During the course of chemical processes, unintentional releases of chemicals, energy, or other potentially dangerous materials can occur. Process Safety refers to the prevention of these unintentional releases, which can have a serious effect to the planet and the environment. Process Safety is a disciplined framework for managing the integrity of operating systems and processes that handle hazardous substances in an effort to prevent and control events that have the potential to release hazardous materials and energy.  Process safety can include, but is not limited to addresssing:

• Prevention of leaks
• Spills
• Equipment malfunction
• Over-pressures
• Over-temperatures
• Corrosion
• Metal fatigue

Putting systems in place to manage process safety helps reduce the potential for preventing major disasters involving the consequences of catastrophic releases of toxic, reactive, flammable, or explosive chemicals.  Process safety programs can involve:

• Design and engineering of facilities
• Maintenance of equipment
• Effective alarms
• Effective control points
• Procedures and training

The Certified Professional Environmental Auditor (CPSA) credential demonstrates one’s practice of today’s auditing procedures, processes, and techniques related to process safety   BGC will only grant the CPSA to practitioners who achieve the requirements for education and experience, agree to abide by BGC’s Code of Ethics, and through examination, demonstrate both general auditing knowledge by passing an exam of general auditing practice and professional-level knowledge and skills by passing a multiple-choice exam on process safety.  BGC places no restrictions or qualifications on the career paths of a CPSA as long as the person meets the ongoing requirements in the certification maintenance program and adheres to the professional, enforceable BGC Code of Ethics. ​

Obligations of Credential Holders

After you pass the exam and are issued your credential, you are required to meet several obligations, not limited to:

• paying your fees on or before the due date,
• continually updating your knowledge and skills,
• documenting knowledge and skills through the Certification Maintenance Process, and
• upholding the BGC Code of Ethics.

Please be aware that if the requirements for certification and recertification change, you will be required to meet them in order to hold your certification.

CPSA Application Requirements

To qualify for admission to the BGC examinations as an applicant, you must comply with all Board requisites. Documents and forms sent by you and third parties will be needed to assess your eligibility to sit for the exam(s). BGC will evaluate all applicants using the criteria established for the certification eligibility and will not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, national origin, religion, age, disability, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, or marital, parental, military, or any other legally protected status. We may ask you for additional documentation when the initial review of your application (or reapplication) indicates that pertinent information is missing or unclear. In that case, a review of your application or reapplication will not proceed until we receive the requested information.

Submitting your application well in advance of deadlines may give you sufficient time to provide additional information without delaying your approval to sit for the exam. Your application packet is active for two years. If you do not pass the exam within the two years, you are required to submit an updated supervisory reference and pay a reapplication fee every two years to keep your application active.

Application Steps

The application process for becoming certified as a CPSA has four (4) steps. The documentation is specific to the CPSA specialty area for which you are applying, so please familiarize yourself thoroughly with the requirements before you begin your application. Please also note that you must meet all eligibility requirements that are in place at the time you sit for your exam.

Step 1:   Submission of General Application Documents:

• You must complete an online application form with your contact information, academic background, and an attestation to abide by the BGC Code of Ethics.
• If you hold an eligible credential, you may submit an Exam Exemption Request Form and fee payment. (Exam Exemption fee payments are non-refundable.)
• Ask your university to send official transcripts to BGC. (If your degree was earned outside the U.S. or Canada, BGC may ask you to submit your transcript(s) for a credential evaluation.)
• Ask your references to submit Character Reference Forms (CRF) to BGC on your behalf.
• If you have a documented disability, you may submit a Test Accommodation Request Form at least 45 days before your scheduled examination.

Step 2: Submission of Application Fee (non-refundable). If you have not completed the process within two years, a reapplication fee and updated materials are required.

After Application payment, BGC will email a link with instructions to a temporary holding file or dropbox that will contain the remaining forms needed to complete your application. Your folder is a temporary location for you to upload completed forms and supporting documents to complete the application and to track your progress.

Step 3:  Submission of supporting documentation of verifiable formal training and work experience. These forms are contained in your temporary holding file or dropbox and include:

• Statement of Audit Experience Form (within 3 years of certification)
• Statement of Formal Training Form (within 3 years of certification)
• Statement of Work Experience Form (within 3 years of certification)

Step 4:  Examination:

• Pay all examination fees.
• Sit for the part 1, multiple-choice exam of your general knowledge of auditing practice.
• Sit for the part 2, multiple-choice exam of your specialty knowledge of EHS Auditing.
• Pass 70% or more of the total items in all three exams. You will not receive your grades on individual parts until all have been completed.

If you successfully meet the requirements of all four stages, you will be awarded the CPSA credential for your specialty area(s).  A CPSA Eligibility Checklist has been designed for you to determine whether you have met requirements for stages 1 through 3 before sitting for your CPSA exams. It is included at the end of this document and available in your online application folder.

Recap:  Here is a summary of the documents needed to complete your application. Remember that you must first complete an online application form with your contact information, academic background, and an attestation to abide by the BGC Code of Ethics and pay all required fees.   Submitted by you to SharePoint Submitted by 3rd Parties to BGC Statement of Formal Training Form(s) Statement of Work Experience Form(s) Statement of Audit Experience Form(s) Ethics Attestation (Application Form) Official Transcripts (from universities) Credential evaluation reports (from credential evaluation services) Character Reference Form (from reference writers)

Qualifications and Evaluation

To qualify for admission to the BGC examinations as an applicant, you must comply with all Board prerequisites:

• Submit only one application per person
• Meet the education and formal training requirements
• Document meeting professional EHS auditing and work experience requirements
• Be in the current practice of EHS auditing
• Agree to adhere to the BGC Code of Ethics and to be governed by the BGC Ethics Case Procedures
• Pay your application fee and examination fee (non-refundable)

Until you are certified, your application packet will remain active for two years. You are required to submit an updated supervisory reference and pay a reapplication fee every two years to keep your application active until you pass the exam.

Evaluation

BGC will evaluate all applicants using the criteria established for CPSA eligibility and will not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, national origin, religion, age, disability, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, or marital, parental, military, or any other legally protected status.

We may ask you for additional documentation when the initial review of your application (or reapplication) indicates that pertinent information is missing or unclear. In that case, a review of your application or reapplication will not proceed until we receive the requested information.

Submit Early! Submitting your application well in advance of when you want to take the exam may give you sufficient time to provide additional information without den to sit for the exam.

Confidentiality

Original applications and supporting documentation are treated by the BGC Board of Directors and staff as confidential information. As noted in the BGC Privacy Policy, all reasonable precautions are taken to prevent unauthorized access to individual information. BGC does not disclose personal information obtained from you or any other applicant to third parties except when authorized in writing by you or if necessary to complete the process – for example, arranging for you to sit for the exam.

Record Retention

In accordance with the BGC record-retention policy, paper files and electronic documents provided by applicants that have been inactive for three years will be destroyed. Prior to destroying a file, the staff will attempt to notify you using your last known address.

BGC Director Assessment of Your Eligibility: A Director of the Board is not authorized to give you a determination on your eligibility, either before or after your application is filed.

CPSA Reapplicants

An application is considered to be active for two years. After the second year, your application expires. You must update the description of your current practice, provide an updated supervisory reference, and pay a reapplication fee to reactivate an expired application in order to sit for the exam. To reactivate an expired application and sit for the exam, you must complete the following steps:

• Submit a Reapplication Form
• Have a Character Reference Form submitted to BGC by a work supervisor that is no more than 12 months old (see the Documentation of Auditing Experience  section)
• Update your work experience information to document your current practice
• Meet all current application requirements
• Pay the $150 reapplication fee (non-refundable)

Don’t Lose your Application! If your application file is inactive for more than three years without your being approved to sit for the exam, it will be automatically purged, and you will have to follow the procedure as a new applicant if you wish to apply again. Please notify us in writing before three years of inactivity to keep your file open and contact information up to date.

Requirements to Be Eligible for the CPSA

Academic Requirements

You must document your education with a verifiable transcript or diploma. You must have a bachelor’s degree from a college or university if you have 7 years of general work experience or an associate degree if you have 10 years of general work experience. Degrees must be conferred by a regionally accredited college or university or from another college that is acceptable to the Board (see details below). A verified secondary school diploma is also acceptable with at least 15 years’ general work experience.

• Path 1 – Bachelor’s Degree with 7 years of general work experience
• Path 2 – Associate Degree with 10 years general work experience
• Path 3 – High School Diploma with 15 years general work experience

Process Safety Training

Relevant experience and training must include identifying process safety aspects and impacts, assessing compliance with process safety-related laws and regulations, and/or applying professional process safety audit practices. It may include any combination of:

• Management of change, process hazard analysis, mechanical integrity, process safety management, and technical aspects of business activities including facility operations.
• Requirements of EPA and OSHA laws, regulations, and related documents at the national and local jurisdictional levels.
• Evaluation, implementation, and management of process safety compliance.
• Process safety standards against which management systems and compliance audits may be conducted.
• Process safety management systems and compliance audit procedures, processes, and techniques.
• Principles of process safety compliance and compliance implementation.

You must submit a Formal Training Form providing evidence of at least 40 hours training in the past three years, at least 32 hours of which should be specific to process safety, and the remaining eight hours should be relevant to auditing, health and safety, or management systems. Training may be internal or external to your organization, but documentation must be available.

Experience Requirements

Professional-Level Experience

To be recognized as “professional-level” work acceptable to the Board, your experience must meet the following four criteria:

• Independence of actions. This relates to the amount of planning, self-direction, decision-making, and autonomy involved in your work experience.
• Depth of work. This relates to the extent to which your work experience requires data-gathering, analysis, and interpretation.
• Level of interaction. This relates to the degree to which you interact with a broad spectrum of contacts, including decision-makers.
• Responsibility for work outcome. This relates to accuracy and the extent to which you are held accountable for your work and decisions.

Avoid Investigations about the Validity of Your References and Documents: When references from different people have identical wording, they will be investigated to determine who actually prepared the reference. This can cause delays that may cause you to be prevented from taking the exam or being blocked permanently if you are found to have prepared the content of the reference. Sometimes, your supervisors and colleagues who are providing your references may need a memory jog about the work that you have done for them. Provide it verbally, not in writing or from a written job description, so that they are not tempted to cut and paste. Make sure that what you tell them is unique to the job that you did to avoid giving exactly the same information to other references and employers.

Ineligible Professional Experiences:  The following do not count toward the work experience requirement: Pre-professional level experience Courses or research done for academic credit Teaching course content that is pre-professional level

Required Documentation for CPSA Applicants

U.S. and Canadian Degrees

Official transcripts must be submitted for each degree. An official transcript is one sent directly to BGC by your college or university through mail or as secure e-transcripts. Alternatively, you may submit official transcripts if they are in a sealed envelope with the registrar’s stamp across the seal. When a degree includes credits that were transferred from another college or university, official transcripts for those course credits must be sent upon if requested.

The Board will consider a U.S. college or university to be acceptable when it holds institutional accreditation from one of the six U.S. Regional Accrediting Bodies or the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), which are recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the U.S. Department of Education. Your degree must be awarded during the time that the institutional accreditation is in effect.

A Canadian college or university will be considered acceptable if it is recognized under applicable provincial standards, depending on where the school is located. In addition, it may hold specialized program accreditation as noted by membership in Universities Canada (formerly the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada).

International Degrees

A degree from a college or university that is located outside the United States or Canada will be considered for acceptability based on the institution’s accreditation status in the education system that has jurisdiction. Applicants with international degrees will be required to submit their transcript(s) for a credential evaluation unless the academic program is authorized by BGC or through a BGC-recognized accreditation agency to issue BGC verification statements. (BGC verification statements streamline and shorten the review for applicants. Please contact your program director to find out if your college or University has a relevant BGC verification statements.)

A member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. or a member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators must be used to prepare a credential evaluation report. You must request that the report be forwarded directly to BGC through the applications@gobgc.org portal. Below is a list of different services that our applicants have successfully used for transcript evaluations. BGC does not specifically endorse or recommend one service over another.

• Spantran
• World Education Services
• International Education Evaluations (IEE)
• Academic Evaluation Services
• Foundation for International Services

Documentation of Auditing Experiences

Your Statement of Audit Experience Form documents evidence of your audit experience within the last five years. Your audits can consist of either of the following:

• a minimum of 20 comprehensive process safety audits
• a minimum of 100 days of process safety audits, including at least 20 days on-site or virtually

Character References

Submitting References

References are required to document, from firsthand experience, the nature of your auditing practice using a Character Reference Form. A Character Reference Form must comply with the requirements of this section. Each Character Reference Form will remain confidential between the author and BGC.

• You must initiate communication with your references to request that they submit the completed electronic Character Reference Form that you will send them. BGC does not initiate communication with references for you.
• Each reference must be provided on the Board’s online Character Reference Form. This form can be found on the BGC website in the CPEA section.
• It is unacceptable for you to provide the response on the form and then have it signed by your reference. We may use the contact information provided to verify the authenticity of the reference and confirm who prepared the text.
• Each Character Reference Form must be submitted on the BGC website by the person writing the reference.

It is your responsibility to communicate with your reference(s) as frequently as needed to assure that the Character Reference Form is submitted in time to meet BGC application deadlines. 

Unqualified and Suspicious Documentation

Professional Reference Questionnaires (PRQs) that appear to have been prepared by any of the following individuals may result in your application being rejected or delayed:

• Your spouse or other relatives
• A person whom you supervise
• Yourself, preparing your own PRQ (even when it is for someone else to sign)

CPSA Application Forms and Fees

Application/Reapplication Requirements

Candidates must complete all eligibility requirements, submit documentation, and be approved to take the exam.  Documentation consists of:

• A Statement of Work Experience
• A Statement of Audit Experience
• A Statement of Formal Training
• Official transcripts or evaluation reports (for international applicants)
• Reference Forms

Examinations are held at PSI testing centers. If you fail an exam, you must wait 120 days before you will be allowed to retake it.

CPSA Fees

The application and examination fees must be paid prior to review and scheduling.

The credential maintenance processes require you to pay fees on or before the due date.

Fees are listed in the table below.  Fees may be subject to change, so please check back here to obtain the most current fee schedule.

Application or reapplication fees are neither refundable nor transferrable. Your examination fee is not refundable either, but if you cancel your examination with the testing center at least 48 hours in advance of the exam time, the fee will be carried over to when you schedule your re-examination as long as the additional test date is within the 2 year application window. If your cancellation is made less than 48 hours in advance, your fee is forfeited.

Overview of the CPSA Exam

BGC conducts a Job Task Analysis (JTA) study, also known as the Role Delineation Study (RDS) or Practice Audit, and prepares supporting documentation and reports consistent with ISO/ANSI17024, NCCA, and CESB accreditation standards.

A panel of professionals is selected and convened who must represent a variety of practice settings, geographic regions, educational levels, gender, ethnicity, and years of experience. A BGC board member is also included on the panel to assist in documenting the credibility of the process for the BGC board.

Panel members must identify the domains, tasks, knowledge, and skills essential to performing the work of the practitioner. A large sample of professionals who were not involved in the JTA meetings is asked to review and validate the information and to ensure that the certification exam reflects the essential knowledge necessary for competent practice as a professional. The results are analyzed from the context to become the basis of the final Examination Blueprint, the document, which lists the domains and elements for the credential. The subject matter experts also determine eligibility requirements and recertification requirements for the credential. As an additional validation step, participants can compare and contrast their work against documents prepared by other groups (if available), which identify tasks and supporting knowledge and skills in practice.

In order to ensure that credentialed practitioners protect the public through their work, BGC conducts a JTA every five to seven years so that eligibility, domains, tasks, knowledge, skills, examination, recertification, and ethical requirements reflect current, real-world practice.

Examination Purpose and Format

The CPSA examination is a two-part exam. You may schedule to take both exams on the same day or on different days.

• Part 1 is designed to test your general knowledge of auditing practice. The exam contains 131 multiple-choice questions and takes two hours to complete.
• Part 2 is designed to test your specialty knowledge of process safety. The exam contains 200 multiple-choice and true/false questions and takes three hours to complete.

You may go back and review questions at any time during the exam. There is a short tutorial prior to the examination and a short survey following the exam. Instructions for the exam also explain how you can submit comments about the content of specific questions during the exam. BGC staff will review your comments; however, for exam security reasons, staff will not be able to discuss your comments with you.

Individuals holding the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) are eligible to be exempt from taking the Part 1 Exam. In order to claim an exam exemption, the applicant must:

• complete an exemption form
• provide supporting documentation
• pay the non-refundable exemption fee for each exam

BGC staff must confirm the validity of your documentation before an exemption will be granted.

Examination Scoring

The CPSA exam is in two parts. Your passing score is based on the total number of questions that you answer correctly over the entire examination. In order to pass the exam, you must answer 70% or more of the total exam items correctly. It is to your advantage to answer all questions.

• All questions have the same point value.
• There is no penalty for incorrect answers (such as “number correct minus a percentage of the number of incorrect answers”).
• A “passing” score is not required in each of the individual parts or in subareas.

Examinees may request a review of their exam score by filling out the Review of the Exam Score Request Form, which will be forwarded to our testing vendor to conduct a score verification. The examinee should consider that, given the quality control procedures that are in place, it is highly unlikely that the score will change.

Notification of Examination Results

Examinees will receive their official results in writing approximately four to six weeks after completing all parts of the examination. If you fail your examination, we will inform you of your overall score.

All examinees will receive a performance report indicating their scores in the individual areas.

Confidentiality

As noted in the BGC Privacy Policy, examination reports, scores, and failures are not released outside of BGC without your authorization. Studies and reports concerning candidates will contain no information identifiable with any candidate unless authorized by the candidate. The names of those who pass the examination will be listed on the BGC website and entered in the web rosters.

Duplicate Score Report

Requests for a duplicate score report must be made in writing to PSI within one year of the examination date. The request must include the candidate’s name, mailing address, telephone number, date of examination, and examination taken. Submit this information along with a fee of $25.00 payable to PSI Services Inc., by cashier’s check or money order. Duplicate score reports will be processed and mailed within approximately five business days following receipt of the request.

Re-Examination

If you are not successful in your examination attempt, you must wait 120 days before you may retake the examination.

Preparing for the CPSA Exam

The BGC Board encourages you to consider your knowledge and experience and to assess your recognized strengths and weaknesses. Self-study, specific training, and group discussions are recognized methods of improving perceived weaknesses. However, the Board does not endorse or support specific training courses, study guides, or other activities that are intended or purported to be prepared for its examinations.

Publications and References

BGC examination questions are supported by many sources that reflect the underlying purposes and principles of process safety auditing as well as the current knowledge that is expected of the product steward. Frequently cited resources are provided below, but the list is not exhaustive:

Publications

1. Fleeger, Allan K., ed.  Realizing the Full Business Value of Process safety auditing.  Falls Church: AIHA Process safety auditing Society, 2016.
2. Hart, Gailen (Gail) A., ed.  Professional Practices of Process safety auditing.  Falls Church: AIHA Process safety auditing Society, 2018.

Standards

1. United States Government. Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 (TOSCA), 15 U.S.C. §2601 et seq. (1976).  US Government Printing Office, 1976.
2. European Parliament and of the Council.  Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council.  Brussels: Publications Office of the European Union, 2006.

Websites

1. European Chemical Agency (ECHA). 2020.

Sample Questions

The following are provided to familiarize you with the nature and form of questions that may be found in the Board’s examinations. Their subject matter and level of difficulty do not necessarily reflect the content of BGC examinations.

1. Which of the following is not a basic element common to most audit program manuals:
   1. Objectives
   2. Scope
   3. Subjects to be audited
   4. Names of qualified auditors

    

2. The staff assigned to conduct an audit should:
   1. Be comprised of members with a master’s level or equivalent educational background.
   2. Demonstrate overall aptitude in a multitude of industries.
   3. Have qualifications commensurate with the scope and complexities of the audit assigned.
   4. Be comprised only of members with QEP, CIH, or CSP professional certification.

    

3. An auditor finds evidence in the facility files that directly contradicts a statement made by the EHS coordinator. The EHS coordinator refuses to admit his error and comes to the audit team leader and states that the audit team is free to review files, but no more interviews will be granted to that auditor. The best first course of action for the audit team leader in this situation is:
   1. Contact the audit program director for assistance in resolving the conflict.
   2. Work with the EHS coordinator to try to resolve the conflict.
   3. Replace the auditor.
   4. End the audit.

    

4. Under ISO 19011 (which superseded ISO 14010), the auditors of a management system must be objective, independent, and competent. Which of the following circumstances would least fit the ISO requirement for independence and objectivity where compliance with a Corporate Standard was being evaluated at a site?
   1. The auditor wrote the Corporate Standard for the subject s/he is auditing.
   2. The auditor developed the Corporate Guidelines on how to implement the Standard for the subject s/he is auditing.
   3. The auditor works at a plant in a different division and has to implement the Corporate Standard at his/her own plant.
   4. The auditor is an outside consultant who assisted in developing the Corporate Standard.

Scheduling Your CPSA Exam

The Board for Global EHS Credentialing’s certification examinations are delivered at PSI Test Centers located throughout the United States and internationally. A current listing of PSI Test Centers, including addresses and driving directions, may be viewed at http://schedule.psiexams.com. The examinations are administered by appointment only, Monday through Saturday.

Your eligibility to take the examination is valid for two years from the last day of the month when your application was approved and will expire after that time. If you fail to schedule an appointment for this examination within the two-year period, you will forfeit the application and all fees paid to take the examination. A complete application and examination fee are required to reapply for the examination.

​

Scheduling Your Appointment

Online Scheduling

When you receive the email confirming your eligibility to sit for the examination, you may schedule an examination appointmentonline at any time at http://schedule.psiexams.com. Internet scheduling is available 24 hours-a-day.

Go to http://schedule.psiexams.com and select “Begin Scheduling” from the home page.

1. Select a category – choose “Other” from the pull-down menu.
2. Select a program – choose “Board for Global EHS Credentialing” from the pull-down menu.
3. Select an examination – choose the BGC CPSA examination listed on the pull-down menu.
4. Click the “Register for this Exam” option. Enter your Username and Password to log in if returning to this site.
5. First time users of PSI’s online scheduling must select “New User.”
6. Enter the information requested to create an account. When finished, select the “Continue” button to proceed.
7. If account creation is successful, a page requesting you to confirm/enter your contact information will appear. Enter the required information. When finished, select the “Next” button to proceed.
8. Select three security questions and provide answers which can be used to verify your identity when retrieving a username or password. Click the “Submit” button to proceed to the scheduling page.
9. Begin typing the zip code or city name of your preferred test area and select the name from the list displayed. Click “Search” to find the closest Test Centers. The closest Test Center may be in a neighboring state.
10. Select a test center location to see available dates (all available dates are shown in green). Select the date, then time you want. Submit your request by clicking on the “Schedule” button. You will be sent a confirmation email of the appointment scheduled.

Telephone Scheduling

Call PSI at 833-256-1420 to schedule an examination appointment. This toll-free number is answered from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Confirmation Number

Test Site Location

You may take your examination at PSI Testing Centers in the United States, Canada, and internationally.

Determine the best PSI location for taking your examination by performing the following steps:

1. Go to http://schedule.psiexams.com and select “Begin Scheduling” from the home page.
2. Select a category – choose “Other” from the pulldown menu.
3. Select an examination – choose the examination listed from the pulldown menu.
4. Select “Locate a Testing Center.”
5. From the map, select the state in which you wish to test. This will show you all available testing centers in that state.

When scheduling your appointment, you should confirm the address of your test center and obtain directions. You may obtain directions to the PSI Testing Center at PSI’s website at https://schedule.psiexams.com/ or by calling customer service at 833-256-1420.

Confirming Your Appointment

It is your responsibility to verify that you have been scheduled for the date, time, and place you have requested.

You may confirm your appointment in two ways.

• Call (833) 2561420 and speak to the customer service representative.
• Confirm your appointment online at https://schedule.psiexams.com/.
• International candidates may confirm their appointment by emailing AMPIntlExamServices@goAMP.com.

You can confirm your appointment online even if you scheduled your appointment by telephone.

Special Arrangements for Candidates with Disabilities

PSI and the Board for Global EHS Credentialing comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and strive to ensure that no individual with a disability (as defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment) is deprived of the opportunity to take the examination solely by reason of that disability. PSI will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities. Candidates requesting special accommodations must call PSI at 833-256-1420 to schedule their examination.

1. Wheelchair access is available at all established Test Centers. Candidates must advise PSI at the time of scheduling that wheelchair access is necessary.
2. Candidates with visual, sensory, physical, or learning disabilities that would prevent them from taking the examination under standard conditions may request special accommodations and arrangements.

Verification of the disability and a statement of the specific type of assistance needed MUST BE MADE IN WRITING TO the Board for Global EHS Credentialing at least 45 calendar days prior to your desired examination date by completing the Test Accommodation Request Form. BGC will review the submitted forms, consult with the vendor, and contact you regarding the decision for accommodations.

Missed Appointments/Forfeitures

You will forfeit the examination registration and all fees paid under the following circumstances:

• You wish to reschedule an examination but fail to contact PSI at least two business days prior to the scheduled testing session.
• You wish to reschedule a second time.
• You appear more than 15 minutes late for an examination.
• You fail to report for an examination appointment.

A completed application form and examination fee are required to reapply for examination.

Inclement Weather/Power Failure/Other Emergency

In the event of inclement weather or unforeseen emergencies on the day of an examination, PSI will determine whether circumstances warrant the cancellation, and subsequent rescheduling, of an examination. The examination will usually not be rescheduled if the Test Center personnel are able to open the Test Center.

You may visit www.psionline.com/openings prior to the examination to determine if PSI has been advised that any Test Centers are closed. Every attempt is made to administer the examination as scheduled; however, should an examination be canceled at a Test Center, all scheduled candidates will receive notification following the examination regarding rescheduling or reapplication procedures.

If power to a Test Center is temporarily interrupted during an administration, your examination will be restarted. The responses provided up to the point of interruption will be intact.

Cancellation and Rescheduling of Exams

You may reschedule your examination once, at no charge, online at http://schedule.psiexams.com or by calling PSI at 833-256-1420 at least two business days prior to your scheduled examination appointment. The following schedule applies:

Problems with PSI Scheduling and Testing

You should call the BGC office at (517) 853-5763 (between 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, U.S. Eastern Time) if you encounter either of the following problems:

• You cannot schedule an exam because the PSI operator does not have a file with your name and identification number.
• You arrive at your scheduled examination appointment but are unable to test due to PSI technical or personnel difficulties.

What to Expect on CPSA Exam Day

Plan to arrive at the test center at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled exam time. If you arrive more than 15 minutes after the scheduled testing time, you will not be admitted. You may bring a non-programmable calculator to the examination. Calculators built into cellular/smart phones are not permitted in the Test Center. Calculators with text storage capability are not permitted in the Test Center. PSI will provide both onscreen and handheld calculators.

What to Bring

The Test Center will provide materials for working out calculations. You must bring the following items:

• A copy of the confirmation that you received via email.
• To gain admission to the Test Center, you must present two forms of identification. The primary form must be government issued, current, and include your name, signature, and photograph. Temporary ID is not accepted. You will also be required to sign a roster for verification of identity.
  • Examples of valid primary forms of identification are current: driver’s license with photograph, state identification card with photograph, passport, or military identification card with photograph.
  • The secondary form of identification must display your name and signature for signature verification (e.g., credit card with signature, social security card with signature, or employment/student ID card with signature).
  • If your name on your registration is different than it appears on your identification, you must bring proof of your name change (e.g., marriage license, divorce decree, or court order).

You must have proper identification to gain admission to the Test Center. Failure to provide appropriate identification at the time of the examination is considered a missed appointment.

Avoid Identification Headaches:  The name on your government-issued photo identification document must match the name that you used to register for the exam. If you have a name change, such as by marriage, please email BGC at applications@GoBGC.org and notify Prometric (prometric.com/contact-us) immediately. If you do not provide the required identification or fully participate in the identity validation process during check-in and breaks, you will not be permitted to test, and you will forfeit your testing fees.

 Examination Restrictions

You are prohibited from bringing items into the examination room except for the items specified above. Banned items include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Pencils and pens will be provided during check-in.
• You will be provided with one piece of scratch paper at a time to use during the examination, unless noted on the sign-in roster for a particular candidate. You must return the scratch paper to the proctor at the completion of testing, or you will not receive your score report.
• The use of reference materials is not allowed.
• No documents or notes of any kind may be removed from the Test Center.
• No questions concerning the content of the examination may be asked during the examination.
• Eating, drinking, or smoking is not permitted in the Test Center.
• You may take a break whenever you wish, but you will not be allowed additional time to make up for time lost during breaks.

Security

PSI administration and security standards are designed to ensure all candidates are provided the same opportunity to demonstrate their abilities. The Test Center is continuously monitored by audio and video surveillance equipment for security purposes.

The following security procedures apply during the examination:

• Examinations are proprietary. No cameras, notes, tape recorders, pagers, or cellular/smartphones are allowed in the testing room. Possession of a cellular/smartphone or other electronic devices is strictly prohibited and will result in dismissal from the examination.
• Only silent, non-programmable calculators without alphabetic keypads or printing capabilities are allowed in the testing room.
• No guests, visitors, or family members are allowed in the testing room or reception areas.

Personal Belongings

No personal items, valuables, or weapons should be brought to the Test Center. Only wallets and keys are permitted. Coats must be left outside the testing room. You will be provided a soft locker to store your wallet and/or keys with you in the testing room. You will not have access to these items until after the examination is completed. Please note the following items will not be allowed in the testing room except securely locked in the soft locker:

• Watches
• Hats
• Wallets
• Keys
• Cellphones
• Pagers
• Books and manuals
• Notes or reference materials
• PDAs or other electronic devices
• Food or drinks
• Jewelry
• Jackets

Once you have placed your personal items into the soft locker, you will be asked to pull out your pockets to ensure they are empty. If all personal items will not fit in the soft locker, you will not be able to test. The site will not store or be responsible for any personal belongings.

If any personal items are observed or heard (cellular/smart phones, alarms) in the testing room after the examination is started, you will be dismissed, and the administration will be forfeited.

Examination Process

After arriving at the Test Center and having your identification confirmed, you will be directed to a testing carrel. You will be instructed on-screen to enter your identification number. Your photograph, taken before beginning the examination, will remain on-screen throughout your examination session. This photograph will also print on your score report.

Practice Examination

Prior to attempting the examination, you will be given the opportunity to practice taking an examination on the computer. The time you use for this practice examination is NOT counted as part of your examination time or score. When you are comfortable with the computer testing process, you may quit the practice session and begin the timed examination.

Timed Examination

Each part of the CPSA examination is 2 hours long. Before beginning the examination, instructions for taking it are provided on-screen. The computer monitors the time you spend on the examination. The examination will terminate if you exceed the time allowed. You may click on the Time box in the lower menu bar on the screen to monitor your time. A digital clock indicates the time remaining for you to complete the examination. The Time feature may be turned off during the examination.

Only one examination question is presented at a time. The question number appears in the lower right portion of the screen. Choices of answers to the examination question are identified as A, B, C, or D. You must indicate your choice by either typing in the letter in the response box in the lower left portion of the computer screen or clicking on the option using the mouse. To change your answer, enter a different option by typing in the letter in the response box or by clicking on the option using the mouse. You may change your answer as many times as you wish during the examination time limit.

To move to the next question, click on the forward arrow (>) in the lower right portion of the screen. This action will move you forward through the examination question by question. If you wish to review any question or questions, click the backward arrow (<) or use the left arrow key to move backward through the examination.

An examination question may be left unanswered for return later in the examination session. Questions may also be bookmarked for later review by clicking in the blank square to the right of the Time button. Click on the double arrows (>>) to advance to the next unanswered or bookmarked question on the examination. To identify all unanswered and bookmarked questions, repeatedly click on the double arrows (>>). When the examination is completed, the number of examination questions answered is reported. If all questions have not been answered and there is time remaining, return to the examination and answer those questions.

Candidate Comments

During the examination, you may make comments for any question by clicking on the Comment button to the left of the Time button. This opens a dialogue box where comments may be entered. Comments will be reviewed, but individual responses will not be provided.

Following the Examination

After completing the examination, you are asked to answer a short evaluation of your examination experience. Then, you are instructed to report to the test center supervisor to receive a score report.

Failing to Report for an Examination If you fail to report for an examination, you will forfeit the registration and all fees paid to take the examination. A completed application form and examination fee are required to register for another examination.

Documents and Forms for CPSA Applicants

	CPEA/CPSA Application Preparation Instructions
	CPSA Eligibility Checklist
	CPSA Application
	Character Reference Form
	Exam Exemption Request Form

	Test Accommodations Policy
	Test Accommodations Guidelines
	Test Accommodation Request Form

	BGC Certifications Reapplication Form (except CIH)
	BGC Certifications Appeal Procedure
	Review of Exam Score Form
	BGC Privacy Policy

CPSA Application Form

CPSA Applicants Payments

Note – if you are using your company’s network to submit a payment from this page, you may get an error because of your company’s security settings. If so, please try again from your mobile or your home (or another) network (not your company’s WIFI). We do not take payment over the phone. Alternatively, you can mail a check to:

BGC
Attn: CPSA Applications
P.O. Box 610, Holt,
Michigan 48842

(CPSA Practitioners please refer to the CPSA Practitioners Payments page.)