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System Safety Society Bylaws
Bylaws are administrative procedures of a continuing nature.
They are initiated or revised by a two-thirds vote by mail ballot of the
entire Executive Council.
Each bylaw or revision shall have an effectivity date that does not
exceed six months from the date adopted.
At least three months prior to the effectivity date, the new bylaw
provisions or wording will be published in the Society's journal or otherwise
made available to the membership.
Should written objectives to the new bylaw or wording be received by 20%
or more of the membership, the Executive Secretary will declare the bylaw null
and void.
Contents:
ARTICLE I - GENERAL Bylaws are administrative procedures of a continuing nature.
They are initiated or revised by a two-thirds vote by mail
ballot of the entire Executive Council. Each
bylaw or revision shall have an effectivity date that does not exceed six months
from the date adopted. At least
three months prior to the effectivity date, the new bylaw provisions or wording
will be published in the Society's journal or otherwise made available to the
membership. Should written
objectives to the new bylaw or wording be received by 20% or more of the
membership, the Executive Secretary will declare the bylaw null and void.
ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP This
section defines membership grades, categories, organizational affiliation and
membership privileges. It contains
the requirements and provisions for membership approval and upgrades.
It lists the Society dues and application fees.
It empowers the Executive Council with the right to determine the amount
of funds to be disbursed to local chapters.
It defines eligibility for membership voting, holding of Society or
Chapter offices, representation as a Society member and receipt of conference
publications and fee discounts. It
requires Cooperating Organizations and Sustaining Members to be defined by
Executive Order.
It requires all individuals and organizations affiliated with
the Society to abide by the Constitution, Bylaws, and Executive Orders.
It contains provisions for denying or revoking a membership.
It has a provision for allowing students to vote and hold office in a
student chapter.
ARTICLE III -
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES AND CANONS
This article contains the fundamental system safety professional
principles and canons.
ARTICLE
IV - GUIDELINES FOR USE WITH THE FUNDAMENTAL CANONS OF ETHICS tem safety professionals to work within their area of competency,
apply sound scientific and engineering principles, comply with safety standards
and only affix their signature or seal to work within their area of competency.
It requires notification of their employer, client or, when appropriate,
the proper authority whenever the safety, health or welfare of the public is
endangered. It establishes the
basic rules of conduct for system safety professionals.
It encourages system safety professionals to encourage the professional
certification, registration, continuing education and professional affiliation
of their employees.
ARTICLE V - AWARDS
This article defines the professional awards that are available, selection
criteria and the nomination procedures. It
requires two presentations of the award; one presentation by July 1 with the
individual's corporate manager and the second at the International System Safety
Conference.
ARTICLE I - GENERAL
SECTION 1 - Authority:
These By-Laws are established in accordance with Article VII of the
constitution of the System Safety Society, herein referred to as the Society.
SECTION 2 - Revisions:
Any revisions of the By-Laws must be accomplished in the manner
stipulated by Article VII of the constitution of the Society.
SECTION 3 - Board of Certified
Safety Professionals (BCSP) Representative:
The Society is a sponsoring organization of the BCSP and as such, shall
nominate qualified representatives to serve on the BCSP. The Society's
representative(s) to the BCSP shall be nominated by the Professional
Development Committee (PDC) with the consent of the Executive Council. Upon
acceptance by the BCSP, the Representative shall become a member of the PDC.
SECTION 4 - California State
Board of Registration for Professional Engineers Representative:
The Society's representative to the California State Board of
Registration
for Professional Engineers shall be nominated by the PDC, with the consent of
the Executive Council. Upon approval of the nominee, the representative shall
become a member of the PDC.
SECTION 5 - The motto of the
System Safety Society shall be "Professionals Dedicated to the Safety of
Systems, Products and Services.”
ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1 - Membership grades
and categories: Within the Society
there are three professional membership grades, four other individual membership
and two organizational membership categories.
Professional membership grades
are:
- Fellow Member - concurrence of Professional Development and Membership Committees, plus a majority vote of the entire Executive Council by mail ballot.
- Senior Member - concurrence of Professional Development and Membership Committees; plus a majority vote of a quorum of the Executive Council.
- Member - approval of the Membership Committee.
Other individual membership categories are:
- Affiliate - approval of Membership Committee.
- Student Member - approval of Membership Committee.
- Member Emeritus - concurrence of Membership Committee, plus a majority vote of a quorum of the Executive Council.
- Honorary Member - concurrence of Membership Committee; plus a majority vote of the entire Executive Council by mail ballot.
Organizational membership categories are:
- Corporate Member - approval of Membership Committee.
- Cooperating Organization - concurrence of Membership Committee; plus a majority of a quorum of the Executive Council.
The other individual membership
categories are assigned upon application and payment of applicable fees, and are
awarded to those applicants whose education, experience, or professional
achievement are not sufficient to qualify them for one of the professional
membership grades. Professional members who have retired after substantial
contribution to the profession may be awarded the title of "Member
Emeritus". Organizational memberships are those firms, agencies,
foundations, or other organizations who wish to support and/or share in the
activities of the Society.
Honorary memberships are awarded
to prominent individuals outside the System Safety profession who support the
Society objectives and goals.
Professional memberships are
awarded to those applicants who, upon review by the Membership Committee or
Professional Development Committee, and as required, approval of the Executive
Council, or deemed to have sufficient education, experience, and professionallevel
achievement to warrant recognition as a professional member (REF:
Article II of the Society Constitution). Criteria for these
qualifications are contained in SECTION 3.
SECTION 2 - Membership
application, processing and forms. Membership Committee shall in consonance with
the PDC and upon approval of the Executive Council, prepare and distribute
appropriate application forms and instructions. The PDC shall prepare and
distribute a handbook defining Qualification Evaluation factors, including
definitions of the six Safety Functional Areas and Weight Factors to be used in
evaluation of applicants as well as the methodology used in processing
applications
for Senior and Fellow membership grades. The Membership Committee shall provide
to the PDC, for inclusion in the handbook, the evaluation criteria and
methodology pertaining to all membership categories except Senior and Fellow.
The Membership Committee shall evaluate all new membership applications and
shall recommend to the PDC those which appear to qualify for a higher grade than
Member.
SECTION 3 - Professional
Membership Requirements
3.1
Member - To be eligible for the grade of Member, the
applicant must provide evidence that he or she has engaged in the professional
practice of the art, science or technology of system safety, or has engaged in
another discipline which relates to system safety and contributes to its
advancement; and has received at least a Bachelor's Degree in an accredited
institution of higher learning or a combination of experience, training and
academic courses totaling four years of academic equivalency. Membership is also
contingent upon the individual’s adherence to the Code of Ethics (Article
III). System safety is considered to include, in addition to the physical
protection of humans and man-made things, the safeguarding of health, the
environment and ecology. The Society seeks to expand its membership to include
professionals from other disciplines all fields of Engineering, Human Factors,
Medicine, Science, Law, Education, Management, etc. This individual shall, in
the normal course of his/her primary occupation, have applied such education or
experience to the identification, evaluation, and control of product or system
or service hazards, or risks and/or management related to accident prevention
activities for a minimum of two years in at least one of the six system safety
functional areas (i.e., Management, Analysis Design, Research, Operations or
Use, or Accident/Mishap Investigation). A complete description of experiences
and verification of such experience is to be provided with references in each
functional area claimed.
3.2
Senior Member - Upon completion of four years of Society
membership, at the professional grade of Member individuals are eligible for
application for upgrade to Senior Member. Applicants for Senior Member shall, in
addition to the requirements for grade of Member, provide evidence that he or
she is a technically qualified individual who can demonstrate a high level of
competence through experience, professional level achievement, and continuing
education in System Safety related subjects. This includes courses at the
graduate or undergraduate level as well as education or training programs
sponsored by companies or organizations. Evidence of education not directly
related to System Safety will be evaluated based on relative contribution to the
applicant’s professional development in the System Safety profession. The
applicant shall, in the normal course of his/her primary occupation, have
applied such experience and education to the identification, evaluation, and
control of product or system hazards and management of related accident
prevention activities for at least six years with experience in three of the six
System Safety functional areas previously listed.
In addition, the applicant shall
provide evidence of significant professional achievement which has contributed
to his professional development, and to the overall advancement of the System
Safety profession.
To qualify for grade of Senior
Member, applicants must show a minimum of 6 educational, 6 experience and 23
professional achievement points (according to criteria set by the PDC) for a
cumulative total of 35 points.
Applicants will not be processed
until recommendations from all references have been received.
NOTE:
Educational and experience weight factors are not interchangeable with
achievement factors. However, experience weight factors are interchangeable with
educational weight factors.
3.3
Fellow - Fellow can be granted only to a highly qualified
applicant who has served the Society for 5 years as a Senior Member who has made
significant contributions to the operations and functions of the Society, and to
the advancement of the System Society profession. The application shall be
accompanied by proof of Society service and advancement of the profession (i.e.,
letter of appointment, etc., list of contributions and accomplishments).
Applications must show a total of 70 points (35 points of which are in addition
to those accumulated for senior membership and have been earned for service to
the System Safety Society). Minimum weight factors for each grade are contained
in the PDC handbook. Applicants for Fellow must have three professional
references who are Fellow of the Society.
SECTION 4 - Other Individual
Membership Category Requirements
4.1
Affiliate - The category of Affiliate will be assigned to
those who have paid the required fees/dues, and who fall into one of the
following situations:
a. Has submitted required application forms for evaluation and is
waiting for approval of a professional membership grade designation.
- Weight factors affect point numerical values in determining membership levels.
b. Has not submitted the required application forms for
reclassification to a professional membership grade as stipulated by these
By-Laws and subordinate criteria approved by the Executive Council.
c. Has been denied professional membership status for failure to
fulfill all qualifications criteria, but is continuing to prepare for
professional member status.
d. Elects to remain in the
Affiliate category.
Those persons holding the
Associate Member Grade, when these changes to the By-Laws become effective, will
be reevaluated by the Membership Committee and be designated Member, if
qualified. Otherwise, they will be reclassified as Affiliate Member inasmuch as
the Associate Member category is eliminated.
4.2
Student - Persons who are enrolled in an accredited
educational institution and taking at least nine semester units each regular
academic period (excluding summer school), may be accepted in the Student Member
category providing the applicant is endorsed by a cognizant instructor or
administrator attesting to the validity of the student's academic status
relative to this criteria. In addition, the applicant shall demonstrate that his
or her studies are in system safety or a related field (SECTION 3.1 lists some
related fields). The Membership Committee may, if it is deemed in the best
interests of the Society, grant Student Member status for a particular
individual taking less than nine semester unit equivalents.
4.3
Member Emeritus - The honor of Emeritus may be extended to
members of the Society who have devoted substantial efforts to the improvement
of the Society, and have retired from gainful employment. The status of Fellow
Emeritus, Senior Member Emeritus, or Member Emeritus will be designated
depending on the members classification when applying for the honor of Emeritus.
Members Emeritus shall retain their former membership privileges without payment
of dues. The honor Emeritus will be conferred only by Executive Order. An
application requesting the honor of Emeritus must be submitted in writing
(certifying the above qualifications) by the requesting member to the Society
and shall be granted upon favorable review by the Membership Committee and
approval of the Executive Council.
4.4
Honorary Members - Persons who are not members of the
Society, but who have made a significant contribution to the objectives of the
Society may be elected as an Honorary Member of the Society. Any member may
submit a nomination for Honorary Member status in letter form to the Society.
The person nominated shall be granted Honorary Member status upon endorsement of
the Membership Committee and approval by a two-thirds majority vote of the
Executive Council. No more than two individuals in the Honorary Member category
may be elected in any one Society year.
SECTION 5 - Organization
Membership Requirements
5.1 Corporate Member -
Corporations, Firms, Company Components, Agencies, Foundations and/or any other
organizations or entities that wish to provide financial support and share in
the objectives or activities of the Society, may apply for recognition as a
Corporate Member. The acceptance of this application will be based on a
determination of the Membership Committee that the applicant's activities,
motives and reputation are consistent with the Society's purposes and
standards.
5.2
Cooperating Organization - Professional Institutes,
societies, associations, sections, or committees of larger groups, and other
similar organizations who have mutual interests to those of the Society may,
upon majority approval by a quorum of the Executive Council, enter into written
agreement with the Society as formally designated Cooperative Organizations.
SECTION 6 - Dues and Fees
6.1
The Dues and Fees for the various grades and categories of
individuals and organizations affiliated with the Society are as follows:
| Category |
Application Fee |
Annual Dues |
| Member |
$ 20.00 |
$ 65.00 |
| Senior Member |
$ 35.00 |
$ 65.00 |
| Fellow |
$ 45.00 |
$ 65.00 |
| Affiliate |
$ 20.00 |
$ 65.00 |
| Member Emeritus |
N/A |
N/A |
| Honorary Member |
N/A |
N/A |
| Student |
$ 10.00 |
$ 35.00 |
| Foreign Member |
$ 20.00 |
$ 75.00 |
| Corporate Member |
N/A |
$ 500.00 |
Reinstatement:
3 months - 3 years
|
$5.00
|
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If over a 3 year lapse:
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Full fee
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6.2
Each Year the Executive Council shall determine the amount of funds to be
disbursed to the Local Chapters and regions. Such determination shall be made
annually, not later than March 1 for the year for which disbursement is to be
made, and shall require the concurrence of
simple majority of the Executive Council.
SECTION 7 - Membership
Privileges and Obligations.
Individual Members of the Society are eligible to vote,
hold Society and chapter office, represent themselves as members of the Society
and receive such conference, publications, or other fee discounts that may be
established for Society members; except that only Professional Members may be
elected to the Executive Council. Affiliates and Student Members* may serve on
Society or chapter committees be entitled to specified conference, publication,
and other fee discounts as authorized by Executive Order; but are not eligible
to vote or hold office. The privileges of Cooperating Organizations, and
Corporate Members shall be defined by Executive Orders. Those having
professional membership grade designations are obligated to abide by the Code
of Ethics as defined in Article III of these By-Laws. All individuals and
organizations affiliated with the Society are obligated to abide by the Society
Constitution, By-Laws and duly established subordinate executive orders and
procedures, and support to purpose and objectives of the Society. Membership at
any level may be denied or revoked for violations of the Code of Ethics after
investigation and review by the Professional Development Committee and approval
of at least two-thirds of the Executive Council.
*Student members
may vote and hold office in student chapters.
ARTICLE III
- FUNDAMENTAL
PRINCIPLES AND CANONS
SECTION I - Fundamental
Principles
System Safety professionals
shall uphold and advance the integrity, honor and stature of the System Safety
profession by:
1.1 Applying acquired
knowledge and skills for the benefit and welfare of mankind.
1.2
Assuring the best interests of the public, employer, client
and customer are objectively established and maintained in all professional
activities.
1.3
Striving to increase the competence and effectiveness of the
System Safety profession.
1.4
Supporting and participating in the activities of
professional
safety and related organizations.
SECTION 2 - Fundamental Canons
2.1
System Safety professionals shall hold paramount the safety,
health and welfare of mankind in the performance of their professional duties.
2.2
System Safety professionals shall perform services only in
the areas of their competency.
2.3
System Safety professionals shall be objective and truthful
in all of their professional actions, documents and statements.
2.4 System Safety professionals
shall perform professional services as faithful agents and trustees for each
employer, client or customer, void of any known conflict of interest.
2.5
System safety professionals shall build their professional
reputations on the merits of their services; void of deceitful and unethical
practices.
2.6
System Safety professionals shall associate only with
reputable persons and organizations.
2.7
System Safety professionals shall continue their professional
development throughout their careers and shall provide opportunities for the
professional development of persons under their supervision.
ARTICLE IV
- GUIDELINES FOR USE
WITH THE
FUNDAMENTAL CANONS
OF ETHICS
SECTION I - System Safety
professional Shall Hold Paramount the Safety, Health, and Welfare of Mankind in
the Performance of Their Professional Duties.
1.1
System Safety professionals must recognize that the safety,
health, and welfare of mankind is dependent upon sound scientific, engineering
and management principles and practices being incorporated into the design,
test, production, construction, and use of products and systems.
1.2
System Safety professionals shall approve only plans,
specifications, designs, hardware and software that are safe and in conformity
with accepted safety standards.
1.3
System Safety professionals shall assure the development of
standards, codes, procedures or other similar documentation to enable the public
and clients to understand the degree of safety, risk and life expectancy
associated with the use and operation of the products and systems for which
they are responsible.
1.4
System Safety professionals shall inform their client or
employer and, as appropriate, proper authorities of the possible consequences
whenever their professional judgment is overruled under circumstances where the
safety, health, and welfare of the public is endangered.
1.5
System Safety professionals who know, or believe, another
person or firm is in violation of any of the provisions of these Guidelines,
shall report such information to that person or firm and, as appropriate, to the
proper authorities.
1.6 System Safety professionals shall accept opportunities to enhance the safety, health
and welfare of their communities.
SECTION 2 - System Safety
Professionals Perform Services only in the Areas of their Competency.
2.1
System Safety professionals shall assume only safety, task,
for which they are qualified by education or experience in the specific field
of concern.
2.2
System Safety professionals shall affix their signatures and
seals only to documents dealing with subject matter in which they have
competency by virtue of education or experience and only to safety plans or
documents prepared under their direct supervisory control.
SECTION 3 - System Safety
Professionals are objective and truthful in all of their professional documents
and statements.
3.1
System Safety professionals shall endeavor to extend public
knowledge and understanding of the achievements, capabilities and limitations of
engineering technology.
3.2
System Safety professionals shall include all relevant and
pertinent facts and information in their professional reports, statements, or
testimony.
3.3
System Safety professionals, when serving as part expert or
technical witness before any court-commission, or other tribunal, shall express
opinions only when they are founded upon adequate knowledge of the facts at
issue, from a background of technical competence in the subject matter, and
upon honest conviction of the accuracy and propriety of their testimony.
3.4
System Safety professionals shall not issue statements
criticisms or arguments on safety matters which are inspired or paid for by
interested individuals or entities unless they preface their comments by
explicitly disclosing the identities and interests of the parties on whose
behalf they are speaking, and by revealing the existence of any financial or
other interest they have in the matters involved.
3.5
System Safety professionals shall be dignified and modest in
describing their work and merit, and shall avoid any statement or act tending to
promote their own interests at the expense of the integrity, honor and dignity
of the profession.
SECTION 4 - System Safety
Professionals Perform Professional Services as Faithful Agents and Trustees for
Each Employer, Client or Customer, Void of any Known Conflict of Interest.
4.1
System Safety professionals shall avoid known conflicts of
interest with their employers, clients or customers, and promptly inform such
persons of any business association, interest, or circumstances which could
influence their judgment or the quality of their services.
4.2
System Safety professionals shall not accept compensation,
financial or otherwise, from more than one party for the exact same service on
the same project, unless the circumstances are fully disclosed and agreed to by
all interested parties.
4.3
System Safety professionals shall treat information acquired
in the course of their assignments as confidential, and shall not use such
information as a means of enhancing personal profit or prestige if such action
would be adverse to the interests of their clients, employers, customers, or the
public.
4.4
System Safety professionals shall not accept professional
employment outside of their regular place of employment without the knowledge
of their employer.
SECTION 5 - System Safety
Professionals Shall Build Their Professional Reputations of the Merit of Their
Services; Void of Deceitful and Unethical Practices.
5.1
System Safety professionals shall not pay or offer to pay
(directly or indirectly) any commission, contribution, gift or other
consideration in order to secure work, except for employment agency fees.
5.2
System Safety professionals shall negotiate contracts for
professional services only when they are competent and qualified for the type of
professional service required.
5.3
System Safety professionals shall negotiate and fully
disclose an acceptable and rate of compensation with a client, employee or other
professional commensurate with the scope of services to be performed.
5.4
System Safety professionals shall assure that representations
of academic, experience and professional qualifications are factual for
themselves and their associates. They do not misrepresent or exaggerate their
degree of responsibility in, or the subject matter of, prior assignments.
5.5
System Safety professionals shall evaluate and provide
reports to others on the work of other safety professionals only with the
knowledge of such professionals unless the assignments or contractual agreements
for the work by the other safety professional has been terminated or unless the
functions and responsibilities of their position are specifically identified or
implied to perform work evaluation.
5.6
System Safety professionals shall advertise only in dignified
business and professional publications. They shall assure the advertisement is
factual and not misleading with respect to their accomplishments or extent of
participation in any services or projects described.
5.7
System Safety professionals shall prepare articles for the
lay or technical press which are factual, dignified and free from self-serving
ostentations or laudatory implications. Such articles shall factually depict
their direct participation in the work described and give credit to others for
their share of the work.
5.8
System Safety professionals shall extend permission for their
name to be used in commercial advertisements (such as may be published by
manufacturers, contractors, material suppliers, etc.) only by means of a modest
dignified notation acknowledging their scope of participation in the project or
product described.
5.9
System Safety professionals shall attempt to attract
employees, from another employer by ethical and honorable means only.
5.10
System Safety professionals shall advertise for recruitment
of personnel in appropriate publications or by special distribution, assuring
the information presented is displayed in a dignified manner; restricted to firm
name, address, telephone number, appropriate symbol, the fields of practice in
which the firm is involved and factual descriptions of positions, available,
qualifications required and benefits provided.
5.11
System Safety professionals shall not maliciously or falsely
(directly or indirectly) injure the professional reputation prospects, practice
or employment of another safety professional, nor indiscriminately criticize
another’s work.
5.12
System Safety professionals may, without compensation,
perform professional services which are advisory in nature for civic,
charitable, religious or nonprofit organizations.
5.13
System Safety professionals shall not use equipment,
supplies, laboratory or office facilities of their employers to perform outside
private practice without consent.
SECTION 6 - System Safety
Professionals Shall Associate only with Reputable Persons or Organizations.
6.1
System Safety professionals shall not knowingly associate
with or permit the use of their name or firm name in business ventures or
practices by any person or firm they know, or have reason to believe, is engaged
in personal, business, or professional practice of a fraudulent, illegal or
dishonest nature.
SECTION 7 - System Safety
Professionals Shall Continue Their Professional Development Throughout Their
Careers and Provide Opportunities of the Professional Development of Persons
Under Their Supervision.
7.1
System Safety professionals shall undertake, and encourage
their employees to further their education, become registered and certified by
appropriate legal and professional authorities at the earliest possible date, to
join and participate in appropriate professional organizations and to attend
and present papers at professional and technical Society meetings.
7.2
System Safety professionals shall give proper recognition
and credit to others for professional development accomplishments and safety
work performed, and recognize the proprietary interest of others. They shall
identify the person or persons responsible for designs, inventions, writings or
other accomplishments as appropriate.
ARTICLE V - AWARDS
SECTION I - System Safety
Society professional awards are made in the following categories, with nominees
selected by the designated committees:
1.1
Professional Development Award - PDC
1.2
Manager of the Year - PDC
1.3
Engineer of the Year - PDC
1.4
System Safety Scientific Research and Development Award - PDC
1.5
Educator of the Year Award - Education Committee
1.6
Chapter-of-the-Year Award - Membership Committee
1.7
Other Awards as approved by the Executive Council
SECTION 2 - Nominations must be
submitted to the Chairman of the appropriate committee by March 1 of the award
year. Two presentations of the award will be made. One by July 1 of the award
year with the Corporate Manager at the selectees place of employment and again
at the next International Conference. Nominations received after March 1 of the
award year will not be considered for that year, but will be held until the
following year.
SECTION 3 - Selection criteria
should be identified and published in the System Safety Professional Handbook.
Revised
through January 21, 2000
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