The NDT industry is founded on integrity. At the heart of that industry are the personnel who carry out NDT operations around the clock, a skilled workforce who pride themselves on honesty and strong moral principles.
One way of trying to ensure the industry upholds the highest levels of integrity globally is to certify personnel who operate in accordance with an internationally recognised qualification and certification scheme. This is often mandated by governing specifications and codes, either specifically for NDT or those related to the construction and design of a product form. There are several schemes available holding international recognition; however, they may differ in terms of their requirements and suitability for different industries.
Whether specific personnel are new to the industry or an experienced individuals, the differences between global schemes of qualification and certification can cause confusion. Within this article, I will aim to provide an overview of what constitutes qualification and certification, some of the major differences between the larger global certification schemes and highlight responsibilities regarding both.
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Firstly, let’s outline what both qualification and certification mean. In short, qualification is typically proof that an individual has satisfied all the requirements of a particular scheme in preparation for certification. This may consist of documented evidence of industry experience or “on-the-job training” (OJT), acceptable visual acuity and colour perception, completion of an approved training course and success in an approved competency examination, typically consisting of both theoretical and practical elements.
American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A defines certification as written testimony of qualification, and it is who reviews the evidence of qualification and issues this written testimony as the certifying authority often defines the differences between major certification schemes.
At a high level, certification schemes can be split into ‘third-party’ or ‘central certification’ and ‘employer-based’. While other schemes exist, for the purposes of this article, I will focus on those in accordance with ISO 9712, SNT-TC-1A and aerospace scheme EN 4179 (NAS410 is the US equivalent).
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The majority of third-party certifications will be derived from ISO 9712 - Non-destructive testing: Qualification and certification of NDT personnel. ISO 9712 is an international standard; therefore, for NDT personnel to become certified in accordance with any scheme derived from it, they must unwaveringly meet the stringent requirements for qualification. For several years, arguably the most recognised ISO 9712-derived scheme globally has been the British Institute of Non-destructive Testing (BINDT) Personnel Certification in Non-destructive Testing (PCN) scheme. In this case, BINDT is the certifying body and has control over the requirements for qualification and the issue of certification. These requirements are outlined in document PCN24/GEN and its Appendices.
To administer the PCN scheme globally, BINDT uses a trusted network of Approved Training Organisations (ATO) and Authorised Qualifying Bodies (AQB) to administer the required training and examination content for the NDT method(s) in question, alongside aspirant candidates obtaining the necessary OJT with their employer and/or a suitably qualified person. The AQB will review all evidence of qualification and effectively make a recommendation to BINDT/PCN that the aspirant candidate has satisfied the requirements for certification and, therefore, upon their approval, be certified in the method and sector sought, at the level attempted. Whilst BINDT has overall control over the issue and revocation of an individual’s certification, it is the employer’s responsibility to authorise any NDT personnel to operate within their organisation and carry out any specific on-the-job training, as stated in ISO 9712 section 5.5 under employer responsibilities.
An employer-based certification, as the name suggests, shifts the onus firmly onto the employer as the certifying authority for all NDT personnel within the organisation. SNT-TC-1A and EN 4179/NAS410 both fall under the employer-based umbrella but the difference between them is that SNT-TC-1A is a recommended practice, meaning its contents are guidelines and can be tailored to suit the requirements of a specific organisation, whereas EN4179/NAS410 are standards, designed to meet specific aerospace quality requirements and therefore said requirements are mandatory and must be strictly adhered to in order to claim compliance with Either.
In either scheme, it is a requirement to document the process for qualification and certification of NDT personnel in a written practice, the contents of which become mandatory within a specific organisation. The requirements of a written practice must be reviewed and approved by an individual certified to Level 3/III in the NDT methods contained therein, commonly referred to as the NDT Level 3/III or Responsible Level 3/III. Level 3/III personnel may either be a direct employee of the cognizant organisation or a third party acting as the Level 3/III, termed an outside agency. It is not always cost-effective for organisations carrying out NDT to directly employ a Level 3/III individual; therefore, outside agencies exist to outsource this responsibility. In all circumstances, the Level 3/III must be vetted and approved by the employer to carry out duties on their behalf, as any NDT personnel should be. Note that a Level 3/III individual is often certified by a third-party organisation, such as an ASNT NDT Level III.
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Aspirant candidates fulfilling the qualification requirements of a company’s written practice may, at the discretion of the employer, be issued with certification and written authorisation, allowing them to undertake NDT activity on the company’s behalf in the methods and techniques to the level at which they are certified. Should an individual leave the employment of a specific organisation and join another, then all NDT certification under the first employer’s written practice is revoked, and the individual must be recertified under the new organisation’s written Practice.
To conclude, each of the aforementioned certification schemes holds international recognition and merit. The choice of scheme really comes down to the industry or organisation where specific NDT operations are taking place, and which suits that environment best. Certain industries may have a preference for or mandate one scheme over another, and many NDT personnel will be certified across more than one scheme, depending on the requirements of their employer.
Regardless of which certification scheme is adopted, it is still the responsibility of the employer to authorise NDT personnel to operate and to ensure they choose those they can trust to act with the level of integrity the industry requires.
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Author: Nathan Bate
