TESTING
VI. PERSONNEL CONSIDERATIONS
Introduction
The effectiveness of a nondestructive test is primarily dependent upon the qualifications of the individuals performing the examinations. Most nondestructive tests require thorough control of the many variables associated with these examinations. The subject of personnel qualification has been an issue of much discussion, debate, and controversy over several decades. There are many different positions regarding the assurance that an NDT practi- tioner is qualified. The most common approach is to utilize some form of certification. The controversies and the different positions taken regarding this very emotional subject have resulted in the development of a number of different certification programs.
The term “qualification” generally refers to the skills, characteristics, and abilities of the individual performing the examinations, which are achieved through a balanced blend of training and experience. “Certification” is defined as some form of documentation or testimony that attests to an individual’s qualification. Therefore, the obvious process in- volved in the attainment of a level of certification necessitates that the individual satisfac- torily completes certain levels of qualification (training combined with experience) as a prerequisite to certification. In fact, a simple way to relate to this system would be to con- sider the steps involved in becoming a licensed driver. A candidate for a driver’s license must go through a series of practical exercises in learning how to maneuver and control a motor vehicle and, in time, is required to review and understand the various regulations dealing with driving that vehicle. Once the regulations are studied and understood, and upon completion of actual practice driving a vehicle, the individual is then ready to take the “certification examination.” Most states and countries require the applicant to pass both written and vision examinations, as well as to demonstrate their ability to operate and maneuver the motor vehicle. Once those examinations are completed, the candidate is issued the “certification” in the form of a driver’s license. The mere possession of a dri- ver’s license does not guarantee that there will not be mistakes. It is obvious that there are individuals who carry driver’s licenses but are not necessarily qualified to safely drive the vehicles. This is quite apparent during “rush hour” traffic time. It is unfortunate that the same situation occurs in nondestructive testing. Since individuals by the thousands are certified by their employers, there are major variations within a given level of certifica- tion among NDT practitioners. Those countries that have adopted some form of central- ized certification do not experience these variations to the same degree as those who still utilize employer certification approaches.
History
One of the earliest references to any form of qualification program for NDT personnel was found in the 1945 Spring issue of a journal entitled “Industrial Radiography,” which was
published by the American Industrial Radium and X-ray Society. The name of this organi- zation was eventually changed to the Society for Nondestructive Testing (SNT) and, ulti- mately, the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT). The original journal, In- dustrial Radiography, is now referred to as Materials Evaluation.An article in that 1945 issue entitled “Qualifications of an Industrial Radiographer” proposed that the Society es- tablish standards for the “registration” of radiographers by some type of examination, which would result in a certification program. By the late 1950s, the subject of qualifica- tion or registration was being discussed more frequently. A 1961 issue of the same journal, which was renamed “Nondestructive Testing,” contained an article entitled “Certification of Industrial Radiographers in Canada.” Then, in 1963, at the Society for Nondestructive Testing’s national conference, a newly formed task group presented a report entitled “Rec- ommended Examination Procedure” for personnel certification. Finally, in 1967, ASNT published the first edition of a “Recommended Practice” for the qualification and certifica- tion of nondestructive testing personnel in five methods (PT, MT, UT, RT, and ET). This first edition was referred to as the 1968 edition of SNT-TC-1A. This practice, which was a set of recommendations, was designed to provide guidelines to assist the employer in the development of a procedure that the document referred to as a “Written Practice.” This Written Practice became the key procedure for the qualification and certification of the em- ployer’s NDT personnel.
Today, SNT-TC-1A continues to be used widely in the United States as well as in many other countries and, in fact, it is probably the most widely used program for NDT personnel certification in the world. Over the years, it has been revised, starting in 1975, then again in 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000. With this pattern of revisions, it is anticipated that there should be a new revision every four years. Coincidental with the dif- ferent editions of SNT-TC-1A, the Canadian program was first made available in 1961. A brief description of some of the commonly used certification programs follows.
An Overview of SNT-TC-1A
This program—a “Recommended Practice”—provides for personnel certifications to three different levels. Individuals who are just beginning their NDT careers are usually re- ferred to as “trainees.” A trainee is one who is in the process of becoming qualified to be certified as an NDT practitioner. After completion of recommended formalized training and experience, the trainee is considered to be qualified. Upon satisfactory passing of the recommended examinations, the individual can then be certified as a Level I. The Level I is an individual who is qualified to perform specific calibrations, tests, and evaluations for acceptance or rejection in accordance with written instructions or procedures, and to record the results of those examinations. A certified Level I individual should receive in- struction and technical supervision from an individual who is certified to a higher level.
After completion of additional training, and experience, the Level I can take additional examinations and then be considered qualified to become certified as an NDT Level II.
By definition, a certified NDT Level II individual is qualified to set up and calibrate equipment and to interpret, as well as evaluate, the test results with respect to applicable codes, standards, and specifications. Generally, the NDT Level II will follow procedures that have been prepared and approved by the highest level in this system, a Level III. In addition, the Level II may be responsible for providing on-the-job training and guidance to the trainees and NDT Level I personnel. It is expected that the Level II also be thor- oughly familiar with the various aspects of the method for which qualified. A very impor- tant qualification requirement for the Level IIs is that they should be able to organize and report the results of the NDT being performed.
The highest level of certification described in SNT-TC-1A is the NDT Level III. By
definition, the Level III is a highly qualified individual, capable of establishing tech- niques, developing procedures and interpreting codes, standards, and specifications. The Level III should also be capable of designating the particular test method for a given ap- plication, as well as specifying the correct technique and procedure to be used. In general, the Level IIIs are responsible technically for the NDT operations for which they are qual- ified and assigned, and should also have the capability of interpreting and evaluating ex- amination results in terms of existing codes, standards, and specifications. Further, the Level IIIs should have sufficient practical background in the materials, fabrication, and product technology applicable to their job function in order to establish techniques and to assist in establishing acceptance criteria where none are otherwise available. It is also ac- knowledged that the Level III should have a general familiarity with the other major NDT methods and be capable of training and examining those individuals who would be candi- dates for Level I and Level II certification.
To summarize, SNT-TC-1A is a set of guidelines designed to assist employers in the development of their own certification and qualification procedures. Since this program is a set of recommendations, it is intended to provide employers with wide latitude so their procedures can be tailored to the requirements of the products being manufactured and to meet the needs of their clients. The application of this program has resulted in some dis- tinct benefits and significant shortcomings.
SNT-TC-1A Benefits
1. It provides for flexibility as interpreted and applied by each individual employer.
2. It requires employers to analyze their position on certification and document it through the preparation of their written practice.
3. It implies customer responsibility through their acceptance and evaluation of the writ- ten practice, which, in turn can assure the adequacy necessary to comply with the terms and conditions of the contract or purchase order.
4. Through the written practice or procedure, the employer has an implied responsibility to train and to assure that their personnel are experienced and competent.
5. It gives the employer excellent guidelines with respect to examinations that can be ad- ministered as part of the certification process.
6. It provides a common foundation that, even with its flexibility, provides an audit path.
SNT-TC-1A—Its Limitations
1. The lack of consistency that results from employers taking advantage of the latitude contained in this recommended practice.
2. The fact that employers certify their personnel assumes a high level of responsibility and competence on the part of the employer. If employers do not understand the rec- ommendations, or do not apply the intent of the recommendations, the effectiveness of their program can be questioned.
3. There are several paths that an individual can take to achieve Level III certification through the employer, which again results in a lack of uniformity with an employer- based certification scheme. An individual can be designated by the employer as a Lev- el III, examined by the employer to become a Level III, or can be examined through the use of an independent outside agency and, based on the results, become certified as a Level III by the employer.
Summary
In summary, the limitations and weaknesses of SNT-TC-1A, being an employer-based program which depends greatly upon the integrity of the employer, leaves a lot to be de- sired. The solution to this problem lies with either a standard or code that will establish minimum requirements for certification, or a fully centralized approach to the certifica- tion of NDT personnel.
ASNT Level III Certificate Program
In 1976, the American Society for Nondestructive Testing initiated a program to issue Level III certificates to individuals through a “grandfathering” process that provided for issuance of the certificates without an examination. A select committee of highly recog- nized NDT professionals was appointed to review the applications submitted by those who met certain minimum requirements that had been previously established by an ad hoc Level III committee. During a window of 6 months, September 1, 1976 to February 28, 1977, over 1300 applications were received and reviewed by the select committee.
Upon completion of the review, a total of 713 individuals were granted a Level III certifi- cate by grandfathering. Beginning in 1977, ASNT offered Level III examinations in PT, MT, RT, UT, and ET. Eventually, VT, AET, and TIR were added. Examinations now in- clude Neutron Radiography (NRT), Leak Testing (LT), and Vibration Analysis (VA) Testing. (These latter three methods are not included in this Handbook.)
The examinations administered by ASNT are written and cover the fundamentals and principles for each method. There are also questions relating to the application and estab- lishment of techniques and procedures. The subjects of interpreting codes and specifica- tions as they apply to each method are also included. In addition to the method examina- tion, a basic examination is also administered that covers topics such as materials, fabrication, product technology, certification programs, and general knowledge of the ba- sic NDT methods. The basic examination is required to be taken and passed only once, and is a prerequisite to obtaining a certificate for any method. Once the Level III certifi- cate is issued, the employer may have to administer additional examinations if required by their written practice. Once the conditions of the written practice are met, the employ- er can certify the individual. If the written practice states that the only condition for certi- fication as Level III is the passing of the ASNT examinations, the employer may then cer- tify with no further examinations other than a vision examination, which is a requirement for all levels. In this context, certification remains the responsibility of the employer.
Certification Program Overview
Some of the other commonly used certification programs are briefly described here.
There are certain elements of each program that are unique, but a review of these pro- grams points to a need for the uniformity and universal endorsement of a central program that will apply consistently to all NDT personnel.
ASNT/ANSI-CP189
This program is a standard for the qualification and certification of nondestructive testing personnel. Initially issued in 1991 and revised in 1995, it provides minimum requirements for personnel whose job functions require appropriate knowledge of the various princi- ples and application of the nondestructive testing method for which they will be certified.
There are similarities between SNT-TC-1A and CP189. The major difference is that
CP189 is a standard (not a recommended practice). Since it is still an employer-based pro- gram, it requires the employer to develop a procedure for the certification and qualifica- tion of their personnel. The possession of an ASNT Level III Certificate is a prerequisite to Level III Certification by the employer.
MILSTD-410
This military standard was published as MILSTD-410D, which was created in 1974 and was eventually superceded by MILSTD-410E in 1991. The program is primarily used by military agencies and government agencies, as well as by a number of prime aerospace companies and their contractors. It contains the minimum requirements for the qualifica- tion and certification for personnel in nondestructive testing and includes provisions for training, experience, and examination. This program has been replaced with an Aerospace Industry Association document referred to as NAS410. While MILSTD-410E continues to be employed in certain industries, it has been replaced by NAS410. The format of both MILSTD-410E and NAS410 are similar in many respects to SNT-TC-1A and CP189.
NAVSEA 250-1500
This program, which was initiated in the late 1950s, was specifically developed for use in the naval nuclear program. It is a form of central certification requiring candidates to go to an examination site to take examinations that consist of both written and practical parts.
They are administered by an independent agency. It is generally believed that this pro- gram was developed as a result of the late Admiral Rickover’s disdain for recommended practices in the areas of quality assurance and NDT.
ISO 9712
This international standard was first published in 1992 and revised in 1999/2000, and is believed by many to be an excellent format for a truly international central certification program. It establishes a system for the qualification and certification of personnel to per- form “industrial” nondestructive testing. Certifications under this program are accom- plished by a central independent body, which administers procedures for the certification of NDT personnel. There are many countries that have adopted ISO 9712 as a basis for their country’s certification program, including Canada, Japan, most of the European countries, Kenya, and others.
The ASNT Central Certification Program (ACCP)
The ACCP was introduced in 1996 and provides for the certification of NDT personnel through the administration of both written and hands-on practical examinations. It is de- signed to provide a form of centralized certification to those industries and employers who believe there are many benefits to this approach as compared to an employer-based system. It has not been warmly endorsed or widely used at this time, and future imple- mentation does not look promising.
Other Major Certification Programs
Certification Scheme for Welding and Inspection Personnel (CSWIP). This has been in use since the early 1970s and applies specifically to personnel involved with the examina- tion of welds. Since its inception, over 20,000 individuals have been certified worldwide under this program. The administration of this program is the responsibility of The Weld- ing Institute (TWI) in England.
Personnel Certification in Nondestructive Testing (PCN). This is a worldwide central- ized certification scheme that was developed from guidelines established in the 1970’s.
Since 1985, it has superceded certification programs operated by a number of other organ- izations and is now one of the most widely recognized schemes in the world. It addresses industry sectors such as aerospace, casting, welding, wrought metals, and railroads. Over 15,000 certificates have been issued globally. It is ISO 9712 compliant.
The Canadian Certification System (CSGB). This began in 1960 as a centralized certifi- cation program and has remained a basically third-party program administered by the Ministry of the Federal Government of Canada (Natural Resources Canada). This pro- gram has implemented the provisions of the Canadian National NDT Standards. Standard CAN/CGSB-48.9712-95 complied with ISO 9712, 1992 edition. In December 2000, it was replaced with CAN/CGSB-48.9712, 2000 edition, which complies with ISO 9712, 1999 edition, and EN 473, 2000 edition. Broad-sector certification is offered in five meth- ods (RT, UT, ET, MT, and PT) to three levels. Three levels of certification in Radiogra- phy are also available for the aerospace industry.
Some countries, including France (COFREND), Japan (JSNDI), and others, have cen- tralized certification programs that either comply with, or are patterned after, ISO 9712.