'Long gone is the role as a safety professional to just be able to do checklists and audits'
COS has decided to take a look at how safety careers compare across provinces. Over the next few weeks we shall be covering each province and territory to see how each stack up when it comes to factors like salary, education and designations.
We previously covered OHS careers in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and in Atlantic Canada. In this article, we shall be taking a look at how to build a safety career in Canada’s largest province, Quebec.
Due to the Francophone nature of the province, there are of course some differences with the previous provinces that we have covered. But there are also some similarities, notably with regards to designations.
What is so great about the role of the health and safety professional is that it is wide and varied, and no longer simply about basic compliance. “I think that’s the adaptability and the change management component of the health and safety role that I feel that really needs to be embraced. Long gone is the role as a safety professional to just be able to do checklists and audits. It’s how you develop the system,” says Robin Angel, head of the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP).
Here are the basics on how to build a safety career in Quebec.
Requirements:
To become a safety practitioner in Quebec, those wishing to make it in the field will need to have some form of post-secondary education. Jobboom says that young hopefuls should try to have a diploma in industrial relations or even HR.
As well as education, employers will likely as for some kind of experience as well. Those wishing to learn more about building a safety career in Quebec can also contact the Association québécoise pour l'hygiène, la santé et la sécurité du travail (AQHSST).
Salary:
Talent.com estimates that the average salary of a safety officer in Quebec is around $45,918/year. However, the Economic Research Institute (ERI) estimates a much higher number, around $87,084. Numbers can vary wildly depending on which aggregator you use; these numbers are merely indicative of potential earnings.
Education*:
CEGEP de Saint-Laurent – Diplôme Environnement, Hygiène et Sécurité au Travail
CEGEP de Sorel-Tracy – Diplôme Environnement, Hygiène et Sécurité au Travail
Ecole de Technologie Supérieure, Université du Québec – Maîtrise en Génie des Risques en Santé et Sécurité du Travail
McGill University – Master Degree in Occupational Health Science
Université de Montréal – Certificat de santé et sécurité du travail, BSc in Environmental Public Health & Occupational Safety and MSc Maîtrise en santé environnementale et santé au travail
Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue – Certificat en santé et sécurité au travail
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières – Certificat en santé et sécurité au travail
Designations:
Certified Registered Safety Technician (CRST) – Technicien en sécurité agréé du Canada (TSAC)
Certified Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) - Professionnel en sécurité agréé du Canada (PSAC)
Registered Occupational Hygienist/Hygiéniste du travail agréé (ROH)
Registered Occupational Hygiene Technologist/Technicien en hygiène du travail agréé (ROHT)
Certified Canadian Health and Safety Management System Auditor/Auditeur certifié en système de gestion SST (CHSMSA).
*OHS programs approved by the BCRSP for CRSP and CRST eligibility.
