Safety engineers back Singapore Accord to promote professional excellence

American Society of Safety Engineers President Explains Stance on Accord

JIM SMITH, M.S., CSP, is the 2017-18 president of The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE, www.asse.org). In early October, Smith wrote an article, titled “Paving the Way to Professional Excellence,” for the ASSE website blog. The article shares why the ASSE joined with more than 40 international organizations in signing a document called the Singapore Accord.

According to Smith, “the accord signals a commitment to improve OSH (occupational safety and health) professional and practitioner capabilities so that they may more effectively guide and lead the creation of safe, healthy workplaces around the world.”

The ASSE is a founding member of the International Network of Safety and Health Practitioner Organizations (INSHPO), the organization that spearheaded the Singapore Accord.

Smith’s article about the accord offers three key points:

  1. In signing the document in September, the ASSE agreed to support the OHS Professional Capability Framework developed by INSHPO. “This framework defines the roles, skills, knowledge and qualifications recommended for university-educated OSH professionals and vocationally trained practitioners,” Smith wrote.
  2. According to Smith, “The INSHPO framework is a foundation for the long-needed development of international standards of practice in our profession. It promotes a high standard of capability among OSH professionals and practitioners, and, in turn, informs employers and regulators about our key roles and capabilities. It also provides benchmarks for education and training entities that develop educational programs, continuing professional development, and certification and designation schemes.”
  3. “Signing the Singapore Accord is a next step in ASSE’s effort to define and frame the OSH profession,” Smith wrote.

Smith called the accord “a significant accomplishment for ASSE and our profession.”

“By defining our capabilities, we will ultimately help our employers prevent worker injuries, illnesses and fatalities,” Smith wrote.

The Singapore Accord and the contributions of the ASSE dovetail well with the work of Safety Solutions & Supply. Maintaining an exceptional safety record is an absolute expectation in today’s workforce. Here in the Tampa Bay area and throughout Central Florida, companies realize that having a strong safety record is not just an asset to their organization. Strong safety performance is the cornerstone of cultivating higher productivity, profitability, and overall success.

Worker protection is the bottom-line mission of Safety Solutions & Supply. Our team of highly trained and experienced safety consultants is here to help build and enhance the safety program in any organization.

For more information about the Safety Solutions & Supply team, services, and training courses, visit us online at solutionsinsafety.com or call 1-866-537-2262.

On the Web: “Paving the Way to Professional Excellence” by Jim Smith, M.S., CSP, the 2017-18 president of The American Society of Safety Engineers. Read the complete blog article here.