The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) and the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) designed to strengthen collaboration and provide safety professionals with greater recognition for their skills and experience. 

As part of the agreement, Certified Safety Professionals (CSPs) can now apply for the CertIOSH membership grade. This credential highlights advanced safety leadership abilities and positions members one step closer to achieving Chartered Member of IOSH (CMIOSH), one of the most respected titles in the industry. More details on the application process are available on the CertIOSH webpage.

The partnership is reciprocal. BCSP has reaffirmed its recognition of CMIOSH and, for the first time, added Chartered Fellow of IOSH (CFIOSH) as credentials that meet its qualified credential requirement for CSP applicants. This means that IOSH members who hold either designation, and who also meet BCSP’s education and experience criteria, can apply directly for the CSP and complete the examination required to obtain it. Information for IOSH members interested in pursuing the CSP can be found on the BCSP website.

The agreement goes beyond credential recognition. Both organisations have committed to enhancing access to professional development opportunities and resources for their members worldwide. This includes joint initiatives to provide training, educational programmes and knowledge sharing that will support safety professionals in their career advancement.

Global safety standards

The collaboration is expected to benefit thousands of professionals globally who hold, or aspire to hold, either BCSP or IOSH designations. It reflects the growing need for international cooperation in occupational safety and health, especially as industries become more interconnected and as organisations seek consistent benchmarks for safety leadership.

Through this partnership, BCSP and IOSH reaffirm their commitment to advancing the profession and supporting safety practitioners in making workplaces safer worldwide.

“This collaborative approach to safety credentialing provides highly skilled safety professionals additional opportunities for recognition globally,” said BCSP Past President Ashok Garlapati, CSP, QEP, CFIOSH, FASSP. “This MoU is in line with BCSP's strategic objective of working toward global impact by expanding recognition and value of BCSP certification across international markets, ensuring cultural and regulatory relevance. I am glad to have worked alongside IOSH to enhance the careers of proven professionals from our organisations, building their influence so that they can better create a safer world.” 

“As a body committed to championing the global occupational safety and health profession, we are delighted to sign this MoU. It sets out how we plan to continue engaging with BCSP, who we have been successfully collaborating with to drive global standards in occupational safety and health,” said Nicole Rinaldi, IOSH director of Professional Services. “IOSH members and CSPs share a dedication to ensuring people can go to work and return home without being harmed. We believe this MoU, by providing them with the opportunity to expand their credentials, will support them through greater professional recognition globally as well as enhance career development opportunities.”

OQ Exploration and Production (OQEP) has successfully commissioned the Bisat-C Expansion Facilities in Block 60, raising total oil processing capacity to 67,000 barrels per day, according to the Oman News Agency.

The project, described as a major milestone in OQEP’s upstream growth strategy, was delivered in record time, from contract award in January 2024 to first crude in less than 18 months. The early completion reflects what the company called “high levels of coordination, planning, and technical execution.”

The expansion enables an additional gross fluids handling capacity of 447,000 barrels per day, including 37,000 bpd of oil and 410,000 bpd of Produced Water treatment. OQEP said this strengthens the maturation of production growth from its flagship Block 60 asset.

Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) standards were a central pillar of the project’s delivery. At its peak, Bisat-C hosted 1,200 personnel, achieving three million safe man-hours without a single Lost Time Injury (LTI). The project also recorded two million kilometres driven without any Road Traffic Accidents (RTA), underscoring OQEP’s commitment to safe operations.

Oman’s localisation agenda also benefited from the development. OQEP reported an In-Country Value (ICV) spend of RO 24.6mn directed to SMEs, Made in Oman goods, and local service providers. In addition, 23 Omani graduates were trained and employed through the project.

On the technical side, the expansion required 486 piles (each 12 metres deep) to support new tanks and processing infrastructure. The Produced Water tank, the largest installed, has a storage capacity of 27,784 cubic metres (174,700 barrels). Other key units include a Gas Flotation Tank (15 metres high), a Gross Inlet Separator weighing 145 tonnes, and a Heater Treater and Desalter package with a combined capacity of 40,400 bpd.

OQEP added that the new water injection pumps, powered by a 4 MW system, will enhance reservoir management by re-injecting 1,130 cubic metres per hour at 90 Barg.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration renewed its alliance with the National Waste & Recycling Association and the Solid Waste Association of North America with the aim of improving the safety and health of workers in the solid waste and recycling industry

Over the term of the three-year agreement, OSHA, NWRA and SWANA will focus on safety issues, including transportation hazards such as backovers and distracted driving, slips, trips and falls, as well as needlestick and musculoskeletal injuries. They will also address potential health issues associated with lithium battery hazards in waste and recycling collection and processing.

The participants will collaborate to develop resources such as educational articles, fact sheets, and toolkits aimed at preventing and mitigating hazards and will share information at industry conferences, forums and meetings. Particular attention will be paid small- and medium-sized employers, to ensure that all businesses within the waste and recycling industry have access to essential safety information and resources.

The initiative takes place under OSHA's Alliance Program, whereby the agency develops voluntary, collaborative working relationships with organisations committed to workplace safety and health. They include trade and professional associations, labour unions, educational institutions, community and faith-based groups, and government agencies.

Alliance participants work with OSHA to provide workers and employers with information, guidance, and resources to promote safety and health in workplaces in order to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses. Alliances also ensure that workers know their rights and employers understand their responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.