When a human element is involved honesty, ethics, and the desire to do what is right is always in question. The integrity of the individual inspector is the only thing that can make the system work or the lack of integrity can allow the system to break down and fail the employer, customer, and society.
You cannot mandate morality. Any individual bent on distorting the recommendations or requirements of the system will do so to benefit themselves. They do so with the full knowledge that what they are doing is not right, immoral, unethical, and unreasonable. Most moral people know what is right and what is wrong. Just because an action is not illegal doesn’t make it right or moral. The inspector, whether they are certified by AWS, ASNT, API, or an employer has a responsibility to the people that depend on them to be moral and honest in all their actions and activities. Once trust is breached because of unethical actions or activities by an inspector, whether they are work related or related to their personal life, their professional activities will always be called into question. It has been my experience that most inspectors that leave the profession do so because of breaches in ethics or honesty.
SNT-TC-1A is just what it says it is. It is a recommended practice for the qualification and certification of NDT personnel. It is a certification process controlled by the employer. It allows the employer to modify the qualification and certification process to suit their needs as well as those of the customer. It is an opportunity for the unscrupulous to take unreasonable advantage of the generally accepted good practices expected by industry.
A close look at AWS B5.2 will show that the basic concepts of SNT-TC-1A served as the model of how an employer based qualification and certification program for in-house visual welding inspectors can be organized. Likewise, AWS QC1 follows the basic concepts of SNT-TC-1A with regards to the idea that the inspector needs to possess a body of knowledge, i.e., knowledge of the technology of visual welding inspection, welding processes, welding symbols, NDT, etc. QC1 also requires the candidate to attest to having relevant work experience, they have to demonstrate their familiarity with applicable procedures and standards, i.e., welding code, and they have to demonstrate the ability to apply the technology to properly evaluate samples containing “defects”, all of which are basic elements defined by SNT-TC-1A.
The primary difference between QC1 and SNT-TC-1A is that QC1 is a central certification scheme offered by AWS rather than employer based certification. An alternative to employer based certification is offered by ASNT. ASNT’s CP-189 permits central certification and ACCP defines the requirements of ASNT's central certifications scheme which is modeled after the basic concepts delineated by SNT-TC-1A.
As for the three tiers of certification contained in SNT-TC-1A or CP-189, they are not so different than those found in AWS QC1, i.e., CAWI, CWI, SCWI. In many respects the three levels of responsibilities for QC1’s CAWI, CWI, and SCWI closely parallel the responsibilities assigned to ASNT’s Level I, Level II, and Level III.
Whether working with ASNT, API, or AWS, the customer has the right to obligate the contractor to employ visual welding inspectors that are certified by the employer by in-house certification program or through a central certification program offered by a recognized organization such as AWS, ASNT, API, etc. The customer needs to understand the implications of each; in-house certification or central certification. The idea that employer based certification can be tainted by undue employer influences is not new or recent. It is the driving force behind the increased reliance on central certification schemes.
The idea that the Level III should be responsible for developing procedures and approving procedures is closely paralleled by AWS B5.1 Table 1 which delineates the job responsibilities each level of welding inspector level is expected to fulfill. Table 1 of B5.1 clearly indicates that the Senior Welding Inspector should be able to develop procedures, including welding inspection procedures and welding procedures, whereas the WI or AWI (remember, these individuals are not yet certified by AWS) are not expected to develop procedures. One main difference is that many standards that reference ASNT require the Level III to approve NDT procedures. I cannot help but wonder if customers, as they become more knowledgeable of AWS B5.1 and QC1, will at some point in time require welding procedure specifications to be reviewed and approved by a SCWI.
ASNT required involvement of a Level III in the administration of NDT operations is intended to ensure there is an individual available with the proper training and experience to provide the expertise needed to provide training, develop procedures, and to administer in-house certification of Level I, Level II, and where permitted; Level III NDT personnel. Quite frankly, that is something I often find lacking in large organizations that utilize a QA manager, with little to no NDT back ground or expertise, to wrangle their staff of inspectors.
I am currently working to rectify a worst case scenario where a client did away with their entire QC department. I was summoned because a customer involved in military work audited their facility and was dismayed at the situation. The situation went from good to bad when management decided to implement a number of changes in the name of “Lean Manufacturing”. They made several blunders. They didn’t bother to call in a Level III to council them on changes that affected their qualification and certification program. They ignored their existing approved written practice. They didn’t revise the written practice to reflect the changes made. Finally, they didn’t inform the customer of the changes made. That is a serious breach in their contract with one of their main military customers. It is a situation that could have been avoided had they consulted with someone that is versed in handling NDT qualification/certification programs. Sorry fellas, few CWIs or even SCWIs are qualified for the task.
Other than the fact that ASNT’s qualification program isn’t governed by AWS, I fail to understand the rancor or venom directed toward ASNT primary qualification and certification documents. ASNT’s SNT-TC-1A provides guidance for in-house certification and qualification schemes in a manner that is paralleled by AWS’s B5.2. The other is a scheme for central certification of Level II and Level III NDT personnel, i.e., ASNT’s ACCP that is paralleled by QC1. ASNT’s CP-189 requires central certification of the Level III who then administers the in-house NDT qualification/certification program. The customer has the opportunity to specify the certification scheme that best suits their needs.
Any qualification/certification program is only as strong that those individuals that participate. AWS B5.2 can be modified by the contractor to suit their needs in a fashion similar to ASNT’s SNT-TC-1A. The unethical employer can warp the recommendations of AWS 5.2 or ASNT's SNT-TC-1A to suit their needs.
The question of ethical behavior and conduct has been considered by both AWS and ASNT. AWS QC1 has a code of ethics to which all CAWIs, CWIs, and SCWIs have agreed to abide by as a condition of certification. ASNT's ACCP has a similar code of ethics that is a condition of certification by ASNT. In my opinion those codes of ethics are not exclusive to those projects that require AWS or ASNT certification. I believe the code of ethics apply to all inspections performed by AWS/ASNT certified individuals. It is a perception, my perception of what is ethical, moral, and right. It is in line with my perception that a religious person practices their religion all the time not just when they are in their house of worship. Past posts in this forum indicates that not everyone agrees with my point of view on the former subject.
I hope this doesn’t appear to be a sermon, it just my opinion on how inspectors have a responsibility and a duty to their employer, their customer, and to the general public to do what is right and in the best interest of all parties. When we, as certified inspectors, take liberties, it reflects poorly on our judgment and our abilities to act in an unbiased manner in our professional capacities.
The bottom line is that we have to live with our actions whether they are legal, moral, or not. The decisions we make today determine the life we lead tomorrow.
Best regards – Al