Certification process

Operators prove their eligibility by personal certificates. Personal certificate is the result of the certification process, which verifies compliance with all certification requirements, which are:

Basic education (i.e. operator can read and count)
Practical experience in the field (method, technique)
Documented training with required number of hours
Successfully passed qualification exam
Demonstration of visual competence (i.e. visual acuity)

Certification body shall verify compliance with certification requirements and based on the compliance prepare a written statement. This written statement is referred to as the certificate. (The certificate is not an authorization to work.)

Certification requirements are stated in the certification regulation. This document defines the qualification levels, their requirements, basic responsibilities and conditions for issuing certificates and it is given by each certification body.

Types of certification

In independent certification independent certification body has no direct relation to person to be certified as well as his employer. This certification is governed by the ISO 17024 standard and in NDT uses mainly ISO 9712 and ISO 20 807.

In employer certification the person responsible for certification is the employer or a person authorized by the employer. This certification is governed by the employer’s qualification and certification regulation (so-called Written Practice), which is created on the basis employer-based qualification standards as ASNT Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A (it is not the same as ASNT CP 189, ASNT Level 3 certification or ASNT ACCP) or EN 4179 / NAS 410.

For specific industries such as aerospace, steel products and pipes production, and railways other special standards are used, e.g. EN 4179 / NAS 410, ISO 11484, EN 10256, or UIC 960, ASME ANDE-1. They usually follow the employer certification (except UIC 960 and ASME ANDE-1).

NDT personnel qualified in ATG Training Center can be certified by independent certification bodies APC, ATG CERT, Reaktortest, TÜV Nord Czech and KIWA Inspecta Latvia. ATG Training Center, however, provides trainings also for employer certification system acc. to SNT-TC-1A and EN 4179 / NAS 410. In such case the certification is performed acc. to the standard and customer ́s Written Practice. Training center also provides qualification acc. to UIC 960 for NDT in railways and acc. to AWS and CWS ANB for welding inspection.

Issuing, validity and transition between certification bodies

The certificate determines, who is the person to be certified, in which process, sector, method and level (sector) and in which period is valid. After expiration operators must apply for recertification and reassess the certification requirements.

In some cases (in the case of independent personnel qualification and certification) the candidate or the employer decides to change the certification body in order to meet the requirements of the Customer. In such case the following applies:

Qualification training

which is well documented in terms of duration, content and participation, may be applied to any certification body for certification act. It means after passing the training in ATG Group the doors keep open for various certification bodies.

Qualification exams

exams are recognized only for approved Examination Centers. In case of passing the exam in ATG Group the applicant may apply for certification at APC, ATG CERT, Reaktortest, TÜV Nord Czech and KIWA Inspecta Latvia.

Certification body

can be changed by the person to be certified according to his or her own decision. There are instructions to follow. ATG CERT allows transition from other trusted systems through recertification exam.

More about ATG CERT