Evaluating a Consultant's Qualifications
The aim of this database is to give access in one place the names of the various companies known to occupational health and safety agencies in the Atlantic Provinces as offering services in the occupational health and safety field. However, due to the complexity of occupational health and safety, this database cannot give qualifications pertinent to every situation. Thus, it will be up to you to assure that the person you hire is qualified to do the work before you hire them. This section will help you to find a qualified consultant.
Once you find a consultant who offers the services you need, you should evaluate their qualifications and services. To help you in this, we have listed a series of issues below.
- What are their qualifications? Do the qualifications relate specifically to the work you want done or simply to a closely related area? Does an independent group attest to the qualifications?
The reader should also note that many qualifications are specific to individual persons, not to companies. It thus becomes important to know the qualifications of the person who will be working on your specific project.
The Occupational Health and Safety Agencies are aware of the "Certified Health and Safety Consultant" designation offered by the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE). Persons interested in finding out more about this designation or obtaining a list of certified persons should contact the CSSE.
If you need help in interpreting the meaning of the various qualifications, you may contact the consultant directly or call your local occupational health and safety agency.
- How many years have they been active in occupational health and safety consulting? How many years have they been active in the specific area you are interested in?
- Who have been the consultant's last five clients in this area? This question has an advantage over the traditional "list of references" question in that it is not subject to the temptation to list only those clients who hold the consultant in high esteem.
Note that this information may not always be available, as the client may request that their name be kept confidential.
- Are they associated with the manufacture or sale of a product or service that could create the impressionof a conflict of interest with your consulting activities?
- What special conferences or symposia have they attended in the field of interest? When were these events?
- What professional associations do they belong to? What is your present grade of membership and length of time in that grade for each association?
- What test methods do they use? Preferably, the test methods would be ones produced by recognized agencies. These include:
- the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) - a branch of the U.S. government
- the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) - a branch of the U.S. government
- other jurisdictions within Canada such as Quebec and British Columbia
- other countries such as the Health and Safety Executive in Great Britain
- methods produced by consensus agencies such as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
- What laboratories do they use for sample analysis? Are they accredited by the American Industrial Hygiene Association? Do they participate in NIOSH's Proficiency Analytical Testing (PAT) program? For what materials?
- What are the character and extent of reports that they prepare? Can they supply a sample?
- Can they refer you to engineering or similar firms who can install any controls that may be needed as a result of your investigations? Do they have any business connections with these firms?
- What is their fee structure? Do they charge by the hour or day? by the total job? How do they treat expenses such as travel, lodging, shipping, report writing, computer time? Do they mark up third party charges such as laboratory fees or fees of other consultants?
Can we regard your cost estimates as binding?
- What insurance and bonding do they have?
Step Three: Defining the Work to be Completed
Once you have found one or more consultants who can do the work for you, you will need to define precisely the type of work that will be done. One of the best tools to accomplish this task is to have the consultants prepare a project proposal for your review. The proposal should discuss the following:
- How much is the job going to cost? At this point, it should be made clear if this estimate is binding or not.
- What is the consultant going to do? Depending upon the specific job, this section may range from a simple commitment to study the problem to a detailed plan of action. Wherever possible though, details as to sample types and methods should be outlined. Also, the standards by which the results will be evaluated should be set out here.
- What is the end result? This is usually a written report detailing the consultants work, findings and recommendations. If you do not wish to pay for a written report, specify this in advance.
Also, as recommendations often call for construction to be carried out by others whose work is not subject to the consultant's control, results usually cannot be guaranteed. Rather, an estimate of the results to be attained is all that can be expected.
- When will the job start and stop? When can the final report be expected? Will a draft report be submitted for review before the final report?
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