ASSE/IAPMO/ANSI Series 15000-2020, Professional Qualifications Standard for the Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, has been approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and is now available for purchase.

With increased fire safety awareness and legislation requiring that the fire protection industry be in compliance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 25, ASSE developed the Series 15000 in 2015 to establish minimum qualifications for professionals performing the inspection, testing and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems and address a level of competency beyond the requirements of the NFPA 25 standard.

Although other organizations certify individuals as being competent in the inspection and testing aspects of NFPA 25, ASSE wrote this standard to address a level of competence beyond the requirements of NFPA 25. The evaluation of fire protection systems for conformance to applicable codes and standards, as well as the evaluation of the building and its use to determine if the sprinkler system is adequate for the building, is beyond the scope of the NFPA 25 standard. A person certified to ASSE Series 15000 is expected to be capable of performing such evaluations in consultation with a licensed engineer in those states where a licensed engineer is required to perform tasks associated with such judgment. 

“The evaluation of fire protection systems to determine adequacy based on given conditions is the responsibility of property owners,” said ASSE Series 15000 Working Group Chairperson Rita Neiderheiser. “However, the property owner may not have enough knowledge or expertise to determine the adequacy of their system. Therefore, this type of evaluation is a necessary qualification for water-based fire protection system professionals. A person certified to ASSE 15010 will have demonstrated their qualifications to perform such evaluations.”

Changes in the 2020 edition of ASSE Series 15000 include clarification of inspection and sample testing of sprinklers, the addition of NFPA 11 and NFPA 22 knowledge to the list of requirements of ASSE 15010 certification, and the inclusion of remotely monitored automated inspection and testing. Also, as an ANSI-accredited standards development organization, ASSE International must revise this American National Standard at a minimum of every five years.

To purchase ASSE/IAPMO/ANSI Series 15000-2020, visit the ASSE International Webstore at www.assewebstore.com. For questions regarding the standard or the ASSE 15000 Certification Program, contact Marianne Waickman, ASSE international professional qualifications director, at marianne.waickman@asse-plumbing.org or 708-995-3015.