IICRC is revising ANSI/IICRC S500: 2006 version and developing S600 and S800 as ANSI Standards. BSR is the ANSI Board of Standards Review that reviews and approves Standards as American National Standards. The following IICRC Standards are currently available for public review and comment:

• ANSI/IICRC S500: Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration: S500 is a procedural standard that provides a specific set of practical standards for water damage restoration. It does not attempt to teach comprehensive water damage restoration procedures, rather, it provides the foundation for basic principles of proper restoration practices.
• BSR-IICRC S600 : Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Carpet Installation: The ANSI/IICRC S600 Standard and Reference Guide will cover both residential and commercial carpet installations. This industry consensus document will give specific guidance for the proper, recommended procedures for installing various carpet products in different types of installations.
• BSR-IICRC S800: Standard and Reference Guide for Inspecting Textile Floor Coverings: The scope of the S800 includes inspection of textile floor covering, including carpet and rugs. The S800 establishes a procedural standard and reference guide for professionally inspecting textile floor coverings.

If you are interested in commenting on S500, S600 or S800, contact Mili Washington, IICRC Standards Director at mili@iicrc.org.

The IICRC Mold Removal Specialist (MRS) certification exam has completed the beta testing and is now open for general applications. The MRS is an exam-only certification with a minimum one-year field experience requirement for applicants. Anyone who has been in the mold industry for more than one year qualifies to sit for the IICRC Mold Removal Specialist Exam. The MRS certification does not replace the current Applied Microbial Restoration Technician (AMRT) exam - it is an additional level of certification. The differences between the MRS certification and the AMRT certification are:

• There are no continuing education requirements, only an annual renewal fee and a recertification every five years.
• The actual exam will be completed at a testing center located closest to you.
• While strongly encouraged, no training pre-requisites are required to take the exam.
• This is the first IICRC exam not associated with a specific training course.

Candidates considering working toward this prestigious credential can get detailed information at http://iicrc.org/exam-only-certification/mold-removal-specialist-mrs/.

Many IICRC Certified specialists, technicians and instructors have been working around the clock on the east coast of the United States helping to restore and remediate the devastation from Hurricane Sandy. We are proud of the way our industry is responding to the needs of the storm victims.

The IICRC Certified Firm annual renewal is in full swing with many firms opting for the free six-month trial membership in the new International Inspection, Cleaning & Restoration Council of Associations (IICRCA). The new association continues to gain momentum and build member benefits working with industry affiliates.