In April, ASSE International held its Mid-Year meeting in Madison, Wisconsin. Another big thank-you to our host, Local 75. A survey was conducted at the conclusion of the meeting, and while reading the responses, it was clear to me that as staff, we understand all of the acronyms and the numbers for certain things, but we have been remiss in explaining things that may be of interest to our most important people, our members!
One item that stood out to me is the desire for people to learn more about ISO/IEC 17024, Conformity Assessment — General Requirements for Bodies Operating Certification of Persons. We tend to refer to this as ANSI accreditation. However, that is not correct. ANSI, the American National Standards Institute, is the organization that accredits organizations’ standards. Personnel accreditation is from an organization that is part of ANSI, but is named ANAB, the ANSI National Accreditation Board. ASSE is applying through ANAB to become accredited to ISO/IEC 17024.
The process of becoming accredited consists of many steps. The first step is for staff to familiarize themselves with the policies and procedures required to become accredited. Once the program is accredited, the professional qualifications department and staff must understand the requirements and parameters to which the PQ department must adhere.
Recently, ASSE took a big step to update the backflow program by conducting a job task analysis. This is an essential part of getting the program accredited. We must also ensure that the program follows best practices for the testing industry. Some of you may notice that changes are taking place within the testing department, and the reason for that is to fine-tune our practices so that we comply with ANAB.
ASSE submitted a formal application to ANAB and has been approved. The process of compiling information that must be submitted with the application began recently. Over the next several months, that information will all be compiled and then submitted for an assessment that will take place to review our documentation, policies and procedures. When the assessors come to ASSE for their site visit, they will look for non-conformities within our program and allow us to address them.
- Enhances credibility and trust: Accreditation under ISO/IEC 17024 enhances the credibility and trust of certification bodies among stakeholders, including employers, regulators, and the job market.
- Ensures consistency and reliability: The standard ensures that certification bodies operate in a consistent, comparable, and reliable manner, which is crucial for the integrity of the certification process.
- Facilitates global recognition: ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation is recognized internationally, enabling certified professionals the potential to have their credentials accepted across borders.
- Supports public protection: The standard helps ensure that certified individuals possess the necessary competencies to perform their jobs effectively, which is particularly important in fields related to public health, safety, and security.
- Promotes standardization: By adhering to ISO/IEC 17024, certification bodies contribute to the standardization of professions, ensuring that certified individuals meet specific international benchmarks.
- Improves customer confidence: Accreditation provides assurance to customers and employers that certified professionals have been assessed impartially and meet high standards of competence.
The goal of ASSE is to provide the best possible exams for the industry. We take this very seriously and do our best to update and adjust as needed.
If there are any other topics you are interested in and would like an article written relating to the professional qualifications programs or department, please email me at kathleen.huttner@asse-plumbing.org.
Reference:
“What is ISO/IEC 17024 and Why is It Important for Personnel Certification Bodies?” — Qse Academy.[https://www.qse-academy.com/what-is-iso-iec-17024-and-why-is-it-important-for-personnel-certificationbodies]
