The Importance Of An Independent Third Party Accreditation

What Does Accreditation Mean?

The American IAQ Council operates eight accredited certification programs. What does it mean to be accredited?

Third-party Approval

Following the requirements of ASTM Standard E 1929, Assessment of Certification Programs for Environmental Professions: Accreditation Criteria, the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB) has established a national reputation for accrediting certification programs in engineering and science-related fields. CESB-accredited programs that you may recognize include the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) and Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM).

The Council’s CIEC program underwent an intensive, six-month examination in 2005, and was fully accredited by CESB as an engineering-related designation effective January 1, 2006.

The Council’s CMC program underwent an intensive, six-month examination in 2006, and was fully accredited by CESB as an engineering-related designation effective October 31, 2006.

The Council’s CIE, CMR, CMRS, CIAQM, CMI and CRMI programs were all fully accredited by CESB at engineering-technician level effective January 1, 2007.

High Standards

According to CESB, certification is designed to recognize knowledge and verified field experience. Accredited certification programs must therefore require both. In order to qualify for CESB accreditation, a certification program must also meet high standards of program operation:

  • It must be administratively independent of other organizations in matters pertaining to certification;

  • Its certifying body must consist of a majority of certified individuals;

  • It must provide the public and consumers with an opportunity for input into its policies and decisions;

  • It must follow strict rules for public disclosure of certification-related activities;

  • It must follow strict rules for test development, evaluation and administration;

  • It must enforce stringent eligibility requirements for all candidates, including eight years of education and/or field experience for engineering-related designations such as our CIEC and CMC and two to five years of education and/or field experience for engineering-technician designations such as CIE, CMR, CMRS, CIAQAM, CMI and CRMI.

Though the Council’s board-awarded designations meet all these requirements and more, the same cannot be said of most IAQ certification programs. Other organizations allow office staffers to grant certification in exchange for payment of fees and passing a simple examination based on a mandatory course with limited information. Field experience is rarely required, much less verified. As a result, “instant certifications” from such organizations are nearly worthless when challenged in court.