AISC will post the new rules and regulations for its updated Bridge Quality Management System (QMS) Certification Program on October 1, 2012. In addition to the new
Standard for Steel Bridges – 2011
his criteria will increase the requirements a participant must meet to become certified or maintain their current certification. Previously, companies were audited to a checklist, which was intended to demonstrate they had created the required management and quality procedures. The updated program is designed to ensure that companies don’t just say they have procedures in place but are actually following them.
The transition between the current “Simple and Major Bridge Checklists” and new bridge standard will be complete on July 1, 2014. After this time, “Simple Bridge” and “Major Bridge” will no longer be valid AISC Certification categories, and the design community will be able to specify a certified bridge fabricator to one of the three AISC QMS Certified Fabricator options under the Bridge QMS Certification category: Simple Bridges, Intermediate Bridges, and Advanced Bridges.