FAIRFAX, Va. — The Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA) announced that 2013, the first year of the program, saw more than 1080 exams administered in its flagship Professional Certification Program. An internationally recognized program for the professional certification of those active in the installation of spray foam for both roofing and insulation applications, the program encourages best industry practices and safety in the installation of spray foam. With industry demand and first-year adoption of the program both strong, the SPFA projects a doubling of these numbers to occur during the 2014 calendar year.

“The SPFA Professional Certification Program is the only of its kind offered in our industry,” SPFA President Bob Duke. “We have witnessed widespread interest and participation in this program during its first year and believe we are on course for it to become the industry’s standard installation certification.”

A certification offered both domestically and internationally, the Professional Certification Program is a thorough, standards-driven program developed by the industry in collaboration with OSHA and NIOSH, EPA and other federal agencies, along with other external stakeholders. Designed to be accessible and affordable, the program aims to raise the bar of professionalism and safety in the installation of spray foam and is ISO 17024 compliant.

The 1,000^th test of the program, a notable milestone, was administered to Roy Murphy, a professional spray foam installer from Cambridge, Mass. Spray Foam Nation, a national provider of spray foam training, spray foam rigs, equipment sales and service, and an online spray foam store, provided the test as a third-party testing administrator on behalf of the SPFA.

“This is an important milestone — not only for the program, but for our industry at large,” said Peter Cantone of Spray Foam Nation. “In bringing this certification program offering to installers of spray foam, the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance has moved the industry further forward on a path to professionalism, and we are excited to be part of it.”

Still in its inaugural year — the program is not yet a full 12 months old — the Professional Certification Program has drawn significant attention and participation. “We created this program because we understood it was time for our industry to have expectations established for professional standards in the installation of spray foam,” said Bonnie Strickler, chair of the SPFA Professional Certification Program.

“While we expected it to be well received, we did not anticipate the current level of demand and are extremely pleased at the success and adoption of the program in our industry.”

The Professional Certification Program offers various levels of certification for both the roofing and insulation categories. To become certified, participants must pass the exam and meet the criteria for the level and category of certification desired. The program is progressive, with each level obtained only after the candidate completes the requirements for the previous level and subsequently completes the requirements for the current level.  All certified installers receive professional credentials to demonstrate their program completion and industry expertise.

 For more information, visit www.sprayfoam.org.