11. Creating motivational literature
12. Facilitating stakeholder participation committees
13. Giving public announcements
14. Interacting with journalists and the media
15. Making presentations to stakeholders and the public
16. Negotiating with political entities
17. Resolving conflicts
18. Soliciting stakeholder feedback
19. Working with organized labor unions and management
20. Motivating stakeholders
21. Leading people
22. Leading teams
23. Exchanging information over the Internet
26. Providing input in standards development activities
Management sciences
Methods of achieving project stakeholder acceptance of project goals
Cultural norms and population stereotypes
Group dynamics
Labels, signs, and warnings (including international symbols)
Organized labor/management relations
Protocols for public announcements
Public communication techniques
Risk communication techniques
Stakeholder participation committees
Target audience background
Adult learning
Behavior modification techniques
Training methods
Training assessment instruments (e.g., written tests, skill assessments)
Business communication software
interacts
26. Standards development processes
11
PREPARING FOR THE CSP EXAMINATION

You may use various approaches to prepare for the CSP
examination:
opportunities to increase your score within that subject. If

you are likely to get few items correct for another subject,
you have a better opportunity to gain points by studying
that subject.
Perform individual study.

Participate in informal study groups.
Attend formal review courses.
Complete practice examinations.
Convert your subject strengths and weaknesses into a study

plan that is likely to increase your overall examination
score. You will want to refresh your knowledge in all
subjects. It is also a good idea to study subjects that offer
the greatest opportunity to increase your overall score.
Some keys to success include:
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses.

Having an examination preparation plan.
Developing a test-taking strategy.
Understanding how to use your calculator.
Make a chart of subjects. List for yourself how you will

prepare for each subject. You may want to identify study
hours for each, create a study schedule, or even chart out
how you plan to prepare for each subject (reading,
practicing working calculations, attending a study group or
refresher course).
Knowing Your Strengths and Weaknesses

A self-evaluation will help you determine how well you
know various subjects included on the CSP examination.
Simply rate yourself on each major and minor subject area
included on the examination. Focus especially on the
specific knowledge areas. The safety discipline requires
knowledge in many different subjects. A rating form to
help you evaluate your knowledge appears at the end of
this section. It is essential for you to compare your
knowledge against that contained in the examination
blueprint.
Note that knowledge and understanding are essential in

passing the examinations. Relying only on simulated
examination items is not the best way to increase
knowledge and understanding. Use simulated items to
provide insight into the areas in which you should engage
in additional study.
Developing a Test-taking Strategy
Knowing how to take examinations will help improve your
score. The CSP examination uses multiple-choice items.
Each item has one correct answer and three incorrect
answers. Remember, the goal is to get as many items
correct as possible. There is no penalty on the CSP
examination for selecting an incorrect answer. However,
only correct answers count toward reaching the passing
score.
Having an Examination Preparation Plan

You can use your ratings to help establish a study plan. The
examination blueprint shows how the items on an
examination are distributed across domains and topics.
While the exact number of items devoted to each
responsibility may vary on the actual examination, one can
estimate about how many items may be devoted to each
particular subject by assuming a uniform distribution
within a domain.
Understand item construction. A four-choice, objectively

scored examination item contains an item stem and four
possible answers. The premise, or lead-in statement or
question, is called the stem. One of the choices is correct,
and three are not.
The total number of scored items that you get correct on the
examination determines whether you pass. The goal is to
get enough scored items correct to pass the examination.
Scoring well in one subject area can compensate for a
weaker score in another subject area. However, there may
not be enough items in your strong areas to achieve a
passing score. You will have to get items correct in your
moderate and weak areas to pass.
Guess intelligently. If you do not know the answer to an

item or are not sure about it, you should guess intelligently.
Look for choices that you know are incorrect or do not
appear as plausible as others. Choose your answer from
among the remaining choices. This increases your chance
of selecting a correct answer.
Use this information to form a preparation strategy. If you

know a subject well and are likely to get most items for that
subject correct on the examination, you have few additional
Read the items carefully. Read each item carefully.

Consider the item from the viewpoint of an examination
12
item writer. Look for the item focus. Each item evaluates
some subject or kernel of knowledge. Try to identify what
knowledge the item is trying to test. Avoid reading things
into an item. The item can only test on the information
actually included. Recognize that the stems for some items
may include information that is not needed for correctly
answering them.
two or three significant figures. You should select the

answer closest to the computed value.
You may bring one or two calculators to the examination as
long as they comply with the BCSP calculator rules in the
box below. You may not bring in calculator operational
instructions or other written materials to assist you with
using your authorized calculators. Your calculator(s) will
be thoroughly inspected before you will be allowed to
bring them into the secure testing room.
Consider the context. Often an item is framed around a

particular industry or situation. Even if you do not work in
that industry or have not experienced a particular situation,
the item may be testing knowledge that you have. Avoid
dismissing an item because of the context or the industry in
which it is framed.
NOTE: You also may use the online scientific calculator

available on your computer testing workstation.
BCSP Calculator Rules
The following are the only makes and models of calculators
permitted. Programmable calculators are not permitted.
Use examination time wisely. When taking your

examination, complete those items first that you know or
can answer quickly. Then go back to items that were
difficult for you or required considerable time to read,
analyze, or compute. This approach allows you to build
your score as quickly as possible. You may want to go back
over skipped or marked items several times.
Casio models FX-100, 200 or 300 series

Hewlett Packard models HP 10, 12, or 17 series
Texas Instruments models TI-30 series
Different versions of the models listed are permitted.
Complete skipped items. After you have gone through the

examination once or if you are running out of time, look for
items that you have not answered. Select an answer for any
skipped or incomplete item. By chance alone, you can get
one of every four correct. There is no penalty for selecting
an incorrect answer.
Obtaining Information on the Body of Knowledge

Draw on your experience and on professional and study
references in your own library, a company, or a public
library. BCSP maintains an online comprehensive list of
published references that provide reasonable coverage on
the subject matter associated with BCSP examination
blueprints and safety, health, and environmental practice.
Examination items are not necessarily taken directly from
these sources, and you may have access to previous or later
editions of these or other references that also present
acceptable coverage on the subject matter. However, BCSP
believes that the references online list represent the breadth
and depth of coverage of safety, health, and environmental
practice.
Go back to troublesome items. It is a good idea to mark

items that you are not sure about or items that are difficult
for you. After you have worked through the entire
examination, go back to marked items. Reread the items
and study the choices again. You may recall some
knowledge or information that you had not considered
earlier and be able to answer the item correctly. You may
also be able to eliminate a choice that is not correct and
increase your chance of guessing the correct answer.
Using Your Authorized Calculators
Some items on the CSP examination require computations
to obtain the correct answer. You may bring as many as
two of your own calculators, but your calculators must
comply with the BCSP calculator rules (see Box, next
column). Make sure you know how to use your calculators
since you could waste valuable time trying to understand
how to use it once the examination clock starts. You could
also make computational errors if you have not practiced
using your calculator. It is a good idea to practice working
solutions to computational problems to be able to recall the
correct calculator procedures.
Solutions to computational items usually are rounded to
BCSP maintains an online list of published references. This

list provides acceptable coverage of the subject matter
associated with professional safety practice at the CSP
level. You can find this list in PDF form at
www.bcsp.org/CSP or in an online library at
www.bcsp.org/SafetyPracticeLibrary
13
BCSP-published Self Assessment Examination
Examination Integrity
BCSP publishes a Self Assessment examination for the

CSP examination. Many candidates find it helpful in
examination preparation. The Self Assessment examination
can help diagnose how well you know the body of
knowledge as well as to help refresh your test-taking skills.
A key to a successful and respected credentialing program

is examination security. Without it, a peer-operated
credentialing program has little value. BCSP relies on the
ethical behavior of candidates and certificants to maintain
the security of BCSP examinations.
To order a Self Assessment examination, please download

the order form from the BCSP website at www.bcsp.org or
by calling BCSP.
BCSP publishes brochures and technical documents

derived strictly from the examination blueprints. These
brochures and technical documents are available to anyone.
BCSP neither publishes nor releases any other information
or material related to the CSP examination. In addition,
BCSP does not provide access to any examination or other
examination-related materials to anyone except authorized
candidates for the CSP examination.
The Self Assessment examination is based on the blueprint

described in this document and is half the length of a full
examination. The Self Assessment examination booklet
includes a scoring sheet and a chart of correct answers. It
also includes solutions to computational items and
explanations for correct answers, along with detailed
references.
When those who hold the CSP certification or those who

are pursuing the CSP certification reveal information about
the content of BCSP examinations (other than that which is
described in documents published by BCSP), they violate
the agreement all candidates accept when they apply for
certification and when they take an examination.
Other Review and Study Sources

A number of professional membership organizations, trade
organizations, colleges and universities, and private
companies offer study courses, software, and materials to
assist candidates with preparing for BCSP examinations.
Because candidates for BCSP examinations often ask
where to locate review courses and materials, BCSP
maintains an online list strictly as a courtesy.
Applicants, examination candidates, or certificants who

reveal confidential information about the content of BCSP
examinations through any means also violate the BCSP
Bylaws and the BCSP Code of Ethics.
BCSP has taken action and will continue to take action
against individuals who violate this trust. Penalties include
permanently barring individuals from pursuing the CSP
certification and revoking the certifications and interim
designations of those who have status with BCSP, in
addition to other legal remedies.
Beyond the written materials BCSP publishes (and

which are available to anyone), BCSP has no
involvement whatsoever in the development, content, or
distribution of any courses or materials associated with
preparing for BCSP examinations. BCSP neither
endorses the providers shown on the online list nor
evaluates the providers or the providers materials for
consistency with BCSP examination blueprints or with
any aspect of any BCSP examination.
In addition, BCSP will pursue legal actions against

organizations, individuals not seeking certification, and
individuals who fraudulently claim or misrepresent their
intent to seek certification, who reveal information about
the content of BCSP examinations (other than information
that is described in documents published by BCSP).
Candidates must contact the sources directly about

materials, course schedules, fees, or matters related to
satisfaction with their products or services.
BCSP maintains the following online list of third-party
review and examination preparation service providers. This
list is maintained strictly as a courtesy and is neither
intended to be exhaustive nor is it updated regularly.
www.bcsp.org/Sources
14
SELF-EVALUATION WORKSHEET FOR THE CSP EXAMINATION

Rate your level of knowledge on each domain and task included on the CSP examination by marking each area as H =
High, M = Medium, or L = Low. Use the ratings to help establish a preparation plan for taking the examination. Refer to
the examination blueprint on pages 5 through 11.
DOMAIN/Task
DOMAIN 1. COLLECTING SAFETY, HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND SECURITY RISK
INFORMATION
Task 1. Identify and characterize hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities using equipment and field
observation methods in order to evaluate safety, health, environmental, and security risk.
Task 2. Design and use data management systems for collecting and validating risk information in order
Task 3. Collect and validate information on organizational risk factors by studying culture, management
style, business climate, financial conditions, and the availability of internal and external resources in order
Task 4. Research applicable laws, regulations, consensus standards, best practices, and published
literature using internal and external resources to develop benchmarks for assessing an organizations
safety, health, environmental, and security performance and to support the evaluation of safety, health,
environmental, and security risk.
DOMAIN 2. ASSESSING SAFETY, HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND SECURITY RISK
Task 1. Evaluate the risk of injury, illness, environmental harm, and property damage to which the public
or an organization is exposed associated with the organizations facilities, products, systems, processes,
equipment, and employees by applying quantitative and qualitative threat, vulnerability, and risk
assessment techniques.
Task 2. Audit safety, health, environmental, and security management systems using appropriate auditing
techniques to compare an organizations management systems against established standards for identifying
the organizations strengths and weaknesses.
Task 3. Analyze trends in leading and lagging performance indicators related to safety, health,
environmental, and security management systems using historical information and statistical methods to
identify an organizations strengths and weaknesses.
DOMAIN 3. MANAGING SAFETY, HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND SECURITY RISK
Task 1. Design effective risk management methods using the results of risk assessments to eliminate or
reduce safety, health, environmental, and security risks.
Task 2. Educate and influence decision makers to adopt effective risk management methods by
illustrating the business-related benefits associated with implementing them to eliminate or reduce safety,
health, environmental, and security risks.
Task 3. Lead projects to implement the risk management methods adopted by decision makers using
internal and external resources to eliminate or reduce safety, health, environmental, and security risks.
Task 4. Promote a positive organizational culture that is conscious of its safety, health, environmental,
and security responsibilities by communicating these responsibilities to all stakeholders and by training all
stakeholders as part of the organizations overall risk management program.
15
Self
Rating
REGISTERING FOR AND TAKING THE CSP EXAMINATION

General Description
Pearson VUE test center, BCSP will make other

arrangements to ensure that your needs are met. If, at the
time you purchase your examination authorization, you
fail to inform BCSP of your need for one or more
special accommodations, you will not receive them
when you arrive for your examination. Your special
accommodations will not be granted until BCSP
receives and reviews your official medical
documentation and approves your request.
BCSP uses computer delivered examinations at test centers

operated by Pearson VUE. You do not need computer
skills. Once BCSP makes you eligible for the CSP
examination, and you are ready to take the examination,
you need to take the following actions.
Locate a Pearson VUE test center

Purchase an Examination Authorization
Receive your Examination Authorization Letter
Schedule an examination appointment
Take the examination
Once BCSP approves your request for special

accommodations, BCSP will notify you and provide you
with additional instructions describing how you will need
to schedule your examination appointment. Note: Be
prepared to send BCSP your medical documentation as
soon as you purchase your examination authorization. Your
120-day examination authorization starts on the day you
purchase your examination authorization even if you are
requesting one or more special accommodations.
After you take an examination, the testing facility will

provide your result and BCSP will mail your related
materials.
Locating a Pearson VUE Test Center
Examinations for Candidates Using Assistive Devices. If

you use (or expect to use) external assistive devices or
equipment such as crutches, a wheelchair, a cane, an
optical prosthetic, a portable oxygen system, or one or
more hearing aids, you must inform BCSP of your need to
use these external assistive devices in the secure testing
room at the time you purchase an examination
authorization. BCSP will inform Pearson VUE of your
need to use one or more external assistive devices so the
Pearson VUE test center staff can be prepared to perform
appropriate security inspections on these assistive devices
when you arrive. If you fail to inform BCSP of your need
to use one or more external assistive devices, you will not
be permitted to use your assistive devices in the secure
testing room. If you do not permit reasonable inspection,
you will forfeit your examination authorization fee.
To ensure that a Pearson VUE test center is suitably

convenient to you, visit the Pearson VUE website at
www.pearsonvue.com/BCSP. Click on the "Locate a test
center" link. If you do not have internet access, contact
BCSP for assistance in locating a nearby test center.
Purchasing an Examination Authorization
After BCSP sends you a notice indicating that you are
eligible to sit for the CSP examination, you may register
with BCSP to take the examination at any time within your
eligibility time limit rules.
Follow the instructions on your eligibility letter for
registering and purchasing your examination authorization.
Pay special attention to your eligibility expiration date.
Receiving Your Examination Authorization Letter
Examinations for Candidates Requiring Special

Accommodations. If you require special examination
facilities or arrangements because of one or more
documented disabilities (consistent with the Americans
with Disabilities Act), you must inform BCSP of these
needs at the time you purchase an examination
authorization. You will be asked to provide official medical
documentation describing the nature of your disabilities,
the precise special accommodation(s) recommended for
you, and the name, address, phone number, and
qualifications of the licensed healthcare professional
validating your request. Pearson VUE can accommodate
many requests for special accommodations. However, if
special accommodations are not available through a
After you pay for an examination authorization, BCSP will

mail or email you an Examination Authorization Letter. In
it are detailed instructions for scheduling an examination
appointment at a Pearson VUE test center. Have this letter
available when you create your online Web account to
schedule your appointment online, or when you make your
appointment with Pearson VUE by phone.
16
Scheduling an Examination Appointment
also may take your picture and obtain electronic fingerprint

data to confirm your identity.
After you receive your Examination Authorization Letter,

you must schedule an examination appointment directly
with Pearson VUE. A brochure sent with your Examination
Authorization Letter will have additional details for
scheduling and rescheduling (if necessary) your
examination appointment.
You must bring a valid, unexpired government-issued

identification document bearing both your picture and
signature. Your name on this identification document
must exactly match the name you used when you
applied for certification with BCSP.
BCSP examinations are available at Pearson VUE test

centers around the world. Visit the Pearson VUE website
www.pearsonvue.com/BCSP to locate a test center near
you and to schedule your appointment. All test centers are
open during normal (customary) weekday business hours,
and some have weekend and holiday hours.
If you are not a citizen of the country in which you are

testing, the only acceptable identification document is
your valid, unexpired passport.
Examples of acceptable identification for testing within the
country of your citizenship include your valid, unexpired
passport or your valid, unexpired, non-temporary North
American state or provincial drivers license/identification
card, military identification card, national identification
card, European Identity card, or permanent resident card. If
the identification document you present is expired, invalid,
or does not have both your picture and signature, you
will be refused admission, and you will forfeit your
examination authorization fee.
Make your appointment as soon as possible after you

receive your Examination Authorization Letter since
available appointment times at Pearson VUE test
centers are reserved early. BCSP strongly recommends
making your appointment eight or more weeks in
advance. If you wait too long and find that you are
unable to make an appointment to take your
examination within your examination authorization
period, you will forfeit your examination authorization
fee, and you will have to purchase a new examination
authorization to sit for the examination, if you are still
eligible.
There are additional identification requirements for foreign

nationals testing in the People's Republic of China and
Hong Kong, and for citizens of countries against which the
U.S. is enforcing economic and trade sanctions. If you are
in one of these situations, or if you have questions related
to the presentation of acceptable identification, contact
BCSP before scheduling your examination appointment.
When you make your appointment, Pearson VUE will send

you a confirmation letter by email or mail containing your
examination appointment details along with driving
instructions and other information. After scheduling your
appointment, BCSP suggests that you confirm your
appointment location, date, and time online at
www.pearsonvue.com/BCSP.
Final Sign-in Procedures. The test center staff will then

provide you with materials for working out calculations by
hand. If you intend to take one or two calculators with you
into the secure testing room, the test center staff will
inspect each calculator and verify that each calculator
complies with the published BCSP calculator rules in effect
when you sit for the examination.
Taking the Examination

Arrival and Preliminary Procedures. Plan to arrive at the
Pearson VUE test center at least 30 minutes before your
appointment starting time to help ensure your sign-in
procedure goes smoothly and to account for traffic delays.
The Pearson VUE test center staff will tell you where to
secure your coat, hat, and other personal belongings, and
show you the location of the restrooms. If you arrive 15
minutes or more after your appointment starting time, you
examination authorization fee.
Examination Security. After the sign-in procedure is

completed, the test center staff will escort you into the
secure testing room and seat you at your computer testing
workstation. Other than the materials provided by the test
center staff for working out calculations and your
authorized calculators, you cannot take any notes, books,
papers, purses, hats, coats, jackets, pagers, mobile
telephones, or other materials or electronic devices into the
secure testing room. In addition, no food, drinks, snacks, or
tobacco products are permitted in the secure testing room at
any time. All such items must be stored outside the secure
testing room. You may access only your stored food,
drinks, snacks, medicine, or tobacco products (when
permitted by local law) during self-scheduled breaks you
Presenting Your Identification. The test center staff will

ask you to present acceptable identification and ask you to
sign your name in a logbook. Depending on where you are
scheduled to take your examination, the test center staff
17
take outside the secure testing room. You may not access
your other personal belongings at all until you complete
your examination. During breaks, you are not permitted to
have contact with anyone other than the test center staff.
complete this tutorial. The time you spend on this tutorial

does not count toward your actual testing time.
Examination Duration. Once you finish the online tutorial,
your examination clock will actually begin. You will have
five and one-half (5 ) hours to complete the CSP
examination. At the end of your examination, you will be
asked to complete a post-examination survey.
Therefore, for the duration of the examination (i.e., while

your examination clock is running, including during selfscheduled breaks), you shall not:
Your time remaining will appear on the computer screen. If

you leave your computer testing workstation for any
reason during the examination, your clock will continue
to run.
Consult verbally, electronically, or in writing with

any person other than with test center staff;
Consult any written or electronic reference other
than your authorized calculator(s) and the
materials for working out calculations provided by
the test center staff;
Leave your computer testing workstation, except
to take a self-scheduled break within the building
(or part of the building) controlled by Pearson
VUE; or
Leave the building (or part of the building)
controlled by Pearson VUE.
Examination Format. One item will appear one the screen

at a time. You may answer the item, flag the item for later
review, or skip the item completely. Even if you flag an
item because you intend to review the item later, BCSP
recommends that you select an answer anyway in case you
run out of time and are unable to return to review the
flagged item.
After you have seen all of the examination items, you will
be presented with a review screen that presents a list of all
items. This list will also show whether you skipped any
items or flagged any for review. You then may review
items you have flagged or skipped. Once you return to the
item, you may change your answer selection, if desired,
and return to the review screen.
Because of the length of the examination, and because it is

likely that there will be no food or drink available in the
test center, BCSP strongly recommends that you bring your
own food, drink, or snacks and secure them for use during
your self-scheduled breaks. Also, remember to bring any
medicine you require.
Several security procedures are in place at Pearson VUE
test centers. Pearson VUE formally documents all
irregularities, and BCSP evaluates these irregularities to
determine appropriate action. Depending on the
irregularity, BCSP may invalidate your examination and
take additional disciplinary actions in accordance with
BCSP's Bylaws if you access prohibited materials, have
contact with anyone except test center staff, leave the test
center while your examination clock is running, engage in
unethical, disruptive, or unprofessional conduct, or violate
any other BCSP or Pearson VUE security procedures.
Examination Environment. You may find that the

examination room is too cool or too warm or that the
computer testing workstation is not ergonomically designed
for you. In addition, you may be distracted during an
examination by noises such as mouse clicks and typing by
other examinees in the room. BCSP does everything
possible to help make your examination experience a
positive one, and many of these distractions affect people
differently. Therefore, you may want to plan for them. For
example, you should consider wearing clothing that will
allow you to remain comfortable in either a cool or warm
environment, and consider having earplugs to block as
much environmental noise as possible. You should contact
the test center staff if the environmental conditions in the
secure testing room are unreasonable.
Examination Tutorial. When you are ready to begin your

examination, you will log on as instructed by the test center
staff. There will be several introductory screens, including
a screen where you will have to accept BCSP's Security
and Confidentiality Agreement prior to actually viewing
any examination content. Once you accept BCSP's Security
and Confidentiality Agreement, you will be able to
complete a brief tutorial to become familiar with the
features of the examination delivery software and the
online BCSP Examination Reference before beginning the
examination. BCSP strongly recommends that you
Completing the Examination and Getting Your Result.

You will be shown your official result on the screen. After
you view your official result, you should log off, leave your
computer testing workstation, and find a member of the test
center staff to check out.
During the check out procedure, you will have to return any
materials given to you by the test center staff. The test
18
center staff will then give you a printed copy of your

unofficial examination result. In most cases, BCSP will
mail your official result and score report to you within
three weeks.
both your examination authorization fee and the

extension fees you paid.
BCSP cannot make, cancel, or reschedule your
examination appointment regardless of where you are
taking your examination.
Late Arrivals and Missed Appointments

If you fail to keep your scheduled examination
appointment, if you arrive more than 15 minutes beyond
the starting time of your scheduled appointment, or if you
fail to present acceptable identification to the test center
staff when you arrive for your scheduled appointment, you
examination authorization fee. To sit for the examination
after having been refused admission, you must pay a new
examination authorization fee, if you are still eligible.
Cancelling and Rescheduling Examination
Appointments
If you need to cancel and reschedule an examination
appointment, there must be one or more full business days
remaining before the date of your scheduled appointment.
Appointments cannot be canceled and rescheduled if there
is less than one full business day before the date of your
scheduled examination appointment. To reschedule an
examination appointment, a Pearson VUE test center must
have an appointment time available within the remaining
time in your examination authorization period.
If you have to cancel and reschedule your examination
appointment toward the end of your 120-day examination
authorization period, you should consider purchasing a
one-time, 60-day examination authorization extension from
BCSP.
Examination Authorization Extensions
After registering and paying for an examination
authorization, you will have 120 days to take the
examination. If you need to extend the 120-day
examination authorization period, BCSP allows you to
purchase a one-time, 60-day extension for a nonrefundable
fee. If you are eligible for this one-time examination
authorization extension, BCSP must receive and
acknowledge your payment for the extension at least two
full business days before the date your current 120-day
examination authorization period expires.
If you scheduled an appointment, you are still
responsible for canceling that appointment and
rescheduling it even if you purchased an examination
authorization extension. If you fail to cancel and
reschedule your current appointment, you will forfeit
19
Retesting
Taking the CSP Examination for Recertification Credit
If you fail your examination, you may register and pay to

retake the examination after you receive your official result
and score report from BCSP. There is no limit to the
number of times you can register for and retake the
examination, as long as you remain eligible. You do not
have to reapply for the CSP certification after failing an
examination unless your overall eligibility has expired.
Eligibility time limit rules are described in the CSP
Application Guide and summarized on page 23 of this
publication.
A CSP in good standing may take and pass the CSP

examination during the last year of their Recertification
cycle to fulfill all recertification requirements for that
cycle. To take advantage of this recertification option,
contact BCSP to pay for a CSP examination authorization.
If you pass the examination, your record will be
automatically updated to reflect your compliance with all
Recertification requirements for that cycle.
Other Testing Arrangements

Pearson VUEs website lists international testing centers as
well as Department of Defense sites.
If you believe that you will need a special examination
administration, please contact BCSP five or more months
prior to your desired examination date so we can research
providing a special administration for you. Once we
understand your special administration situation, BCSP
will contact you to explain the special administration rules
and procedures for your case and provide you with the
specific examination authorization fee and the exact
examination date and location.
20
SUMMARY OF COMPUTER-DELIVERED EXAMINATION RULES

(Testing Within the United States and Canada)
When making plans to take a BCSP examination in the United States, its territories, or Canada, consider the following rules
for computer-delivered examinations. Current examination fees available at www.bcsp.org. All fees are subject to change.
Once you register and pay for an examination authorization, you have 120 days from your registration date to schedule an
appointment with Pearson VUE and take the BCSP examination. If you need additional time beyond 120 days, you may
purchase a one-time, 60-day extension of your examination authorization. Therefore, a maximum of 180 days is available
for you to take your examination after you register and pay for your examination authorization. No additional extensions to
your examination authorization are permitted beyond the one-time, 60-day extension.
To schedule a new appointment or to cancel/reschedule an existing examination appointment, BCSP strongly recommends
that you visit www.pearsonvue.com/BCSP and register online. You may also call the Pearson VUE North American
registration center at 1-866-717-3653 (8:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m. weekdays U.S. Eastern Time, closed on U.S. holidays). You
cannot schedule a new appointment or cancel/reschedule an existing appointment directly with a local Pearson VUE test
center or directly with BCSP. When you make or change your appointment with Pearson VUE, have your Examination
Authorization Letter available. After scheduling or rescheduling your examination appointment, confirm your appointment
location, date, and time online at www.pearsonvue.com/BCSP.
There must be one or more full business days remaining prior to the date of your existing examination appointment for you
to cancel/reschedule the appointment. Even if you properly cancel an existing examination appointment, to reschedule it,
there must be a test center with an available appointment during the time remaining in your examination authorization
period.
If you have already made an examination appointment within the original 120-day examination authorization period, but you
decide to purchase the one-time, 60-day extension to your examination authorization, you remain responsible for canceling
and rescheduling your existing appointment.
You forfeit your examination authorization fee when you:
Fail to take the examination during the 120-day examination authorization period and you did not purchase a onetime, 60-day examination authorization extension during the 120-day period; or
Fail to take the examination during the 60-day extension of the 120-day examination authorization period even if
you purchased the one-time, 60-day extension; or
Fail to show up for any scheduled examination appointment (even if you purchased an extension); or
Are more than 15 minutes late for any scheduled examination appointment; or
Fail to present acceptable identification to the Pearson VUE staff; or
Fail to follow BCSP's or Pearson VUE's security and administrative procedures at the test center.
If you forfeit your examination authorization fee, you must register and pay for a new 120-day examination authorization to
take the examination, if you are still eligible.
21
SUMMARY OF COMPUTER-DELIVERED EXAMINATION RULES

(Testing Outside the United States and Canada)
When making plans to take a BCSP examination outside the United States or Canada, consider the following rules for
computer-delivered examinations. All current examination fees available at www.bcsp.org. All fees are subject to change.
Once you register and pay for an examination authorization, you have 120 days from your registration date to schedule an
appointment with Pearson VUE and take the BCSP examination. If you need additional time beyond 120 days, you may
purchase a one-time, 60-day extension of your examination authorization. Therefore, a maximum of 180 days is available for
you to take your examination after you register and pay for your examination authorization. No additional extensions to your
examination authorization are permitted beyond the one-time, 60-day extension.
To schedule a new appointment or to cancel/reschedule an existing examination appointment, BCSP strongly recommends
that you visit www.pearsonvue.com/BCSP and register online. You may also call the appropriate Pearson VUE regional
registration center at one of the phone numbers shown below. You cannot schedule a new appointment or
cancel/reschedule an existing appointment directly with a local Pearson VUE test center or directly with BCSP. When you
make or change your appointment with Pearson VUE, have your Examination Authorization Letter available. After scheduling
or rescheduling your examination appointment, confirm your appointment location, date, and time online at
www.pearsonvue.com/BCSP.
Regional Registration Centers Outside the United States and Canada
Mexico, Central America, South America, Caribbean (Except U.S. Territories)
1-952-681-3872; 8:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m. weekdays U.S. Eastern Time (closed on U.S. holidays)
Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands (Except U.S. Territories)
60-3-83191085; 8:30 a.m. 6:00 p.m. weekdays Australian Eastern Time (closed on Malaysian holidays)
Europe, Middle East, Africa
44-161-855-7455; 8:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. weekdays Central European Time (closed on UK holidays)
There must be one or more full business days remaining prior to the date of your existing examination appointment for you to
cancel/reschedule the appointment. Even if you properly cancel an existing examination appointment, to reschedule it, there
must be a test center with an available appointment during the time remaining in your examination authorization period.
If you have already made an examination appointment within the original 120-day examination authorization period, but you
decide to purchase the one-time, 60-day extension to your examination authorization, you remain responsible for canceling
and rescheduling your existing appointment.
You forfeit your examination authorization fee when you:
Fail to take the examination during the 120-day examination authorization period and you did not purchase a onetime, 60-day examination authorization extension during the 120-day period; or
Fail to take the examination during the 60-day extension of the 120-day examination authorization period even if
you purchased the one-time, 60-day extension; or
Fail to show up for any scheduled examination appointment (even if you purchased an extension); or
Are more than 15 minutes late for any scheduled examination appointment; or
Fail to present acceptable identification to the Pearson VUE staff; or
Fail to follow BCSP's or Pearson VUE's security and administrative procedures at the test center.
If you forfeit your examination authorization, you must register and pay for a new 120-day examination authorization to take
the examination, if you are still eligible.
22
ELIGIBILITY TIME LIMIT RULES

Three-year Rules
Three-year time limits apply to several steps in the CSP candidate process.
ASP Candidates
If you are eligible for the ASP examination, you must sit for the examination at least once every three years. The three
years are computed from the date you become eligible or from the date you last took the examination and failed to achieve
a passing score.
If you are eligible for the ASP examination and cannot sit for the examination before the expiration of your three-year time
limit, you may pay a fee and obtain a one-year extension to your time limit. You may purchase an ASP examination only
during your period of eligibility.
CSP Candidates
If you are eligible for the CSP examination, you must pass the examination and earn your CSP certification within three
years of becoming eligible.
The CSP examination eligibility date occurs when you reach 96 points through education and professional safety
experience and have either passed or received a waiver of the ASP examination.
If you are eligible for the CSP examination and cannot achieve the CSP certification before your three-year time limit
expires, you may pay a fee and obtain a one-year extension to your time limit. You may purchase a CSP examination only
during your period of eligibility.
Application and In-process Time Limits
ASP Candidates
All ASP candidates who need additional experience to achieve eligibility to sit for the ASP examination must submit
experience update information within 60 days after receiving an update request from BCSP. Your application may be
terminated if you fail to submit an experience update form within the time limit.
CSP Candidates
All CSP candidates who need additional experience to achieve eligibility to sit for the CSP examination must submit
experience update information within 60 days after receiving an update request from BCSP. Your application may be
terminated if you fail to submit an experience update form within the time limit. Candidates must show progress toward
fulfilling the safety experience eligibility requirement by the end of the second year after the original projected eligibility.
Failure to meet these time limits will result in a terminated application.
Upon termination, your records will be destroyed and you will have to reapply and restart the application process.
Examination Authorization Time Limits

Once you purchase an examination authorization, you have 120 days from the purchase date to make an appointment and
sit for the examination. If you do not sit for the examination within 120 days (or purchase a 60-day extension), your
examination authorization will expire, and you must purchase another examination authorization to sit for the examination.
Once you purchase an examination authorization, make your appointment as soon as possible (eight or more weeks in
advance) since test center availability is very limited. If you have already scheduled an appointment, you must cancel it
BEFORE you purchase a 60-day extension.
23
24
#0646
#0646
Advancing the Safety, Health and Environmental

Professional Since 1969
2301 W. Bradley Avenue, Champaign, IL 61821 USA

P: +1 217-359-9263 | F: +1 217-359-0055
www.bcsp.org
07/14

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Examination Guide

SEVENTH EDITION | JULY 2014

Advancing the Safety, Health and Environmental

2013 Board of Certified Safety Professionals, Champaign, Illinois, USA

ANSWERS AND SOLUTIONS TO CSP EXAMINATION SAMPLE ITEMS............................................................. 29

This publication, the CSP Examination Guide, provides

An overview of the CSP examination is presented in this

Meet Recertification requirements. Those holding the CSP

The CSP Process

The CSP Certification

The CSP certification is awarded to ASPs who

A safety professional is one who applies the expertise

Certified Safety Professionals are:

Respected by other safety professionals.

Professional safety experience, as interpreted by BCSP,

The CSP certification:

Is cited in many federal, state and local laws,

A Certified Safety Professional, or CSP, is a safety

Recipients of the CSP Certification receive:

The authority to use the Certified Safety Professional

A Graduate Safety Practitioner, or GSP, is a temporary

BCSP was organized in 1969 as a peer certification board.

The Certified Safety Professional certification meets or

Evaluate the academic and professional experience

In 1968, the American Society of Safety Engineers studied

American Industrial Hygiene Association

BCSP has issued the CSP certification to over 30,000

OVERVIEW OF THE CSP EXAMINATION

the subject area of the item review edited items on several

There are two examinations leading to the CSP

Throughout item development, examination development,

The CSP examination contains 200 multiple-choice items

How BCSP Establishes the Minimum Passing Score

How BCSP Examinations Are Developed

CSP Examination Blueprint

1. Identifying hazards associated with equipment, manufacturing systems,

Types, sources, and characteristics of hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities

Mathematics and statistics

Calculating statistics from data sources

Mathematics and statistics

Calculating statistics from data sources

1. Benchmarks and performance standards

Calculating statistics from data sources

Qualitative, quantitative, deductive, and inductive risk assessment methods

Leading comprehensive risk assessments

1. Safety, health, and environmental management and audit systems (e.g.,

Leading management system audits

1. Types of leading and lagging safety, health, environmental, and security

Using statistics to show trends in performance indicators

Recommending effective engineering controls

25. Communicating with subject matter experts

Pressure relief systems

1. Applying risk-based decision-making tools for prioritizing risk

Risk-based decision-making tools

1. Implementing project management plans

Project management concepts

1. Explaining risk concepts to stakeholders and the public

PREPARING FOR THE CSP EXAMINATION

opportunities to increase your score within that subject. If

Perform individual study.

Convert your subject strengths and weaknesses into a study

Some keys to success include: