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Individuals (personnel) who carry out work that requires special skills, such as welding, are undertaking tasks where there is a risk to industry or to public safety. If users are to have confidence in the results of work done by such individuals, it is important that there is a third party that certifies that they have the skills suitable for the work. This is called "personnel certification". An independent (third-party) certification body assesses such individuals against relevant standards (e.g. JIS standards for welding) and certifies them as competent. Personnel certification activities themselves, however, need to be undertaken in accordance with international rules or criteria. If the certification process does not comply with international practice, there is a risk that the work of a person who is qualified in one country may not be accepted in other countries. Personnel certification bodies need to be accredited, by an accreditation body, such as JAB, as competent to assess and certify particular skills, such as welding. The accreditation body also needs to comply with international standards and be recognized internationally as competent to accredit personnel certification bodies. JAB complies with the international standard for accreditation bodies, ISO/IEC Guide 61: 1996- General requirements for assessment and accreditation of certification/ registration bodies, and with the equivalent Japanese standard, JIS Z 9361. JAB grants accreditation to bodies operating certification of persons (personnel certification bodies). The personnel certification bodies are then recognized as competent to assess/ evaluate individuals who seek certification of their skills and techniques and to certify those that are competent. The criteria for assessment/ evaluation of individuals are yet to be published by ISO as an international standard. In the meantime, the European standard, EN 45013, is used internationally. Therefore, JAB assesses and grants accreditation to bodies operating personnel certification based on EN 45013 (see the illustration below). JAB has an active scheme to accredit the personnel certification bodies that certify the skills of welders/ gas pressure welders and persons operating non-destructive testing, and to publish details of accredited bodies. 
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