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 © 2010 Board of Certified Safety Professionals, Savoy, Illinois, USA

All rights reserved.

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” and
“Certified Safety Professional” are registered certification marks issued by the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office to the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.

Comprehensive Practice Examination Guide

Fifth Edition
Revised January 2010
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................................... 1

OVERVIEW OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION .......................................................................... 4

COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION BLUEPRINT......................................................................................... 5

PREPARING FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION ..................................................................... 12

Knowing Your Strengths and Weaknesses .................................................................................................. 12
Having an Examination Preparation Plan .................................................................................................... 12
Developing a Test-taking Strategy .............................................................................................................. 12
Using Your Authorized Calculators (including BCSP Calculator Rules) ................................................... 13
Obtaining Information on the Body of Knowledge ..................................................................................... 13
BCSP-published Self-assessment Examination ........................................................................................... 14
Other Review and Study Sources ................................................................................................................ 14
Examination Integrity .................................................................................................................................. 14

SELF-EVALUATION WORKSHEET FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION ............................. 15

REGISTERING FOR AND TAKING THE COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION ....................................... 16

Locating a Pearson VUE Test Center .......................................................................................................... 16
Purchasing an Examination Authorization (including rules for candidates who need
special accommodations and rules for candidates who need to use assistive devices) .................. 16
Receiving Your Examination Authorization Letter ..................................................................................... 16
Scheduling an Examination Appointment ................................................................................................... 17
Taking the Examination (including test center identification and security requirements) .......................... 17
Late Arrivals and Missed Appointments ..................................................................................................... 19
Canceling and Rescheduling Examination Appointments ........................................................................... 19
Examination Authorization Extensions (For Candidates Testing in the U.S. and Canada Only) ................ 19
Retesting ...................................................................................................................................................... 20
Other Testing Arrangements........................................................................................................................ 20
Taking the Comprehensive Practice Examination for Continuance of Certification Credit ........................ 20

SUMMARY OF COMPUTER-DELIVERED EXAMINATION RULES (WITHIN THE U.S. AND CANADA) .............. 21

SUMMARY OF COMPUTER-DELIVERED EXAMINATION RULES (OUTSIDE THE U.S. AND CANADA) ........... 22

ELIGIBILITY TIME LIMIT RULES..................................................................................................................................... 23

COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION SAMPLE ITEMS ................................................................................ 24

ANSWERS TO COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION SAMPLE ITEMS .............................................. 31

SOLUTIONS TO COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION SAMPLE ITEMS ........................................... 31

EXAMINATION REFERENCE ............................................................................................................................................ 33

 INTRODUCTION
Using This Publication
This publication, the Comprehensive Practice Examination
Guide, provides detailed information about the
Comprehensive Practice examination leading to the
Certified Safety Professional®, or CSP®, credential.1 A
companion publication to this document, the CSP
Application Guide, provides information on the
qualifications for earning the CSP credential and the
application process. You may download this publication as
well as the CSP Application Guide from the Board of
Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) web site at
www.bcsp.org/downloads, or you may contact the BCSP
office to obtain free hard copies. Note that there is a first
examination leading to the CSP credential, the Safety
Fundamentals examination. If you need information on the
Safety Fundamentals examination, be sure to obtain a copy
of the Safety Fundamentals Examination Guide.
An overview of the Comprehensive Practice examination is
presented in this publication along with its respective
examination blueprint. Sample items typical of the
Comprehensive Practice examination are presented in
subsequent sections with solutions and explanations. A
section of this publication explains how to prepare for the
Comprehensive Practice examination. There is a section
describing computer-delivered examinations and the
procedures used at the computer test centers. The BCSP
Examination Reference is also shown, and it is the same as
the online version you will use at the test center.
The CSP Process
The process of earning the CSP credential 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 Comprehensive Practice examination. If
you are eligible, BCSP will inform you of the length of
your eligibility period and the expiration date of your
eligibility.
1
The CSP logo is a registered mark with the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office. “CSP” and “Certified Safety Professional” are registered
certification marks issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to the
Board of Certified Safety Professionals.
1
Register to take the Comprehensive Practice examination
leading to the interim CSP credential. Anytime during
your eligibility period, you may register with BCSP to take
the Comprehensive Practice examination. After you
register and pay for a Comprehensive Practice examination
authorization, BCSP will (1) notify the examination
delivery service provider that you are an authorized
Comprehensive Practice examination candidate and (2)
inform you how long you have to make an appointment and
to complete the Comprehensive Practice 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.
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 (most also have
weekend and holiday hours). Your examination will be
delivered to you on a computer at the test center. You will
receive your unofficial result as soon as you log off the test
center's computer system. In most cases, BCSP will send
you your official result within three weeks after you take
your examination.
If you fail the examination and you are still eligible for the
examination, you may register and pay for another
Comprehensive Practice 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.
Complete all requirements for the CSP credential. After
completing all of the requirements, BCSP will award you
use of the CSP credential.
Pay an annual renewal fee. The CSP credential is
awarded on an annual basis. Those holding this credential
must pay an annual fee in order to retain the use of this
credential.
Meet Continuance of Certification requirements. Those
holding the CSP credential must remain up-to-date with
changes in professional practice by compiling 25
Continuance of Certification points every five years.
The CSP Credential
The CSP credential is awarded to ASPs who subsequently
pass the Comprehensive Practice examination and meet the
requirements to achieve and retain the credential.
Certified Safety Professionals are:
• Respected by other safety professionals.
• Honored by the safety profession.
• Preferred or required by many employers of safety
professionals.
• Required in many government and private contracts.
• Paid on the average about $17,000 more per year2 than
safety professionals without certification.
• Likely to fill more responsible management and
executive positions than those without the CSP
credential.
The CSP credential:
• Is held by about 75% of the leaders in the safety
profession.
• Is cited in federal, state, and local laws, regulations,
and standards.
• Is recognized by U.S. and foreign safety and health
organizations.
• Adds $150 million annually to the salary base of the
safety profession.
Recipients of the CSP credential receive:
• The authority to use the Certified Safety Professional
title and the CSP credential.
• A wall certificate showing their achievement.
• An annual wallet card showing their title and
qualifications.
• A personalized BCSP certification announcement.
• The BCSP Newsletter.
• The BCSP Annual Report.
• Representation for promoting and protecting the CSP
credential.
2
Source: “ASSE Compensation Survey: A Summary Report,”
American Society of Safety Engineers, 2004.
2
Definitions
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.
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.
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 credential.
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 credential and has passed the Comprehensive
Practice examination, the first of two examinations leading
to the CSP credential.
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 BCSP’s 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:
• 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.
The Certified Safety Professional credential meets or
exceeds the highest national and international accreditation
and personnel certification standards for certification
bodies.
International Accreditation
• ISO/IEC 1702431
National Accreditation
• National Commission for Certifying Agencies4

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 13
directors who represent the breadth and depth of safety,
health, and environmental practice, as well as the public.
Six of the directors are nominated to a pool by professional
membership organizations affiliated with BCSP. The
professional membership 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
• Society of Fire Protection Engineers
• System Safety Society

BCSP has issued the CSP credential to over 20,000 people,

and over 11,000 currently maintain their CSP certification.

3
U.S. Administrator: American National Standards Institute,
Personnel Certification Accreditation, 1819 L Street NW, 6th Floor,
Washington, DC 20036; Phone: 202-293-8020; Web: www.ansi.org.
4
National Commission for Certifying Agencies, 2025 M Street
NW, Suite 800, Washington DC 20036; Phone: 202-367-1165; Web:
www.noca.org/ncca/ncca.htm.

3
 OVERVIEW OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION
There are two examinations leading to the CSP credential:
Safety Fundamentals and Comprehensive Practice. Some
candidates receive a waiver of the Safety Fundamentals
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 if BCSP awarded them temporary use of the
Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP) designation. All
candidates for the CSP credential must pass the
Comprehensive Practice examination.
The Comprehensive Practice 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 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
the subject area of the item review edited items on several
4
criteria, including importance in and relevance to
professional safety. Also, 10–15% 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.
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.
How BCSP Establishes the Minimum Passing Score
BCSP uses a criterion-referenced procedure (the Angoff-
modified 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 rates
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.
 COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION BLUEPRINT

BCSP examination blueprints are based on surveys of what safety professionals do in practice. The Comprehensive
Practice examination is required for candidates to demonstrate knowledge of professional safety practice at the Certified
Safety Professional® (CSP®) level. The table beginning below and continuing on the next several pages describes the
subject matter covered by the Comprehensive Practice examination.

The top three levels, called domains, represent the major functions performed by safety professionals at the CSP level.
Each domain is divided among several tasks. Within each task are lists of knowledge areas and skills necessary for
carrying out the task in that domain. The knowledge areas for the Comprehensive Practice examination build upon the
knowledge that candidates have already demonstrated by virtue of having passed the Safety Fundamentals examination, or
by virtue of having earned one or more allied credentials or university degrees recognized by BCSP.

Each domain heading in this table is accompanied by a percentage label. This percentage represents the proportion of the
actual Comprehensive Practice examination devoted to that domain.

Comprehensive Practice Examination

Domain 1
Collecting Safety, Health, Environmental, and Security Risk Information
28.6%

Task 1
Identify and characterize hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities using equipment and field observation methods in order
to evaluate safety, health, environmental, and security risk.
Knowledge Areas Skills
1. Types, sources, and characteristics of hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities 1. Identifying hazards associated with equipment, manufacturing systems,
2. Job safety analysis and task analysis methods and production processes
3. Hazard analysis methods 2. Recognizing external and internal threats to facilities, systems,
4. Qualitative, quantitative, deductive, and inductive risk assessment methods processes, equipment, and employees
5. Incident investigation techniques 3. Conducting job safety analyses and task analyses
6. Methods and techniques for evaluating facilities, products, systems, 4. Performing hazard analyses
processes, and equipment 5. Leading incident investigations
7. Methods and techniques for measurement, sampling, and analysis 6. Interviewing witnesses to incidents
8. Sources of information on hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities (e.g., subject 7. Interpreting plans, specifications, technical drawings, and process flow
matter experts, relevant best practices, published literature) diagrams
9. Competencies of other professionals with whom the safety professional 8. Using monitoring and sampling equipment
interacts 9. Communicating with subject matter experts
10. Information security and confidentiality requirements 10. Consulting with equipment manufacturers and commodity suppliers
11. Internet resources 11. Finding sources of information on hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities
12. Interviewing people
13. Using the Internet to find information

Task 2
Design and use data management systems for collecting and validating risk information in order to evaluate safety,
health, environmental, and security risk.
Knowledge Areas Skills
1. Mathematics and statistics 1. Calculating statistics from data sources
2. Qualitative, quantitative, deductive, and inductive risk assessment methods 2. Determining statistical significance
3. Chain of custody procedures 3. Comparing statistics to benchmarks
4. Electronic data logging and monitoring equipment 4. Preserving evidence from incident investigations
5. Data management software 5. Calibrating and using data logging and monitoring equipment
6. Electronic data transfer methods and data storage options 6. Using data management software
7. Information security and confidentiality requirements 7. Creating data collection forms
8. Maintaining data integrity

5
Task 3
Collect and validate information on organizational risk factors by studying culture, management style, business climate,
financial conditions, and the availability of internal and external resources in order to evaluate safety, health,
environmental, and security risk.
Knowledge Areas Skills
1. Mathematics and statistics 1. Calculating statistics from data sources
2. Qualitative, quantitative, deductive, and inductive risk assessment methods 2. Determining statistical significance
3. Incident investigation techniques 3. Comparing statistics to benchmarks
4. Sources of information on hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities (e.g., subject 4. Leading incident investigations
matter experts, relevant best practices, published literature) 5. Interviewing witnesses to incidents
5. Organizational and behavioral sciences 6. Developing surveys to capture data related to organizational culture
6. Group dynamics 7. Communicating with subject matter experts
7. Management sciences 8. Interviewing people
8. Management principles of authority, responsibility, and accountability 9. Using the Internet to find information
9. Budgeting, finance, and economic analysis techniques
10. Business planning
11. Competencies of other professionals with whom the safety professional
interacts
12. Internet resources

Task 4
Research applicable laws, regulations, consensus standards, best practices, and published literature using internal and
external resources to develop benchmarks for assessing an organization’s safety, health, environmental, and security
performance and to support the evaluation of safety, health, environmental, and security risk.
Knowledge Areas Skills
1. Benchmarks and performance standards 1. Calculating statistics from data sources
2. Mathematics and statistics 2. Determining statistical significance
3. Sources of information on hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities (e.g., subject 3. Using statistics to define benchmarks and performance standards
matter experts, relevant best practices, published literature) 4. Comparing statistics to benchmarks
4. Sources of information related to local laws, regulations, and consensus 5. Interpreting local laws, regulations, and consensus codes and standards
codes and standards 6. Communicating with subject matter experts
5. Product certification and listing agencies 7. Consulting with equipment manufacturers and commodity suppliers
6. Qualitative, quantitative, deductive, and inductive risk assessment methods 8. Obtaining information on product certification and listing requirements
7. Competencies of other professionals with whom the safety professional 9. Using the Internet to find information
interacts
8. Internet resources

6
 Comprehensive Practice Examination
Domain 2
Assessing Safety, Health, Environmental, and Security Risk
36.6%

Task 1
Evaluate the risk of injury, illness, environmental harm, and property damage to which the public or an organization is
exposed associated with the organization’s facilities, products, systems, processes, equipment, and employees by
applying quantitative and qualitative threat, vulnerability, and risk assessment techniques.
Knowledge Areas Skills
1. Qualitative, quantitative, deductive, and inductive risk assessment methods 1. Leading comprehensive risk assessments
2. Root cause analysis methods 2. Leading threat and vulnerability assessments
3. Mathematics and statistics 3. Facilitating chemical process hazard analyses
4. Basic sciences: anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics, physiology 4. Conducting root cause analyses
5. Applied sciences: fluid flow, mechanics, electricity 5. Estimating organizational risk
6. Organizational and behavioral sciences 6. Estimating public risk
7. Agriculture safety (including food supply safety) 7. Estimating the risk of human error
8. Biological safety 8. Using statistics to estimate risk
9. Business continuity and contingency planning 9. Interpreting plans, specifications, technical drawings, and process flow
10. Chemical process safety diagrams
11. Community emergency planning 10. Evaluating facility fire risk
12. Construction safety 11. Evaluating life safety features in facilities
13. Dispersion modeling 12. Calculating maximum occupancy and egress capacity
14. Emergency/crisis/disaster management 13. Calculating required containment volumes and hazardous materials
15. Emergency/crisis/disaster response planning storage requirements
16. Environmental protection and pollution prevention 14. Determining how released hazardous materials migrate through the air,
17. Epidemiology surface water, soil, and water table
18. Equipment safety 15. Determining occupational exposures (e.g., hazardous chemicals,
19. Ergonomics and human factors radiation, noise, biological agents, heat)
20. Facility safety 16. Evaluating emergency/crisis/disaster management and response plans
21. Facility security and access control 17. Using chemical process safety information
22. Facility siting and layout 18. Using dispersion modeling software
23. Fire prevention, protection, and suppression 19. Communicating with subject matter experts
24. Hazardous materials management 20. Consulting with equipment manufacturers and commodity suppliers
25. Hazardous waste management 21. Interviewing people
26. Healthcare safety (including patient safety)
27. Industrial hygiene
28. Infectious diseases
29. Insurance/risk transfer principles
30. Maritime safety
31. Mining safety
32. Multi-employer worksite issues
33. Mutual aid agreements
34. Physical and chemical characteristics of hazardous materials
35. Pressure relief systems
36. Product safety
37. Public safety and security
38. Radiation safety
39. System safety
40. Toxicology
41. Transportation safety and security
42. Ventilation systems
43. Workplace violence
44. Sources of information on risk (e.g., subject matter experts, relevant best
practices, published literature)
45. Information security and confidentiality requirements

7
Task 2
Audit safety, health, environmental, and security management systems using appropriate auditing techniques to
compare an organization’s management systems against established standards for identifying the organization’s
strengths and weaknesses.
Knowledge Areas Skills
1. Safety, health, and environmental management and audit systems (e.g., 1. Leading management system audits
ANSI/AIHA Z10, ISO 14000 series, OHSAS 18000 series, ISO 19011, 2. Comparing management systems with benchmarks
U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Voluntary Protection 3. Comparing documented procedures and tasks with actual operations
Programs) 4. Evaluating safety, health, environmental, and security plans, programs,
2. Management system auditing techniques and policies
3. Benchmarks and performance standards 5. Evaluating risk assessments
4. Methods and techniques for evaluating facilities, products, systems, 6. Evaluating the results of root cause analyses
processes, and equipment 7. Recognizing external and internal threats to facilities, systems,
5. Methods and techniques for measurement, sampling, and analysis processes, equipment, and employees
6. Qualitative, quantitative, deductive, and inductive risk assessment methods 8. Interpreting plans, specifications, technical drawings, and process flow
7. Root cause analysis methods diagrams
8. Mathematics and statistics 9. Recognizing management system changes
9. Basic sciences: anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics, physiology 10. Using monitoring and sampling equipment
10. Applied sciences: fluid flow, mechanics, electricity 11. Determining statistical significance
11. Organizational and behavioral sciences 12. Comparing statistics to benchmarks
12. Management sciences 13. Performing facility and equipment inspections
13. Management principles of authority, responsibility, and accountability 14. Evaluating business continuity and contingency plans
14. Budgeting, finance, and economic analysis techniques 15. Communicating with subject matter experts
15. Business continuity and contingency planning 16. Consulting with equipment manufacturers and commodity suppliers
16. Business planning 17. Using business software to present reports
17. Business software 18. Interviewing people
18. Change management 19. Using the Internet to find information
19. Emergency/crisis/disaster management
20. Emergency/crisis/disaster response planning
21. Group dynamics
22. Hazardous materials management
23. Hazardous waste management
24. Job safety analysis and task analysis methods
25. Multi-employer worksite issues
26. Report presentation strategies
27. Competencies of other professionals with whom the safety professional
interacts
28. Sources of information on hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities (e.g., subject
matter experts, relevant best practices, published literature)
29. Information security and confidentiality requirements
30. Internet resources

Task 3
Analyze trends in leading and lagging performance indicators related to safety, health, environmental, and security
management systems using historical information and statistical methods to identify an organization’s strengths and
weaknesses.
Knowledge Areas Skills
1. Types of leading and lagging safety, health, environmental, and security 1. Using statistics to show trends in performance indicators
performance indicators 2. Calculating statistics from data sources
2. Benchmarks and performance standards 3. Using statistics to define benchmarks and performance standards
3. Safety, health, and environmental management and audit systems (e.g., 4. Communicating with subject matter experts
ANSI/AIHA Z10, ISO 14000 series, OHSAS 18000 series, ISO 19011, 5. Comparing statistics to benchmarks
U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Voluntary Protection 6. Determining statistical significance
Programs) 7. Evaluating management system audits
4. Management system auditing techniques 8. Evaluating risk assessments
5. Mathematics and statistics 9. Evaluating safety, health, environmental, and security plans, programs,
6. Organizational and behavioral sciences and policies
7. Management sciences 10. Evaluating the results of root cause analyses
8. Management principles of authority, responsibility, and accountability 11. Interpreting organizational culture surveys and perception surveys
9. Budgeting, finance, and economic analysis techniques 12. Measuring training program effectiveness
10. Business planning 13. Recognizing management system changes
11. Business software 14. Using business software to present reports
12. Change management 15. Interviewing people
13. Competencies of other professionals with whom the safety professional 16. Obtaining meaningful feedback
interacts
14. Training assessment instruments (e.g., written tests, skill assessments)

8
 Comprehensive Practice Examination
Domain 3
Managing Safety, Health, Environmental, and Security Risk
34.8%

Task 1
Design effective risk management methods using the results of risk assessments to eliminate or reduce safety, health,
environmental, and security risks.
Knowledge Areas Skills
1. Engineering controls 1. Recommending effective engineering controls
2. Principles of managing risk throughout the design process 2. Developing effective administrative controls
3. Administrative controls 3. Developing procedures that incorporate risk management controls
4. Personal protective equipment 4. Developing safety, health, environmental, and security plans, programs,
5. Qualitative, quantitative, deductive, and inductive risk assessment methods and policies
6. Root cause analysis methods 5. Designing effective labels, signs, and warnings
7. Risk-based decision-making tools 6. Performing training needs assessments
8. Mathematics and statistics 7. Developing training programs
9. Applied sciences: fluid flow, mechanics, electricity 8. Developing training assessment instruments
10. Basic sciences: anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics, physiology 9. Applying risk-based decision-making tools for prioritizing risk
11. Organizational and behavioral sciences management options
12. Management sciences 10. Interpreting plans, specifications, technical drawings, and process flow
13. Management principles of authority, responsibility, and accountability diagrams
14. Budgeting, finance, and economic analysis techniques 11. Creating emergency/crisis/disaster management and response plans
15. Business planning 12. Performing financial analyses of risk management options
16. Business software 13. Evaluating the costs and benefits of risk management options
17. Adult learning 14. Organizing chemical process safety information
18. Cultural norms and population stereotypes 15. Performing gap analyses
19. Training methods 16. Determining hazardous materials storage requirements
20. Training assessment instruments (e.g., written tests, skill assessments) 17. Recommending facility life safety features
21. Agriculture safety (including food supply safety) 18. Recommending methods to reduce the risk of occupational exposures
22. Biological safety (e.g., hazardous chemicals, radiation, noise, biological agents, heat)
23. Business continuity and contingency planning 19. Reducing the risk of error-likely situations
24. Change management 20. Selecting appropriate personal protective equipment
25. Chemical process safety 21. Using sampling and measurement devices
26. Community emergency planning 22. Using statistics to understand risk
27. Construction safety 23. Using the results of risk assessments to support risk management
28. Education and training methods options
29. Emergency/crisis/disaster management 24. Using the results of root cause analyses to support risk management
30. Emergency/crisis/disaster response planning options
31. Employee assistance programs 25. Communicating with subject matter experts
32. Employee/stakeholder incentive programs 26. Consulting with equipment manufacturers and commodity suppliers
33. Environmental protection and pollution prevention 27. Interviewing people
34. Epidemiology
35. Equipment safety
36. Ergonomics and human factors
37. Facility safety
38. Facility security and access control
39. Facility siting and layout
40. Fire prevention, protection, and suppression
41. Hazardous materials management
42. Hazardous waste management
43. Healthcare safety (including patient safety)
44. Incident command methods
45. Industrial hygiene
46. Infectious diseases
47. Insurance/risk transfer principles
48. Labels, signs, and warnings (including international symbols)
49. Maritime safety
50. Mining safety
51. Multi-employer worksite issues
52. Mutual aid agreements
53. Physical and chemical characteristics of hazardous materials

9
Task 1 (CONTINUED)
Design effective risk management methods using the results of risk assessments to eliminate or reduce safety, health,
environmental, and security risks.
Knowledge Areas (CONTINUED)
54. Pressure relief systems
55. Product safety
56. Public safety and security
57. Radiation safety
58. System safety
59. Toxicology
60. Transportation safety and security
61. Ventilation systems
62. Workplace violence
63. Competencies of other professionals with whom the safety professional
interacts
64. Sources of information on risk management options (e.g., subject matter
experts, relevant best practices, published literature)

Task 2
Educate and influence decision makers to adopt effective risk management methods by illustrating the business-related
benefits associated with implementing them to eliminate or reduce safety, health, environmental, and security risks.
Knowledge Areas Skills
1. Risk-based decision-making tools 1. Applying risk-based decision-making tools for prioritizing risk
2. Budgeting, finance, and economic analysis techniques management options
3. Business planning 2. Creating plans for implementing risk management options
4. Business software 3. Describing the costs and benefits of risk management options
5. Education and training methods 4. Describing the effects of implementing safety, health, and
6. Interpersonal communications environmental plans, programs, and policies
7. Mathematics and statistics 5. Describing trends to support risk management options
8. Organizational and behavioral sciences 6. Explaining risk management options to decision makers
9. Management sciences 7. Making presentations to decision makers
10. Management principles of authority, responsibility, and accountability 8. Presenting financial analyses of risk management options
11. Organizational protocols 9. Recognizing changes needed in management systems
12. Presentation media and technologies 10. Using statistics to explain the effects of risk management options
13. Presentation strategies 11. Using the results of risk assessments to support risk management
14. Project management concepts options
15. Target audience background 12. Using the results of root cause analyses to support risk management
options

Task 3
Lead projects to implement the risk management methods adopted by decision makers using internal and external
resources to eliminate or reduce safety, health, environmental, and security risks.
Knowledge Areas Skills
1. Project management concepts 1. Implementing project management plans
2. Management sciences 2. Applying management principles of authority, responsibility, and
3. Management principles of authority, responsibility, and accountability accountability
4. Methods of achieving project stakeholder acceptance of project goals 3. Using project management software
5. Financial management principles 4. Developing systems to track project implementation
6. Schedule management principles 5. Leading people
7. Risk-based decision-making tools 6. Leading teams
8. Organizational and behavioral sciences 7. Making presentations to stakeholders
9. Business software 8. Motivating project stakeholders
10. Project management software 9. Resolving conflicts
11. Change management 10. Supervising people
12. Group dynamics 11. Communicating with subject matter experts
13. Interpersonal communications 12. Consulting with equipment manufacturers and commodity suppliers
14. Methods of facilitating teamwork 13. Interviewing people
15. Organizational protocols
16. Presentation media and technologies
17. Presentation strategies
18. Principles of supervising people
19. Competencies of other professionals with whom the safety professional
interacts

10
Task 4
Promote a positive organizational culture that is conscious of its safety, health, environmental, and security
responsibilities by communicating these responsibilities to all stakeholders and by training all stakeholders as part of
the organization’s overall risk management program.
Knowledge Areas Skills
1. Management sciences 1. Explaining risk concepts to stakeholders and the public
2. Management principles of authority, responsibility, and accountability 2. Explaining risk management options to stakeholders and the public
3. Methods of achieving project stakeholder acceptance of project goals 3. Applying management principles of authority, responsibility, and
4. Organizational and behavioral sciences accountability
5. Organizational protocols 4. Encouraging participation in risk management processes
6. Cultural norms and population stereotypes 5. Influencing stakeholder behavior
7. Group dynamics 6. Developing and using lesson plans
8. Interpersonal communications 7. Conducting training
9. Labels, signs, and warnings (including international symbols) 8. Administering training assessment instruments
10. Multi-employer worksite issues 9. Providing an effective learning environment
11. Organized labor/management relations 10. Delivering motivational presentations
12. Presentation media and technologies 11. Creating motivational literature
13. Presentation strategies 12. Facilitating stakeholder participation committees
14. Protocols for public announcements 13. Giving public announcements
15. Public communication techniques 14. Interacting with journalists and the media
16. Risk communication techniques 15. Making presentations to stakeholders and the public
17. Stakeholder participation committees 16. Negotiating with political entities
18. Target audience background 17. Resolving conflicts
19. Adult learning 18. Soliciting stakeholder feedback
20. Education and training methods 19. Working with organized labor unions and management
21. Behavior modification techniques 20. Motivating stakeholders
22. Training methods 21. Leading people
23. Training assessment instruments (e.g., written tests, skill assessments) 22. Leading teams
24. Business communication software 23. Exchanging information over the Internet
25. Competencies of other professionals with whom the safety professional 24. Communicating with subject matter experts
interacts 25. Interviewing people
26. Standards development processes 26. Providing input in standards development activities
27. Information security and confidentiality requirements

11
 PREPARING FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION

You may use various approaches to prepare for the opportunities to increase your score within that subject. If
Comprehensive Practice examination: you are likely to get few items correct for another subject,
you have a better opportunity to gain points by studying
• Perform individual study. that subject.
• Participate in informal study groups.
• Attend formal review courses. Convert your subject strengths and weaknesses into a study
• Complete practice examinations. plan that is likely to increase your overall examination
score. You will want to refresh your knowledge in all
Some keys to success include: subjects. It is also a good idea to study subjects that offer
the greatest opportunity to increase your overall score.
• Knowing your strengths and weaknesses.
• Having an examination preparation plan. Make a chart of subjects. List for yourself how you will
• Developing a test-taking strategy. prepare for each subject. You may want to identify study
hours for each, create a study schedule, or even chart out
• Understanding how to use your calculator.
how you plan to prepare for each subject (reading,
practicing working calculations, attending a study group or
Knowing Your Strengths and Weaknesses
refresher course, etc.).
A self-evaluation will help you determine how well you
Note that knowledge and understanding are essential in
know various subjects included on the Comprehensive
passing the examinations. Relying only on simulated
Practice examination. Simply rate yourself on each major
examination items is not the best way to increase
and minor subject area included on the examination. Focus
knowledge and understanding. Use simulated items to
especially on the specific knowledge areas. The safety
provide insight into the areas in which you should engage
discipline requires knowledge in many different subjects. A
in additional study.
rating form to help you evaluate your knowledge appears at
the end of this section on page 15. It is essential for you to
Developing a Test-taking Strategy
compare your knowledge against that contained in the
examination blueprint (pages 5 through 11).
Knowing how to take examinations will help improve your
score. The Comprehensive Practice examination uses
Having an Examination Preparation Plan
multiple-choice items. Each item has one correct answer
and three incorrect answers. Remember, the goal is to get
You can use your ratings to help establish a study plan. The
as many items correct as possible. There is no penalty on
examination blueprint shows how the items on an
the Comprehensive Practice examination for selecting an
examination are distributed across domains and topics.
incorrect answer. However, only correct answers count
While the exact number of items devoted to each
toward reaching the passing score.
responsibility may vary on the actual examination, one can
estimate about how many items may be devoted to each
Understand item construction. A four-choice, objectively
particular subject by assuming a uniform distribution
scored examination item contains an item stem and four
within a domain.
possible answers. The premise, or lead-in statement or
question, is called the stem. One of the choices is correct,
The total number of scored items that you get correct on the
and three are not.
examination determines whether you pass. The goal is to
get enough scored items correct to pass the examination.
Guess intelligently. If you do not know the answer to an
Scoring well in one subject area can compensate for a
item or are not sure about it, you should guess intelligently.
weaker score in another subject area. However, there may
Look for choices that you know are incorrect or do not
not be enough items in your strong areas to achieve a
appear as plausible as others. Choose your answer from
passing score. You will have to get items correct in your
among the remaining choices. This increases your chance
moderate and weak areas to pass.
of selecting a correct answer.
Use this information to form a preparation strategy. If you
Read the items carefully. Read each item carefully.
know a subject well and are likely to get most items for that
Consider the item from the viewpoint of an examination
subject correct on the examination, you have few additional

12
item writer. Look for the item focus. Each item evaluates
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Some items on the Comprehensive Practice examination
require computations to obtain the correct answer. You
may bring one or 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 since you could waste 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.
13
Solutions to computational items usually are rounded to
two or three significant figures. You should select the
answer closest to the computed value.
You may bring one or two calculators to the examination as
long as they comply with the BCSP calculator rules in the
box below. 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.
BCSP Calculator Rules
The following are the only makes and models of calculators
permitted.
• Casio models FX-115, FX-250, FX-260, FX-300
• Hewlett-Packard models hp 9, hp 10, hp 12, hp 30
• Texas Instruments models TI-30, TI-34, TI-35, TI-36
Any version of these makes and models may be used. For
example, a Hewlett-Packard hp 30s is permitted, as is a
Texas Instruments TI-30Xa.
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.
BCSP maintains the following online list of published
references.
www.bcsp.org/PublishedReferences
BCSP-published Self-assessment Examination
BCSP publishes a self-assessment examination for the
Comprehensive Practice 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.
To order a self-assessment examination, please complete
the order form at the very end of this document. You can
also order a self-assessment examination on the BCSP web
site at www.bcsp.org, or by calling BCSP.
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.
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.
Because candidates for BCSP examinations often ask
where to locate review courses and materials, BCSP
maintains an online list strictly as a courtesy.
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.
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/OtherStudySources
14
Examination Integrity
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.
BCSP publishes brochures and technical documents
derived strictly from the examination blueprints shown on
pages 5 through 11. These brochures and technical
documents are available to anyone. BCSP neither
publishes nor releases any other information or material
related to the Comprehensive Practice examination. In
addition, BCSP does not provide access to any examination
or other examination-related materials to anyone except
authorized candidates for the Comprehensive Practice
examination.
When those who hold the CSP credential or those who are
pursuing the CSP credential 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.
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 and Professional
Conduct.
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
credential and revoking the certifications and interim
designations of those who have status with BCSP, in
addition to other legal remedies.
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).
 SELF-EVALUATION WORKSHEET FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION

Rate your level of knowledge on each domain and task included on the Comprehensive Practice 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 11.

Self
DOMAIN/Task Rating
DOMAIN 1. COLLECTING SAFETY, HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND SECURITY RISK
INFORMATION
Task 1. Identify and characterize hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities using equipment and field
observation methods in order to evaluate safety, health, environmental, and security risk.
Task 2. Design and use data management systems for collecting and validating risk information in order
to evaluate safety, health, environmental, and security risk.
Task 3. Collect and validate information on organizational risk factors by studying culture, management
style, business climate, financial conditions, and the availability of internal and external resources in order
to evaluate safety, health, environmental, and security risk.
Task 4. Research applicable laws, regulations, consensus standards, best practices, and published
literature using internal and external resources to develop benchmarks for assessing an organization’s
safety, health, environmental, and security performance and to support the evaluation of safety, health,
environmental, and security risk.

DOMAIN 2. ASSESSING SAFETY, HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND SECURITY RISK

Task 1. Evaluate the risk of injury, illness, environmental harm, and property damage to which the public
or an organization is exposed associated with the organization’s facilities, products, systems, processes,
equipment, and employees by applying quantitative and qualitative threat, vulnerability, and risk
assessment techniques.
Task 2. Audit safety, health, environmental, and security management systems using appropriate auditing
techniques to compare an organization’s management systems against established standards for identifying
the organization’s strengths and weaknesses.
Task 3. Analyze trends in leading and lagging performance indicators related to safety, health,
environmental, and security management systems using historical information and statistical methods to
identify an organization’s strengths and weaknesses.

DOMAIN 3. MANAGING SAFETY, HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND SECURITY RISK

Task 1. Design effective risk management methods using the results of risk assessments to eliminate or
reduce safety, health, environmental, and security risks.
Task 2. Educate and influence decision makers to adopt effective risk management methods by
illustrating the business-related benefits associated with implementing them to eliminate or reduce safety,
health, environmental, and security risks.
Task 3. Lead projects to implement the risk management methods adopted by decision makers using
internal and external resources to eliminate or reduce safety, health, environmental, and security risks.
Task 4. Promote a positive organizational culture that is conscious of its safety, health, environmental,
and security responsibilities by communicating these responsibilities to all stakeholders and by training all
stakeholders as part of the organization’s overall risk management program.

15
 REGISTERING FOR AND TAKING THE COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION
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
Comprehensive Practice examination, and you are ready to
take the examination, you need to take the following
actions.
• Locate a Pearson VUE test center
• Purchase an Examination Authorization
• Receive your Examination Authorization Letter
• Schedule an examination appointment
• Take the examination
After you take an examination, BCSP will mail your
official examination result and related materials to you.
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. If you do not have Internet access, contact
BCSP for assistance in locating a nearby test center.
Purchasing an Examination Authorization
After BCSP sends you a notice indicating that you are
eligible to sit for the Comprehensive Practice examination,
you may register with BCSP to take the examination at any
time within your eligibility time limit rules (see page 23).
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 almost all 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
16
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 receives and reviews your official medical
documentation and approves your request.
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 clock starts on the
day you purchase your examination authorization even if
you are requesting one or more special accommodations.
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.
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 online Web account to
schedule your appointment online, or when you make your
appointment with Pearson VUE by phone.
Scheduling an Examination Appointment
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. Some of the rules are outlined on
pages 21 and 22 of this publication.
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. All test centers are
open during normal (customary) weekday business hours,
and some have weekend and holiday hours.
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.
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.
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, hat, 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.
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
17
scheduled to take your examination, the test center staff
also may take your picture and obtain electronic fingerprint
data to confirm your identity.
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.
If you are not a citizen of the country in which you are
testing, the only acceptable identification document is
your valid, unexpired passport.
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 driver’s 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.
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.
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 (see
page 13) in effect when you sit for the examination.
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
your examination. During breaks, you are not permitted to
have contact with anyone other than the test center staff.
Therefore, for the duration of the examination (i.e., while
your examination clock is running, including during self-
scheduled breaks), you shall not:
• 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; or
• Leave the building (or part of the building)
controlled by Pearson VUE.
Because of 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.
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
18
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 prior to actually viewing
any examination content. Once you accept BCSP's
Security and Confidentiality Agreement, you will be able to
complete a brief tutorial to become familiar with the
features of the examination delivery software and the
online BCSP Examination Reference 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.
Examination duration. Once you finish the online tutorial,
your examination clock will actually begin. You will have
five and one-half (5 ½) hours to complete the
Comprehensive Practice examination. At the end of your
examination (after you are shown your unofficial result),
you will be asked to complete a post-examination survey.
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.
Examination format. One item will appear one the screen
at a time. You may answer the item, mark the item for later
review, or skip the item completely. Even if you mark 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
marked 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 marked any for later review. You may easily
return to any item on this table by simply clicking on the
item using the computer mouse. Once you return to the
item, you may change your answer selection, if desired,
and return to the review screen.
The 10-page BCSP Examination Reference will be
available for you on every item by clicking the button on
your computer screen labeled "Exam Reference." The
BCSP Examination Reference is shown beginning on page
33.
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.
Completing the examination, getting your unofficial
result, and post-examination surveys. Once you have
been shown your unofficial examination result, you will be
asked to complete a post-examination survey. Please spend
time to answer the questions and make comments so BCSP
can improve the CSP certification process. After
submitting your survey responses, you may 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
unofficial examination result. In most cases, BCSP will
mail your official result and score report to you within
three weeks.
Also, a few days after you complete your examination,
Pearson VUE may select you to receive an online survey
that relates to how well Pearson VUE managed your testing
experience. BCSP encourages you to complete this survey
if you are selected to receive it. This survey helps Pearson
VUE measure and improve its services.
Reporting problems with your examination experience.
BCSP values your feedback, and if there were problems
with your examination experience (e.g., computer delivery
issues, delays in checking you in, power failures), we want
to know about them as soon as possible. Within 30 days of
your examination, notify BCSP directly if you experienced
problems so we can investigate them. After 30 days elapse
beyond your examination appointment, BCSP no longer
can begin an investigation of any specific examination
problems you encountered.
19
Late Arrivals and Missed Appointments
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.
Canceling 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.
For candidates testing in the U.S. or Canada only: 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. The 60-day examination authorization extension is
not available for candidates testing outside the U.S. and
Canada.
Examination Authorization Extensions (For Candidates
Testing in the U.S. and Canada Only)
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, and you are testing in the
U.S. or Canada, BCSP allows you to purchase a one-time,
60-day extension for a nonrefundable fee of $50 USD (this
fee is subject to change). 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 are testing outside the U.S. and Canada, this
extension is not available to you.
If you scheduled an appointment, you are still
responsible for canceling that appointment and
rescheduling it even if you purchased an examination
authorization 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.
BCSP cannot make, cancel, or reschedule your
examination appointment regardless of where you are
taking your examination.
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 credential after failing an
examination unless your overall eligibility has expired.
Eligibility time limit rules are described in the CSP
Application Guide and summarized on page 23 of this
publication.
Other Testing Arrangements
If there is no Pearson VUE test center near you and if you
are not planning to travel to a city with a Pearson VUE test
center, BCSP can make special arrangements to deliver a
BCSP examination by special administration (including for
U.S. military personnel in DANTES facilities). Taking a
BCSP examination by special administration is
considerably more expensive than taking a computer-
delivered BCSP examination at a Pearson VUE test center.
20
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.
Taking the Comprehensive Practice Examination for
Continuance of Certification Credit
A CSP in good standing may take and pass the
Comprehensive Practice examination during the last year of
a Continuance of Certification cycle to fulfill all
recertification requirements for that cycle. To take
advantage of this recertification option, contact BCSP to
pay for a Comprehensive Practice examination
authorization. If you pass the examination, your record
will be automatically updated to reflect your compliance
with all Continuance of Certification requirements for that
cycle.
NOTE: CSPs must pass the Comprehensive Practice
examination during the last year of a recertification cycle
to receive Continuance of Certification credit for that cycle.
Thus, if a CSP’s recertification cycle ends on December 31,
2008, the CSP must purchase and pass the Comprehensive
Practice examination in 2008 for it to count for the
recertification cycle that ends on December 31, 2008.
 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. All fees are subject to change.

• The $350 USD fee for purchasing the 120-day examination authorization is not refundable.
• The $50 USD fee for purchasing an optional 60-day extension to your examination authorization is not
refundable.

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 one-
time, 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.

21
 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. All fees are subject to change.

• The $450 USD fee for purchasing the 120-day examination authorization is not refundable.

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. No extension to your examination authorization is
permitted.

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)
61-2-9478-5400; 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. weekdays Australian Eastern Time (closed on Australian 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.

You forfeit your examination authorization fee when you:

• Fail to take the examination during the 120-day examination authorization period; or
• Fail to show up for any scheduled examination appointment; 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.

22
 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 Safety Fundamentals 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 Safety Fundamentals examination and cannot sit for the examination before the expiration of
your three-year time limit, you may pay a $100 USD fee and obtain a one-year extension to your time limit. If necessary,
you may purchase a second and final one-year extension at the end of the first extension for a $200 USD fee. You may
purchase a Safety Fundamentals examination only during your period of eligibility.

CSP Candidates
If you are eligible for the Comprehensive Practice examination, you must pass the examination and earn your CSP
credential within three years of becoming eligible.
The Comprehensive Practice 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 Safety Fundamentals examination.
If you are eligible for the Comprehensive Practice examination and cannot achieve the CSP credential before your three-
year time limit expires, you may pay a $100 USD fee and obtain a one-year extension to your time limit. If necessary, you
may purchase a second and final one-year extension at the end of the first extension for a $200 USD fee. You may
purchase a Comprehensive Practice 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 Safety Fundamentals 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 Comprehensive Practice
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 in the
U.S. or Canada), 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.

23
 COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION SAMPLE ITEMS

Sample items are included in this section, and their solutions and explanations follow. These items illustrate only the style
and format typical of items on the Comprehensive Practice examination. It is essential for you to read and understand the
Comprehensive Practice examination blueprint found on pages 5 through 11 so you can have a thorough awareness of the
depth and breadth of all of the subject matter that will appear on the actual Comprehensive Practice examination.

Domain 1: Collecting Safety, Health, Environmental, and Security Risk Information

Task 1. Identify and characterize hazards, threats, and vulnerabilities using equipment and field observation methods in order to
evaluate safety, health, environmental, and security risk.

1. An employee fell from a broken ladder and sustained a fractured arm. In evaluating the management system in
place when the accident occurred, which is considered a root cause?

1. The ladder had a broken rung.

2. The ladder's repair log was not attached to the ladder.
3. The employee was not trained in ladder use and how to recognize unsafe ladder conditions.
4. The maintenance employee did not inspect the ladder before issuing the ladder to the employee.

Task 2. Design and use data management systems for collecting and validating risk information in order to evaluate safety, health,
environmental, and security risk.

2. In the development of an incident data collection and management system, what is the most important first step?

1. To differentiate between human error and design error

2. To define the subsequent use of the data
3. To establish accident-reporting responsibilities
4. To codify data to conform to existing data sources

24
Task 3. Collect and validate information on organizational risk factors by studying culture, management style, business climate,
financial conditions, and the availability of internal and external resources in order to evaluate safety, health, environmental, and
security risk.

The following information applies to three questions. (This is a scenario-style question. In the actual Comprehensive
Practice examination, scenario-style questions are displayed together. However, in this document, the questions from this
scenario are separated to emphasize how the specific items in this scenario relate to the Domains and Tasks shown in the
examination blueprint. The other items in this scenario are shown in numbers 7 and 8.)

Individual plant safety audit scores and the plants’ injury frequency rates for the year, along with their respective rankings,
are tabulated in the following table.

Audit
Score Rank Injury Rate Rank
Plant (X) (x) (Y) (y)
A 50 10 10.00 10
B 65 8 8.50 8
C 82 5 5.00 4
D 85 4 7.00 6
E 73 7 8.00 7
F 75 6 5.50 5
G 92 3 4.00 3
H 95 2 3.00 2
I 55 9 9.00 9
J 98 1 2.00 1

3. What is the Spearman rank coefficient of correlation between rankings of safety audit scores and injury rates?

1. +0.96
2. +0.90
3. -0.90
4. -0.96

Task 4. Research applicable laws, regulations, consensus standards, best practices, and published literature using internal and
external resources to develop benchmarks for assessing an organization’s safety, health, environmental, and security performance and
to support the evaluation of safety, health, environmental, and security risk.

4. A control system contains a subsystem having series elements A and B. The subsystem will perform as intended if
both elements A and B function properly. Failures by A and B are mutually exclusive. Failure rates of the two
elements are equal at a long-term value of one failure per 10,000 trials. What is the long-term failure rate of the
subsystem?

1. One per 5,000 trials

2. One per 10,000 trials
3. One per 20,000 trials
4. One per 100,000 trials

25
 Domain 2: Assessing Safety, Health, Environmental, and Security Risk

Task 1. Evaluate the risk of injury, illness, environmental harm, and property damage to which the public or an organization is
exposed associated with the organization’s facilities, products, systems, processes, equipment, and employees by applying quantitative
and qualitative threat, vulnerability, and risk assessment techniques.

5. A solvent mixture contains, by volume, 50% Solvent A, 25% Solvent B, and 25% Solvent C. The mixture
evaporates into the work atmosphere, and an air sampling has revealed a vapor concentration of 20 ppm of Solvent
C. The eight-hour time-weighted average Threshold Limit Values for Solvents A, B, and C are 100 ppm, 50 ppm,
and 50 ppm, respectively. Assuming that the effects are additive and that the concentrations in air are of the same
proportions as in the solvent mixture, is the eight-hour time-weighted average Threshold Limit Value exceeded in
the work atmosphere?

1. No. The vapor concentration of any component does not exceed its Threshold Limit Value.
2. Yes. The sum of the vapor concentration of the components exceeds the sum of their Threshold Limit
Values.
3. No. The sum of the fractions of the solvent components in ratio of concentration to the Threshold Limit
Value is less than unity.
4. Yes. The sum of the fractions of the solvent components in ratio of concentration to Threshold Limit
Value exceeds 1.0.

The following information applies to two questions. (This is a scenario-style question. In the actual Comprehensive
Practice examination, scenario-style questions are displayed together. However, in this document, the questions from this
scenario are separated to emphasize how the specific items in this scenario relate to the Domains and Tasks shown in the
examination blueprint. The other item in this scenario is shown in number 9.)

A product safety manager has conducted an analysis of a new consumer product to be marketed by the company. The
analysis revealed conditions that may result in a fatal accident if the product is used under certain situations.

Consider the following fault tree analysis.

The probabilities of occurrence for events X1, X2, X3,

and X4 are shown below.

• X1 = 0.0025
• X2 = 0.050
• X3 = 0.0050
• X4 = 0.00050

6. What is the calculated probability of occurrence of the fatal accident?

1. 1.2 x 10-4
2. 1.3 x 10-6
3. 6.9 x 10-6
4. 3.1 x 10-10

26
Task 2. Audit safety, health, environmental, and security management systems using appropriate auditing techniques to compare an
organization’s management systems against established standards for identifying the organization’s strengths and weaknesses.

The following information applies to three questions. (This is a scenario-style question. In the actual Comprehensive
Practice examination, scenario-style questions are displayed together. However, in this document, the questions from this
scenario are separated to emphasize how the specific items in this scenario relate to the Domains and Tasks shown in the
examination blueprint. The other items in this scenario are shown in numbers 3 and 8.)

Individual plant safety audit scores and the plants’ injury frequency rates for the year, along with their respective rankings,
are tabulated in the following table.

Audit
Score Rank Injury Rate Rank
Plant (X) (x) (Y) (y)
A 50 10 10.00 10
B 65 8 8.50 8
C 82 5 5.00 4
D 85 4 7.00 6
E 73 7 8.00 7
F 75 6 5.50 5
G 92 3 4.00 3
H 95 2 3.00 2
I 55 9 9.00 9
J 98 1 2.00 1

7. When calculating the coefficient of correlation between facility audit scores and facility injury rates, what does a
positive coefficient of correlation indicate?

1. That high audit scores tend to be associated with low injury rates
2. That high audit scores tend to be associated with high injury rates
3. That low audit scores tend to be associated with low injury rates
4. That there is an increase in correlation between audit scores and injury rates

27
Task 3. Analyze trends in leading and lagging performance indicators related to safety, health, environmental, and security
management systems using historical information and statistical methods to identify an organization’s strengths and weaknesses.

The following information applies to three questions. (This is a scenario-style question. In the actual Comprehensive
Practice examination, scenario-style questions are displayed together. However, in this document, the questions from this
scenario are separated to emphasize how the specific items in this scenario relate to the Domains and Tasks shown in the
examination blueprint. The other items in this scenario are shown in numbers 3 and 7.)

Individual plant safety audit scores and the plants’ injury frequency rates for the year, along with their respective rankings,
are tabulated in the following table.

Audit
Score Rank Injury Rate Rank
Plant (X) (x) (Y) (y)
A 50 10 10.00 10
B 65 8 8.50 8
C 82 5 5.00 4
D 85 4 7.00 6
E 73 7 8.00 7
F 75 6 5.50 5
G 92 3 4.00 3
H 95 2 3.00 2
I 55 9 9.00 9
J 98 1 2.00 1

8. The coefficient of correlation is significant at the 1% level. What does this mean?

1. The items measured by the audits account for 1% of the factors affecting injury rates.
2. The coefficient of correlation has a 99% probability of resulting from chance.
3. The coefficient of correlation is only 1% correct.
4. The coefficient of correlation has a 1% probability of resulting from chance.

28
 Domain 3: Managing Safety, Health, Environmental, and Security Risk

Task 1. Design effective risk management methods using the results of risk assessments to eliminate or reduce safety, health,
environmental, and security risks.

The following information applies to two questions. (This is a scenario-style question. In the actual Comprehensive
Practice examination, scenario-style questions are displayed together. However, in this document, the questions from this
scenario are separated to emphasize how the specific items in this scenario relate to the Domains and Tasks shown in the
examination blueprint. The other item in this scenario is shown in number 6.)

A product safety manager has conducted an analysis of a new consumer product to be marketed by the company. The
analysis revealed conditions that may result in a fatal accident if the product is used under certain situations.

Consider the following fault tree analysis.

The probabilities of occurrence for events X1, X2, X3,

and X4 are shown below.

• X1 = 0.0025
• X2 = 0.050
• X3 = 0.0050
• X4 = 0.00050

9. One of the alternative methods of controlling the hazardous conditions is the installation of a device that will
reduce the probability of event X2 to 0.0025. With this device installed, what is the revised calculated probability
of the fatal accident?

1. 1.9 x 10-5
2. 6.2 x 10-6
3. 4.7 x 10-8
4. 1.6 x 10-11

29
Task 2. Educate and influence decision makers to adopt effective risk management methods by illustrating the business-related benefits
associated with implementing them to eliminate or reduce safety, health, environmental, and security risks.

10. Construction sites frequently have multiple companies working concurrently on a single work site, each with the
responsibility for ensuring the safety of their employees. Which is the first step for ensuring that owners, prime
contractors, and subcontractors work together to achieve a safe work site?

1. Hold planning meetings with all parties involved in each phase of the work in order to go over safety
requirements.
2. Review all contracts to ensure that safety responsibilities are clearly identified.
3. Inspect the work, work areas and equipment of all parties on a regular basis.
4. Hold each contractor or subcontractor responsible for the daily activities of its workers.

Task 3. Lead projects to implement the risk management methods adopted by decision makers using internal and external resources to
eliminate or reduce safety, health, environmental, and security risks.

11. A company plans to retrofit a storage building with a sprinkler system because the facility will soon be storing a
high density of ordinary combustibles. In conducting a feasibility study, a safety professional determines that the
4-in (10-cm) water main in the street must be extended to the storage building. Relevant data are presented below.

• Storage area to be sprinkled: 200,000 ft2 (18,580 m2)

• Area covered per sprinkler head: 125 ft2 (11.6 m2)
• Distance from street water line to the plant: 500 ft (150 m)

Cost Data:

• $1,200 / ft ($3,940 / m) to lay a 4-in (10-cm) water main

• $310 per installed sprinkler
• $200,000 for miscellaneous plumbing
• $100,000 for the control system

What is the best estimate of the direct cost of this project?

1. $510,000
2. $830,000
3. $1,000,000
4. $1,400,000

Task 4. Promote a positive organizational culture that is conscious of its safety, health, environmental, and security responsibilities by
communicating these responsibilities to all stakeholders and by training all stakeholders as part of the organization’s overall risk
management program.

12. A company experienced a fire that created local media interest. A reporter calls the company's safety office to
obtain information. What is the best course of action for the safety professional taking the call to do?

1. Agree to be interviewed as long as the safety professional can remain anonymous

2. Offer to send the reporter a statement the company has already released
3. Refer the reporter to the company's public relations department
4. Refer the reporter to the local fire department

30
 ANSWERS TO COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION SAMPLE ITEMS

Item Correct Item Correct

No. Answer No. Answer
1 3 7 1
2 2 8 4
3 1 9 2
4 1 10 2
5 4 11 4
6 1 12 3

SOLUTIONS TO COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE EXAMINATION SAMPLE ITEMS

1. The lack of training is a root cause because the lack of
training is a management system deficiency that
directly led to the causal factor of the employee falling
from a broken ladder.
2. The designer of an incident data management system
should be aware of the function and subsequent use
that the data managed by the system will serve.
4. Since both elements must function for the subsystem to
function, the failure of any one element will cause the
subsystem to fail (i.e., the subsystem will fail if either
A or B fails). Because the failures are also mutually
exclusive, the probability of failure of the subsystem is
P(A) + P(B) – (1/10,000 x 1/10,000)
Since the last term (the minus term) is so small with
respect to the other terms, it can be considered equal to
zero; therefore,

3. For ranked data, the Spearman rank order coefficient of P(A) + P(B) = 1/10,000 + 1/10,000 = 1/5,000
correlation (D) may be used. D = (1 - 6∑D2) / [N (N2 -
1)] where D is the difference between the two ranks
given for each facility, and N is the number of 5. For a mixture, assuming additive effects, the sum of
facilities. the concentrations divided by the Threshold Limit
Values for each component of the mixture must not
x y D D2 exceed unity (1.0).
10 - 10 = 0 0
8 - 8 = 0 0 C1 / T1 + C2 / T2 + ... + Cn / Tn < 1.0
5 - 4 = 1 1
4 - 6 = -2 4 Assuming proportionate evaporation, if solvent C = 20
7 - 7 = 0 0 ppm and is 25% of the mixture, then
6 - 5 = 1 1
A = [(0.50 / 0.25) (20 ppm)]
3 - 3 = 0 0
A = 40 ppm
2 - 2 = 0 0
9 - 9 = 0 0 B = [(0.25 / 0.25) (20 ppm)]
1 - 1 = 0 0 B = 20 ppm
∑D2 = 6
40 ppm / 100 ppm + 20 ppm / 50 ppm
D = [1 - 6(6)] / [10 (102 - 1)] + 20 ppm / 50 ppm = 1.2
D = 1 - 36 / 990 = 0.964
1.2 exceeds 1.0; therefore the limit has been exceeded.

31
6. The top event is represented by B2 • A1. B2 = X1 • X2
and A1 = X2 + A2 + X3. A2 = X1 • X4. The calculated
probability of occurrence of the fatal accident (top
event) is therefore {(X1 • X2) • [X2 + (X1 • X4) + X3]}
= [(X1 • X2 • X2) + (X1 • X2 • X1 • X4) + (X1 • X2 •
X3)]. This simplifies to [(X1 • X2) + (X1 • X2 • X4) +
(X1 • X2 • X3)]. This further simplifies to [(X1 • X2)(1
+ X4+ X3)]. This yields a minimum cut set of (X1 •
X2). Thus, the probability of the fatal accident (top
event) is 0.0025 x 0.050 = 0.000125 ≈ 1.2 x 10-4.
7. Rankings may be assigned such that the highest audit
score receives a "1," and the lowest score receives a
"10." Likewise, the lowest injury rate receives a "1,"
and the highest rate receives a "10." A positive
coefficient of correlation means a positive relationship
between the two sets of ranked data. A negative
coefficient means a negative relationship. When
setting up a ranking scheme, ensure that the "best"
score is the same for the two variables.
8. The expression "significant at the 1% level" expresses
the probability of chance results.
32
9. The top event is represented by B2 • A1. B2 = X1 • X2
and A1 = X2 + A2 + X3. A2 = X1 • X4. The calculated
probability of occurrence of the fatal accident (top
event) is therefore {(X1 • X2) • [X2 + (X1 • X4) + X3]}
= [(X1 • X2 • X2) + (X1 • X2 • X1 • X4) + (X1 • X2 •
X3)]. This simplifies to [(X1 • X2) + (X1 • X2 • X4) +
(X1 • X2 • X3)]. This further simplifies to [(X1 • X2)(1
+ X4+ X3)]. This yields a minimum cut set of (X1 •
X2). Thus, the probability of the fatal accident (top
event) is 0.0025 x 0.0025 = 0.00000625 ≈ 6.2 x 10-6.
10. In order to ensure that safety responsibilities are clearly
established, the contract for each company must define
those responsibilities. Other factors help ensure that
the responsibility is implemented effectively.
11. Cost of water main = 500 feet x $1,200/foot
= $600,000
Cost of sprinkler installation
= 200,000 square feet/125 square feet x $310
= $496,000
Total cost = $600,000 + $496,000 + $200,000
+ $100,000
= $1,396,000 ≈ $1,400,000
12. It is best to let the office that speaks for the company
arrange for and monitor any interviews.
 EXAMINATION REFERENCE

The BCSP Examination Reference (the 10 pages shown in this section) is provided online to Comprehensive Practice
examination candidates during the actual examination. On every item, the Examination Reference will be available for
viewing in the form shown in this section by pressing the “Exam Reference” button on the computer screen.

BCSP expects you to know simple formulas, mathematical functions, and similar information. In addition, BCSP expects
you to have enough knowledge of a subject area to know what information in the Examination Reference is applicable to an
item.

33
34
Board of Certified Safety Professionals

CODE OF ETHICS
AND PROFESSIONAL
CONDUCT
This code sets forth the code of ethics and professional standards to be observed by holders of documents of
certification conferred by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. Certificants shall, in their professional safety
activities, sustain and advance the integrity, honor, and prestige of the safety profession by adherence to these
standards.

Standards

1. Hold paramount the safety and health of people, the protection of the environment and protection of property
in the performance of professional duties and exercise their obligation to advise employers, clients, employees,
the public, and appropriate authorities of danger and unacceptable risks to people, the environment, or
property.
2. Be honest, fair, and impartial; act with responsibility and integrity. Adhere to high standards of ethical
conduct with balanced care for the interests of the public, employers, clients, employees, colleagues and the
profession. Avoid all conduct or practice that is likely to discredit the profession or deceive the public.
3. Issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner and only when founded upon knowledge of
the facts and competence in the subject ma"er.
4. Undertake assignments only when qualified by education or experience in the specific technical fields involved.
Accept responsibility for their continued professional development by acquiring and maintaining competence
through continuing education, experience and professional training.
5. Avoid deceptive acts that falsify or misrepresent their academic or professional qualifications. Not
misrepresent or exaggerate their degree of responsibility in or for the subject ma"er of prior assignments.
Presentations incident to the solicitation of employment shall not misrepresent pertinent facts concerning
employers, employees, associates, or past accomplishments with the intent and purpose of enhancing their
qualifications and their work.
6. Conduct their professional relations by the highest standards of integrity and avoid compromise of their
professional judgment by conflicts of interest.
7. Act in a manner free of bias with regard to religion, ethnicity, gender, age, national origin, sexual orientation,
or disability.
8. Seek opportunities to be of constructive service in civic affairs and work for the advancement of the safety,
health and well-being of their community and their profession by sharing their knowledge and skills.

Approved by the BCSP Board of Directors, October 2002.