Vol. 11, No. 1 • January 2012Q. We have hired an ASNT NDT Level III qualified person to conduct exams and qualify our employees as per SNT-TC-1A (2011). Should the employer’s certificate for NDT include the NDT experience of the employee as per SNT-TC-1A (2011)? Should this certificate be signed by the ASNT NDT Level III or is it sufficient that it is signed by the employer’s certifying authority? A. Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A: Personnel Qualification and Certification in Nondestructive Testing does not describe a format for an employer's NDT certification document. Paragraph 9.4 does list the information that employers are required to maintain on file in a person's certification file, but the employer decides what goes on their certification documents. Some employers generate an actual certificate while others may describe the scope of certification in a letter (usually on company letterhead), and most will show the certified person's name, their level of qualification, the applicable test method(s) and the issue and expiration dates for each certification as a minimum. All of the items listed in paragraph 9.4 are required to be maintained in the employer's certification file for the certified person whether they are listed on the certificate or not. The same applies to certification signatures; it is up to the employer to decide who signs a certificate or certification letter. The wording of paragraphs 9.4.9 and 9.4.12, items that are required to be in the certification record, can sometimes be confusing so the clarification published by the ASNT SNT-TC-1A Interpretation Panel for those paragraphs is shown below.*
Paragraph 9.4.9, "Signature of the NDT Level III that verified qualifications of candidate for certification" means that a Level III is required to verify that a person is qualified (eligible) to be certified to the appropriate level of qualification by having met the requirements of Sections 6, 7, and 8 as described in the employer's written practice (see paragraph 9.2). The Interpretation Panel's response is found in Inquiry 09-1 (2009, 1st Inquiry), and states that Paragraph 9.4.9 does not require that the Level III verifying qualifications needs to be certified in the specific test method, he just needs to be a Level III.
Paragraph 9.4.12, "Signature of employer's certifying authority," refers to who signs off on the certification itself. Inquiry 90-1 asked, "Should the employer's representative signing for certification be a certified Level III examiner in the specific discipline or can it be signed by an individual with no certification in that discipline but is a certified Level III examiner in a different NDT process?" and the Panel's response was, "Whoever is identified by the employer in their written practice as the designated representative may sign the record of certification."
Further down in Inquiry 90-1, the Panel also clarified who can certify personnel by stating, "The intent of paragraph 4.3.3 is [for Level IIIs] to train and examine Level I and Level II personnel for certification in the methods in which he or she [the Level III] is qualified."
To summarize:
1. A Level III can only certify personnel in the methods in which that Level III is certified;
2. Any Level III can verify that a person is qualified (eligible) to be certified; and
3. The employer's designated representative may sign the record of certification.* The Inquiries and Responses referenced above can be found in the ASNT publication, Interpreting SNT-TC-1A, which is available to ASNT members as a PDF download in the Members Only section. A printed version can be purchased online at ShopASNT or by contacting the ASNT Book Department at (800) 222-2768. Reference item number 2040.
Respectfully,
James W. Houf
Senior Manager, ASNT Technical Services Department
E-mail, fax or phone questions for the Inbox to the Editor:
hhumphries@asnt.org
(800) 222-2768 X 206
(614) 274-6899 fax
Copyright © 2012 by the American Society for Nondestructive Testing, Inc. ASNT is not responsible for the authenticity or accuracy of information herein. Published opinions and statements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of ASNT. Products or services that are advertised or mentioned do not carry the endorsement or recommendation of ASNT.IRRSP, NDT Handbook, The NDT Technician and www.asnt.org are trademarks of the American Society for Nondestructive Testing, Inc. ACCP, ASNT, Level III Study Guide, Materials Evaluation, Nondestructive Testing Handbook, Research in Nondestructive Evaluation and RNDE are registered trademarks of the American Society for Nondestructive Testing, Inc. ASNT exists to create a safer world by promoting the profession and technologies of nondestructive testing.
