The IICRC S100 Carpet Cleaning Standard has completed the public and peer review process and has now been submitted to ANSI for accreditation. It is expected that the final ANSI/IICRC S100 will be ready to publish this summer, and will be available to the industry in both printed and electronic formats.

This is the first revision of the Carpet Cleaning Standard since 2002, and it includes expanded detail on both residential and commercial carpet cleaning best practices.

The IICRC Standards Committee also reports significant progress is being made in the development of the IICRC S600 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Carpet Installation. This document is being developed with the cooperation and support of the Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI) and the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA).

In addition to CRI and WFCA, materially interested parties working on the committee include, among others, representation from major labor unions, the Certified Floorcovering Installers (CFI) association, major carpet mills, and the Floor Covering Installation Contractors Association (FCICA). The project is halfway through the first year of what is expected to be a three- year project resulting in an industry-accepted carpet installation standard.

Preliminary revision work has already begun on the ANSI/IICRC S500 Water Restoration Standard. In order to maintain its ANSI accreditation the standard must be reviewed and updated at least every five years. The last revision was in 2006.

The new IICRC certification course for Certified Commercial Drying Specialist (CDS) has been very popular and classes are now available on a regular basis. The 4-and-a-half-day course teaches damage inspection and evaluation; work flow management; process administration; and technical methods of effective and timely drying of commercial, industrial, institutional and complex residential water-damaged structures, systems, and furniture, fixtures and equipment. Prerequisites for this course are WRT and HST. To locate a class near you, go to http://www.iicrc.org/courses.shtml.

In March, the IICRC renewed and expanded its contract with Edelman for public relations and marketing services. Efforts are underway to implement a full-fledged branding and marketing plan for the IICRC. The goal is to increase awareness and understanding of the IICRC certifications both within the industry and to the general public. The three-year plan is comprehensive and aggressive, seeking to gain the most exposure for the organization’s marketing dollars.

At the recent semi-annual meetings in Vancouver, Wash., the IICRC Certification Council and IICRC Board of Directors worked on the development of a newly revised strategic/long-range plan, setting goals and plans for the IICRCI. Additional certification categories are being developed in areas such as thermography and home cleaning. IICRC currently processes over 2,400 Certification applications and exams each month.

IICRC standards and certified service providers continue to be recognized and sought after by leading insurance claims professionals as reliable experts in their field. Government agencies, institutions, businesses, and home owners are requesting IICRC certified restoration specialists for their water and fire restoration needs.

For more information on IICRC certification, visit www.iicrc.org.