An important increase in the evolution of productivity and safety in worksites

Third–part accreditation ensures international parameters and standards of equipment operation, bringing labor qualification to a new level

Contractors, equipment manufacturers and rental companies are carrying out efforts to increase productivity, safety and quality in worksites through the whole country. One of these actions is the investment in qualification of their professionals through internal training programs. Another practice is the hiring of specialized institutions to carry out courses directed to the qualification and recycling of operators, engineers and other professionals that work in equipment operation and management.

The Third-part Accreditation, based on ISO 17024 standard—that normalizes the accreditation of professionals—will increase the level of quality, safety and productivity in Brazilian construction. “This will cause a paradigm break in the market. It will be a reference in terms of accreditation and a universal standard of people training and qualification in the area, such as the existing programs of international level”, points Wilson de Mello Jr., director of Labor Training and Accreditation of Sobratema – Brazilian Association of Technology for Construction and Mining.

According to Mello Jr., since training centers are accredited, the different courses available in Brazil may have their methods, hour charges and processes standardized with a structured methodology, comprehensive program content and defined time charge. This will ensure the quality of formation and recycling of the professionals that work in the area. “Currently it is not possible to establish a quality parameter for the courses available in the market and consequently the evolution of the professional is impaired, depending on the place selected to carry out his training process”, explains him. “An inappropriate training increases the risks of accidents and results in professional lack of efficiency, reducing the productivity of the equipment and even causing its failure”, alerts him. According to data available in the market, construction workers have a risk of accident three times higher than the workers of other areas.

Mello Jr. emphasizes also that the accreditation based on the ISO 17024 standard is also a trend for those who are looking for development of productive processes carried out by their professionals. “It is a no-return way, since—with the fleet increase and the coming of high-tech equipment—the market is more and more competitive. This is the differential that allows the company to rise to another level”, points him. “This process of accreditation will ensure that the professional is appropriately qualified to carry out his work with more productivity and safety, reducing the human losses of this industry”, adds him.

To understand the market needs, Sobratema—in partnership with Abendi–Brazilian Association of Non-destructive Tests and Inspection—developed and turned available the Third-part Accreditation—structured through a Board of Advisers and a Bureau and formed by the main companies and experts of the area—to ensure strict control standards and methodologies to be used in the process of Accreditation.

According to Antônio Aulicino, Institutional Relations Manager of Abendi, “the Third-part Accreditation is an important differential for the professional, since it improves his commitment with the enforcement of established regulations and safety and with quality standards”. Aulicino continues: “For the companies, the Accreditation increases their competitiveness with the improvement of services rendered, the reduction of rework, the reduction of insurance costs and the reduction of events such as damages, losses of equipment and load and operators’ removal”. Abendi is an institution of people accreditation certified by the Inmetro-National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology and offers accreditation in several areas such as industrial, 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 Foreman and Lasher Signalman. The first professional certified in the function of Rigger was the engineer Ricardo Sávio, professional with 15 years of experience and a solid academic graduation.

During this month, the Third-part Accreditation will be also available for operators of cranes, tower cranes, articulated cranes, overhead travelling cranes and gantry cranes. “The next step of the Third-part Accreditation will be carried out for yellow-line operators (excavators, bulldozers, motor graders, loaders, compactors and backhoes)”, tells Mello Jr.