ASSE Creating Accreditation Institute
The first certification provided by the institute will be on the new ISO 45001 standard. "I think companies will have a competitive advantage when displaying the institute's certification mark," ASSE President Jim Smith said. "It will demonstrate compliance with quality-driven standards that are geared to reduce workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. Investors and customers will gain confidence in knowing that."
The American Society of Safety Engineers announced May 2 that it is creating an independent accreditation institute that will be in operation this summer. The new, fee-based program will certify an applying organization's occupational safety and health products and services based on recognized voluntary national and international consensus standards, according to the society. The ASSE Board of Directors approved the new initiative in April, forming a separate entity under the society.
The institute will not conduct the audits. It will partner with a third-party registrar that will carry out the assessments, with the institute verifying the results and issuing a certification mark when all requirements are met.
"As the market for workplace safety and health products and services becomes more global, certifications become more valuable and are more frequently pursued," ASSE President Jim Smith, MS, CSP, said. "ASSE has been leading the evolution of workplace safety for more than 100 years, so it makes sense to leverage our experience and create a seal of approval that identifies a strong commitment to safety and health."
The first certification provided by the institute will be on the new ISO 45001, Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, an important standard published in March 2018. The certification will confirm adherence to the ISO 45001 standard, and ASSE's announcement said examples of where the institute might expand its certifications after ISO 45001 include hydrogen sulfide safety training, management of confined spaces, environmental safety and health training, construction and demolition operations, and other safety and health management systems.
"I think companies will have a competitive advantage when displaying the institute's certification mark," Smith said. "It will demonstrate compliance with quality-driven standards that are geared to reduce workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. Investors and customers will gain confidence in knowing that."
For more information about the accreditation institute and its proposed timeline, contact ASSE Standards Development Manager Ovidiu Munteanu at [email protected].