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Certification Makes a Difference

10/1/2005

Last year, ACI celebrated its 100th anniversary and this year we are commemorating the 25th anniversary of our Certification Program. Everyone involved in concrete construction should be aware of the impact that the ACI Certification Program has had on our industry.

Recently, I had an opportunity to become aware of a situation involving the lack of qualified inspection (and inspectors) on a major construction project. Unfortunately, this lack of qualifications was one of the contributing factors to a structural collapse that resulted in the deaths and injuries to a number of workers.

This experience caused me to review my history as it relates to inspection of concrete structures and to review how we specify the qualifications of the personnel who perform that function. In the early 1970s, I was briefly involved in an early forerunner of the ACI Certification Program with the ACI Houston Chapter. This is an indication that we've been concerned for some time about the quality of concrete construction and the inspectors and technicians actually involved in it.

In 1979, the ACI Board of Direction made the decision to develop an ACI Certification Program. ACI Committee E 902, Certification, was formed under the Educational Activities Committee in 1980. The goal of the program was-and still is-to improve the quality of concrete construction. Who could have imagined that today we would have over 250,000 individuals in 44 countries tested for certification by the American Concrete Institute? Today, we're testing over 20,000 concrete technicians, inspectors, supervisors, and trades workers each year.

As a consulting structural engineer, this gives me the confidence that I can specify certified personnel and assume that they are available virtually anywhere in the U.S., as well as a number of foreign countries.

Exams are available in English, French, and Spanish. ACI administers the program worldwide in Canada, Mexico, Chile, Lebanon and other Mideast countries, and Ecuador, to name a few. Just this year, the program was also extended to India.

We're also pleased that ACI 318-99 discussed qualified inspectors and references several available programs in Section 1.3, and ACI 318-05 now lists only the ACI program or its equivalent.

I became very interested in what a "Concrete Construction Special Inspector" would be expected to know. After reviewing the recommended reference package, which includes a sample exam, I have several thoughts. First, the knowledge that is required of an individual to pass the exam for a "Concrete Construction Special Inspector" is substantial.

Second, as practicing engineers, we should feel completely confident that an inspector certified as a Special Inspector will be satisfactory "eyes and ears" for us on the job site. This person will represent the contract documents and we should feel completely secure that he or she will know what is required to inspect, and will record the results of concrete construction. In order to pass this exam, an individual must be able to read plans and understand them. For example, a Concrete Construction Special Inspector has to understand cover, dowel lengths, hooks, bar spacing, code requirements for calcium chloride, tolerances, when cold weather conditions are in effect, and more.

Finally, it's my personal opinion that most practicing structural engineers could not pass this "open book" exam without a fair amount of review of their own reference library and the reference documents provided as suggested study materials for the exam.

Therefore, I'm absolutely convinced that ACI-certified personnel do make a difference. We owe a large debt of gratitude to the folks who started this program and to those who have developed and operated it over the last 25 years. Many of our ACI chapters have been very active in the Certification Program. We thank them and their members, who have given of their time and talents, for making ACI Certification what it is today. Many of these pioneers will be honored at the ACI Certification Dinner during the upcoming ACI fall convention.

We, as ACI members, should give John W. Nehasil, Managing Director of Certification, and his staff all the support that we can. They are making a difference.

James R. Cagley, President
American Concrete Institute
jim@cagley.com

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