Certified Safety & Health Expert Witness Specialist (CEWS)
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Course Description
This course provides an introduction to how to start and run a successful Expert Witness Practice. This three-day course is an intensive, content-rich workshop designed to show safety professionals how to start, build, and run a successful expert witness practice. It is appropriate for safety, health, and environmental professionals, including prospective and novice expert witnesses.Students will learn from an experienced faculty, in a step-by-step fashion, how to start, build, and run a successful and ethical expert witness practice. The course emphasizes practical guidance and ethical considerations, ensuring participants gain the knowledge and confidence to establish and maintain a professional expert witness practice.
What You'll Learn
- The role of expert witnesses in civil litigation.
- Who is considered an expert?
- How to properly define your area(s) of expertise and practice areas, education, and degrees.
- How to draft a curriculum vitae appropriate for expert witness work.
- How to get cases and market your business.
- How to avoid ethical problems and maintain your integrity.
- Qualifying the expert.
- Whether your attorney wants you to write a report or not.
- Daubert & Frye decisions.
- How to draft a retention agreement to protect your rights.
- How to form defensible opinions.
- The testifying skills and techniques attorneys are looking for.
- Techniques for maintaining your independence and objectivity.
- Ten golden rules to remember and ten mistakes to avoid.
- How to build a tremendous reputation.
- Ethics.
Who Should Attend
Construction Managers, Building Contractors, Safety Supervisors, Building Inspectors, Training Managers, and Industrial Hygienists are the primary professionals involved in overseeing and ensuring safety, compliance, and effective operations in construction and related work environments.
Certified Safety & Health Expert Witness Specialist (CEWS) Blueprint
1. Overview
The Certified Safety Health Specialist - General Industry (CEWS) blueprint summarizes the examination structure and core knowledge areas aligned to the IASHEP General Industry course. The source course emphasizes 29 CFR 1910 safety regulations and standards, OSHA policies and procedures, hazard recognition, workplace inspections, risk assessments, incident investigations, corrective actions, and safety program implementation.
2. Examination Parameters
| Duration | 4 Day course alignment |
| Total Questions | Standardized assessment |
| Question Format | Multiple-choice and scenario-based |
| Passing Score | Standard passing requirement |
3. Prerequisites & Qualifications
Candidates for this certification generally have responsibilities in workplace safety, compliance, supervision, industrial hygiene, facility operations, risk management, or program administration. Preparation should include:
- Familiarity with OSHA general industry requirements and 29 CFR 1910 standards.
- Ability to recognize common workplace hazards and recommend controls.
- Understanding of inspections, risk assessments, incident investigations, and corrective action planning.
- Practical experience supporting or managing safety and health programs.
4. Examination Domains
| Domain Name | Weight (%) | Number of Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1. OSHA General Industry Regulations and Compliance | 25% | 25 |
| 2. Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment | 20% | 20 |
| 3. Safety Program Implementation and Hazard Controls | 20% | 20 |
| 4. Workplace Inspections and Corrective Actions | 15% | 15 |
| 5. Incident Investigation and Prevention Planning | 10% | 10 |
| 6. Communication, Training, and Professional Application | 10% | 10 |
| TOTAL | 100% | 100 |
5. Domain Breakdown
Domain 1: OSHA General Industry Regulations and Compliance
Weight: 25%
Knowledge of:
- OSHA general industry regulations, standards, policies, and procedures.
- 29 CFR 1910 safety regulation/standard structure and application.
- Regulatory compliance requirements for workplace safety and health programs.
- Use of OSHA standards as a guide for identifying high-hazard areas.
Domain 2: Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment
Weight: 20%
Knowledge of:
- Recognition of common workplace hazards including chemical, electrical, machinery, ergonomics, and environmental risks.
- Risk assessment methods for prioritizing hazards and exposures.
- Hazard identification, avoidance, control, and prevention concepts.
- Selection of practical control strategies based on observed workplace conditions.
Domain 3: Safety Program Implementation and Hazard Controls
Weight: 20%
Knowledge of:
- Implementation of effective safety programs and hazard control measures.
- Accident prevention strategies and corrective action planning.
- General industry safety and health principles as applied to real-world situations.
- Integration of safety procedures into routine operations.
Domain 4: Workplace Inspections and Corrective Actions
Weight: 15%
Knowledge of:
- Planning and conducting workplace inspections.
- Documenting inspection findings and identifying corrective actions.
- Evaluating facility, maintenance, production, and healthcare work environments.
- Communicating inspection results to supervisors, coordinators, and managers.
Domain 5: Incident Investigation and Prevention Planning
Weight: 10%
Knowledge of:
- Incident investigation principles and root-cause awareness.
- Corrective action planning following accidents, near misses, or identified hazards.
- Use of incident findings to improve hazard control and prevention programs.
- Follow-up activities to verify corrective actions are completed.
Domain 6: Communication, Training, and Professional Application
Weight: 10%
Knowledge of:
- Communicating OSHA requirements and safety expectations to workers and management.
- Supporting training, orientation, and safety awareness activities.
- Applying course knowledge immediately in workplace settings.
- Professional responsibilities for safety supervisors, coordinators, industrial hygienists, facility managers, line supervisors, and program administrators.
6. Additional Information
Course Alignment:
- IASHEP CSHS-GI course page identifies the course as a 4-day intermediate General Industry course.
- The course description identifies 29 CFR 1910 safety regulations/standards as the primary focus.
- The course outcomes include OSHA compliance, hazard identification, safety program implementation, workplace inspections, risk assessments, incident investigations, and corrective action planning.
Source: IASHEP course page, Certified Safety Health Specialist - General Industry (CEWS), accessed May 14, 2026.