Safety is an emerging profession and although the number of women entering is rising, we are still underrepresented. In 2016, only 38 per cent of safety professionals certified by the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP) were female. Therefore, development and networking, important component of any professional’s career, are even more important when it comes to women.
A goal of WOHSS is to bring more women into the profession and support their development; whether they want to stay in their current position, start their own business or climb the corporate ladder all the way to the C-suite.
Furthermore, women can face unique challenges that our male colleagues may not. For example:
• Female safety professionals are often working in male-dominated industries and face concerns around personal safety when working in remote locations and/or living in camps.
• Issues related to diversity, inclusion, harassment, and discrimination in the workplace are unfortunately, a reality that many women will face. Resources and information on how to effectively navigate these challenges are critical.
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) is usually tailored to men, so finding equipment that fits a woman’s body properly can be a challenge.
WOHSS provides a safe forum for our members to come together and discuss issues and strategies to manage challenges.

We are looking forward to connecting with women and men at all stages of their career in OH&S across Canada. Whether you are a student in an OH&S program, a practitioner working in the field or a senior-level HSE executive, there is a place for everyone in WOHSS to come together and support each other. We have three categories of membership:
• General membership for women in OHS in Canada.
• Associate membership for women in non-OHS roles, international safety professionals, and men.
• Student membership for women either currently enrolled in an OHS program, or recently graduated.

Yes. WOHSS believes in building strong alliances with organizations such as the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP), the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), post-secondary institutions, provincial safety associations, female-focused associations, and international women in safety groups. We are stronger when we work together and we have a profound opportunity to advance the conversation about health and safety as women in industry.

There are incentives for CRSPs and CRSTs to get Continuing Education Units (CEU) from WOHSS activities. More information can be found on the BCRSP website.
Under the new BCRSP CPD program:

B7: Personal Membership in an OHS-related organization
Personal membership in an OHS-related organization such as: ASSE, CSSE, IOSH, SIA, AIHA, OHAO, ACE, etc.
Documentation: Proof of membership during years of cycle.
Point Summary: 0.5 CEUs/year/personal membership
Maximum 5 CEUs/5 Year Cycle

B1: Mentoring
Acting as a mentor outside normal job duties (i.e. not direct reports) under a formal agreement to develop specific skills.
Documentation: Record of contact with signatures of mentor/mentees and/or mentorship contract
Point Summary:2 CEU/mentoring relationships
Maximum 10 CEU/5-year cycle

B2: Being Mentored
Being mentored under a formal agreement to develop specific skills.
Documentation: Record of contact with signatures of mentor/mentees and/or mentorship contract
Point Summary:2 CEU/mentoring relationships
Maximum 10 CEU/5-year cycle

B4: Volunteer Service on a Committee/Taskforce or Board
Volunteer service must be for a period of no less than a year and/or minimum 24 hours per year including meetings and meeting preparation.
Documentation: Letter of verification from organization you volunteer with.
Point Summary: 1-3 CEUs/year depending (e.g, task force, OHS Board, etc.)
Maximum 5-15 CEUs/5 Year Cycle

A4: OHS related Seminars, Workshops, Conferences, Roundtables.
Attendance at seminars, workshops, conferences, roundtables –online or in person. This may include company offered, national or regional conferences, seminars, workshops, breakfast meetings or dinner speakers with an educational component.
Documentation: Proof of completion in the form of a certificate or letter from course provider.
Point Summary: 1 CEU for 10 course hours, where shorter courses may be combined to 10 hours for 1 CEU or claimed at CEU value (e.g. 4 hour course is 0.4 CEU).
Maximum: 10 CEUs/5 Year Cycle.

A7: Executive/Management Development Program, Seminar, Conference, Workshop
Attendance in an executive/management development program, seminar or conference This category may include courses on: Leadership, Communications, Conflict Resolution, Negotiation, General Business, Management, Etc.
Documentation: Proof of completion in the form of a certificate or a letter of verification from course provider.
Point Summary: 1 CEU for 10 course hours, where shorter courses may be combined to 10 hours for 1 CEU or claimed at CEU value (e.g. 4 hour course is 0.4 CEU).
Maximum: 10 CEUs/5 Year Cycle.

As a not-for-profit society, securing adequate funding to grow a sustainable organization and increase benefit to WOHSS members is critical. To lessen barriers to entry, WOHSS is committed to a funding model where membership fees are kept minimal ($55 for general and associate members and $27.50 for students). As such, securing funding from other sources, such as government grants and corporate sponsors, is a vital component of WOHSS’ growth strategy. WOHSS is proud to work with supporters that value diversity and gender equality in the workplace and we are grateful to the organizations and individuals who support us.

Thank you for your consideration! We are very appreciative of all our sponsors and we couldn’t do it without them! We have an attractive supporter options package and benefits include targeted marketing, brand visibility, business relationships and a chance to join the movement! You can download our Supporter Options package from wohss.com/sponsor and complete the form to identify which package your organization is interested in. We look forward to your support!

WOHSS aims to provide a safe, inclusive space that is free of judgement, to explore and understand the unique challenges that women in safety face. In that vein, since its inception, WOHSS has welcomed our safety brothers and those in safety who identify otherwise, to be a welcome and active part of our membership and programs. We’ve had male volunteers, sponsors, mentors and many men who have come to our events from across the country. We believe diversity makes us stronger as an organization. We also recognize that if women in safety have better opportunities, and can navigate the challenges of women in safety more effectively, then all members of the safety profession will benefit.