Licenses, Certifications, & Certificates
The subject of mold assessor/remediator qualifications has been on my mind for quite some time and due to some recent projects, I feel this may be the right time to discuss this issue. Over the course of my career in this industry here in Sunny Florida, there have been many changes to the mold and indoor air quality (IAQ) industry. With regards to mold the most notable change was implemented on July 1, 2011, where Mold Assessment and Remediation licensure became regulated and required through the Florida Department of Professional Regulation (FLDBPR). To keep it brief, the corresponding state statutes specified that the assessor or remediator must have documented training in water, mold, and respiratory protection, carry a minimum amount of insurance, and must avoid any conflict of interest such as the performance of mold remediation or compensation from a mold remediator. Unfortunately the Florida licensure failed to meet relevant industry-based knowledge and OSHA compliance that is related to mold assessment and remediation. In addition, education requirements were vague at best.
For most of us at that time, the mold assessors in Florida who already had or exceeded the minimum education and training requirements to qualify for the license, were grandfathered in and issued licenses to conduct mold assessment. Those mold assessors applying for a state license after the July 1 date had to take a qualifying course that provides a “certificate” from a nationally recognized organization upon successful completion of an exam; however, as mentioned not much specificity was given which brings us to some specific words that requires a definition.
First this brings us to the definition of “License”. A “License” is defined as the following:
Noun
A permit from an authority to own or use something, do a particular thing, or carry on a trade.
Verb
Grant a license to (someone or something) to permit the use of something to allow an activity to take place.
For example the FLDBPR Mold Assessor & Remediation license falls under this definition.
Next I would like to take a look at “Certification”. A Certification is defined as the following:
Noun: Certification
- The action or process of providing someone or something with an official document attesting to a status or level of achievement – “a fundamental requirement for organic “certification”
- An official document attesting to a status or level of achievement.
Ex: The certification includes a comprehensive authenticity check of a purchasers watch, box, and papers – Robb Report, April 9, 2024
A certification is a means or attestation of an individual’s ability to competently perform well defined tasks that is based upon specific bodies of knowledge and the certification is issued independently from a license. Issuance of a Certificate to an individual or entity requires minimum verifiable minimum education requirements (typically a scientific or related technical field of study), documented field experience and training under a competent professional, or a combination thereof. In addition, completion of approved course work and passing of a proctored examination. Upon successful completion of these activities, the individual will provide all of the relevant documentation to a certifying body for approval.
To maintain a certification, the certificate holder will have to provide or attest to a minimum amount of continuing education for professional development and further education in order to annually renew the certificate. The most recognized and respected certifications for mold or Indoor Air Quality assessments are either the Council-Certified Microbial Consultant (CMC) or the highest level of credentialing, Council-Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC) which is issued by the American Council for Accredited Certification (www.acac.org) and are prestigiously accredited by the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (www.cesb.org).
The second set of certifications are the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) or Certified Safety Professional (CSP) which requires more significant scientific coursework or a specific degree, mentorship, and the passing of an exam. Annual renewal and continuing education are also required to maintain these certifications. The CIH and CSP designations are most certainly highly respected and are awarded by the Board for Global EHS Credentialing, Inc. (BGC), previously the American Board of Industrial Hygiene. On more complex projects, it is a common occurrence that several of these certification holders will collaborate on a single project.
All of our indoor environmental professionals (IEP’s) on staff or affiliates of Levy Building Sciences hold certifications from the ACAC, BGC, or both and are expert witnesses or subject matter experts in their specific area of expertise.
Last but not least is my favorite – Certificate. The definition of “Certificate” is as follows:
a document attesting to the fact that a person has completed an educational course, issued either by an institution NOT authorized to grant diplomas, or a student not qualifying for a diploma.
To quote Black’s Law Dictionary: “A certificate is a credential that you completed a specific course or program of study. Certificates are usually awarded by educational institutions and are used to demonstrate knowledge in a particular subject area.
A certificate is typically issued upon completion of a training program that typically requires a test. For example in our industry the Institute for Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), provides industry recognized certificates and guidance documents with respect to water restoration and mold remediation, such as the Water Damage Restoration Technician (WRT) to name a few. The IICRC does provide industry certificates that does a very respectable job of presenting industry knowledge to train and demonstrate competency as restoration professionals and requires regular continuing education requirements to maintain credentials. However, the certificate-holder themselves does little to actually certify the competency of the individual seeking said credentialing.
Another example of an organization that provides a “certificate” program is the National Organization of Remediators & Microbial Inspectors (NORMI). Taking the NORMI Certified Mold Assessor (CMA) course for Florida does not require any education, experience, or insurance verification, and is merely a 24-hour course. Unfortunately, NORMI certificates for mold assessment, remediation or Indoor Air Quality are not approved by any accredited third-party technical or scientific body affiliated with the subject matter the certificate is issued for. The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) states the following:
“It cannot be expected that the skills necessary to conduct proficient mold assessments can be obtained through attendance of a basic mold training course held over a period of one (or a few) days. An Appropriate technical education, experience working under the guidance of a competent professional, and a demonstration of competency in specific areas of knowledge are all vital for an individual to be deemed a “competent professional”. (Assessment, Remediation, and Post-Remediation Verification of Mold in Buildings – AIHA 2nd Edition)
What About the Consumer??
The consumer is the main reason why I am writing about this subject. What does this mean for John Q. Homeowner who suspects that their home has a mold or Indoor Air Quality problem and is searching for the appropriate Indoor Environmental Professional? Unfortunately, the ins and outs of various certifications are not well known by the general public. All too often I am retained for a mold assessment or Indoor Air Quality issue because a previous, unqualified assessor has conducted an inspection that does not meet industry standards and provided a generic report that does not address the issue at hand. This scenario makes me think of the Latin phrase “caveat emptor” – translated simply ‘buyer beware’. Many of the assessors whose training and state licensure are the result of a ‘certificate’ program conduct mold assessments that include sampling without an appropriate strategy, oftentimes leaving the client with (at best) a sub-par report that fails to include the basic yet critical information for a mold assessment. Another red flag are companies that perform both assessments and remediation which is illegal due to an obvious conflict of interest. Often these companies advertise “free mold inspection” on their company vehicles.
This is not to say that all mold assessors and mold remediators are unqualified or cross over the fine line where there is a conflict of interest – not at all. There are many highly qualified Indoor Environmental Professionals and restoration companies that are highly trained and exceed industry standards. For example, any restoration company we work with or is following a mold remediation protocol that we have provided, Levy Building Sciences insist on a contract specifying Levy Building Sciences status as an independent third party and will not engage in any financial arrangements other than my professional fees paid by our client. However, an unfortunate statistic is the amount of individuals who are “certificate” holders far outweighs those who are credentialed & certified. Ultimately as a result of this disparity, there is an inherent hazard to the homeowner due to lack of education and experience.
What is the Solution?
There is no one single answer to this issue but in my humble opinion I feel that education to the consumer is the first place to start, specifically when hiring an Indoor Environmental Professional. If there are any compliance or ethical issues with the mold assessor or remediator the consumer can file a complaint at the state level with FLDBPR as our license numbers are listed on their website. But before one gets to that stage, to hire the right Indoor Environmental Professional for you there are many questions that need to be discussed. First would be to inquire as to education, experience, expertise, and certifications held by the assessor. While some Indoor Air Quality issues are obvious and do not require as much background, other issues can be complex and have multiple independent yet interrelated factors that demand a qualified and experienced Indoor Environmental Professional.
To get into further detail as to what detailed information goes into developing an assessment strategy will take an entirely separate and much more technical discussion. However, for the consumer, it would be appropriate to inquire about the assessor’s experience, credentialing, proof of licensure and insurance, and area of expertise.
If you would like to further discuss these matters, have any questions, or have an Indoor Air Quality problem please contact Levy Building Sciences, LLC and one of our team members will gladly and thoroughly answer all of your questions and address any Indoor Air Quality problems or concerns.
Mark E. Levy, CIEC
Principal Building Scientist
Council-Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
Levy Building Sciences, LLC
Direct: 772-267-9671
