Overview of Online Process Safety Management Certification Programs
Process safety management programs aim to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to keep coworkers and workplaces safe from the effects of hazardous chemicals. Designed primarily for employees, supervisors, and managers who oversee departments or organizations that work with hazardous chemicals, there are several online training courses and certificate programs available. These programs could help prepare students to take the Center for Chemical Process Safety's (CCPS) Process Safety Professional Certification (CCPSC) exam, which can be completed online.
To qualify for the CCPSC designation, students must have a degree in a STEM area (science, technology, engineering, or math) and five years of relevant work experience in process safety. Applicants without a STEM degree can also qualify if they have ten years of experience. Students have 4 hours to complete the certification exam, while online training courses in process safety management may give students up to 180 days to complete the course. Certificate programs in process safety management may offer various courses online and others in person.
Requirements for Online Programs in Process Safety Management
The CCPSC certification aims to ensure that individuals with the designation are competent in the most current safety tools and techniques for the field, while training courses and certificate programs aim to equip students with these skills. Certification in the field can be completed fully online, as can some training courses.
General Requirements
Online training courses in process safety management are available from organizations that design their coursework to meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. Some of these courses can be completed in as little as 20 minutes, provide students with 24/7 course access, and award students with a downloadable certificate of completion after they pass a final review test. Graduate and professional development certificate programs in fields like process safety management and safety engineering are also available through 4-year universities. These programs may be available entirely online or offer some courses online and others in in-person formats.
To further prepare for the CCPSC exam, students can take advantage of several different online resources, including an online overview of process safety guidelines, process safety webinars, and other online courses offered through the CCPS website. Once students are prepared, they must fill out an online application for review. Once the application is approved, students choose one of three annual week-long exam windows to take the test. Students can take the open-book exam at any point during the exam period. Once students have earned the CCPSC designation, renewal must occur periodically and requires continuing education.
Career Outcomes with Process Safety Management Certification
Although it may not necessarily be required, individuals with process safety management certification can work in a range of safety positions within their organization, including process safety engineers, operations managers, environmental managers, and other health and safety professionals. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) may group some of these professionals into the larger umbrellas of occupational health and safety specialists and technicians and health and safety engineers. Occupational health and safety technicians may need only an associate's degree or certificate with on-the-job training, while specialists and engineers in the field usually need at least a bachelor's degree.
PayScale.com reported that the median annual salary specifically for process safety managers was $107,912 as of August 2020.
The BLS stated that the median salary for occupational health and safety specialists and technicians was $70,480 as of 2019. The job outlook for these professionals was a 6% growth from 2018 to 2028, which is as fast as average. The median salary for health and safety engineers was $91,410 as of 2019, and the job outlook for these engineers was a 5% growth from 2018 to 2028.
Process safety management certification can be completed fully online, as can training courses in the field. Hybrid certificate programs in process safety management are also available, and students with certification can work in a range of careers.
