Under the Health and Safety Regulations of the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act, self-insured employers and insurance carriers licensed to write workers’ compensation insurance are required to either employ or contract with qualified accident and illness prevention services providers to deliver services to policyholders or to provide program services. The self-insured employer or licensed carrier is responsible for maintaining proof that a provider possesses a current qualification.
To be a qualified service provider within the meaning of Section 1001(a) of the Act (77 P.S. section 1038.1 (a)):
- Individuals must possess at least one current, bureau-recognized credential listed below AND have two years of acceptable safety experience as also defined below; or
- Be designated as an In Service provider. When filing their annual report of Accident and Illness Prevention Services/Program, a self-insured employer or insurer can request an In Service designation for a provider who does not yet hold a recognized credential but is working to earn one. An In Service provider has five years to obtain a recognized credential and must be under the direction of a fully qualified provider while in service.
Please note: qualified accident and illness prevention services providers are also qualified to deliver required training to workplace safety committee members under the state’s workplace safety committee certification program. Certification entitles insured employers to a 5 percent annual workers’ compensation premium discount.
To be qualified as an accident and illness prevention service provider within the meaning of Section 1001(a) and (b) of the Act (77 P.S. § 1038.1(a) and (b)) and this chapter, a person shall obtain one or more of the following qualifications
and have two years of acceptable safety experience.
- Certification as a medical doctor (M.D.) in occupational medicine granted by the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM).
- Certification as an industrial hygienist (CIH) granted by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH).
- Certification as a safety professional (CSP) granted by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP).
- Certification as an industrial hygienist in training (IHIT) granted by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH).
- Certification as an associate safety professional (ASP) granted by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP).
- A bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or doctoral degree in safety earned from an accredited program from an accredited college or university.
- A bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctoral degree in science or engineering with a major concentration in occupational/industrial safety and health from an accredited program within an accredited college or university.
- Certification as an occupational health nurse (COHN) granted by the American Board for Occupational Health Nurse (ABOHN).
- Certification as an Occupational Health & Safety Technologist (OHST) granted by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP).
- An advanced safety certificate earned from the National Safety Council’s Safety Training Institute.
- An associate in loss control management (ALCM) earned from the Insurance Institute of America (IIA).
- An associate risk management (ARM) earned from the Insurance Institute of America (IIA).
- Certification as a safety executive (WSO-CSE), safety manager (WSO-CSM) or safety specialist (WSO-CSS) granted by the World Safety Organization (WSO).
- Certification as a professional ergonomist (CPE) granted by the Board of Certification of Professional Ergonomists (BCPE).
- Registered safety manager granted by the International Board of Environmental Health & Safety Inc. (IBOEHS).
- Certification with a Certified Risk Managers (CRM) designation granted by The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research.
- Certified Safety and Health Managers (CSHM) granted by the Institute for Safety and Health Management.
- Certification as a Certified Environmental, Safety & Health Trainer (CET) granted by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP).
- Certification as a Safety Trained Supervisor (STS) granted by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP).
INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Trucking: certified director of safety (CDS) granted by the North American Transportation Management Institute (NATMI).
- Trucking: certified safety supervisor (CSS) granted by the North American Transportation Management Institute (NATMI).
- Healthcare: certified health care safety professional (master level only) granted by the Board of Certified HealthCare Safety Management.
- Construction: safety trained supervisor construction (STSC) granted by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.
- Treecare: Certified Treecare Safety Professional (CTSP) granted by the Tree Care Industry Association, Inc.
- Construction: safety trained supervisor construction (STSC) granted by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP).
- Hazardous Materials: Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) granted by the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM).
- Hazardous Materials: Certified Dangerous Goods Trainer (CDGT) granted by the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM).
Those who hold an industry specific qualification are only permitted to provide accident and illness prevention services within the designated industry.
TWO YEARS OF ACCEPTABLE SAFETY EXPERIENCE
This experience must include current, full-time professional experience providing accident and illness prevention services which accounts for at least 60 percent of the individual’s activities. Acceptable activities include: identifying hazards; conducting safety and health surveys; proposing corrective actions; analyzing accident causes; and, recommending or providing industrial hygiene and industrial health surveys and consultations.