Volume 5, Number 4
October 2006
Q. The April, 2006 TNT article, “Creating an NDT Certification Program”, did not discuss experience requirements for certification. Will you describe those requirements and how they relate to certification? C.J., Carrollton, Texas A. Required experience hours are described in the certification program document under which personnel are to be certified. All such documents require that all three facets of qualification, i.e., training, examinations and experience, be met prior to certification. Just taking the training and passing the required tests does not qualify a person to perform the work; it takes those requirements plus experience before a person can be certified. Customers reviewing NDT personnel certifications should be aware of the need for documented experience and look for such documentation prior to accepting personnel as qualified to perform NDT tasks. Q. According to Section 4, Paragraph 4.3.1 of SNT-TC-1A, "An NDT Level I individual should be qualified to properly perform specific calibrations, specific NDT, and specific evaluations for acceptance or rejection determinations according to written instructions and to record results. The NDT Level I should receive the necessary instruction or supervision from a certified NDT Level II or III individual." What is meant by “necessary instruction”? Is an NDT Level I that has been trained by an NDT Level II or III on a particular NDT examination and that is working to a specific NDT Level III approved procedure, allowed to independently inspect and stamp off parts for acceptance/rejection? Thanks for any clarification you can provide. K.C., San Diego, California A. Your request for clarification of Paragraph 4.3.1 of SNT-TC-1A has been previously addressed by the SNT-TC-1A Interpretation Panel in the ASNT publication, Interpreting SNT-TC-1A. The panel response to Inquiry 01-14 states that “It is the intent of 4.3.1 that the Level I should receive the necessary instruction or supervision from a certified NDT Level II or Level III individual. The extent of said instruction or supervision should be sufficient to perform the tasks required as determined by the responsible party.” It should be noted, Level I interpretation may not be appropriate for all situations and most contracts require Level II interpretation. It would be useful in-house or in information only situations. However used, Level I interpretation should be conducted as addressed in the company’s written practice.
ASNT members can find the most recent edition of Interpreting SNT-TC-1A in portable document format (PDF) in the members only section of the ASNT Web site. A printed version of the document (item no. 2040) can be purchased by calling the ASNT Book Department, (800) 222-2768 X215.
Inquiries regarding interpretation of SNT-TC-1A can be directed to the SNT-TC-1A Interpretation Panel by contacting the ASNT Technical Services Department (800) 222-2768 X212 and requesting a Sample Inquiry Form. TNT
E-mail, fax or phone questions for the Inbox to the Editor:
hhumphries@asnt.org
(800) 222-2768 X 206
(614) 274-6899 fax
[ The NDT Technician ]
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