ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board: Announces accreditation guidance for voluntary private sector preparedness

Contact:

Penny Gamaché, 800-606-5394, ext. 7275

pgamache@anab-aclass.org

ANAB to Offer Accreditation for DHS PS-Prep Program

Milwaukee – The ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board has issued requirements and invites certification bodies to submit applications for accreditation for the Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Certification (PS-Prep) program.

The PS-Prep program is a partnership between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the private sector that came about following a recommendation of the 9/11 Commission to improve private sector preparedness for disasters and emergencies. Title IX of Public Law 110-53 required that DHS establish a voluntary certification program for the private sector to improve preparedness for disasters and emergencies.

Under an agreement with DHS, the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board is offering independent ANAB accreditation to certification bodies that conform with ISO/IEC 17021, the international requirements for such bodies that provide audit and certification of management systems.

The ANAB accreditation process includes a review of the certification body’s documented processes and procedures, followed by an on-site assessment and witnessing a team of certification body auditors conducting an audit at an organization seeking certification. If concerns are raised during the process, the certification body must provide evidence of correction, root cause analysis, and corrective action before a decision regarding accreditation is made. The accreditation decision is made by an independent committee of volunteers with appropriate expertise. Accreditations are valid for a four-year period, during with accredited certification bodies are subject to ongoing surveillance by ANAB.

ANAB-accredited certification bodes will issue certificates of conformance to organizations that are found to comply with any or all of three standards designated by DHS for the PS-Prep program. The standards – ASIS SPC.1, BS 25999, and NFPA 1600 – were developed by ASIS International, the British Standards Institution, and the National Fire Protection Association, respectively. The three standards designated by DHS provide businesses with a flexible range of options from which to choose to enable them to become more resilient.

ANAB worked closely with DHS and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to develop the program. In addition to regular meetings of the DHS-FEMA PS-Prep Working Group to determine the best way forward for the program, the development process included numerous public meetings and public notices to solicit input.

ANAB also drew on its 20 years of experience in management systems accreditation and worked with preparedness experts and stakeholders to develop a credible and robust voluntary program for accredited certification available for private sector businesses.

Current information on ANAB’s PS-Prep program, including the Accreditation Rule that specifies requirements, is available at http://www.anab.org/accreditation/preparedness.aspx. A publicly accessible list of organizations with accredited PS-Prep certification will be maintained on the site when certification bodies become accredited and begin issuing certificates.

The ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board provides accreditation services under the ACLASS and ANAB brands.

Under the ANAB brand, the organization is the U.S. accreditation body for management systems and accredits ISO/IEC 17021 certification bodies for ISO 9001 quality management systems; ISO 14001 environmental management systems; ISO 22000 food safety management systems; ISO 28000 supply chain security management systems; ISO/IEC 20000-1 information technology service management systems; ISO 27001 information security management systems; ANSI/AIHA Z10, CSA Z1000, and BS OHSAS 18001 occupational health and safety management systems; ASIS SPC.1, BS 25999, and NFPA 1600 private sector preparedness; and numerous industry-specific requirements.

Under the ACLASS brand, the organization accredits ISO/IEC 17025 testing and calibration laboratories, ISO/IEC 17020 inspection bodies, ISO Guide 34 reference material producers, and ISO/IEC Guide 43proficiency test providers.

The ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board is a member of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), and is a signatory of the ILAC and IAF multilateral recognition arrangements. Through these arrangements, the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board cooperates with other accreditation bodies around the world to provide value to the organization it has accredited and their clients, ensuring that accredited certificates are recognized nationally and internationally. The global conformity assessment system ensures confidence and reduces risk for customers engaging in trade worldwide.

For more information, visit http://www.anab-aclass.org.