CUSP certification has two designations: CUSP Blue for those in a utility operations leadership role and CUSP Green, for those that are in a dedicated utility safety or training leadership role.
This is the matrix by which the CUSP BLUE exam was developed. It is expected that a Utility Safety Professional will meet and/or exceed the required knowledge in these subject areas.
STANDARDS: 15%
OSHA Federal Regulations
Cranes and Derricks in Construction
Performance and Consensus Standards
OSHA Record-keeping Requirements
Certification or Qualification
Legal Considerations
Enforcement Policies of Regulatory Agencies
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR)
Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
HAZARD ID: 15%
Typical Workplace Hazards
Hazards vs. Risks
Responsibilities
Common Utility Industry Practices
Monitoring
Evaluating Program Effectiveness
INCIDENT PREVENTION: 10%
Define Incident Prevention
Fundamentals of Incident Prevention
Tracking and Interpreting Incidents
Incident Investigation
Typical Incident Prevention Programs
LEADERSHIP SKILLS: 35%
Communicating Safety Values and Expectations
Identify/Explain Critical Safety Data Measurements
Safety Program Accountability
Proactive vs. Reactive
Building Effective Relationships
HUMAN PERFORMANCE: 5%
What is Human Performance?
Recognizing Active and Latent Errors
Understanding Latent Organizational Weaknesses
Anatomy of Events
OPERATIONS: 20%
Operations Responsibilities and Accountabilities in the Safety Process
Understanding the Difference Between Compliance and Safety
This is the matrix by which the CUSP GREEN exam was developed. It is expected that a Utility Safety Professional will meet and/or exceed the required knowledge in these subject areas.
STANDARDS: 20%
OSHA Federal Regulations
Cranes and Derricks in Construction
Performance and Consensus Standards
OSHA Recordkeeping Requirements
Certification or Qualification
Legal Considerations
Enforcement policies of Regulatory Agencies
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR)
Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
HAZARD ID: 15%
Typical Workplace Hazards
Hazards vs. Risks
Responsibilities
Common Utility Industry Practices
Monitoring
Evaluating Program Effectiveness
INCIDENT PREVENTION: 15%
Define Incident Prevention
Fundamentals of Incident Prevention
Tracking and Interpreting Incidents
Incident Investigation
Typical Incident Prevention Programs
LEADERSHIP SKILLS: 30%
Communicating Safety Values and Expectations
Identify/Explain Critical Safety Data Measurements
Safety Program Accountability
Defining Critical Behavior
Proactive vs. Reactive
HUMAN PERFORMANCE: 10%
What is Human Performance?
Recognizing Active and Latent Errors
Understanding Latent Organizational Weaknesses
Anatomy of Events
OPERATIONS: 10%
Operations Responsibilities and Accountabilities in the Safety Process
Understanding the Difference Between Compliance and Safety
CUSP candidates must pass the base exam and at least one endorsement exam to become certified. The CUSP base exam consist of 100 multiple choice questions. In addition, all CUSP candidates will be asked to select an endorsement exam from the following utility work environments:
Electric Transmission & Distribution
Gas
Power Generation
Civil
Utility Line Clearance Arborist
Each endorsement exam consists of 30 multiple choice questions. There is an additional fee if a candidate elects to take more than one endorsement exam. For more information, visit this page. A CUSP credential holder can elect to take an additional endorsement exam at a later date to add this endorsement to their certification.
The CUSP exam content is based on FEDERAL standards, not state or company standards.
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