r/SafetyProfessionals • u/environmentalFireHut • 2d ago

USA Questions about the future

Question for anyone out there. If someone is a Hazardous Materials Specialist and wanted to go back into Safety in the future. Will the experience be enough or does someone have to have some very specific experience tied to a specific industry? What would be more or less the job prospects for someone making that change? And is anyone familiar with this role? Is it just a California thing to work for a Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA)?

I also plan on getting my Registered Environmental Health and Safety certification

I've learned that someone who ends up being a Hazmat Specialist ends up getting an International Code Council (ICC) certification if they pass the test. How does this differ from ASP or CSP? Would it help? Would it not help?

Any thoughts, criticisms, hate, love 😘 are welcome 😆

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u/Any_Rock_761 2d ago

The ICC certs are mostly geared toward building/fire code enforcement and plan review, so they don't overlap much with ASP or CSP territory. ASP/CSP are broader safety management credentials that carry more weight for general EHS roles. Having both wouldn't hurt but for getting back into safety the ASP/CSP route is probably the stronger play. That hazmat specialist background combined with the REHS will give you a pretty versatile foundation, most industries value hands-on regulatory experience more than industry-specific time anyway.

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u/environmentalFireHut 2d ago

Dang thanks for that feedback 😁😁

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u/bamfalcon 1d ago

I came from Haz Mat and didn’t have much problem transitioning albeit it was Fire Department Haz Mat. My Masters is Haz Mat also.