I hope this edition of the Working Pressure finds you and your loved ones doing well. While writing this message, around 50 experts from the medical gas industry just finished a working group meeting for the ASSE 6000, Professional Qualifications Standard for Medical Gas Systems Personnel, revision based on the 2021 edition of NFPA 99, Health Care Facilities Code. As always, the discussions and debates in these working group meetings create consensus standards, which help ensure the safety of all who come into contact with the subjects of these standards.
If you’ve never been on a working group before, the idea of joining one can be a little overwhelming. Some questions and comments I hear when asking colleagues to join a working group include, “I don’t consider myself an expert,” “Someone else is more qualified than me,” and “How much time will this take?”
All of these concerns that keep people from adding their voice, experience, viewpoint, and yes, expertise, to a standard are common. These are the same feelings we all have. Taking that step to become a working group member is the hardest part about it. Everything else after that you already have plenty of – knowledge, experience, and
passion (otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this!). In return, you will surely learn some new information, gain different viewpoints, and network with other experts in the piping industry.
So, I encourage you to take a look at our newsletter or website to join one of the many upcoming ASSE working groups. Take a chance! Who knows, your voice on a working group may save someone’s life – a loved one’s or even your own.
Best Regards. See you at a working group meeting soon.
