Monday, March 24, 2008

The Council on Certification of Health, Environmental and Safety Technologists (CCHEST) now offers a certification for loss control practitioners?the Certified Loss Control Specialist (CLCS). This experience-based certification was developed for?and with the assistance of?the insurance industry.

Various states have minimum qualifications for those providing loss control services. Several states authorized the Associate in Loss Control Management (ALCM) training and testing program operated by the Alliance of American Insurers (AAI). After the ALCM was disbanded, AAI, the American Insurance Association (AIA), and CCHEST worked together to create the CLCS certification. AAI has since merged with the National Association of Independent Insurers (NAII) to form the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI).

The CLCS certification was created for those individuals who provide services related to controlling conditions that contribute to or result in business losses. CLCS candidates also perform occupational health and safety activities as part of their job duties. These activities include making worksite assessments to determine risks, potential hazards and controls, evaluating risks and hazard control measures, investigating incidents, maintaining and evaluating incident and loss records, and preparing emergency response plans.

?CCHEST is excited to be able to offer the insurance industry a nationally-accredited loss control certification,? said CCHEST Program Director Patrick J. Conroy, OHST, CHST. ?It was a natural career progression for CCHEST to offer insurance and loss control practitioners the CLCS. In a study of practice, we discovered that the knowledge and skills of loss control practitioners are the same as that of occupational health and safety technologists.?

To qualify to sit for the CLCS examination, applicants must have five years of occupational health and safety experience. This can be as an insurance loss control consultant (or having a combination of insurance work experience) and/or as a private or corporate/company practitioner with 35% responsibility for occupational health and safety. College courses, certificates, and degrees waive part or all of the experience requirement.

Candidates can sit for the CLCS examination after their application is approved and prior to meeting the required experience. If they pass the examination, they become an Associate Certified Loss Control Specialist (ACLCS) until they gain the required experience.

The four-hour, multiple-choice CLCS examination is currently given at Pearson VUE test centers throughout the world. The examination covers five primary functions of loss control practice and tasks: worksite assessment, hazard control and loss prevention, verification, disaster planning and emergency response, and professional responsibility.

Information about the CLCS credential is located at www.cchest.org/clcs. Visit www.cchest.org for more information about CCHEST and its other certifications, including the Occupational Health and Safety Technologist® (OHST), Construction Health and Safety Technician® (CHST), and Safety Trained Supervisor (STS).