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ARTBA Foundation’s safety certification program earns ANSI accreditation

ARTBA Foundation’s safety certification program earns ANSI accreditation

Washington, D.C. — The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) Foundation’s certification program to test and recognize an individual’s knowledge of the core competencies needed to recognize and mitigate safety hazards on transportation project sites has earned the “gold standard” of professional credentialing.

ARTBA announced May 7 the Safety Certification for Transportation Project Professionals (SCTPP) Program, launched in late 2016, has been accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) under the ISO/IEC 17024:2012 international standard.  ANSI accreditation signifies the certificate holder has completed a prescribed course of study designed specifically to meet pre-defined industry requirements and that the program’s sponsor has met, and continues to meet, international standards for quality improvement.  It distinguishes industry- or government-developed professional credentialing programs from “self-certified” certificate courses offered by organizations and private vendors.

The approval by ANSI’s Professional Certification Accreditation Committee (PCAC) comes following the foundation’s submission of a 550-page application, rigorous audits of its management systems and psychometric procedures, and detailed examination of the test’s development and administrative processes.

“This is a major development.  Earning ANSI accreditation didn’t just happen,” says SCTPP Commission Co-Chair Ross Myers, the chairman & CEO of Pennsylvania-based Allan Myers.  “It is the culmination of nearly five years of work by the industry’s best and brightest safety leaders from both the private and public sectors who shaped the program and developed the test under the ARTBA umbrella.  This is an industry consensus program.”

David Walls, SCTPP Commission Co-Chair and the president & CEO of Dallas-based Austin Industries, added, “We believe ANSI’s stamp of approval will build momentum for industry firms and public agencies to accelerate the number of their employees who become safety certified.”

In addition to Myers and Walls, the Certification Commission includes leaders from some of the nation’s top transportation infrastructure firms, the insurance industry, organized labor and government.  The group established operational policies in April 2016.  The Commission provides leadership, governance and ongoing oversight.

“ANSI commends ARTBA’s Foundation for achieving accreditation and demonstrating its commitment to the continual improvement of its certification program,” said Dr. Vijay Krishna, senior director, credentialing programs at ANSI.  “Accreditation by ANSI demonstrates compliance to a rigorous internationally recognized accreditation process and creates a valuable market distinction for these credentials.”

The SCTPP is aimed at the thousands of project supervisors, foremen, inspectors, planners and designers who are in decision-making positions from a project’s inception through completion.

Industry-leading firms and organizations involved in the program’s development include: Zachry Construction, Lane Construction, Granite Construction, the Kiewit Infrastructure Group, Oldcastle Materials, The Vecellio Group, Barriere Construction, Superior Construction, Liberty Mutual Insurance, the Arch Insurance Group, the Laborers’ Health & Safety Fund of North America, the Texas Department of Transportation, the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, Virginia Tech, The Center for Construction Research & Training, Plastic Safety Systems, InVia Pavement Technologies, and Mobile Barriers.

To learn more, visit: www.puttingsafetyfirst.org or contact ARTBA Senior Vice President of Safety & Education Brad Sant (bsant@artba.org).