Institute for Safety and Health Management

Criteria for Certification

Examination

Certification requires achievement of a passing grade on the CSHM examination. Candidates must meet all education and experience requirements before taking the examination. Candidates who possess a valid certification with similar education and experience requirements (such as a CSP or CIH) may be deemed to meet these education and experience criteria, and will not be required to submit transcripts. Potential examinee's should review information on the testing format covered in the CSHM Electronic Certification Guide. The three-hour examination consists of 150 multiple choice test questions measuring applicant knowledge in following four subject areas:

I. General and Business Management (30 questions/20%)

A. Finance
: B. Cost accounting
: C. Employee relations/HR
: D. Ethics and Law
: E. Organization Structure
: F. Training and Development

II. Management Methods (43 questions/29%)

A. TQM Principles
: B. Systems Safety
: C. Auditing
: D. Data Analysis and Applied Statistics
: E. Safety in Design
: F. Benchmarking
: G. Behavioral Safety Processes
: H. Root Cause Analysis
: I. Safety Management and Theory

III. Safety, Health and Environment Applications (46 questions/30%)

A. Compliance Management
: B. Environment
: C. Ergonomics
: D. Toxicology
: E. Epidemiology
: F. Industrial Hygiene
: G. Construction

IV. Risk Management Control (31 questions 21%)

A. Workers' compensation
: B. Risk Management
: C. General Liability/Product safety
: D. Fleet safety
: E. Fire and Life safety
: F. Health and Wellness
: G. Security
: H. Disaster Recovery/Emergency Preparedness
: I. Workplace Violence

See sample questions

Education Requirements

A graduate of a college or university, accredited by a member organization of the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), with a minimum of a baccalaureate degree is eligible for certification after 5 years of qualifying experience meeting the criteria below.

A Holder of an ASHM designation is eligible for certification after two years of qualifying experience meeting the criteria below.

Experience Requirements

Certification requires professional safety and health management experience (50% or greater safety and health management related activities) acceptable to the Institute.
Two years of part time experience (25% or greater safety and health management related activities) may be substituted for one full time year.

Summary of Requirements

A minimum of a Bachelor's Degree plus five qualifying years of work experience or an ASHM designation plus 2 years of experience
Completion and approval of the application package and submission of fees
Passing the CSHM examination

Sample examination questions and answers

Examination Application Forms

ISHM Continuance of Certification Handbook

Application Forms

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