(information found in “Searching for the Right Ergonomist” – by Erin Walkom, Ergowire, Vol 4 Issue 2)
As I’ve said previously, beware of websites or other advertisements claiming that they will certify an individual in ergonomics through a one or two week course. Many ergonomists are highly educated in their field, attending years of post secondary education in order to practice the profession. Certification is often the next stage that an ergonomist pursues, ensuring clients that the ergonomist is now following a set of standards set out by the board and will be held accountable for their performance. It protects clients, the reputation of the profession, and improves the quality of practice. Certification does not come in the form of taking a few classes and thus gaining a certificate of completion to hang on an office wall. It’s a lengthy process and requires providing proof and validation of both education and experience in the field.
Recognizing the need for creating standards in practice and protecting the profession, the Association of Canadian Ergonomists established the Canadian College for the Certification of Professional Ergonomistsin 1998. In the United States, a similar board was created, the Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics. The process is similar, involving a review of both educational requirements and professional experience.
In the first stage, there is a review of a minimum number of instructional hours in recognized courses through a university or college program and the applicant must verify these courses have covered six areas of knowledge:
- Ergonomics
- Ergonomic approaches to people at work
- Human characteristics and humans at work
- Supporting coursework in quantitative and qualitative design and analysis (for example)
- Application areas (such as workplace or information design, training and instruction, or work-related musculoskeletal disorders)
- Direct application of knowledge through fieldwork or work placement
Upon recognition of the educational requirements, an ergonomist can be designated as an Associate Ergonomist. Certification actually comes after the second stage where the ergonomist submits proof of professional experience requirements. At minimum, this can be four full time years with one mentored year; five full time years or 10 full time years for Mature Candidates. The work products, logs or employment history and curriculum vitae must demonstrate work in four core competencies:
- Preliminary project definition
- Systematic Analysis
- Prticipation in the Design Process
- Other Competencies
Again, the professional experience is reviewed by the board and if deemed acceptable to the board’s highest standards, certification is awarded.
Being certified in a field can mean many things but when it comes to Ergonomics, there is a certain process that must be followed before being able to declare oneself as being a certified ergonomist. Often, an organization will require proof of this certification in an RFP by requiring a copy of the certificate in addition to the certificate’s registration number. If this can’t be provided, the ergonomist is not certified.
Again, it is important to understand what is involved in order to become a certified ergonomist or an organization must be aware of what kind of proof is required by someone claiming to be a certified ergonomist. Do your research and invest in your education or ergonomic services wisely.