10 Reasons why Competency is important in E.H.S. Certification

What do we mean when we say to INDUSTRY and BUSINESSES

ENVIRONMENT COMPETENCY, mother nature does not accept anything unless

it is a “A” plus average on this topic!

Mr. Webbers Opinion on the Matter!

So let go backwards in life and define COMPETENCY! Mr. Webster notes that competency is but not limited too, is the workers ability to do something successfully or efficiently. There are many well-established links between the environment and the fields of safety (controlling hazards and risks that can cause injuries) and health (protecting people from risk factors that can lead to health problems or illness). The quality of the natural and built environment determines health problems and, conversely, the implementation of health and safety procedures and protections often has environmental protection goals. For example, training on the safe movement of hazardous materials prevents worker injuries and environmental contamination that can occur as a result of spills of toxic chemicals.

Superfluous Syllables• Environmental health practitioners should understand

basic public health principles, and the interdisciplinary nature of environmental health.

• Environmental health practitioners should understand environmental protection and environmental health principles and practices.

• Environmental health practitioners should understand basic government functions.

• Environmental health practitioners should understand and be sensitive to the different cultures found in their institutions and communities.

Corporate Law and YOU!In the world of corporate law and environmental regulation the courts help us out by saying competency is; • A cluster of related abilities, commitments,

knowledge, and skills that enable a person (or an organization) to act effectively in a job or situation.Competence indicates sufficiency of knowledge and skills that enable someone to act in a wide variety of situations. Because each level of responsibility has its own requirements, competence can occur in any period of a person's life or at any stage of his or her career.

The NOW and Soon to Come!Now when it comes to COMPETENCY and the Environment we need to have more of a measurement not just by the worker but the processes we view because one action compounds a thousand reaction (fracking is prime example of this) work were competency meets mother nature and if you are wrong or not up to date in life your actions or lack of knowledge can impact others and the area around you for thousands of miles.

No More School of Hard Knocks• Proficiency, facility, or dexterity that is acquired or developed

through training or experience.• The ability, coming from one's knowledge, practice, aptitude,

etc., to do something well• An ability and capacity acquired through deliberate, systematic,

and sustained effort to smoothly and adaptively carry out complex activities or job functions involving ideas (cognitive skills), things (technical skills), and/or people (interpersonal skills).

• A skill is the learned capacity to carry out pre-determined results• A learned ability to bring about the result you want, with

maximum certainty and efficiency• Proficiency, facility, or dexterity that is acquired or developed

through training or experience.

3 in the Critical Mixture in Life

When it comes core competencies in EHS, Types of Competencies• Competencies effectively fall in three groups:

BehaviorBehavioral (or Life Skills) Competencies. Life skills are problem solving behaviours used appropriately and responsibly in the management of personal affairs. They are a set of human skills acquired via teaching or direct experience that are used to handle problems and questions commonly encountered in daily human life. Examples are: Communication, Analytical Ability, Problem Solving, Initiative, etc.

Functional

Functional (or Technical) Competencies. Functional Competencies relate to functions, processes, and roles within the organisation and include the knowledge of, and skill in the exercise of, practices required for successful accomplishment of a specific job or task. Examples are: Application Systems Development, Networking and Communication, Database Analysis and Design, etc.

Professional

Professional Competencies. Professional competencies are competencies that allow for success in an organizational context. They are the accelerators of performance or – if lacking in sufficient strength and quality – are the reason people fail to excel in jobs. Examples are: Business Environment, Industry and Professional Standards, Negotiation, People Management, etc. This also includes certification in process or degrees in the field of environmental services

That third level is divided again!• Core Competencies. Core competencies are those

competencies that any successful employee will need to rise through the organisation. These Competencies would generally relate in some way to the business of the organisation.

• Key Competencies. Key competencies contribute to valued outcomes of the organisation, defining the abilities of individuals to meet strategic demands, and are important not just for specialists but for all individuals.

• Critical Competencies. Critical competencies are competencies without which the organisation will be unable to achieve its goals and strategy.

The Now and Latter

Just like Safety on any site ENVIRONMETAL operations in Health Safety need quantifier or some form of NOW and LATTER measurements of right! Because competencies are more detailed than skills, and because they have an internal and relational logic, using them as a foundation for talent management requires greater rigor and care. In previous decades, the additional work involved in using competencies to define job success made many organizations hesitate to adopt them.

But not limited too• Consistency. Skill definitions—particularly for technical skills

—are often pulled from a variety of sources, and as a result, they lack consistency. A competency dictionary defines these types of skills in consistent terms so that employees can see how their skills, knowledge, and abilities align with their own position as well as others in the organization.

• Structure. Competencies bring structure to HR activities that conventional skill definitions can’t match. Competencies were designed to fit into an architecture that spans the entire organization and lends structure to different departments, teams, and other business units.

But not limited too• Progression. Unlike skill definitions, multi-level

competencies define a specific skill at different levels of expertise and proficiency. Defining each of these proficiency levels is an invaluable tool for helping employees understand and take control of their career progression.

• Coordination. A subset of competencies, called “core competencies,” is designed to articulate the key values and capabilities that form the organization’s competitive advantage in the marketplace. Core competencies are shared by every employee in the company—from entry level to CEO—and bring greater unity, purpose, and coordination to the organization.

Quantifiers our Measurement

Just like Safety on any site ENVIRONMETAL operations in Health and Safety need quantifier or some form of NOW and LATTER measurements of right! Because competencies are more detailed than skills, and because they have an internal and relational logic, using them as a foundation for talent management requires greater rigor and care. In previous decades, the additional work involved in using competencies to define job success made many organizations hesitate to adopt them.

Quantify and Quantify Again• Consistency. Skill definitions—particularly for technical

skills—are often pulled from a variety of sources, and as a result, they lack consistency. A competency dictionary defines these types of skills in consistent terms so that employees can see how their skills, knowledge, and abilities align with their own position as well as others in the organization.

• Structure. Competencies bring structure to HR activities that conventional skill definitions can’t match. Competencies were designed to fit into an architecture that spans the entire organization and lends structure to different departments, teams, and other business units.

• Progression. Unlike skill definitions, multi-level competencies define a specific skill at different levels of expertise and proficiency. Defining each of these proficiency levels is an invaluable tool for helping employees understand and take control of their career progression.

• Coordination. A subset of competencies, called “core competencies,” is designed to articulate the key values and capabilities that form the organization’s competitive advantage in the marketplace. Core competencies are shared by every employee in the company—from entry level to CEO—and bring greater unity, purpose, and coordination to the organization.

The “A” in Assessment

A. Assessment• Information Gathering: The capacity to identify sources

and compile relevant and appropriate information when needed, and the knowledge of where to go to obtain the information.

• Data Analysis and Interpretation:T he capacity to analyze data, recognize meaningful test results, interpret results, and present the results in an appropriate way to different types of audiences.

• Evaluation: The capacity to evaluate the effectiveness or performance of procedures, interventions, and programs.

The “B” part of Management

B. Management• Problem Solving: The capacity to develop insight into and

appropriate solutions to environmental health problems.• Economic and Political Issues: The capacity to

understand and appropriately utilize information concerning the economic and political implications of decisions.

• Organizational Knowledge and Behavior: The capacity to function effectively within the culture of the organization and to be an effective team player.

• Project Management: The capacity to plan, implement, and maintain fiscally responsible programs/projects using appropriate skills, and prioritize projects across the employee's entire workload.

• Computer & Information Technology: The capacity to utilize information technology as needed to produce work products.

• Reporting, Documentation, and Record-Keeping: The capacity to produce reports to document actions, keep records, and inform appropriate parties.

• Collaboration: The capacity to form partnerships and alliances with other individuals and organizations in order to enhance performance on the job.

Communicate Talk it Up!• Educate: The capacity to use the environmental health practitioner’s

front-line role to effectively educate the public on environmental health issues and the public health rationale for recommendations.

• Communicate: The capacity to effectively communicate risk and exchange information with colleagues, other practitioners, clients, policy-makers, interest groups, media, and the public through routine activities, public speaking, print and electronic media, and interpersonal relations.

• Conflict Resolution: The capacity to facilitate the resolution of conflicts within the agency, in the community, and with regulated parties.

• Marketing: The capacity to articulate basic concepts of environmental health and public health and convey an understanding of their value and importance to clients and the public.

A Strong Culture!

Competency absolutely is required as part of a sustainable safety culture. Developing a strong safety culture where competency is a foundation requires commitment – commitment to build understanding, promote application and instill motivation. The commitment must come from leadership for focus and resources; both time and money.

Your are Part of the Solution not the Problems others may have given you!

Companies that aspire to be better environmental stewards invest in strong environmental, health and safety management, otherwise known as EHS. From an environmental standpoint, it involves creating a systematic approach to managing waste, complying with environmental regulations, or reducing the company’s carbon footprint. Successful EHS programs also include measures to address ergonomics, air quality, and other aspects of workplace safety that could affect the health and well-being of employees.

Questions