I've recently run into a situation that my cost me my assignment as the Supervisor of NDE for the weld school of our facility, we are an AWS-ATF certified school.
On March 1st a 2" sch 80 was radiographed. The radiographic interpreters evaluation rejected the work (coupon) due to "imperfections in the base material transpired into the weld".
Can you imagine the Administrator of the weld school forcing this into an RT without a VT.
My concern is that we are an AWS-ATF and this pipe was evaluated to ASME Sec IX. The management is insisting that the fact the pipe was not VT'ed prior to RT is irrelevant as it is not an AWS certification. I wholeheartedly disagree, as we are an accredited test facility. After this piece was in the school administrators hands, its next stop should have been in the recycle bin and not sent for further NDT.
Am I totally off base on this evaluation, as I brought up code requirements (AWS) where all test pieces need VT before any other NDE and ethics. The ethics is where the administrator blew his lid. I do have the latest copy of ASME Sec IX but I can't seem to locate where it requires VT as the first NDE.
Thanks for any information. This situation has not gone any farther than our company and now here.