These criteria are in accordance with  ISO/IEC 17024:2012 Conformity assessment – General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons.

The certifying body should:

  1. be recommended by a federated Society or group of federated societies.
  2. be national or international in scope.
  3. be separate and independent from any educational body or institution.
  4. have a governing body comprising at least three certified ergonomists, the balance of which reflects the range of interests of practicing ergonomists in the region and ensures impartiality.
  5. be responsible for formulation of policy matters relating to operation of the certifying body.
  6. have written rules that describe the appointment of certifying body members, their responsibilities and reporting structure.
  7. have the financial resources to conduct the certification procedure efficiently.
  8. be operated for no commercial profit.
  9. be explicit about its legal status.
  10. be staffed by personnel knowledgeable about ergonomics and competent for the functions for which they are responsible.

When appointing certification body personnel:

  1. The certifying body must have access to a pool of qualified and competent certification personnel who have the necessary facilities to carry out initial certification and re-certification of applicants.
  2. The certifying personnel must be competent in the areas in which they will make evaluations.
  3. Certifying personnel should be certified themselves; otherwise up-to-date information on their qualifications, training and experience should be documented and maintained.

In considering applications for certification, the certifying body should have regard to the following features:

Eligibility of applicants

The eligibility criteria used by the certifying body should:

  1. be defined clearly, and should include specific reference to educational qualifications, supervised experience, professional experience in ergonomics and the forms of evidence required for the certification.
  2. not be dependent on whether the person is a member of the national or regional ergonomics society.
  3. be non-discriminatory in terms of gender, age, ethnicity, religion, or physical status.
  4. be based upon current ergonomics theory and practice as described in the IEA Core Competencies document.
  5. refer to requirements for recency of an individual’s practice.
  6. require the signature of a Code of Conduct to describe appropriate professional ethical behaviour.

Procedural information for applicants

The procedural information provided by the certifying body to applicants should include:

  1. documents clearly outlining the formal procedures to be followed by the applicant in seeking certification.
  2. the deadlines for applying for certification in any year. • information on all fees relevant to the process.
  3. Information on the duration of the certification and the process for re-application when the certification expires.
  4. the process used by the certifying body to evaluate the suitability of the applicant for certification.
  5. the standards of competency to be applied in all aspects of the review.

Certification processes followed

The processes followed by the certifying body should:

  1. be thoroughly documented.
  2. include rules relating to the process of certification and policies relating to the granting of certification.
  3. be reviewed regularly to ensure that they are up-to-date, especially in relation to ergonomics practice.
  4. include a documented appeal mechanism.

Feedback to applicants

The certifying body should have established processes for giving adequate feedback about the results of the application to applicants.

  1. The feedback must include the possibilities for appeal if the application was unsuccessful.
  2. The certifying body must provide written and signed proof of certification to successful applicants.

Re-certification processes

The certifying body must have already established, or be developing, a re-certification process. That process should:

  1. define the period of currency for any certification awarded.
  2. include criteria relevant to assessing the applicant’s continuing professional development. This assures competence in relation to contemporary practice in ergonomics.

Essential Records

The certifying body should:

  1. maintain an up to date register of ergonomists who have been certified, and make it publicly accessible. Inclusion on the public register must be by signed consent of the certified ergonomist.
  2. keep a confidential record of details of each certification procedure followed for individual applicants.
  3. keep a record of all policies and regulations relating to its process. • produce an annual report, including reference to numbers of applicants and outcomes of the process.
  4. produce annual financial statements

Suspending, withdrawing or reducing the scope of certification

The certifying body should:

  1. have a policy and a documented procedure for suspension or withdrawal of the certification, or a reduction of the scope of certification, in the event of misconduct by the certified ergonomist such as severe disregard of the Code of Conduct.