JACKSON, Miss. (July 6, 2023) – Neel-Schaffer is proud to announce that Director of Safety and Health Matt Stevenson, SMS, CSM-C, has passed rigid testing requirements and earned the distinguished certification of Safety Management Specialist (SMS) through the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.

“This credential assures my priority and commitment to the overall safety and health of our organization, clients and communities that we serve,” said Stevenson, who joined Neel-Schaffer in 2022 and has nearly 20 years of experience in the health and safety industry. “I am proud of this achievement.”

According to the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, SMS certification is earned by “experienced professionals with safety management skills that they apply as part of their job duties. … SMSs define and utilize an organizations safety management systems, risk management, incident investigation and emergency preparedness, while maintaining current knowledge of safety, health, and environmental concepts, and identifying the business case for safety.”

Requirements for SMS certification include at least 10 years of experience and passing a rigorous 4.5-hour, 200-question examination that focuses on five domains: Management Systems; Risk Management; Safety, Health and Environmental Concepts; Incident Investigation and Emergency Preparedness; and Business Case of Safety.

“Earning this certification reinforces Matt’s commitment to transforming Neel-Schaffer into an industry leader from a health and safety perspective,” said Ed Everitt, Neel-Schaffer’s General Counsel. “It also further builds on the firm’s commitment to the safety of not only our employees, but also the safety of our contractor partners, our clients, and the general public.”

In addition to his SMS certification, Stevenson is certified through the National Association of Safety Professionals as a Certified Safety Manager – Construction (CSM-C) and holds OSHA 500, OSHA 510, OSHA 3015, and OSHA 5119 Certification. He is a graduate of San Diego State University, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications.