NCSO® / NHSA™

The Northern Safety Association offers a path to earning the National Construction Safety Officer (NCSO) designation. This designation indicates that the individual has knowledge in various construction-related health and safety management skills and principles. When a person completes this program, they are ready to begin the career-long process of becoming an expert and leader in construction safety. An NCSO designation is considered to be an entry-level field position. Individuals with this designation may or may not have extensive safety experience in the field.

Download a complete National Construction Safety Officer (NCSO) Information Package.

  • NCSO® (National Construction Safety Officer) is a professional designation recognized by all provincial and territorial construction safety associations across Canada — members of the Canadian Federation of Construction Safety Associations.

    Individuals certified under the NCSO® designation will have demonstrated the skills to:

    • Assist management to implement, maintain, and monitor a company’s health and safety system.

    • Review and identify various health and safety issues specific to the work site and company operations.

    • Communicate effectively with government, occupational health and safety officers, management, and workers regarding all aspects of health and safety.

    NCSO® certification is designed to recognize the skills of those who regularly perform a safety function in the field or on the jobsite. Certification requires an applicant to possess a minimum of three years of construction field experience.* Those seeking an NCSO® designation are required to conduct a Certificate of Recognition (COR®) health and safety student audit of their company as part of their certification.

    NCSO® certification is a stepping stone to becoming a leader in the construction health and safety field.

    *Those without three years of construction field experience may consider the NHSA™ (National Health and Safety Administrator) certification, which recognizes the skills of those who undertake safety functions for their company at an administrative level.

  • NHSA™ (National Health and Safety Administrator) certification is a professional designation recognized by all provincial and territorial construction safety associations across Canada — members of the Canadian Federation of Construction Safety Associations.

    NHSA™ certification is designed to recognize the skills of those who undertake safety functions for their company at an administrative level, often administrators or human resources professionals who perform functions such as managing claims, promoting safety, ensuring the company follows health and safety regulations, maintaining safety records or compiling safety statistics.*

    Individuals certified under the NHSA™ designation will have demonstrated the skills to:

    • Assist management to implement, maintain, and monitor a company’s health and safety system.

    • Review and identify various health and safety issues specific to the work site and company operations.

    • Communicate effectively with government, occupational health and safety officers, management, and workers regarding all aspects of health and safety.

    NHSA™ certification is a stepping stone to becoming a leader in the construction health and safety field.

    *Those with three years of construction field experience may consider the NCSO® (National Construction Safety Officer) certification, which recognizes the skills of those who undertake safety functions for their company on the jobsite.

  • NCSO® certification is designed to recognize the skills of those who regularly perform a safety function in the field or on the jobsite. Certification requires an applicant to possess a minimum of three years of construction field experience. Only those seeking an NCSO® designation are required to conduct a Certificate of Recognition (COR®) health and safety audit of their company as part of their certification.

    NHSA™ certification is designed to recognize the skills of those who undertake safety functions for their company at an administrative level, often administrators or human resources professionals who perform functions such as managing claims, promoting safety, ensuring the company follows health and safety regulations, maintaining safety records or compiling safety statistics. The NHSA™ designation does not require construction field experience or completion of a COR® health and safety audit.

    Both designations are steppingstones to becoming leaders in the construction health and safety field.