Examination Guide

SEVENTH EDITION | DECEMBER 2013

Advancing the Safety, Health and Environmental

Profession Since 1969
2301 W. Bradley Avenue
Champaign, IL 61821 USA

 2013 Board of Certified Safety Professionals, Champaign, Illinois, USA

All rights reserved.
A BCSP Publication
All or any part of this document may be freely copied and distributed with the following
restrictions: Excerpts, in any form or medium, must include a formal statement
acknowledging that the Board of Certified Safety Professionals is the owner of the
copyrighted material excerpted from this document. Copies and redistributions of this
whole document, in any form or medium, must include the entire copyright notice and the
restrictions shown on this page.
The CSP logo is a registered mark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. CSP,
Certified Safety Professional, ASP, and Associate Safety Professional are
registered certification marks and service marks issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office to the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.

ASP Examination Guide

Seventh Edition
December 2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................................... 1
OVERVIEW OF THE ASP EXAMINATION .......................................................................................................................... 4
ASP EXAMINATION BLUEPRINT ........................................................................................................................................ 5
PREPARING FOR THE ASP EXAMINATION ...................................................................................................................... 9
SELF-EVALUATION WORKSHEET FOR THE ASP EXAMINATION ............................................................................ 12
REGISTERING FOR AND TAKING THE ASP EXAMINATION ...................................................................................... 13
SUMMARY OF COMPUTER-DELIVERED EXAMINATION RULES (U.S. AND CANADA ONLY) ........................... 17
SUMMARY OF COMPUTER-DELIVERED EXAMINATION RULES (OUTSIDE THE U.S. AND CANADA) ............ 18
ELIGIBILITY TIME LIMIT RULES ...................................................................................................................................... 19
ASP EXAMINATION SAMPLE ITEMS ............................................................................................................................... 20

ANSWERS AND SOLUTIONS TO ASP EXAMINATION SAMPLE ITEMS ............................................................ 22

Note:

The latest edition of the ASP Examination Guide may be downloaded from the BCSP web site at www.bcsp.org/CSP.

INTRODUCTION
Using This Publication

Make an appointment to take your examination at a test

center near you, and sit for your examination at the
scheduled time. BCSP's examination delivery service
provider has hundreds of test centers located around the
world that are open every business day (many also have
weekend and holiday hours). Your examination will be
delivered to you on a computer at the test center. You will
receive your result as soon as you log off the test center's
computer system.

This publication, the ASP Examination Guide, provides

detailed information about the ASP examination leading to
the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) credential. A
companion publication to this document, the CSP
Application Guide, provides information on the
qualifications for earning the CSP certification and the
application process. You may download both publications
from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP)
web site at www.bcsp.org/CSP. Note that there is a second
examination leading to the CSP certification, the CSP
examination. If you need information on the CSP
examination, be sure to obtain a copy of the CSP
Examination Guide.

If you fail the examination, you may register and pay for
another ASP examination authorization as soon as you
receive your official examination result from BCSP.
However, if you fail the examination, you should try to
enhance your knowledge of the subject material before you
retake the examination in order to increase the likelihood of
passing it.

An overview of the ASP examination is presented in this

publication along with its respective examination blueprint.
Sample items typical of the ASP examination are presented
in subsequent sections with solutions and explanations. A
section of this publication explains how to prepare for the
ASP examination. There is a section describing computerdelivered examinations and the procedures used at the
computer test centers.

Complete all requirements for the ASP credential. After

completing all of the requirements, BCSP will award you
interim use of the Associate Safety Professional (ASP)
designation.
Pay an annual renewal fee. The interim ASP designation
is awarded on an annual basis. Those holding this
designation must pay an annual fee in order to retain the
use of this designation.

The ASP Process

The process of earning the interim Associate Safety
Professional (ASP) designation is summarized in the
following paragraphs.
Complete and submit application materials. BCSP will
review your application materials to determine whether you
have met the academic and experience requirements and
are eligible for the ASP examination. If you are eligible,
BCSP will inform you of the length of your eligibility
period and the expiration date of your eligibility.
Register to take the ASP examination leading to the
interim ASP designation. Anytime during your eligibility
period, you may register with BCSP to take the ASP
examination. After you register and pay for a ASP
examination authorization, BCSP will (1) notify the
examination delivery service provider that you are an
authorized ASP examination candidate and (2) inform you
how long you have to make an appointment and to
complete the ASP examination. You will not need to
complete any additional applications for continuing to the
CSP as long as your do not allow your eligibility to expire.

The CSP Certification

Definitions

The CSP certification is awarded to ASPs who

subsequently pass the CSP examination and meet the
requirements to achieve and retain the credential.

A safety professional is one who applies the expertise

gained from a study of safety science, principles, practices,
and other subjects and from professional safety experience
to create or develop procedures, processes, standards,
specifications, and systems to achieve optimal control or
reduction of the hazards and exposures that may harm
people, property, or the environment.

Certified Safety Professionals are:

Respected by other safety professionals.

Honored by the safety profession.
Preferred or required by most employers of safety
professionals.
Required in many government and private contracts.
Paid on average about $30,000 more per year than
safety professionals without certification.
Paid on average $600,000 or more than safety
professionals without certification over the span of a
career.

Professional safety experience, as interpreted by BCSP,

must be the primary function of a position and account for
at least 50% of the position's responsibility. Professional
safety experience involves analysis, synthesis,
investigation, evaluation, research, planning, design,
administration, and consultation to the satisfaction of peers,
employers, and clients in the prevention of harm to people,
property, and the environment. Professional safety
experience differs from nonprofessional safety experience
in the degree of responsible charge and the ability to defend
analytical approaches and recommendations for
engineering or administrative controls.

The CSP certification:

Is cited in many federal, state and local laws,

regulations and standards.
Is recognized by U.S. and international safety and
health organizations.
Is held by 75% or more of the leaders in the safety
profession.
Adds $300 million to pay for safety professionals
annually

A Certified Safety Professional, or CSP, is a safety

professional who has met and continues to meet all
requirements established by BCSP and is authorized by
BCSP to use the Certified Safety Professional title and the
CSP certification.
An Associate Safety Professional, or ASP, is a temporary
designation awarded by BCSP. This designation describes
an individual who has met the academic requirements for
the CSP certification and has passed the ASP examination,
the first of two examinations leading to the CSP
certification.

Recipients of the CSP Certification receive:

The authority to use the Certified Safety Professional

title and the CSP certification.
A wall certificate showing their achievement.
An annual wallet card.
A personalized BCSP certification announcement.
The BCSP eNewsletter.
The BCSP Annual Report.
Representation for promoting and protecting the CSP
certification.

A Graduate Safety Practitioner, or GSP, is a temporary

designation awarded by BCSP. This designation describes
an individual who has graduated from an independently
accredited academic program meeting BCSPs standards.

About BCSP

Accreditation

BCSP was organized in 1969 as a peer certification board.

Its purpose is to certify practitioners in the safety
profession. The specific functions of the Board are to:

The Certified Safety Professional credential meets or

exceeds the highest national accreditation and personnel
certification standards for certification bodies.

Evaluate the academic and professional experience

qualifications of safety professionals.
Administer examinations.
Issue certifications to those professionals who meet the
Board's criteria and successfully pass required
examinations.

National Accreditation
The CSP is nationally accredited by the National
Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and
internationally accredited by the American National
Standards Institute under the ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024
standards for personnel certification programs.

In 1968, the American Society of Safety Engineers studied

the issue of certification for safety professionals and
recommended the formation of a professional certification
program. This recommendation led to establishing BCSP in
July 1969. The BCSP governing Board consists of directors
who represent the breadth and depth of safety, health, and
environmental practice, as well as the public. Some of the
directors are nominated to a pool by professional
sponsorship organizations affiliated with BCSP. The
professional sponsorship organizations currently affiliated
with BCSP are the following.

American Industrial Hygiene Association

American Society of Safety Engineers
Institute of Industrial Engineers
National Fire Protection Association
National Safety Council
National Environmental, Safety and Health Training
Association (NESHTA)
Society of Fire Protection Engineers
System Safety Society

BCSP has issued the CSP certification to over 30,000

people, and over 14,000 currently maintain their CSP
certification.

OVERVIEW OF THE ASP EXAMINATION

General Description of BCSP Examinations

the subject area of the item review edited items on several

criteria, including importance in and relevance to
professional safety. Also, 1015% of the items on BCSP
examinations are experimental, and do not contribute to a
candidate's pass/fail decision. BCSP analyzes the
performance of these experimental items before deciding to
include them in the official item bank. Items that
successfully complete this quality process are placed in the
item bank for potential use in examinations.

There are two examinations leading to the CSP

certification: ASP and CSP. Some candidates receive a
waiver of the ASP examination if they were rigorously
examined through another allied certification or licensing
process approved by BCSP or if they graduated from a
qualified academic program and BCSP awarded them
temporary use of the Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP)
designation. All candidates for the CSP certification must
pass the CSP examination.

Throughout item development, examination development,

examination revision, and examination administration,
BCSP consults with experienced testing specialists
(psychometricians) to ensure that BCSP examinations and
the entire testing and certification process conform to
acceptable practices and accreditation standards.

The ASP examination contains 200 multiple-choice items

with four possible answers. Only one answer is correct.
Each item is independent and does not rely on the correct
answer to any other item. Data necessary to answer items
are included in the item or in a scenario shared by several
items. Your score is based on the number of scored items
you correctly answer.

How BCSP Establishes the Minimum Passing Score

BCSP uses a criterion-referenced procedure (the modified
Angoff technique) to establish minimum passing scores for
examinations. This procedure ensures that your score is
independent of scores for other candidates sitting for the
examination and involves having a panel of experts rate
each examination item with respect to the candidate who
would just meet the minimum requirements to sit for the
examination and should know the correct answer. The
minimum passing score is calculated from results across all
raters and across all examination items. The ratings reflect
such things as the difficulty of items and the degree to
which items are common for all areas of professional
practice. As examinations are modified on a regular basis,
the minimum passing score is adjusted for the difficulty of
items on the examination. Item performance is also
evaluated regularly to ensure that BCSP examinations
maintain the highest testing standards.

How BCSP Examinations Are Developed

Periodically, BCSP validates the content of its
examinations to help ensure that the examinations reflect
what is important, relevant, and critical in professional
safety practice. The process for validating professional
certification examinations against current practices
produces examination blueprints.
Examination Content Development and Revision
BCSP updates examinations continuously. Most items
come from safety professionals in practice. Before items
are accepted into item banks, they go through rigorous
technical, psychometric, and grammatical editing. In
addition, practicing safety professionals with expertise in

ASP EXAMINATION BLUEPRINT

BCSP examination blueprints are based on a peer review process to determine what safety professionals do in
practice. The ASP examination is required for candidates to demonstrate knowledge of professional safety practice at
the Associate Safety Professional (ASP) level. The table beginning below and continuing on the next several pages
describes the subject matter covered by the ASP examination.
The top four levels, called domains, represent major areas of practice that safety professionals at the ASP level must
understand. Within each domain are knowledge topics. For most knowledge topics, there is a list of knowledge areas.
A percentage label accompanies each domain heading in this table. This percentage represents the proportion of the
actual ASP examination devoted to that domain.

ASP Examination
Domain 1
Recognizing Safety, Health, and Environmental Hazards
35.4%
Topic 1
Biological Hazards
Topic 2
Chemical Hazards
Topic 3
Electrical Hazards
Topic 4
Natural Hazards
Topic 5
Radiation Hazards

Knowledge Areas
1. Ionizing radiation
2. Nonionizing radiation

Topic 6
Structural and Mechanical Hazards
Topic 7
Hazards Related to Fires and Explosions
Topic 8
Hazards Related to Human Factors and
Ergonomics

Knowledge Areas
1. Fitness for duty
2. Manual materials handling
3. Organizational, behavioral, and psychological influences
4. Physical and mental stressors
5. Repetitive activities
6. Workplace violence

ASP Examination
Domain 2
Measuring, Evaluating, and Controlling Safety, Health, and Environmental Hazards
30.9%
Topic 1
Measurement and Monitoring

Knowledge Areas
1. Methods and techniques for measurement, sampling, and analysis
2. Uses and limitations of monitoring equipment

Topic 2
Engineering Controls

Knowledge Areas
1. Dust control
2. Equipment and material handling
3. Excavation shoring
4. Facility physical security
5. Fall protection
6. Fire prevention, protection, and suppression
7. Hazardous energy control
8. Human factors and ergonomic design
9. Mechanical and machine guarding
10. Segregation and separation
11. Substitution and selection of alternative design strategies
12. Ventilation

Topic 3
Administrative Controls

Knowledge Areas
1. Accountability
2. Behavior modification
3. Decontamination processes
4. Exposure limitation
5. Fitness for duty
6. Housekeeping
7. Labels
8. Material safety data sheets
9. Safe work permits
10. Training and education
11. Warnings and signs
12. Work zone establishment
13. Written plans, procedures, and work practices

Topic 4
Personal Protective Equipment

Knowledge Areas
1. Assessment of need for personal protective equipment
2. Selection and testing of personal protective equipment
3. Usage of personal protective equipment
4. Maintenance of personal protective equipment

ASP Examination
Domain 3
Safety, Health, and Environmental Training and Management
20.6%
Topic 1
Training and Communication Methods

Knowledge Areas
1. Adult learning techniques
2. ANSI/ASSE Z490.1 (American National Standard: Criteria for Accepted
Practices in Safety, Health, and Environmental Training)
3. Behavior modification
4. Methods of training delivery
5. Methods of training evaluation
6. Presentation tools

Topic 2
Management Processes

Knowledge Areas
1. Emergency/crisis/disaster planning and response
2. Identification of expert resources
3. Incident data collection and analysis
4. Techniques for performing incident investigation and root cause analysis
Knowledge Areas
1. Elements of an inspection and auditing program
2. Reasons to perform inspections and audits
3. Purpose and objective of ISO 19011 (Guidelines for quality and/or
environmental management systems auditing)
Knowledge Areas
1. Conflict resolution
2. Methods of facilitating teams
3. Multidisciplinary teamwork
4. Negotiation procedures

Topic 3
Inspections and Auditing

Topic 4
Group Dynamics

Topic 5
Project Management

Knowledge Areas
1. Evaluation of cost, schedule, performance, and risk
2. Project management terminology
3. Review of specifications and designs against requirements

Topic 6
Risk Management

Knowledge Areas
1. The risk management process
2. Risk analysis methods (e.g., job safety analysis, hazard and operability
analysis, failure mode and effects analysis, fault tree analysis, whatif/checklist analysis, change analysis)

Topic 7
Safety, Health, and Environmental
Management Systems

Knowledge Areas
1. Purpose and objective of ANSI/AIHA Z10 (American National Standard
for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems)
2. Purpose and objective of the ISO 14000 series of environmental
management system standards
3. Purpose and objective of the OHSAS 18000 series of occupational health
and safety management system standards
4. Purpose and objective of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health
Administration Voluntary Protection Programs

ASP Examination
Domain 4
Business Principles, Practices, and Metrics in Safety, Health, and Environmental Practice
13.1%
Topic 1
Basic Financial Principles

Knowledge Areas
1. Cost benefit analysis (e.g., calculating, evaluating, and selecting the best
alternative)
2. Definition and use of life cycle cost
3. Definition and use of net present value
4. Definition and use of return on investment

Topic 2
Probability and Statistics

Knowledge Areas
1. Concepts of probability
2. Normal (Gaussian) distribution: description, calculations, and
interpretations
3. Poisson distribution: description, calculations, and interpretations
4. Descriptive statistics: description, calculations, and interpretations (e.g.,
mean, mode, median, standard deviation, standard error of measurement,
variance)
5. Inferential statistics: description, calculations, and interpretations (e.g., ttest, z-test, chi-square test, Pearson product-moment correlation,
Spearmans rank correlation, linear regression techniques, confidence
intervals, control limits)

Topic 3
Performance Metrics and Indicators

Knowledge Areas
1. Lagging indicators (e.g., incidence rates, lost time, direct costs of
incidents)
2. Leading indicators (e.g., inspection frequency, number of safety
interventions, employee performance evaluations, training frequency, near
miss/near hit reporting)
3. Economic effects of losses (e.g., cost per incident)
4. Relationship between cost of losses and the effect on profitability

PREPARING FOR THE ASP EXAMINATION

You may use various approaches to prepare for the ASP
examination:

you are likely to get few items correct for another subject,
you have a better opportunity to gain points by studying
that subject.

Perform individual study.

Participate in informal study groups.
Attend formal review courses.
Complete practice examinations.

Convert your subject strengths and weaknesses into a study

plan that is likely to increase your overall examination
score. You will want to refresh your knowledge in all
subjects. It is also a good idea to study subjects that offer
the greatest opportunity to increase your overall score.

Some keys to success include:

Make a chart of subjects. List for yourself how you will

prepare for each subject. You may want to identify study
hours for each, create a study schedule, or even chart out
how you plan to prepare for each subject (reading,
practicing working calculations, attending a study group or
refresher course).

Knowing your strengths and weaknesses.

Having an examination preparation plan.
Developing a test-taking strategy.
Understanding how to use your calculator.

Knowing Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Note that knowledge and understanding are essential in

passing the examinations. Relying only on simulated
examination items is not the best way to increase
knowledge and understanding. Use simulated items to
provide insight into the areas in which you should engage
in additional study.

A self-evaluation will help you determine how well you

know various subjects included on the ASP examination.
Simply rate yourself on each major and minor subject area
included on the examination. Focus especially on the
specific knowledge areas. The safety discipline requires
knowledge in many different subjects. A rating form to
help you evaluate your knowledge appears at the end of
this section. It is essential for you to compare your
knowledge against that contained in the examination
blueprint.

Developing a Test-taking Strategy

Knowing how to take examinations will help improve your
score. The ASP examination uses multiple-choice items.
Each item has one correct answer and three incorrect
answers. Remember, the goal is to get as many items
correct as possible. There is no penalty on the ASP
examination for selecting an incorrect answer. However,
only correct answers count toward reaching the passing
score.

Having an Examination Preparation Plan

You can use your ratings to help establish a study plan. The
examination blueprint shows how the items on an
examination are distributed across domains and topics.
While the exact number of items devoted to each
responsibility may vary on the actual examination, one can
estimate about how many items may be devoted to each
particular subject by assuming a uniform distribution
within a domain.

Understand item construction. A four-choice, objectively

scored examination item contains an item stem and four
possible answers. The premise, or lead-in statement or
question, is called the stem. One of the choices is correct,
and three are not.

The total number of scored items that you get correct on the
examination determines whether you pass. Scoring well in
one subject area can compensate for a weaker score in
another subject area. However, there may not be enough
items in your strong areas to achieve a passing score. You
will have to get items correct in your moderate and weak
areas to pass.

Guess intelligently. If you do not know the answer to an

item or are not sure about it, you should guess intelligently.
Look for choices that you know are incorrect or do not
appear as plausible as others. Choose your answer from
among the remaining choices. This increases your chance
of selecting a correct answer.

Use this information to form a preparation strategy. If you

know a subject well and are likely to get most items for that
subject correct on the examination, you have few additional
opportunities to increase your score within that subject. If

Read the items carefully. Read each item carefully.

Consider the item from the viewpoint of an examination
item writer. Look for the item focus. Each item evaluates
9

some subject or kernel of knowledge. Try to identify what

knowledge the item is trying to test. Avoid reading things
into an item. The item can only test on the information
actually included. Recognize that the stems for some items
may include information that is not needed for correctly
answering them.

answer closest to the computed value.

You may not bring in calculator operational instructions or
other written materials to assist you with using your
authorized calculators. Your calculators will be thoroughly
inspected before you will be allowed to bring them into the
secure testing room.

Consider the context. Often an item is framed around a

particular industry or situation. Even if you do not work in
that industry or have not experienced a particular situation,
the item may be testing knowledge that you have. Avoid
dismissing an item because of the context or the industry in
which it is framed.

NOTE: You also may use the online scientific calculator

available on your computer testing workstation.
BCSP Calculator Rules
The following are the only makes and models of calculators
permitted. Programmable calculators are not permitted.

Use examination time wisely. When taking your

examination, complete those items first that you know or
can answer quickly. Then go back to items that were
difficult for you or required considerable time to read,
analyze, or compute. This approach allows you to build
your score as quickly as possible. You may want to go back
over skipped or marked items several times.

Casio models FX-100, 200 or 300 series

Hewlett Packard models HP 10, 12, or 17 series
Texas Instruments models TI-30 series
Different versions of the models listed are permitted.

Complete skipped items. After you have gone through the

examination once or if you are running out of time, look for
items that you have not answered. Select an answer for any
skipped or incomplete item. By chance alone, you can get
one of every four correct. There is no penalty for selecting
an incorrect answer.

Obtaining Information on the Body of Knowledge

Draw on your experience and on professional and study
references in your own library, a company, or a public
library. BCSP maintains an online comprehensive list of
published references that provide reasonable coverage on
the subject matter associated with BCSP examination
blueprints and safety, health, and environmental practice.
Examination items are not necessarily taken directly from
these sources, and you may have access to previous or later
editions of these or other references that also present
acceptable coverage on the subject matter. However, BCSP
believes that the references on the online list represent the
breadth and depth of coverage of safety, health, and
environmental practice.

Go back to troublesome items. It is a good idea to mark

items that you are not sure about or items that are difficult
for you. After you have worked through the entire
examination, go back to marked items. Reread the items
and study the choices again. You may recall some
knowledge or information that you had not considered
earlier and be able to answer the item correctly. You may
also be able to eliminate a choice that is not correct and
increase your chance of guessing the correct answer.
Using Your Authorized Calculators

BCSP maintains an online list of published references. This

list provides acceptable coverage of the subject matter
associated with professional safety practice at the ASP
level. You can find this list in PDF form at
www.bcsp.org/CSP or in an online library at
www.bcsp.org/SafetyPracticeLibrary

Some items on the ASP examination require computations

to obtain the correct answer. You may bring as many as
two of your own calculators, but your calculators must
comply with the BCSP calculator rules (see Box, next
column). Make sure you know how to use your calculators
to avoid wasting valuable time trying to understand how to
use your calculators once the examination clock starts. You
could also make computational errors if you have not
practiced using your calculators. It is a good idea to
practice working solutions to computational problems to be
able to recall the correct calculator procedures.
Solutions to computational items usually are rounded to
two or three significant figures. You should select the
10

BCSP-published Self-Assessment Examination

Examination Integrity

BCSP publishes a Self-Assessment examination for the

ASP examination. Many candidates find it helpful in
examination preparation. The Self-Assessment examination
can help diagnose how well you know the body of
knowledge as well as to help refresh your test-taking skills.

A key to a successful and respected credentialing program

is examination security. Without it, a peer-operated
credentialing program has little value. BCSP relies on the
ethical behavior of candidates and certificants to maintain
the security of BCSP examinations.

The Self-Assessment examination is based on the blueprint

described in this document and is half the length of a full
examination. The Self-Assessment examination booklet
includes a scoring sheet and a chart of correct answers. It
also includes solutions to computational items and
explanations for correct answers, along with detailed
references.

BCSP publishes brochures and technical documents

derived strictly from the examination blueprints. These
brochures and technical documents are available to anyone.
BCSP neither publishes nor releases any other information
or material related to the ASP examination. In addition,
BCSP does not provide access to any examination or other
examination-related materials to anyone except authorized
ASP examination candidates.

To order a Self-Assessment examination, please download

the order form from the BCSP web site at www.bcsp.org,
or by calling BCSP.

When those who hold the CSP certification or those who

are pursuing the CSP certification reveal information about
the content of BCSP examinations (other than that which is
described in documents published by BCSP), they violate
the agreement all candidates accept when they apply for
certification and when they take an examination.

Other Review and Study Sources

A number of professional membership organizations, trade
organizations, colleges and universities, and private
companies offer study courses, software, and materials to
assist candidates with preparing for BCSP examinations.
Candidates often ask where to locate review courses and
materials, BCSP maintains an online list strictly as a
courtesy.

Applicants, examination candidates, or certificants who

reveal confidential information about the content of BCSP
examinations through any means also violate the BCSP
Bylaws and the BCSP Code of Ethics.
BCSP has taken action and will continue to take action
against individuals who violate this trust. Penalties include
permanently barring individuals from pursuing the CSP
certification and revoking the certifications and
designations of those who have status with BCSP, in
addition to other legal remedies.

Beyond the written materials BCSP publishes (and

which are available to anyone), BCSP has no
involvement whatsoever in the development, content, or
distribution of any courses or materials associated with
preparing for BCSP examinations. BCSP neither
endorses the providers shown on the online list nor
evaluates the providers or the providers materials for
consistency with BCSP examination blueprints or with
any aspect of any BCSP examination.

In addition, BCSP will pursue legal actions against

organizations, individuals not seeking certification, and
individuals who fraudulently claim or misrepresent their
intent to seek certification, who reveal information about
the content of BCSP examinations (other than information
that is described in documents published by BCSP).

Candidates must contact the sources directly about

materials, course schedules, fees, or matters related to
satisfaction with their products or services.
BCSP maintains the following online list of third-party
review and examination preparation service providers. This
list is maintained strictly as a courtesy and is neither
intended to be exhaustive nor is it updated regularly.
www.bcsp.org/sources

11

SELF-EVALUATION WORKSHEET FOR THE ASP EXAMINATION

Rate your level of knowledge on each domain and topic included on the ASP examination by marking each area as H =
High, M = Medium, or L = Low. Use the ratings to help establish a preparation plan for taking the examination. Refer to
the examination blueprint on pages 5 through 8.

DOMAIN/Topic Area
DOMAIN 1. RECOGNIZING SAFETY, HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
Topic 1. Biological Hazards
Topic 2. Chemical Hazards
Topic 3. Electrical Hazards
Topic 4. Natural Hazards
Topic 5. Radiation Hazards
Topic 6. Structural and Mechanical Hazards
Topic 7. Hazards Related to Fires and Explosions
Topic 8. Hazards Related to Human Factors and Ergonomics
DOMAIN 2. MEASURING, EVALUATING, AND CONTROLLING SAFETY, HEALTH, AND
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
Topic 1. Measurement and Monitoring
Topic 2. Engineering Controls
Topic 3. Administrative Controls
Topic 4. Personal Protective Equipment
DOMAIN 3. SAFETY, HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING AND MANAGEMENT
Topic 1. Training and Communication Methods
Topic 2. Management Processes
Topic 3. Inspections and Auditing
Topic 4. Group Dynamics.
Topic 5. Project Management
Topic 6. Risk Management
Topic 7. Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Systems
DOMAIN 4. BUSINESS PRINCIPLES, PRACTICES, AND METRICS IN SAFETY, HEALTH, AND
ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICE
Topic 1. Basic Financial Principles
Topic 2. Probability and Statistics
Topic 3. Performance Metrics and Indicators

12

Self
Rating

REGISTERING FOR AND TAKING THE ASP EXAMINATION

General Description

receives and reviews your official medical

documentation and approves your request.

BCSP uses computer delivered examinations at test centers

operated by Pearson VUE. You do not need computer
skills. Once BCSP makes you eligible for the ASP
examination, and you are ready to take the examination,
you need to take the following actions.

Once BCSP approves your request for special

accommodations, BCSP will notify you and provide you
with additional instructions describing how you will need
to schedule your examination appointment. Note: Be
prepared to send BCSP your medical documentation as
soon as you purchase your examination authorization. Your
120-day examination authorization starts on the day you
purchase your examination authorization even if you are
requesting one or more special accommodations.

Purchase an Examination Authorization

Receive your Examination Authorization Letter
Locate a Pearson VUE test center
Schedule an examination appointment
Take the examination

Examinations for Candidates Using Assistive Devices. If

you use (or expect to use) external assistive devices or
equipment such as crutches, a wheelchair, a cane, an
optical prosthetic, a portable oxygen system, or one or
more hearing aids, you must inform BCSP of your need to
use these external assistive devices in the secure testing
room at the time you purchase an examination
authorization. BCSP will inform Pearson VUE of your
need to use one or more external assistive devices so the
Pearson VUE test center staff can be prepared to perform
appropriate security inspections on these assistive devices
when you arrive. If you fail to inform BCSP of your need
to use one or more external assistive devices, you will not
be permitted to use your assistive devices in the secure
testing room. If you do not permit reasonable inspection,
you will forfeit your examination authorization fee.

After you take an examination, the testing facility will

provide your result and BCSP will mail your related
materials.
Purchasing an Examination Authorization
After BCSP sends you a notice indicating that you are
eligible to sit for the ASP examination, you may register
with BCSP to take the examination at any time within your
eligibility time limit rules (see page 19).
Follow the instructions on your eligibility letter for
registering and purchasing your examination authorization.
Pay special attention to your eligibility expiration date.
Examinations for Candidates Requiring Special
Accommodations. If you require special examination
facilities or arrangements because of one or more
documented disabilities (consistent with the Americans
with Disabilities Act), you must inform BCSP of these
needs at the time you purchase an examination
authorization. You will be asked to provide official medical
documentation describing the nature of your disabilities,
the precise special accommodation(s) recommended for
you, and the name, address, phone number, and
qualifications of the licensed healthcare professional
validating your request. Pearson VUE can accommodate
many requests for special accommodations. However, if
special accommodations are not available through a
Pearson VUE test center, BCSP will make other
arrangements to ensure that your needs are met. If, at the
time you purchase your examination authorization, you
fail to inform BCSP of your need for one or more
special accommodations, you will not receive them
when you arrive for your examination. Your special
accommodations will not be granted until BCSP

Receiving Your Examination Authorization Letter

After you pay for an examination authorization, BCSP will
mail or email you an Examination Authorization Letter. In
it are detailed instructions for scheduling an examination
appointment at a Pearson VUE test center. Have this letter
available when you create your Pearson VUE online Web
account to schedule your appointment, or when you make
your appointment by phone.
Locating a Pearson VUE Test Center
To ensure that a Pearson VUE test center is suitably
convenient to you, visit the Pearson VUE website at
www.pearsonvue.com/BCSP. Click on the "Locate a test
center" link. All test centers are open during normal
(customary) weekday business hours, and some have
weekend and holiday hours. If you do not have internet
access, contact BCSP for assistance in locating a nearby
test center.

13

Scheduling an Examination Appointment

You must bring a valid, unexpired government-issued

identification document bearing both your picture and
signature. Your name on this identification document
must exactly match the name you used when you
applied for certification with BCSP.

After you receive your Examination Authorization Letter,

you must schedule an examination appointment directly
with Pearson VUE. A brochure sent with your Examination
Authorization Letter will have additional details for
scheduling and rescheduling (if necessary) your
examination appointment.

If you are not a citizen of the country in which you are

testing, the only acceptable identification document is
your valid, unexpired passport.

BCSP examinations are available at Pearson VUE test

centers around the world. Visit the Pearson VUE website
www.pearsonvue.com/BCSP to locate a test center near
you and to schedule your appointment.

Examples of acceptable identification for testing within the

country of your citizenship include your valid, unexpired
passport or your valid, unexpired, non-temporary North
American state or provincial drivers license/identification
card, military identification card, national identification
card, European Identity card, or permanent resident card. If
the identification document you present is expired, invalid,
or does not have both your picture and signature, you
will be refused admission, and you will forfeit your
examination authorization fee.

Make your appointment as soon as possible after you

receive your Examination Authorization Letter since
available appointment times at Pearson VUE test
centers are reserved early. BCSP strongly recommends
making your appointment eight or more weeks in
advance. If you wait too long and find that you are
unable to make an appointment to take your
examination within your examination authorization
period, you will forfeit your examination authorization
fee, and you will have to purchase a new examination
authorization to sit for the examination, if you are still
eligible.

There are additional identification requirements for foreign

nationals testing in the People's Republic of China and
Hong Kong, and for citizens of countries against which the
U.S. is enforcing economic and trade sanctions. If you are
in one of these situations, or if you have questions related
to the presentation of acceptable identification, contact
BCSP before scheduling your examination appointment.

When you make your appointment, Pearson VUE will send

you a confirmation letter by email or mail containing your
examination appointment details along with driving
instructions and other information. After scheduling your
appointment, BCSP suggests that you confirm your
appointment location, date, and time online at
www.pearsonvue.com/BCSP.

Final Sign-in Procedures. The test center staff will then

provide you with materials for working out calculations by
hand. If you intend to take one or two calculators with you
into the secure testing room, the test center staff will
inspect each calculator and verify that each calculator
complies with the published BCSP calculator rules in effect
when you sit for the examination.

Taking the Examination

Arrival and Preliminary Procedures. Plan to arrive at the
Pearson VUE test center at least 30 minutes before your
appointment starting time to help ensure your sign-in
procedure goes smoothly and to account for traffic delays.
The Pearson VUE test center staff will tell you where to
secure your coat, and other personal belongings, and show
you the location of the restrooms. If you arrive 15 minutes
or more after your appointment starting time, you will be
refused admission, and you will forfeit your examination
authorization fee.

Examination Security. After the sign-in procedure is

completed, the test center staff will escort you into the
secure testing room and seat you at your computer testing
workstation. Other than the materials provided by the test
center staff for working out calculations and your
authorized calculators, you cannot take any notes, books,
papers, purses, hats, coats, jackets, pagers, mobile
telephones, or other materials or electronic devices into the
secure testing room. In addition, no food, drinks, snacks, or
tobacco products are permitted in the secure testing room at
any time. All such items must be stored outside the secure
testing room. You may access only your stored food,
drinks, snacks, medicine, or tobacco products (when
permitted by local law) during self-scheduled breaks you
take outside the secure testing room. You may not access
your other personal belongings at all until you complete

Presenting Your Identification. The test center staff will

ask you to present acceptable identification and ask you to
sign your name in a logbook. Depending on where you are
scheduled to take your examination, the test center staff
also may take your picture and obtain electronic biometric
data to confirm your identity.
14

your examination. During breaks, you are not permitted to

have contact with anyone other than the test center staff.

Examination Duration. Once you finish the online tutorial,

your examination clock will actually begin. You will have
five hours to complete the ASP examination. At the end of
your examination, you will be asked to complete a postexamination survey.

Therefore, for the duration of the examination (i.e., while

your examination clock is running, including during selfscheduled breaks), you shall not:

Your time remaining will appear on the computer screen. If

you leave your computer testing workstation for any
reason during the examination, your clock will continue
to run.

Consult verbally, electronically, or in writing with

any person other than with test center staff
Consult any written or electronic reference other
than your authorized calculator(s) and the
materials for working out calculations provided by
the test center staff
Leave your computer testing workstation, except
to take a self-scheduled break within the building
(or part of the building) controlled by Pearson
VUE
Leave the building (or part of the building)
controlled by Pearson VUE.

Examination Format. One item will appear on the screen

at a time. You may answer the item, flag the item for later
review, or skip the item completely. If you flag an item
because you intend to review the item later, BCSP
recommends that you select an answer anyway in case you
run out of time and are unable to return to review the
flagged item.
After you have seen all of the examination items, you will
be presented with a review screen that presents a list of all
items. This list will also show whether you skipped any
items or flagged any for review. You then may review
items you have flagged or skipped. Once you return to the
item, you may change your answer selection, if desired,
and return to the review screen.

Due to the length of the examination, and because it is

likely that there will be no food or drink available in the
test center, BCSP strongly recommends that you bring your
own food, drink, or snacks and secure them for use during
your self-scheduled breaks. Also, remember to bring any
medicine you require.

Examination Environment. You may find that the

examination room is too cool or too warm or that the
computer testing workstation is not ergonomically designed
for you. In addition, you may be distracted during an
examination by noises such as mouse clicks and typing by
other examinees in the room. BCSP does everything
possible to help make your examination experience a
positive one, and many of these distractions affect people
differently. Therefore, you may want to plan for them. For
example, you should consider wearing clothing that will
allow you to remain comfortable in either a cool or warm
environment, and consider having earplugs to block as
much environmental noise as possible. You should contact
the test center staff if the environmental conditions in the
secure testing room are unreasonable.

Several security procedures are in place at Pearson VUE

test centers. Pearson VUE formally documents all
irregularities, and BCSP evaluates these irregularities to
determine appropriate action. Depending on the
irregularity, BCSP may invalidate your examination and
take additional disciplinary actions in accordance with
BCSP's Bylaws if you access prohibited materials, have
contact with anyone except test center staff, leave the test
center while your examination clock is running, engage in
unethical, disruptive, or unprofessional conduct, or violate
any other BCSP or Pearson VUE security procedures.
Examination Tutorial. When you are ready to begin your
examination, you will log on as instructed by the test center
staff. There will be several introductory screens, including
a screen where you will have to accept BCSP's Security
and Confidentiality Agreement and the BCSP Code of
Ethics prior to actually viewing any examination content.
Once you accept these terms, you will be able to complete
a brief tutorial to become familiar with the features of the
examination delivery software before beginning the
examination. BCSP strongly recommends that you
complete this tutorial. The time you spend on this tutorial
does not count toward your actual testing time.

Completing the Examination and Getting Your Result.

You will be shown your official result on the screen. After
you view your official result, you should log off, leave your
computer testing workstation, and find a member of the test
center staff to check out.
During the check out procedure, you will have to return any
materials given to you by the test center staff. The test
center staff will then give you a printed copy of your
official examination result. If you pass, BCSP will mail
your certification materials to you within three weeks.
15

Late Arrivals and Missed Appointments

BCSP cannot make, cancel, or reschedule your

examination appointment regardless of where you are
taking your examination.

If you fail to keep your scheduled examination

appointment, if you arrive more than 15 minutes beyond
the starting time of your scheduled appointment, or if you
fail to present acceptable identification to the test center
staff when you arrive for your scheduled appointment, you
will be refused admission, and you will forfeit your
examination authorization fee. To sit for the examination
after having been refused admission, you must pay a new
examination authorization fee, if you are still eligible.

Retesting
If you fail your examination, you may register and pay to
retake the examination after you receive your official result
and score report from BCSP. There is no limit to the
number of times you can register for and retake the
examination, as long as you remain eligible. You do not
have to reapply for the CSP certification after failing an
examination unless your overall eligibility has expired.
Eligibility time limit rules are described in the CSP
Application Guide.

Cancelling and Rescheduling Examination

Appointments
If you need to cancel and reschedule an examination
appointment, there must be one or more full business days
remaining before the date of your scheduled appointment.
Appointments cannot be canceled and rescheduled if there
is less than one full business day before the date of your
scheduled examination appointment. To reschedule an
examination appointment, a Pearson VUE test center must
have an appointment time available within the remaining
time in your examination authorization period.

Other Testing Arrangements

Pearson VUEs website lists international testing centers as
well as Department of Defense sites.
If you believe that you will need a special examination
administration, please contact BCSP five or more months
prior to your desired examination date so we can research
providing a special administration for you. Once we
understand your special administration situation, BCSP
will contact you to explain the special administration rules
and procedures for your case and provide you with the
specific examination authorization fee and the exact
examination date and location.

If you have to cancel and reschedule your examination

appointment toward the end of your 120-day examination
authorization period, you should consider purchasing a
one-time, 60-day examination authorization extension from
BCSP.
Examination Authorization Extensions
After registering and paying for an examination
authorization, you will have 120 days to take the
examination. If you need to extend the 120-day
examination authorization period, BCSP allows you to
purchase a one-time, 60-day extension for a nonrefundable
fee. If you are eligible for this one-time examination
authorization extension, BCSP must receive and
acknowledge your payment for the extension at least two
full business days before the date your current 120-day
examination authorization period expires.
If you have an exam scheduled, contact Pearson VUE to
cancel the examination prior to calling BCSP for an
examination extension. If you fail to cancel and
reschedule your current appointment, you will forfeit
both your examination authorization fee and the
extension fees you paid.

16

SUMMARY OF COMPUTER-DELIVERED EXAMINATION RULES

(Testing Within the United States and Canada)
When making plans to take a BCSP examination in the United States, its territories, or Canada, consider the following rules
for computer-delivered examinations. Current examination fees available at www.bcsp.org. All fees are subject to change.
Once you register and pay for an examination authorization, you have 120 days from your registration date to schedule an
appointment with Pearson VUE and take the BCSP examination. If you need additional time beyond 120 days, you may
purchase a one-time, 60-day extension of your examination authorization. Therefore, a maximum of 180 days is available
for you to take your examination after you register and pay for your examination authorization. No additional extensions to
your examination authorization are permitted beyond the one-time, 60-day extension.
To schedule a new appointment or to cancel/reschedule an existing examination appointment, BCSP strongly recommends
that you visit www.pearsonvue.com/BCSP and register online. You may also call the Pearson VUE North American
registration center at 1-866-717-3653 (8:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m. weekdays U.S. Eastern Time, closed on U.S. holidays). You
cannot schedule a new appointment or cancel/reschedule an existing appointment directly with a local Pearson VUE test
center or directly with BCSP. When you make or change your appointment with Pearson VUE, have your Examination
Authorization Letter available. After scheduling or rescheduling your examination appointment, confirm your appointment
location, date, and time online at www.pearsonvue.com/BCSP.
There must be one or more full business days remaining prior to the date of your existing examination appointment for you
to cancel/reschedule the appointment. Even if you properly cancel an existing examination appointment, to reschedule it,
there must be a test center with an available appointment during the time remaining in your examination authorization
period.
If you have already made an examination appointment within the original 120-day examination authorization period, but you
decide to purchase the one-time, 60-day extension to your examination authorization, you remain responsible for canceling
and rescheduling your existing appointment.
You forfeit your examination authorization fee when you:

Fail to take the examination during the 120-day examination authorization period and you did not purchase a onetime, 60-day examination authorization extension during the 120-day period; or
Fail to take the examination during the 60-day extension of the 120-day examination authorization period even if
you purchased the one-time, 60-day extension; or
Fail to show up for any scheduled examination appointment (even if you purchased an extension); or
Are more than 15 minutes late for any scheduled examination appointment; or
Fail to present acceptable identification to the Pearson VUE staff; or
Fail to follow BCSP's or Pearson VUE's security and administrative procedures at the test center.

If you forfeit your examination authorization fee, you must register and pay for a new 120-day examination authorization to
take the examination, if you are still eligible.

17

SUMMARY OF COMPUTER-DELIVERED EXAMINATION RULES

(Testing Outside the United States and Canada)
When making plans to take a BCSP examination outside the United States or Canada, consider the following rules for
computer-delivered examinations. Current examination fees available at www.bcsp.org. All fees are subject to change.
Once you register and pay for an examination authorization, you have 120 days from your registration date to schedule an
appointment with Pearson VUE and take the BCSP examination. If you need additional time beyond 120 days, you may
purchase a one-time, 60-day extension of your examination authorization. Therefore, a maximum of 180 days is available for
you to take your examination after you register and pay for your examination authorization. No additional extensions to your
examination authorization are permitted beyond the one-time, 60-day extension.
To schedule a new appointment or to cancel/reschedule an existing examination appointment, BCSP strongly recommends
that you visit www.pearsonvue.com/BCSP and register online. You may also call the appropriate Pearson VUE regional
registration center at one of the phone numbers shown below. You cannot schedule a new appointment or
cancel/reschedule an existing appointment directly with a local Pearson VUE test center or directly with BCSP. When you
make or change your appointment with Pearson VUE, have your Examination Authorization Letter available. After
scheduling or rescheduling your examination appointment, confirm your appointment location, date, and time online at
www.pearsonvue.com/BCSP.
Regional Registration Centers Outside the United States and Canada
Mexico, Central America, South America, Caribbean (Except U.S. Territories)
1-952-681-3872; 8:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m. weekdays U.S. Eastern Time (closed on U.S. holidays)
Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands (Except U.S. Territories)
60-3-83191085; 8:30 a.m. 6:00 p.m. weekdays Australian Eastern Time (closed on Malaysian holidays)
Europe, Middle East, Africa
44-161-855-7455; 8:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. weekdays Central European Time (closed on UK holidays)
There must be one or more full business days remaining prior to the date of your existing examination appointment for you to
cancel/reschedule the appointment. Even if you properly cancel an existing examination appointment, to reschedule it, there
must be a test center with an available appointment during the time remaining in your examination authorization period.
If you have already made an examination appointment within the original 120-day examination authorization period, but you
decide to purchase the one-time, 60-day extension to your examination authorization, you remain responsible for canceling
and rescheduling your existing appointment.
You forfeit your examination authorization fee when you:

Fail to take the examination during the 120-day examination authorization period and you did not purchase a onetime, 60-day examination authorization extension during the 120-day period; or
Fail to take the examination during the 60-day extension of the 120-day examination authorization period even if
you purchased the one-time, 60-day extension; or
Fail to show up for any scheduled examination appointment (even if you purchased an extension); or
Are more than 15 minutes late for any scheduled examination appointment; or
Fail to present acceptable identification to the Pearson VUE staff; or
Fail to follow BCSP's or Pearson VUE's security and administrative procedures at the test center.

If you forfeit your examination authorization, you must register and pay for a new 120-day examination authorization to take
the examination, if you are still eligible.

18

ELIGIBILITY TIME LIMIT RULES

Three-year Rules
Three-year time limits apply to several steps in the CSP candidate process.
ASP Candidates
If you are eligible for the ASP examination, you must sit for the examination at least once every three years. The three
years are computed from the date you become eligible or from the date you last took the examination and failed to achieve
a passing score.
If you are eligible for the ASP examination and cannot sit for the examination before the expiration of your three-year time
limit, you may pay a fee and obtain a one-year extension to your time limit. You may purchase an ASP examination only
during your period of eligibility.
CSP Candidates
If you are eligible for the CSP examination, you must pass the examination and earn your CSP certification within three
years of becoming eligible.
The CSP examination eligibility date occurs when you reach 96 points through education and professional safety
experience and have either passed or received a waiver of the ASP examination.
If you are eligible for the CSP examination and cannot achieve the CSP certification before your three-year time limit
expires, you may pay a fee and obtain a one-year extension to your time limit. You may purchase a CSP examination only
during your period of eligibility.
Application and In-process Time Limits
ASP Candidates
All ASP candidates who need additional experience to achieve eligibility to sit for the ASP examination must submit
experience update information within 60 days after receiving an update request from BCSP. Your application may be
terminated if you fail to submit an experience update form within the time limit.
CSP Candidates
All CSP candidates who need additional experience to achieve eligibility to sit for the CSP examination must submit
experience update information within 60 days after receiving an update request from BCSP. Your application may be
terminated if you fail to submit an experience update form within the time limit. Candidates must show progress toward
fulfilling the safety experience eligibility requirement by the end of the second year after the original projected eligibility.
Failure to meet these time limits will result in a terminated application.
Upon termination, your records will be destroyed and you will have to reapply and restart the application process.

Examination Authorization Time Limits

Once you purchase an examination authorization, you have 120 days from the purchase date to make an appointment and
sit for the examination. If you do not sit for the examination within 120 days (or purchase a 60-day extension), your
examination authorization will expire, and you must purchase another examination authorization to sit for the examination.
Once you purchase an examination authorization, make your appointment as soon as possible (eight or more weeks in
advance) since test center availability is very limited. If you have already scheduled an appointment, you must cancel it
BEFORE you purchase a 60-day extension.

19

Sample ASP Examination Questions

Examination Question Samples

Domain 3: Safety, Health, and Environmental

Training and Management

The following questions illustrate only the style and

format typical of items on the Safety Fundamentals
examination. Not all Safety Fundamentals
examination topic areas are represented by theses
sample items. Please note it is essential for you
to read and understand the Safety Fundamentals
examination blueprint found in Chapter Five so you
have a complete awareness of the depth and breadth
of all of the subject matter appearing on the actual
Safety Fundamentals examination.

Topic 1. Training and Communication Methods

4. Which is a learning objective?

A. A statement relate to the topics that will be

included in a training session
B. A statement on how much training time is
needed to cover a topic
C. A statement describing what trainees will be
able to do after the training
D. A statement identifying that the training
method that will be most effective

Domain 1: Recognizing Safety, Health, and

Environmental Hazards

Topic 2. Chemical Hazards

Topic 2. Management Processes

1. What causes the pneumoconiosis siderosis?

5. Which type of diagram is known as a cause-andeffect diagram and is useful for identifying the
root causes of the causal factors of accidents?

A. Inhalation of beryllium
B. Inhalation of iron oxide
C. Inhalation of lead oxide
D. Inhalation of free silica

Topic 6. Structural and Mechanical Hazards

A. Control chart
B. Flow diagram
C. Histogram
D. Fishbone diagram

2. A block and tackle is arranged as shown to lift

weight W. What vertical force F is required to
maintain the system in equilibrium, neglecting
friction and the weight of the block and tackle?

A. F = W/2
B. F = 2W
C. F = 2W/3
D. F = W/3

Topic 4. Group Dynamics

Domain 2: Measuring, Evaluating, and Controlling

Safety, Health, and Environmental Hazards

Topic 5. Project Management

6. A safety professional is communicating with

a group of workers on improving their safety
performance. Which communication method is
most effective for developing a list of concerns to
address with this group?

A. Survey questionnaire
B. Brainstorming session
C. Letter from top management
D. Individual meetings with the supervisors

7. In preparing to discuss risks associated with

contractor services, which risk-perception factor
is most likely to gain contractor acceptance?

Topic 2. Engineering Controls

3. Which is an effective ground?

A. Requiring contact with an appropriate metal
structure with low impedance to ground
B. Using three-conductors with polarized
receptacles
C. Installing transformer isolation with a low
resistance path to ground
D. Mandating ground-fault circuit interrupters for
every circuit with a proper cross-connection

20

A. High probability compared to low probability

B. Natural compared to human made
C. Involuntary compared to voluntary
D. Affects many compared to affects few

Topic 6. Risk Management

Topic 2. Probability and Statistics

8. A high-pressure compressor supplying a large

nitrogen reservoir will be equipped with a new
system of controls, sensing devices, automatic
shutoff devices, and overpressure relief features.
There is concern that this new system will not
provide adequate control to prevent overpressure
and catastrophic rupture of the nitrogen reservoir
vessel. Which system safety technique best
analyzes the possibility of vessel overpressure and
rupture?

10. What is the standard deviation of the following

sample data?

A. Criticality analysis
B. Preliminary hazard analysis
C. Fault tree analysis
D. Failure mode and effects analysis

Domain 4: Business Principles, Practices, and

Metrics in Safety, Health, and Environmental
Practice
Topic 1. Basic Financial Principles
9. One or more of the following equations may
assist you with answering this question.

The annual losses from accidents in a small
construction firm are expected to be $25,000
per year. These estimates only include direct
losses. An investment of $35,000 in safety
countermeasures will reduce these direct annual
loss values to $10,000 per year. The projected life
for this investment is five years at an estimated
annual interest rate of 15%. What is the net
present worth of the annual savings from the
safety countermeasures?

A. $7,500
B. $50,000
C. $75,000
D. $101,000

21

3.0, 1.0, 5.0, 4.0, 2.0, 7.0, 7.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0

A. 2.4
B. 5.8
C. 1.5
D. 5.0

Answers to the Sample Items

7. According to studies of risk acceptance, risks

that are driven by nature are more acceptable
than risks that are man-made, as are those of
very low probability, those that are voluntary, or
those that affect only a few people.

Item Correct Item Correct
Number
Answer
Number
Answer
1

B 6 B

D 7 B

A 8 C

C 9 B

D 10 A

8. Because the system is in the design phase and

the concern is with the occurrence of one
eventrupture resulting from overpressure
fault tree analysis is the most appropriate of the
techniques listed.
9. Loss savings = $25,000 - $10,000 = $15,000.

Solutions to the Sample Items

1. Siderosis results from inhalation of iron oxide
in operations such as welding and iron ore
mining.

Present worth factor uniform payment series

= P = A {[(1 + i)n - 1] / [i(1 + i)n]}

= (15,000) {[2.0114 - 1] / [0.3017]}

= (15,000) (3.353) = $50,284 $50,000

10.

X

2. The mechanical advantage of a pulley is equal

to the number of free cords running to the
moveable pulley. In this case, the mechanical
advantage is 3. Therefore, F = W/3.

x2

3.0

5.0

-2

1.0

5.0

-4

16

5.0

5.0

3. A metal framework or an appropriate metal

structure with low impedance to ground is
acceptable.

4.0

5.0

-1

2.0

5.0

-3

4. Learning objectives are expressed so that

outcomes are defined.

7.0

5.0

7.0

5.0

6.0

5.0

7.0

5.0

8.0

5.0

5. Ishikawa is credited with establishing the

fishbone diagram as a tool in analyzing
errors and root causes for them. This causeand-effect diagram is often used in quality
management methods and is also applicable
for analyzing causes of accidents and incidents.

X = 50.0
6. Brainstorming with a group is most likely to
gain buy-in among participants because
they can identify with issues they added to the
list. A survey gains participation of individuals
but does not allow for the group dynamics
of a brainstorming session. A letter from top
management and involvement of only the
supervisors result in downward communication
only.

s=

22

x 2
=
n1

52
= 2.4
9

x2 = 52

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#0646

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