Accreditation

Accreditation Requirements

All Army safety and occupational health professionals will participate in the Accreditation Program. Everyone in the career field must become broadened professionally. Those who enter or remain in the Safety Manager/Specialist 018, Safety Technician 019, Industrial Hygienists 690, Safety Engineer 803, Health Physicists 1306 and Aviation Safety Specialist 1815 series will maintain proficiency and currency in specific areas aligned with positive education requirements for their series. Figure 1. Accreditation Matrix of the Safety and Occupational Health Accreditation Program Handbook arrays the Safety and Occupational Health career field accreditation requirements. These are designed to complement, not duplicate, series-unique requirements or other certification requirements (such as CSP, CIH, or CHP).

Accreditation Level Determination Procedures

Determining one’s level of accreditation is a thorough detailed process. The following guidelines and instructions for careerists, supervisors and command/agency career program managers explain how it is done.

Careerist:

Collect all previous and current professional documentation.

Download and complete the Accreditation Evaluation Form (AEF).

Read the description for accreditation components. Using the data gathered in step one, fill out the AEF by putting individual data in the appropriate categories.

Retain a copy of the AEF for record, and forward a copy to your supervisor.

Download and fill out the 3-Year Individual Development Plan (3yIDP) form in draft.

Set up an appointment with the supervisor to conduct an initial accreditation level evaluation session. (Note: Normally this session will coincide with the TAPES annual review process.)

Complete the draft 3yIDP in accordance with supervisor’s guidance; sign, and submit.

Careerists are required to maintain on file a copy of the following:

• Accreditation Program Guidelines
• Current signed/dated supervisor’s accreditation worksheet
• Current signed/dated careerist’s Accreditation Evaluation Form (AEF)
• Current signed/dated careerist’s 3yIDP

Supervisor:

Download, review, and complete the Supervisor’s Accreditation Evaluation Guidelines and the Accreditation Evaluator’s Worksheet.

Use Accreditation Guidelines and information on the careerist’s AEF to fill in appropriate component areas on the Accreditation Evaluator’s Worksheet.

Meet with careerist to discuss the accreditation evaluation process results; explain and discuss how each component of the Accreditation Evaluator’s Worksheet was completed.

Review the careerist’s draft 3yIDP after the current accreditation level is established. The 3-year plan is the vehicle for tracking careerist advancement toward the next level. The plan is a contract of professional good faith that identifies an approved course of professional development three years out, that supervisor, careerist and senior leadership have all agreed to support. (Sometimes it will take a careerist more than three years to advance to the next accreditation level. In any event, the 3yIDP is updated annually, usually at formal TAPES/NSPS evaluation time, and extends three years into the future.)

Sign and return the approved 3yIDP to the careerist.

Process is repeated annually to verify progress toward stated accreditation goals in the 3yIDP.

Supervisors are required to maintain on file a copy of the following for each careerist:

• Accreditation Program Guidelines.
• Current signed/dated supervisor’s accreditation worksheet.
• Current signed/dated careerist’s Accreditation Evaluation Form.
• Current signed/dated careerist’s 3yIDP.

Activity Career Program Manager (ACPM):

Disseminate Accreditation Program information from higher headquarters to local careerists.

Communicate professional development and training opportunities to the activity's Comptroller careerists.

Consolidate the activity's nominations for competitive professional development and forward to ACOM or Headquarters Department of the Army.

Submit the activity's annual accreditation report to ACOM or Headquarters Department of the Army.

Make every effort to resolve disagreements between the supervisor and the careerist over the accreditation evaluation or 3yIDP process.

When unable to resolve disagreements between the supervisor and the careerist over the accreditation evaluation or 3yIDP process, forward dispute to ACOM Career Program Manager.

ACOM Career Program Manager:

Should there be a dispute or disagreement between supervisor and careerist over the accreditation or 3yIDP process at the ACPM level, the MCPM will:

• Review the Accreditation Program Guidelines.
• Review the careerist’s Accreditation Evaluation Form.
• Review the supervisor’s Accreditation Evaluator’s Worksheet for the careerist in question.
• Review the proposed careerist’s 3yIDP.
• Interview the careerist and supervisor (if necessary).
• Upon review of the information above, make determinations on the area(s) of dispute.