ASSE/IAPMO/ANSI/CAN Series 12000-2024, Professional Qualification Standard for Water Management and Infection Control Risk Assessment for Building Systems, first developed in 2015, addresses professionals working in potentially hazardous environments. It contains standards for Environment of Care, Infection Control and Construction Risk Assessment, Air Quality Program, Water Quality Program, and Legionella Water Safety and Management.
An article from Issue 4 (December) 2023, “How ASSE 12000 Meets the Motto ‘Prevention Rather Than Cure,” written by Scott Hamilton, ASSE senior director of Competency Development Services, provides an overview of each certification within the ASSE 12000 series.
The 2024 edition of the standard includes three new professional qualifications:
- ASSE 12025, Construction Risk Assessment Professional Qualification Standard for Engineers, Designers, Inspectors and Commissioning Agents
- ASSE 12050, Air Quality Program Professional Qualifications Standard For Employers and Designated Representatives
- ASSE 12051, Air Quality Program Professional Qualifications Standard for Pipefitters and HVAC Technicians
In this article, I will be discussing ASSE 12025. The scope and purpose of this standard are defined below, as stated within the document.
SCOPE:
“This standard provides general knowledge of the environment of care and construction risk assessment requirements and procedures to protect facility occupants, operations, workers, or any individual who has the potential for harm caused by preconstruction and construction activities. The objective is to provide training, continuing education and certification.”
PURPOSE:
“The purpose of the standard is to provide minimum criteria, identified by industry consensus, to ensure compliance with the referenced standards and codes in Standard 12001 and the requirements of 12025, and to minimize exposure to pathogens, biohazards and other potentially infectious material (OPIM) in the workplace. ASSE Standard 12025 covers engineers, designers, inspectors and commissioning agents.”
The ASSE 12025 standard was modeled after ASSE 12010, Environment of Care, Infection Control and Construction Risk Assessment, and ASSE 12020, Environment of Care, Infection Control and Construction Risk Assessment Professional Qualifications Standard, which apply to construction, maintenance and facilities personnel. These standards were initially developed for those performing work in health care facilities; however, the knowledge acquired from earning the certification can be applied to all types of buildings. Each of the ASSE 12010, 12020 and 12025 standards contains varying knowledge requirements, experience prerequisites and certification requirements, as appropriate for their profession.
ASSE 12025 has been developed for those who provide facilities design, engineering, system functional testing and facility inspection. These individuals perform investigative work in existing facilities during design phases, prior to construction, and are on-site periodically throughout the construction phase. The development of ASSE 12025 will offer these individuals training on subjects that is difficult to acquire.
As an engineer who has worked on health care projects for more than 15 years, I have rarely seen education and training that includes the comprehensive list of subjects specified in the ASSE 12025 standard. I attended a 2018 ASSE Annual Meeting EJ Zimmer Technical Seminar, presented by Scott Hamilton, on the ASSE 12000 Series and Infection Risk Control Procedures, which alerted me to risks previously unknown related to working in health care facilities. The part of the presentation that had the greatest impact was his discussion on the removal of ceiling tiles. I found myself reflecting on past projects and wondering whether I had unknowingly created hazardous environments while performing on-site, above-ceiling investigative work.
The removal of a ceiling tile, at a minimum, can impact room pressurization and increase patient risk for health care-associated infections (HAIs) due to dust and debris in the air and on surfaces. Disruptions to the space pressurization can provide a path for pathogen transmission. Aspergillus, a type of mold found in ceilings, has been specifically linked to construction related HAIs and ceiling tile removal.
Studies have shown that implementing infection risk control plans and procedures significantly reduces construction-related HAIs. Infection control procedures for ceiling tile removal are recommended by class, which is determined by a combination of construction activity type and risk group as defined by room type, as defined in Appendix D of ASSE/IAPMO/ANSI/CAN Series 12000-2024. Higher-class spaces may require stringent precautions, including the use of a containment tent with HEPA filtration when removing a ceiling tile.
Understanding the appropriate requirements to prevent HAIs is part of infection risk control assessments and facility infection risk control plans, which are topics included in the ASSE 12025 standard.
Additional subject areas include:
- The epidemiology and modes of transmission of pathogens, biohazards and infectious disease.
- The Universal Precaution Method and the dangers associated with stagnant water, drainage, waste and vent pipes, human and animal blood, and bodily fluids.
- The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and hazards associated with sharps and OPIM.
- Environment of care principles, which address patient and visitor experiences, owner expectations and the impact of reconstruction and construction activities in a health care environment.
- Exposure control plans.
- Risk assessments, including preconstruction and construction risk assessments, as well as other environmental risks such as particulates, lead, vapor and gases.
- Facility fire and life safety plans.
- Requirements for planning, scheduling, coordination and identification of impacted are asassociated with system shutdowns.
- Required documentation associated with any of the required areas of knowledge within the standard is also expected.
Individuals can obtain ASSE 12025 certification by completing a minimum six-hour training course and passing a minimum 25-question exam with a score of at least 80%. The standard does not require prerequisites to attend the training or obtain certification. Eliminating the prerequisites ensures that professionals of all experience levels have access to the knowledge provided in the training.
Certification is valid for three years. Recertification includes the same exam requirements, with a reduced training course length requirement to a minimum of two hours.
The development of this standard would not have been possible without the efforts of the volunteers serving on the 12025 Working Group: Greg Ballay, Laura Ceja, David Dertz, Brian Preski, Phil Roach, Christopher Rovaldi, and Kurt Steenhoek. I also would like to extend my appreciation to Scott Hamilton for the education, draft development and support throughout the standard development process.
I encourage designers, engineers, inspectors and commissioning agents working within health care facilities to pursue this training and certification when it becomes available. Following the ASSE motto, “Prevention Rather Than Cure,” this standard will provide the knowledge to protect all building occupants while you do your job.
ATTENDING THE 2025 ASPE TECH SYMPOSIUM IN ORLANDO, FL? Join Randy Lorge, IAPMO Senior Director of Workforce Training & Development and IWSH North American Program Director, on Friday, September 26 from 3:15 – 4:45 p.m. for his presentation on “ASSE 12025: Construction Risk Assessment Professional Qualification Standard.” Learn more and register at https://aspe.org/2025-aspe-tech-symposium/education-program.
