Publicado em 30 de setembro de 2014

Third-Part Certification brings the industry to a new level

The Third-Part Certification—based on ISO 17024 standard that regulates the certification of professionals—will improve the level of quality, safety and productivity in Brazilian construction. “A break of market paradigms will occur due to this process. It will become a reference in terms of certification and a universal standard of people training and qualification in the industry, in the same way of those that already exist in the international area”, says Wilson de Mello Jr., director of Training and Certification of Sobratema – Brazilian Association of Technology for Construction and Mining.

According to Mello Jr., training centers may be accredited. Thus, the different types of courses available in Brazil (having different methods, hourly charges and processes) would be standardized with structured methodology, comprehensive program content and definite hourly charge. This would ensure quality in forming and recycling the professionals of the area. “Currently it is not possible to establish a parameter of quality for the courses available in the market and consequently the evolution of the professional ends to be harmed depending on the place selected by him to carry out his training”, explains him. “Inadequate qualification leads to a higher risk of work accidents. In addition, it results in operational inefficiency that harms machine productivity and may even cause a machine failure”, alerts him. According to market data, construction workers have a risk three times higher of suffering a fatal accident than the workers of other areas.

The Director of Training and Certification of Sobratema emphasizes that the Accredited Certification based on ISO 17024 standard is also a trend for those who are looking for professional development of its productive processes and professionals “It is a non-return way because—due to the increase in the fleet and the use of high-tech equipment—the market is more and more competitive. This is a differential that may lead the company to a higher level”, comments him. “The Accredited Certification will be the guarantee that each professional is appropriately qualified to develop his work with more productivity and safety, reducing the human losses in the industry”, ends him.

To understand market needs, Sobratema—in partnership with Abendi (Brazilian Association of Non-destructive Tests)—developed and made available the Third-Part Certification, structured in a Council and a Bureau formed by the main companies and the highest experts of the area, to ensure thorough standards and methodologies to be used in the certification process.

According to Antônio Aulicino, Institutional Relations Manager of Abendi, “the Third-Part Certification is a huge differential for the professional since it strengthens his commitment with the enforcement of established regulations and of quality and safety standards”. Aulicino continues: “For the companies, certification ensures gain of competitiveness improving services rendered and reducing rework, insurance costs and occurrences such as damages, equipment losses and operators’ absence”. Abendi is an organism of people certification accredited by the Inmetro – National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology and makes available certification in several areas, including manufacturing, oil and gas, sanitation and others.

Initially, the Third-Part Certification was developed for the area of load lifting and handling. The first functions selected were: Rigger, Rigging Supervisor and Lasher Signalman. The first professional to be certificated in the function of Rigger was the engineer Ricardo Sávio, professional with 15 years of experience and a strong academic graduation.

In this month of July, the Third-part Certification will also be available for operators of cranes, tower cranes, knuckle-boom cranes, overhead travelling cranes and gantry cranes. “Next steps of development of Third-part Certification will involve operators of yellow line equipment: excavators, crawler tractors, motor graders, loaders, compactors and backhoes”, tells Mello Jr.