The Nondestructive Testing Personnel Certification Dilemma

"Let the buyer beware"

by Charles J. Hellier, General Manager, Hellier Technical Training and Consulting

Background

Since the first edition of SNT-TC-1A, a recommended practice for employer certification of NDT personnel, was published in 1968, it has become the most widely used program in the U.S. Over its years of use, there have also been cases of wide abuse. Training certificates have been falsified; experience credit has been given where little or none was actually achieved, and certification examinations have been administered without control or oversight. SNT-TC-1A has been an effective program where the employer is ethical and realizes the importance of personnel certification. Unfortunately, there are those companies where profit is more important than "doing it right". So-called "certified" personnel are put out on the job to be "billable" without completing the certification process, and that's when the problems begin.

A Bit of History

The American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) has made numerous attempts to upgrade the certification process including:

1974 - An Independent Test Agency (ITA) was proposed and ultimately led to the development of the current ASNT Level III certificating program. It started initially with Level III Grandfathering in 1976 -1977 and culminated in the Level III by examination program which was initiated in 1977.

1982 - The ASNT Level III Services Inc. (ALSI) to provide outside agency services was proposed and was rejected by the ASNT Board.

1983 - NUC-MR-1A, a set of minimum requirements patterned after SNT-TC-1A designed for the nuclear industry, was prepared then published in 1984. It was not generally accepted by the nuclear industry and ultimately died.

1985 - The Qualification and Certification Standard for NDT Personnel (proposed) was completed and printed. It went through the through the ANSI canvassing process and was published as ANSI/ASNT CP-189 in 1991.

1992 - ISO 9712, an international standard for the qualification and certification of NDT personnel, was issued and reviewed by ASNT's National Certification Board. It was unanimously approved then presented to the ASNT Board for adoption in 1993. Initially, the Board also unanimously approved compliance with ISO 9712 then five days later decided to "align" rather than "comply" with this internationally recognized standard. In my opinion, this was a major blunder and is the cause for the present state of chaos in certification.

1996 - In an effort to "align" with ISO 9712, an ASNT Central Certification Task Force was formed and the program known today as the ACCP (ASNT Central Certification Program).

2002 - ACCP was generally not accepted by industry after significant investment by ASNT. Many considered it a failure due to cost, complexity, and the fact that it wasn't required by code or industry.

2002 - An effort to "kick-start" ACCP was initiated through "Grandfathering" which would allow those individuals who had employer certifications to become centrally certifies through the submission of a simple application form along with the payment of a fee. This Grandfathering for Level II personnel would be in effect for five years at which time the individuals would have to take an "abbreviated practical examination". In addition, Level III personnel who grandfathered into ACCP would be able to renew for an additional five year period by achieving "points", and then take an "abbreviated written examination" at the end of the ten year period.

So, Where Are We Now?

Presently, there are two types of ACCP "certified" personnel. There are those who have completed all of the examinations as defined in ACCP, and those who have grandfathered and have taken none (other than eventually the "abbreviated written examination" for those who decide to take it).

There are now over twenty programs dealing with the qualification and certification of NDT personnel in the U. S. Several are listed below:

1. SNT-TC-1A
2. ANSI/ASNT CP-189
3. ASNT Level III Certificate Program
4. ACCP by examination (Level II and Level III)
5. ACCP by Grandfathering (Level II and Level III)
6. NAS 410 - Certification and Qualification of NDT Personnel (National Aerospace Standard

A Personal Note

I believe it is imperative that the NDT industry adopt a single, standardized, internationally recognized certification system that will be fair, consistent, and appropriate for all. It is my hope that this happens sooner rather than later.

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