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12 Canadian Occupational Safety www.cos-mag.com UPCLOSE Dan Lyons, chair, Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals By Amanda Silliker O n the fi rst day of the winter semester for his occupational health and safety class, Dan Lyons' students asked him how he fi nds the time to do it all. Lyons is the vice-president of health, safety and environment at Armtec in Guelph, Ont., and he teaches at the University of Toronto's School of Continuing Studies. He is also the newly appointed chair of the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP). "(Being the board chair) is challeng- ing and fulfi lling, but, at the same time, it can be very demanding from a time perspective," says Lyons. "But because I have such passion for the profession and what I do, I am more than happy to devote that time and energy." Lyons joined the board, based in Mississauga, Ont., as governor in 2010 and has served as vice-chair since 2012. On Jan. 1, 2014, he assumed his new position as chair. For Lyons, getting into occupa- tional health and safety was not an accident. Upon completing his master of public health from Tulane Univer- sity in New Orleans, L.A., he knew he wanted to become a health and safety professional. "I was trying to identify a specifi c area, a career path, and after research- ing it and talking to a number of people, I really became intrigued by the breadth and scope offered by the health and safety profession," he says. "I found it really presented a challeng- ing opportunity, which was important to me, and opportunities to develop and utilize a combination of technical and personal and interpersonal skills." OHS EVOLUTION Over his 26 years in OHS management, Lyons has truly seen the profession evolve as social expectations related to health and safety have "dramati- cally increased." When he started out, health and safety was not considered integral to most organizations, but now it is seen as a licence to do busi- ness, he says. "And through that elevation, the importance of the health and safety professional has been elevated as well," says Lyons. "In the past, it may have been acceptable to have an individual that was not technically profi cient in this area, but with this elevation, it means we need to have health and safety professionals that can meet this challenge." The CRSP designation is gaining a higher profi le as well. The BCRSP con- ducted an analysis of job postings and found on some web sites, 70 per cent of the OHS positions are now identify- ing the CRSP as a required competency. "It's very encouraging. It says it's starting to resonate in employers' minds and the HR community, in par- ticular, is realizing that this is a role that — to be performed effectively — demands highly competent, talented individuals and organizations are looking for some form of benchmark to confi rm that person has those com- petencies," he says. As the value proposition for the CRSP increases in the eyes of the employer, the value for the those hold- ing the certifi cation increases as well, says Lyons. CRSPs can anticipate an increased salary potential, enhanced promotion opportunities as well as transportability and recognition of the designation outside of Canada. STRENGTHENING CERTIFICATION STANDARDS As chair, Lyons will be working with the board on strengthening certifi ca- tion standards going forward. For the past two years, Lyons has chaired the certifi cation maintenance committee, which reviewed the pro- cess professionals need to undergo to maintain their designation. "We looked at the progression of technology as a refl ection on the way we do things and help people develop as professionals, so we made some amendments (and introduced) self- directed learning," says Lyons. "As professionals, it's not just that learning occurs in the classroom or conference environment, there are many opportu- nities for self-directed learning." Now, individuals are able to meet certification maintenance require- ments through reading peer-reviewed journal articles or books related to health and safety. This year, the board will be undergo- ing a review of the exam process, with a revamped version to be released in 2015. CRSP-holders will be invited to complete a survey as part of this review. "It provides the opportunity for feedback to be received from certifi - cants to gauge the scope of the health and safety function to make sure the exam blueprint is really refl ective of the evolution of the discipline," says Lyons. "As a certifi cation body, we need to be current in our approach." The board is gauging its certifi cation practices relevant to other comparator organizations, such as the Institute for Credentialing Excellence in the United States as well as member organizations of the International Network of Safety & Health Practitioner Organisations (INSHPO) in the United Kingdom. BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS Lyons is a strong believer of the power of collaboration and is keen on building relationships with other like-minded organizations. The board already has a strong relationship with the Board of Certifi ed Safety Profes- sionals in the U.S. as well as INSHPO. "BCRSP will continue to cultivate our brand as a recognized global leader as a certifi er of occupational health and safety professionals… in order to ensure opportunities exist for the recognition and transportability of the CRSP designation in other jurisdic- tions," he says. The board is planning a targeted mar- keting and communications initiative to a variety of stakeholders to further enhance recognition of the CRSP. Since joining the board in 2010, Lyons has been apart of a number of improvements, such as a revision of its charter, amendment of its bylaws, and refi nement of its strategic plan. "I am very proud of the progress that we have made as a governing board," he says. "We have some extremely talented individuals, we have a fan- tastic profi le, I think we are really in a well position to maintain our position as an industry leader as well as to propel forward." Above board on safety Inc. www.yowcanada.com 1.866.688.2845 Safety Compliance Made Easy! Mandatory Health & Safety Training for all Ontario Workers These courses give Ontario workers and supervisors the basic understanding and knowledge of OHSA and their rights and duties within the Act. Train today with one of YOW Canada's Ontario Health & Safety Awareness courses online! Did you know? 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