Certified Health and Safety Officer (CHSO)

Upon completing the Certified Health and Safety Officer (CHSO) program, participants will be able to:

• Interpret and apply OSHA 29 CFR 1910 (General Industry) and 29 CFR 1926 (Construction) standards to ensure regulatory compliance within the officer’s area of responsibility.
• Identify, assess, and prioritise workplace hazards across chemical, mechanical, electrical, fire, ergonomic, and environmental risk categories using structured hazard identification and risk assessment techniques.
• Develop and maintain safety policies, standard operating procedures, and safe work instructions that communicate requirements clearly and meet regulatory documentation standards.
• Plan and conduct workplace inspections using structured checklists, document findings with photographs and descriptions, prioritise corrective actions, and track completion to closure.
• Conduct incident investigations: scene preservation, witness interviews, root cause analysis (5 Whys, Ishikawa), report writing, corrective action recommendations, and follow-up verification.
• Implement emergency action plans per OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38: evacuation procedures, alarm systems, drill scheduling and evaluation, and emergency services coordination.
• Manage the facility PPE programme: hazard assessment per 29 CFR 1910.132(d), PPE selection, fit verification, inspection, and compliance documentation.
• Coordinate and support the safety committee: agendas, facilitation, minutes, action tracking, and reporting committee outputs to management.
• Maintain OSHA recordkeeping: OSHA 300 Log, 300A Annual Summary, 301 Incident Reports, training records, and the compliance documentation that demonstrates regulatory adherence.
• Apply ISO 45001:2018 management system principles at awareness level: understanding how the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle structures continuous safety improvement within an organisational framework.

Core Modules

• OSHA Regulatory Compliance: 29 CFR 1910 and 1926 from the officer’s perspective, employer obligations, employee rights, General Duty Clause, and the standards most frequently cited in inspections
• Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment: systematic hazard recognition, JHA, risk matrices, hierarchy of controls, and the structured assessment process that informs inspections and corrective actions
• Safety Policy and Procedure Development: writing policies, SOPs, and safe work instructions that meet OSHA documentation expectations and communicate requirements to workers
• Workplace Inspections: planning, area-specific checklists, finding documentation, corrective action prioritisation, tracking, and follow-up verification
• Incident Investigation and Root Cause Analysis: scene preservation, witness interviews, 5 Whys, Ishikawa, report writing, corrective action lifecycle
• Emergency Action Planning and Drill Management: EAP design per 29 CFR 1910.38, fire prevention, evacuation, alarms, drills, and emergency services coordination
• PPE Programme Management: hazard assessment (1910.132(d)), selection, fit, inspection, inventory, and compliance documentation
• Safety Committee Support: meeting coordination, agenda management, minutes, action tracking, management reporting
• Behavioural Safety and Culture Fundamentals: safety observation, coaching, positive reinforcement, and the visible leadership that builds reporting culture
• ISO 45001 Awareness: PDCA cycle, management system structure, and how the officer’s daily functions connect to the broader management system
• OSHA Recordkeeping: 300 Log, 300A, 301, training records, and compliance documentation management

• Aspiring safety officers who want to enter the safety profession with a structured, comprehensive officer-level credential
• Supervisors and team leaders who have been assigned safety responsibilities and need formal safety officer training
• Existing safety officers who lack formal certification and want to validate their practical competency with a recognised credential
• Recent graduates in engineering, science, or related fields who want to enter the occupational safety profession
• HR professionals and operations managers who are assuming safety programme responsibilities as part of their role
• International safety professionals seeking an OSHA-aligned, ISO 45001-aware officer certification recognised across 42 countries
• Professionals preparing for advancement to the CHSM (Certified Health and Safety Manager) or RHSO (Registered Health and Safety Officer)

• No prior safety qualification is required — the CHSO is designed as a professional entry point
• Basic safety awareness (10-Hour or 30-Hour programme) is beneficial but not mandatory
• No formal academic degree is required
• No minimum work experience is required, though practical workplace experience strengthens learning
• All instruction in English; working proficiency required

• CSSP: Certified Safety Supervisor
• CSHT: Certified Safety and Health Trainer
• CSS: Certified Safety Specialist
• CHSO: Certified Health and Safety Officer — YOU ARE HERE
• CHSM: Certified Health and Safety Manager

• RHSO: Registered Health and Safety Officer (registered advancement from CHSO)
• RHSM: Registered Health and Safety Manager
• RHSP: Registered Health and Safety Professional
• RSP: Registered Safety Professional

Participants receive online training delivered through leading delivery platforms and the institute's Learning Management System (LMS). Training is provided directly by American Institute of Safety Professionals as well as through its network of Accredited Training Providers (ATPs), all backed by expert instruction and official study materials. Assessments are conducted online, and successful participants are awarded internationally recognized certificates.

To suit individual needs and schedules, participants can access training through the student dashboard and choose from a range of flexible delivery options, including blended learning, e-learning, remote and distance learning, and face-to-face instruction.