The Occupational Health and Safety Technologists (OHST) or Certified Loss Control Specialist (CLCS) Certification Program

Occupational Health and Safety Technologists or Certified Loss Control Specialists are persons who perform occupational health and safety activities on a full-time or part-time basis as part of their job duties. Some examples of occupational health and safety activities (also performed by loss control specialists) are making worksite assessments to determine risks, potential hazards and controls, evaluating risks and hazard control measures, investigating incidents, maintaining and evaluating incident and loss records, and preparing emergency response plans. The OHST certification was established in 1985 and the CLCS was added as a choice of examination and title in 2007. Both the OHST and CLCS examinations cover the same knowledge.

Qualifications are less stringent than those of the Certified Safety Professional® (CSP®) operated by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals or the Certified Industrial Hygienist® (CIH®) operated by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene®.

OHST/CLCS candidates

Candidates may substitute college courses in health and safety or an associate degree or higher in certain disciplines for some or all of the experience requirement. Students in associate or higher degree programs in occupational safety and health may sit for the examination during their last semester.

To retain the OHST certification, individuals must
•    Pay an annual fee
•    Meet Certification Maintenance requirements every five years and pay an annual renewal fee

Candidates not yet meeting the experience requirement, may take the OHST/CLCS examination. Upon passing the exam, candidates are awarded the Associate Occupational Health and Safety Technologist (AOHST) or Associate Certified Loss Control Specialist (ACLCS) designation. Both are temporary designations that denote progress toward the OHST/CLCS certification.

AOHSTs may put "Associate Occupational Health and Safety Technologist" or "AOHST" after their name and they receive a wall certificate to display and a press release announcement. ACLCSs may put "Associate Certified Loss Control Specialist" or "ACLCS" after their name and they also receive a wall certificate and press release announcement. AOHSTs/ACLCSs need not meet recertification requirements, but must pay an annual renewal fee (prorated the first year and currently $95 every year thereafter). Once all OHST/CLCS experience qualifications are met, the AOHST is awarded the OHST certification or the ACLCS is awarded the CLCS certification.

There are fees associated with the OHST/CLCS certification.  Fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable.

• Application Fee: $140 (as of January 1, 2010)
• Examination Authorization Fee: $265  (for computer-delivered examinations taken inside the U.S. or Canada) 
• Examination Authorization Fee: $365 (for computer-delivered examinations taken outside the U.S. or Canada)
• Examination Authorization Fee (for examinations taken by pencil-and-paper at special locations)  

• OHST/CLCS Annual Renewal Fee: $105
• AOHST/ACLCS Annual Renewal Fee: $95
• Examination Authorization Extension: $50 
• Reinstatement Fee: $105
• OHST/CLCS-Retired Annual Renewal Fee: $25

Checks, money orders, and credit cards are acceptable forms of payment.  Make checks and money orders payable to CCHEST.  Pay all fees in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank.  Fees may change at any time.

Non-sufficient fund checks will stop action on the certification process for any candidate or certificate holder covered by the check and any related NSF fees are billed to the check originator.

Qualified veterans and certain active military and reservists can seek reimbursement from the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) for OHST examination fees.  Contact your regional VA office for eligibility and reimbursement details.  

OHST Certificate Programs

Candidates for the OHST may waive some of the experience requirement by completing a certificate program in safety and health recognized by CCHEST.  Certificate programs can be operated by either an academic institution or by a private or governmental organization.

Here is a list of certificate programs that qualify for credit toward the OHST certification:
•    Central Maine Community College - Occupational Health and Safety Technologist Certificate (1 1/4 year)
•    Texas Engineering Extension Service - Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX)- Certified Safety and Health Official- (1/2 year)
•    Keene State College - Region 1 Certified Safety and Health Official (1/2 year)

OHST/CLCS Recognition

The OHST certification has achieved recognition in several state regulations related to safety, worker's compensation and other areas.

The OHST/CLCS program is nationally accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

Below is a summary of known recognitions for the OHST certification.

States
•    Kansas: OHSTs recognized in workers' compensation law as professionals qualified to provide accident prevention services.
•    Minnesota: OHST listed in a law which protects use of safety and health certification titles.
•    Nevada: OHST listed in a law which protects use of certain safety and health titles.
•    Pennsylvania: OHST recognized by Bureau of Workers' Compensation as a qualification to serve as accident and illness prevention personnel.
•    Texas: OHST approved for Field Safety Representative and Approved Professional Source.

OHST/CLCS Examination Information
The OHST/CLCS examination has 200 multiple-choice questions, some involving computations. Candidates have four hours to complete the examination.

Please refer to the OHST/CLCS Candidate Handbook for the examination blueprint, the formula sheet, and calculator policy.

Because candidates for CCHEST examinations often ask where to locate review courses and materials, CCHEST maintains a list strictly as a courtesy. For a detailed list, click on the Review and Study Sources page. Additionally, BCSP has created a Library of Safety Practice where anyone can find the most up-to-date source material for every domain on the exams.

Certification Maintenance

The OHST/CLCS/CHST Certification Maintenance (CM) program helps ensure that OHSTs, CLCSs, and CHSTs stay current in their profession.  If you hold the OHST, CLCS and/or CHST certifications, you must participate in professional development activities after your initial certification and report such activities every five years.  You must achieve 20 points in the program every five-year cycle and failure to meet this requirement will result in loss of certification.

This 5-year cycle is based on the rate at which OHST/CLCS practice changes. CCHEST has determined that 5 years is a reasonable period to measure the activities in which a certificant engages to remain up-to-date with current trends in practice.

Refer to the CM Guide and Worksheet for complete program details.

OHST/CLCS Retired Status

Retired OHST/CLCS or CHST status means that someone who has held either of these certifications has requested and been granted the retired status by CCHEST. This status means that a person is no longer active as a health and safety practitioner on a part-time or full-time basis. It does not necessarily mean that someone is retired from active employment in general or working in safety and health part-time. Retired status must be requested in writing.

While in retired status, the following designations may be used: OHST (Retired) or OHST (Ret.), if the OHST certification was previously held, CLCS (Retired) or CLCS (Ret.), if the CLCS certification was previously held, and CHST (Retired) or CHST (Ret.), if the CHST certification was previously held. While in retired status a reduced annual renewal fee must be paid and the OHST/CLCS or CHST is listed in the retired section of the CCHEST Directory (either online or in print). Retired OHSTs/CLCSs and CHSTs still receive the CCHEST Newsletter.

A major advantage of retired status is having the option of returning to the OHST/CLCS or CHST status without having to reapply and pass the examination(s). If in retired status for less than five years, the individual may seek to reactivate the OHST/CLCS or CHST certification. To do so, the individual must pay the difference in annual renewal fees between that of the retired status and OHST/CLCS or CHST status for the period that the retired status was held. The individual must also demonstrate that the CM requirements in effect or past due at the time of reactivation have been met.

If the individual wishes to be reactivated and more than five years have passed since electing retired status, the individual must pass the current, applicable OHST/CLCS or CHST examination. If seeking reinstatement at any time after electing the retired status, the individual must demonstrate compliance with CM requirements for any past CM cycle(s) not previously reconciled. The individual must also pay the difference in annual renewal fees between that of the retired status and OHST/CLCS or CHST status for the period that the retired status was held.

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