Obtaining and issuing a welder qualification certificate

What it is?

This mandatory document is issued to the employee after certification; it lists the types of work for which the specialist is granted permission .
Without it, the administration of the enterprise cannot really allow the electric welder to work. The certificate is issued by the territorial division of NASK after the employee has passed the qualification commission, tested welding theory and practice. The welder's certificate indicates the worker's full name, year of birth, and a photograph is pasted in. The level of the specialist is indicated, and the specializations in which the welder has the right to work are listed. Groups of materials for the connection of which a specialist has received permission are also given.

The certificate of the NAKS specialist indicates the commission protocol number and the expiration date of the document. The certificate must be certified by the head of the center and his seal.

Why is it necessary?

With the help of welding, permanent connections are created in the production of machine tools and vehicles, the construction of residential and industrial buildings and pipelines, infrastructure elements, nuclear and chemical reactors, and other technological installations in various fields.

Many of these objects pose an increased danger. The safety of using houses, machinery and infrastructure directly depends on the strength and durability of welds. In addition, the welding process itself is associated with increased danger to humans due to the use of high temperatures, high currents and accompanying ultraviolet radiation.

Therefore, the NAKS welder’s certificate is included in the list of documents required for organizing welding work in production or construction . It confirms the welder’s knowledge of theory and practical skills in a certain specialization, with certain materials, as well as knowledge of safety requirements.

The certificate is required to be presented in the following cases:

• apparatus employed;
• assignment of the next rank;
• registration of insurance compensation for an accident at work;
• inspection of production by regulatory authorities.

The certificate confirms the qualifications of a specialist in exactly the type of welding, for those materials, thickness and shape of workpieces, welding positions, type of welding equipment that he is going to use. In addition, it guarantees that the welder knows safe working techniques so as not to endanger the life and health of both his own and his colleagues.

In terms of importance, the document can be compared to a driver's license for a professional driver, or a pilot's or ship's captain's certificate. They are also issued for a specific class of vehicle and confirm their knowledge of the theory and practice of safe driving.

Types of certifications

The subject of NAKS equipment certification is the ability of the equipment being tested to carry out the types of work specified in the technological process of a particular company according to specified quality standards. Over time, welding fixtures can break down, change their characteristics, and be subject to environmental influences and wear. Therefore, there is a need to carry out certification regularly at specified intervals. Depending on the purpose and time of completion, certification is of the following types:

1. Primary . It is carried out when welding equipment is put into operation at a specific production facility. It must be carried out before using welding in production processes.
2. Periodic . It is carried out in order to monitor the performance and ensure the quality of the work performed by the welding tool during its use, as well as to extend the validity of the current certificate. It needs to be done once every three years.
3. Additional . Mandatory in case of changes in the technological process in the case where it is necessary to confirm the possibility and quality assurance of a new type of welding work.
4. Extraordinary . It is carried out in case of changes in state equipment standards, downtime for a year or more, during modernization, as well as by decision of the State Mining and Technical Supervision Service in cases of repeated episodes of creating products of unsatisfactory quality.

When does it lose power?

The certificate is considered invalid in the following cases:

• the expiration date indicated on the first page has expired;
• there was a break in work for more than 6 months;
• the welder was suspended from work due to systematic violation of technological requirements and defects.

Before the expiration date, you should wait for documents to be sent to an accredited certification center. At a meeting of the certification commission, documents are reviewed and a decision is made:

• extend without limitation;
• extend, limiting the scope;
• do not renew.

Re-certification is carried out by a specialist on a general basis.

How to get a?

How to obtain a NAKS certificate? First of all, you need to prepare a package of documents. This is the most labor-intensive stage.

Required:

• certificate confirming welding experience;
• conclusion of the medical commission about the absence of health restrictions, chronic and occupational diseases;
• confirmation of the qualification category in the specialty;
• a diploma from a vocational educational institution that trained a welder in a working specialty;
• certificates and diplomas of professional retraining courses for assignment of the next rank (if available);
• two color photographs 3*4 cm.

A complete list of documents required to pass certification for the chosen specialization and qualification level can be obtained from an organization certified by NAKS as a certification center. The list of such organizations is published on the NAKS portal and is constantly updated .

The next stage: submitting an application and a set of documents to an accredited organization. After checking the completeness and authenticity, the verification date is determined.

On this day, the welder appears before a commission that checks his level of knowledge of the theory and practice of creating welded joints. For each type of welding, it is required to obtain a separate certificate, since both the amount of theoretical knowledge and technological working methods for, say, resistance welding and argon arc welding differ significantly.

Four qualification levels are established:

1. welder;
2. master welder;
3. welding technologist;
4. welding engineer.

At the first stage of certification, the worker’s practical skills are tested; in the training workshop, he must weld several seams. If the quality of the connections satisfies the commission members, then they move on to the theoretical part of the certification. The specialist answers approximately twenty questions, using computer tests or in an interview mode.

There are the following types of certification:

• primary , it is passed by employees who do not have permission to work in their chosen specialization, they pass theory and practice;
• additional , for workers who have passed the primary and wish to obtain additional permits, as well as all those who have a six-month or more break in work;
• periodic , for renewal of the certificate, also consists of a practical and theoretical part;
• extraordinary , taken after removal from work for poor quality and non-compliance with technology, in terms of the scope of what should be checked, it corresponds to the primary one.

If both practice and theory are passed successfully, a certificate is issued. This takes up to two weeks. After this, the specialist receives the document and is entered into the general register of welders NAKS.

Certification of welders and welding production specialists

Certification of welders is carried out in order to establish the sufficiency of theoretical and practical training; testing knowledge and skills; granting the right to welders to perform work at hazardous production facilities controlled by Rostechnadzor.

The Center for Certification of Welders and Welding Production Specialists LLC "Center SMTK" (VVR-8AC in the NAKS register) conducts, in accordance with the requirements of PB-03-273-99 and RD 03-495-02, special training and certification of welders (level I specialists) to perform work in the manufacture, installation, repair and reconstruction of the following technical devices used at hazardous production facilities:

According to the following types (methods) of welding (surfacing)

Based on the certification results, welding production specialists who have successfully completed all stages receive a qualification certificate of the established form, which is registered in the NAKS certification system for welders and welding production specialists.

Upon expiration, the certification certificate may be extended by the certification center that conducted the initial certification and issued the certification certificate in the prescribed manner.

Extension of the validity period of a welder's certification certificate is carried out no less than 10 working days before the expiration of the certification certificate .

The extension procedure is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the regulations on the procedure for extending the validity of certification certificates of welders and welding production specialists.

Based on the consideration of the submitted documents, the certification center commission has the right to make one of the following decisions:

1. Extend the validity of the certificate for one year within the distribution area.
2. Extend the validity of the certificate for one year with a limitation of the scope specified in the welder’s certification certificate.
3. Refuse to extend the validity of the certificate and recommend sending the welder for periodic certification.

To carry out certification, you must provide the following documents:

• application for certification of a welder in 2 copies on the company’s letterhead;
• a copy of the document on the qualification category;
• certificate of general work experience in welding (extract from the work book);
• two color photographs measuring 3x4 cm.

To renew, you must provide the following documents:

1. A petition from the welder’s place of work in the form of an application for renewal of the certificate.
2. Documents certified by the technical control department (control laboratory) and the management of the organization, confirming the quality of welding work performed by the welder for the past period of welding work, corresponding to the scope of the certification specified in the certificate. Documents must include a list of specific products, welding methods, materials, numbers and dates of conclusions based on quality control results.
3. Positive conclusion from the medical commission.

Certification of welding production specialists

Certification of welding production specialists is carried out in order to establish the sufficiency of theoretical and practical training; testing knowledge and skills; and granting the right to welding specialists to perform work at facilities controlled by Rostechnadzor.

The Center for Certification of Welders and Welding Production Specialists LLC "Center SMTK" (No. VVR-8ATs in the NAKS register) conducts, in accordance with PB-03-273-99, RD-03-495-02, pre-certification (special) training and certification of welding specialists production at II, III, levels of professional training.

Certification of welding production specialists is carried out on the management and technical control of welding work, including work on technical preparation of welding work, development of production, technological and regulatory documentation

for the following groups of technical devices:

Based on the certification results, welding production specialists who have successfully completed all stages receive a qualification certificate of the established form, which is registered in the NAKS certification system for welders and welding production specialists.

Upon expiration, the certification certificate may be extended by the certification center that conducted the initial certification and issued the certification certificate in the prescribed manner.

Extension of the validity period of a welder's certification certificate is carried out no less than 10 working days before the expiration of the certification certificate .

The extension procedure is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the regulations on the procedure for extending the validity of certification certificates of welders and welding production specialists.

Based on the consideration of the submitted documents, the certification center commission has the right to make one of the following decisions:

1. Extend the validity of the certificate for one year within the distribution area.
2. Extend the validity of the certificate for one year with a limitation of the scope specified in the welder’s certification certificate.
3. Refuse to extend the validity of the certificate and recommend sending the welder for periodic certification.

To certify specialists, it is necessary to submit the following documents:

• application for certification of a welding production specialist in 2 copies on the company’s letterhead;
• a copy of the education document (diploma);
• a copy of the work book or a certificate from the HR department about work experience in welding production;
• copies of Rostekhnadzor certificates and protocols on testing knowledge of general industrial safety requirements and Safety Rules when working on declared technical devices of hazardous production facilities;
• two color photographs measuring 3x4 cm.

Sample

What certificate is issued by the certification center to a welder after periodic certification?
The form is printed in a NAKS-accredited printing house. Outwardly, it looks like a pass, has a cardboard base and a vinyl coating. Its size is 80*115 mm.

Inside there are 6 pages for entering information about the welder and the approvals he received. Next to the photo there is a QR code containing encrypted information about the entry in the NAKS Register of Welders. Filling out the form columns is carried out only by personnel of an accredited organization .

What is better, buy or register in accordance with HSE

Carrying out certification means that the employee will be removed from the production process for at least 60 hours. In fact, this can take anywhere from a few days to two weeks. Large enterprises can afford to organize NAKS training on site , with teachers visiting, while small ones have to send welders to training centers.

The Internet is full of offers for assistance in obtaining welder certification certificates. The organizations look more or less reputable and offer to issue the document according to an expedited scheme. Some go so far as to offer to do this even without the presence of a welder.

Sometimes managers of small businesses who want to save time and money fall for the bait of such would-be helpers. All pieces of paper issued by such figures last until the first inspection by regulatory authorities . The inspector just needs to scan the QR code and send a request using the code or certificate number to the Agency’s portal - and the fraud is instantly revealed.

And immediately the trouble begins:

• falsification of documents is a criminal offense ranging from a large fine to imprisonment;
• supervisory authorities stop production;
• customers have the full right to make claims regarding product quality.

For a small enterprise, and it is they who most often fall for the bait of scammers, such consequences most often lead to ruin and closure.

These are the consequences for management, and the employee and his family lose the right to insurance coverage in the event of a work-related incident involving personal injury or death. It will be more profitable for everyone to get real welder qualifications .

Welders should be certified only in those training and certification organizations that are accredited by NAKS and conduct training of welders according to NAKS programs and knowledge testing in accordance with its regulations.

Finding those training and certification organizations is not difficult: a complete list of centers is provided on the Agency’s portal.[/stexbox]

What other credentials are needed?

In order to obtain permission to perform welding work, knowledge and skills in the field of welding alone are not enough . It is difficult to imagine a production where the entire metal structure to be welded is placed on a workbench.

As a rule, you have to weld from a scaffold to weld the seams in the upper part of the product. High temperatures and flying sparks during welding and grinding make the production process a fire hazard. Connecting welding equipment means working with electrical equipment, including high voltage.

You will also need to obtain:

• permission to work at height if welding occurs at a level above 1.3 meters;
• for electric welding, an electrical safety permit is required at the level of the second group ; previously this was called a permit for repair personnel;
• fire safety permit (so-called PTM coupon).

Most training and certification centers include these admissions in the training and knowledge testing program . If a specialist has been trained separately and has appropriate certificates with sufficient validity, they can be attached to the package of documents submitted to obtain an attestation certificate.

Who should be certified

All welders involved in welding structures, vessels, and equipment under the control department of Gosgortekhnadzor must have the first level. The second level is necessary for foremen and foremen who give direct instructions to welders.

The third level is required for managers responsible for performing welding processes. These may be representatives of the technical bureau, heads of departments, laboratories.

The fourth level is needed by heads and deputy managers who sign technical documents on welding.

Validity

The document is valid for one year from the date of issue . The deadline is indicated on the first page of the document. Upon completion, the specialist will have to undergo certification in order to renew the certificate.

The validity period may expire earlier if the employee was suspended from work for deviations from technological requirements and defects. Then he undergoes an extraordinary certification.

The administration of the enterprise is obliged to monitor the validity of the certificates of its employees and organize recertification in a timely manner. The employee himself is also interested in not missing the deadline - after all, he will lose the right to insurance compensation for accidents and will be removed from his main job.

NAKS Certificate

In addition to a welder’s certificate, a NAKS certificate is required for devices used in welding critical structures. Not all models from the factory will pass such a test, as manufacturers directly indicate on official websites and in the product passport. If you initially buy a device that states that it will not pass the NAKS test, then it really will not pass it. It will be money wasted.

Some manufacturers initially submit their products to certification centers in order to sell them with certificates. Or they indicate in the documents that, if necessary, the equipment can be certified according to NAKS. Examples of such welding machines certified by NAKS.

During certification, welding equipment is distinguished between those that need to renew the certificate and those that are being tested for the first time. You can find out whether a semi-automatic device or inverter has a NAKS certificate on the official website of the National Control Agency by entering the CO brand, serial number, and CO code.

Here you can check the validity (authenticity) of the existing paper certificate by indicating the AC that issued it, the certificate number and validity period. If the information is correct, then the data from the database will correspond to the paper document. Otherwise, you should trust the information from the official website.

Therefore, welding equipment with a NAKS certificate should be purchased only from reliable stores, so as not to be disappointed in the authenticity of the documents.

How many times should I renew?

How many times can the validity of an attestation certificate be extended? No more than two, then the specialist undergoes periodic certification . Only a valid certificate can be renewed.

The enterprise, no less than 15 days before the expiration date, submits an application to the certification center, which describes:

• information about the specialist
• groups of technical objects;
• type of welding;
• group, class and grades of materials being welded (metal, polymer, etc.), their thickness;
• types and types of seams, positions;
• level of automation of welding equipment;

Upon successful completion of certification, the welder's qualifications are extended. The extension period depends on the level of the specialist: 1 - for one year, 2 and 3 - for 1.5 years, 4 - for 2.5 years .

If the welder fails the certification, no entries are made and the certification becomes invalid.

How qualifications are acquired and maintained

Unfortunately, the certificate of certification in the field of welding works NAKS does not have a lifetime validity. Confirmation of qualifications is required by Russian legislation.

Over time, it becomes necessary to confirm your level of skill. The NAKS welder's certificate is valid for a particular period, which is determined by the specific level of certification:

• 2 years - for level I;
• 3 years - for level II;
• 3 years - for level III;
• 5 years - for level IV.

During the recertification process, it is recommended to improve your qualification level (if such a possibility exists). Just like obtaining a certificate, renewing this document is not free. In addition, if your experience as a welder was interrupted for more than six months, the certificate will no longer be valid. It is required to restore qualifications and take exams again. Completing training to become a welder at NAKS is a paid procedure.

NAKS certification for the third and fourth levels cannot be carried out without a protocol from the certification commission of Rostechnadzor on passing the exam. This means that before applying to NAKS you are required to complete a training course from Rostekhnadzor.

Please note that the NAKS certificate is not a universal document. It is valid for a certain type of work activity that is prescribed in it. This means that in order to access other types of work, you must have a different ID. If you fail the exam, you have the opportunity to retake it in a month. However, if you fail to pass the exam again, you will have to take the training a second time.