The ASSE International Board of Directors and Professional Qualifications Standards Committee have issued an interpretation of a Section 6001 1-1.3 of ASSE/IAPMO/ANSI Series 6000- 2015, Professional Qualifications Standard for Medical Gas Systems Personnel.

Issued in accordance with Section III, Interpretations Policy, of the ANSI-approved Procedures for the Development of Standards, below is ASSE International's interpretation of what it means to be a third-party certification agency or a third-party certifier:

• A third-party certification agency (certifier), for individuals, is an independent entity that attests that a person meets the competency requirements of a scheme. They have no interest in the outcome of the certification assessment process, nor do they have any type of relationship with the person being assessed.
• Third-party conformity assessment activity: conformity assessment activity that is performed by a person or body that is independent of the person or organization that provides the object, and of user interests in that object.
• Clearly, a third-party certifier should not be the educational provider or be from the same entity as the educational provider.

This interpretation was approved by the ASSE International Board of Directors and Professional Qualifications Standards Committee.

For questions regarding this interpretation or ASSE/IAPMO/ANSI Series 6000, contact Marianne Waickman, ASSE International Professional Qualifications Coordinator, at marianne.waickman@asse-plumbing.org or by phone at (708) 995-3015.