Procedures for the Certification of Welders and Fault Detectors in the Regulated Sphere

Issued pursuant to
Section 7, Paragraph one
of the Law on Conformity Assessment and
Section 32.¹ Paragraphs one and two of the
Law on Regulated Professions and the
Recognition of Professional Qualifications

I. General Provisions

1. These Regulations prescribe the requirements for persons who connect metal materials by means of welding (hereinafter - welders), and persons performing the non-destructive examination of metal materials and welded joints (hereinafter - fault detectors) in the regulated sphere, as well as the procedures for the certification of welders and fault detectors.

2. A welded joint of metal materials (hereinafter - welded joint) is a joining of steel, aluminium, copper, nickel, titanium, zirconium or the alloys thereof used in the regulated sphere which occurs by utilising one of the following manual or partially mechanised types of welding:

2.1. electric arc welding; or

2.2. oxygen/acetylene welding.

3. The conformity of the competence of welders and fault detectors shall be assessed by certifying bodies that have been accredited by the State Agency "Latvian National Accreditation Bureau", according to the standard LVS EN ISO/IEC 17024 "Conformity assessment - General requirements for bodies operating certification for persons" (hereinafter - certifying bodies) and regarding which the Ministry of Economics has published a notification in the newspaper Latvijas Vēstnesis [The official Gazette of the Government of the Republic of Latvia].

II. Requirements for Welders

4. Welders may perform work in the regulated sphere if the professional qualification thereof has been recognised by a certifying body in accordance with one of the following standards:

4.1. LVS EN 287-1 "Approval testing of welders. Fusion welding - part 1: Steels";

4.2. LVS EN ISO 9606-2 "Qualification test of welders - Fusion welding - Part 2: Aluminium and aluminium alloys";

4.3. LVS EN ISO 9606-3 "Approval testing of welders. Fusion welding - Part 3: Copper and copper alloys";

4.4. LVS EN ISO 9606-4 "Approval testing of welders. Fusion welding - Part 4: Nickel and nickel alloys"; and,

4.5. LVS EN ISO 9606-5 "Approval testing of welders. Fusion welding - Part 5: Titanium and titanium alloys, zirconium and zirconium alloys".

5. In order to acquire a certificate certifying the professional qualifications of a welder (hereinafter - certificate of a welder), the applicant shall submit to the certifying body the relevant application and education document regarding the completion of theoretical and practical training courses.

6. Subsequent to the receipt of the documents specified in Paragraph 5 of these Regulations, a certifying body shall, by organising a practical test, assess the conformity of the applicant's qualifications in the area applied for certification, in accordance with the requirements prescribed by the standards specified in Paragraph 4 of these Regulations.

7. If the practical test is passed satisfactorily and the person has reached 18 years of age, the certifying body shall issue to the applicant a certificate of a welder. The certificate shall indicate the given name, surname, personal identity number of the welder and the area of activity, the number, date of issue and period of validity of the certificate, as well as information identifying the certifying body

8. If the requirements prescribed by Paragraphs 5, 6 or 7 of these Regulations have not been observed, the certifying body shall refuse to issue to the applicant a certificate of a welder, providing a written substantiated refusal. A refusal may be disputed with the Ministry of Economics according to the procedures prescribed by the Administrative Procedure Law.

9. A certifying body shall cancel an issued certificate of a welder if:

9.1. the period of validity of the certificate has expired;

9.2. the welder has expressed a wish to give up the certificate;

9.3. there has been an interruption in the work of the welder for longer than six months.

9.4. the employer has suspended the welder from the work to be performed due to a failure to comply with the normative technical documents regulating the performance of welding work and he or she has informed the certifying body of this fact; or

9.5. it is established that issuance of the certificate of a welder has been unjustified.

10. Information regarding the assessment and certification of welders shall be kept by the certifying body for at least 10 years after the issuance of a certificate of a welder.

III. Requirements for Fault Detectors

11. Fault detectors may perform non-destructive examination of welded joints in the regulated sphere, if his or her professional qualification has been recognised by a certifying body in accordance with standards LVS EN 473 "Non-destructive testing - Qualification and certification of NDT personnel - General principles".

12. Non-destructive examinations shall be performed, by utilising the following methods:

12.1. examination by eddy current;

12.2. examination by magnetic particles;

12.3. examination by radiograph;

12.4. examination by ultra-sound;

12.5. examination by colour solutions (penetration);

12.6. examination by acoustic emissions; or,

12.7. testing by the flow method.

13. In order to acquire a certificate certifying the professional qualifications of a fault detector (hereinafter - certificate of a fault detector), the applicant shall submit to the certifying body the relevant application and education document regarding the completion of theoretical and practical training courses.

14. The certifying body following receipt of the documents specified in Paragraph 13 of these Regulations shall assess the conformity of an applicant's qualifications in the area applied for certification, by organising a practical test in accordance with the standard LVS EN 473 "Non-destructive testing - Qualification and certification of NDT personnel - General principles".

15. If the practical test is passed satisfactorily and the person has reached 18 years of age, the certifying body shall issue to the applicant a certificate of a fault detector. The certificate shall indicate the given name, surname, personal identity number and the area of activity of the fault detector, the number, date of issue and period of validity of the certificate, as well as information identifying the certifying body.

16. If the requirements specified in Paragraphs 13, 14 or 15 of these Regulations have not been observed, the certifying body shall refuse to issue to the applicant a certificate of a fault detector, providing a written substantiated refusal. A refusal may be disputed with the Ministry of Economics according to the procedures prescribed by the Administrative Procedure Law.

17. A certifying body shall cancel an issued certificate of a fault detector if:

17.1. the period of validity of the certificate has expired;

17.2. the fault detector has expressed a wish to give up the certificate;

17.3. there has been an interruption in the work of the welder for longer than one year;

17.4. the employer has suspended the fault detector from the work to be performed due to failure to comply with the normative technical documents regulating the performance of non-destructive examinations and he or she has informed the certifying body of this fact; or

17.5. it is established that issuance of the certificate of a fault detector has been unjustified.

18. Information regarding the assessment and certification of a fault detector shall be kept by the certifying body for at least 10 years following the issuance of a certificate of a fault detector.

IV. Closing Provisions

19. Cabinet Regulation No. 143 of 27 March 2001, "Regulations Regarding Certification of Professional Qualifications for Welders and Fault Detectors in the Regulated Sphere", (Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2001, No. 52; 2003, No. 167; 2004, No. 68) is repealed.

20. Documents (certificates) certifying the competence of welders and fault detectors, that have been issued prior to the date of the coming into force of these Regulations shall be valid until the expiry of the period of validity indicated therein.

21. These Regulations shall come into force on 15 September 2006.

Prime Minister A. Kalvītis

Minister for Economics A.Štokenbergs

Translation © 2007 Tulkošanas un terminoloģijas centrs (Translation and Terminology Centre)