Amendment or termination of accreditation

You terminate an accreditation by filing a written request with the Assistant Secretary asking that the accreditation be ended. See Voluntary amendment or termination of accreditation in 1919.7 for the governing authority.

• The standard itself only requires a written request be filed with the Assistant Secretary; it does not prescribe a specific form or wording.
• Keep a copy of the written request and any proof of delivery for your records and to show employers or third parties affected by the termination.

Any person’s accreditation may be voluntarily amended or terminated upon a written request filed with the Assistant Secretary. That means the accredited individual (or an authorized representative acting for them) may submit the request as provided in 1919.7.

• If someone other than the accredited person files the request (for example, an employer), include written authorization from the accredited person to avoid disputes about authority to act.

The written request must be filed with the Assistant Secretary. This requirement is stated directly in 1919.7.

• If you are unsure of the correct mailing address or electronic filing procedure, contact OSHA Headquarters or your regional office for current filing instructions and confirm receipt.

No; 1919.7 only requires a written request to the Assistant Secretary and does not prescribe a specific form or exact content. See 1919.7.

• For clarity and to speed processing, include the accredited person’s name, accreditation number or identifying information, the exact amendment or termination requested, the effective date sought, and the requester’s signature.
• If someone files on another’s behalf, attach written authorization from the accredited person.

Yes, an employer can request termination if they are authorized to act on the accredited person’s behalf, but the written request should include the accredited person’s authorization or signature to avoid disputes. The basic filing requirement is a written request to the Assistant Secretary under 1919.7.

• Best practice is to have the accredited person sign or provide a written, dated authorization so OSHA can readily accept the request.

Yes; 1919.7 allows voluntary amendment of an accreditation by written request to the Assistant Secretary, so you can request changes to scope such as adding or removing qualifications. See 1919.7.

• Describe clearly what aspect of the accreditation you want amended (what to add or remove) and provide supporting documentation if appropriate to show the person’s qualifications for the new scope.

The standard does not specify an automatic effective date; the amendment or termination takes effect according to the action taken by the Assistant Secretary after the written request is filed. See 1919.7.

• Because no timeline is specified in the regulation, confirm the effective date with OSHA when you file and keep documentation of any acceptance or acknowledgement you receive.

Re-accreditation is not covered by 1919.7, which only provides for voluntary amendment or termination; to be re-accredited a person would generally need to apply again under the applicable Part 1919 accreditation procedures. See 1919.7 and related accreditation procedures discussed in OSHA guidance such as the 1977 letter on competent person accreditation procedures (https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/1977-04-26).

• Expect to follow the same or updated accreditation steps that applied when the person was first accredited.

No; 1919.7 requires only that a written request be filed to terminate accreditation, and it does not automatically alter employer-held certifications or records—those administrative steps are separate. See 1919.7.

• Employers should update their own records, notify affected workgroups, and remove or mark credentials that are no longer valid after receiving confirmation from OSHA that the termination has been accepted.

No; 1919.7 only states that an accreditation may be voluntarily amended or terminated upon written request filed with the Assistant Secretary and does not require OSHA to provide public notification. See 1919.7.

• Because the standard does not require notification, the requester should obtain written confirmation from OSHA and share that with employers or other stakeholders as needed to demonstrate the change.

If a standard or practice requires certification in accordance with Part 1919, voluntarily terminating that accreditation may leave the employer without a qualified, accredited person to meet that requirement; employers must ensure they still meet the applicable standard. See 1919.7 and OSHA’s guidance noting that some standards reference Part 1919 accreditation requirements (see competent person accreditation procedures letter at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/1977-04-26).

• Before terminating an accreditation, employers should identify an alternate accredited person or complete re-accreditation so workplace compliance is not interrupted.

Start the request with a clear statement of the action sought (amendment or termination), identify the accredited person and their accreditation details, state the specific changes or termination effective date, and include the requester’s signature and contact information. This approach aligns with the filing requirement in 1919.7.

• If filing on behalf of someone else, attach written authorization from the accredited person.
• Keep proof of filing and any acknowledgement from OSHA.

No; 1919.7 does not specify any fees or processing timelines for voluntary amendment or termination requests. The only requirement in the regulation is that a written request be filed with the Assistant Secretary. See 1919.7.

• Contact OSHA directly to ask about current procedures, any administrative fees, and expected processing time.

Yes; 1919.7 states that the accreditation of any person may be voluntarily amended or terminated upon written request to the Assistant Secretary, which allows targeted changes to a single accreditation or specific elements of it. See 1919.7.

• Be explicit in the written request about which accreditation or which part of the accreditation you want amended or ended to avoid ambiguity.