Summer 2005 - Page 3

Title Protection for CSHM's and ASHM's-Nevada

On May 12, 2005 the Governor of Nevada signed Senate Bill 278 making Nevada the first state to provide title protection for the Certified Safety and Health Manager (CSHM) and the Associate Safety and Health Manager (ASHM) designations. Specifically, effective October 1, 2005 Nevada Revised Statute (NRS) 618.710 makes it a misdemeanor for individuals to use the titles of CSHM and ASHM unless they are certified or recognized as such by the Institute for Safety and Health Management (ISHM). This constitutes another step forward toward the recognition of the CSHM and ASHM as leading credentials in the safety and health field.

The obvious benefit to those who hold the CSHM or ASHM is that title protection is an important means to legitimize the credentials. However, title protection also advances by regulation the concept that those who hold themselves out to an individual or business as a CSHM or ASHM can distinguish themselves as career occupational safety and health professionals. More importantly, safety professionals possessing the bona fide CSHM or ASHM credentials possess the experience and training to provide for the safety and health of workers.

Proper management of safety and health issues not only protects workers, but also saves employers unnecessary costs and liability. Title protection laws effectively assure employers that those holding themselves out as a CSHM or ASHM will possess specific academic credentials and experience, will have passed rigorous standardized examinations, and be required to continue their professional education.

Currently, 15 states have chosen to enact regulation regarding safety and health professionals. Through this legislation, Nevada has furthered previous efforts in Alaska, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, Ohio, Nevada, Tennessee, and Texas to protect the public and improve the overall quality of safety and health services.

Although ISHM bylaws give the Board the power to reprimand a certificate holder, suspend, refuse to renew, or revoke the certificate of any certificate under adverse circumstances, this remedy in itself is inadequate to protect against misuse of the CSHM or ASHM. ISHM has no authority to deal with non-members who misrepresent their credentials. Thus, title protection laws provide a means for states to prosecute those individuals who misrepresent their credentials. In order to further protect the CSHM and ASHM from misuse and to deliver the trust that such designations represent to employers, the furtherance of title protection laws for the CSHM and ASHM in states beyond Nevada is essential.


Copyright 2005 ISHM Institute for Safety and Health Management
2004 Hatton Court #101, Columbia MO 65203
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