API CERTIFICATION EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT

Date 11-12-2012 15:16

You are required to have experience in repair or inspection of above ground storage tanks. This is becoming a issue as the value of the 653 has increased the last six years. This comes down to your commitment to integrity. If you have been working for a tank company as a welder and done enough repair work on the tanks to qualify, you can answer yes on the application. I do hope this was NOT Mark Smith.
However, I have ran into several inspectors the last three years who came from the pipeline who would not know a bull pin from a key plate and they qualified for a passed the test.
They are a authorized as I am!
Unless API gets a handle on this it will only get worse. With the 12 series tanks required to be inspected and companies starting to inspect these types of tanks the demand for inspectors will be increasing and the situation will only get worse. What is going to happen is one of these "Authorized Inspectors" id going to be on a project that winds up on the ground and .gov is going to check the background on these inspectors. If the inspector lied on the application, they are going to be in deep Kim Che and who ever verified the lie is going to be in it with them.
As an inspector you only have your knowledge and integrity to sell. If you are willing to lie for a chance to take the test, where is the stopping point?

By allansitu84516 Date 11-12-2012 18:41

unfortunately, this was Mark Smith. i was in the process of signing up for his class and had the experience question on the application and he didnt even know about it. he even told me many of his students dont have the required experience. he contacted the director of the api committee Nick( Mark BCC me in the email so i know ) and nick didnt know about it. i thought it was a joke. anyway looks like i am not going to take the class or exam for awhile until i get some experience. i have just gotten my cwi so maybe someday i will be working with some api inspectors and will get some experience.

By dbigkahunna (****)

Date 11-13-2012 13:04

I would recommend you get with a company that does API 653 inspections or companies that third party inspectors. Tell them what you have, your experience and where you want to go. You do NOT need a 653 to inspect on in progress tank repairs. Your CWI will help a bunch.The industry needs people like you. Put in your time and when you have it, the certification will be worth more to you than a line of BS to make the paycheck today. The tanks and the money will be there in 4 years.
I am extremely dissapointed in what you said about this being Mark Smith. He should know better. The experience requirements of API 653 D.2 .a)-d) have not changed. I know there are some that are pencil whipping the experience, but that does not make it right.
Again, as a inspector you have 2 things to sell.