Welding Procedure and Welder Qualification Register

Purpose. This register lists the qualified welding procedure specifications held by Ironbark Engineering and the welders qualified to each procedure, and is the reference for allocating code welding work.

1.Purpose

Structural, stainless and pressure-retaining welds must be made to a qualified welding procedure specification by a welder holding a current qualification for that procedure, process, position and material group. This register is the single source that supervisors must check before allocating code work. Welding outside the qualified range is a non-conformance.

2.Welding procedure specifications held

The register lists each procedure by number, process, material group, thickness range, joint type, position and the standard it is qualified to. Procedure qualification records and the supporting test reports are held in the document library under the procedure number.

• WPS-01: manual metal arc, carbon steel plate, 6 to 25 mm, butt and fillet, all positions
• WPS-02: gas metal arc, carbon steel plate and sections, 3 to 20 mm, fillet and butt, flat and horizontal
• WPS-03: flux cored arc, carbon steel, 8 to 40 mm, butt, all positions
• WPS-04: gas tungsten arc, austenitic stainless steel, 1.5 to 6 mm, butt and fillet, all positions
• WPS-05: gas metal arc, aluminium 5000 series, 3 to 12 mm, fillet, flat and horizontal
• WPS-06: manual metal arc, carbon steel pipe, 6 to 12 mm wall, butt, fixed position

3.Welder qualifications

Each welder is listed with the procedures they are qualified to, the date of qualification and the expiry or re-verification date. A welder's qualification lapses if they have not welded with that process within six months, and the supervisor must arrange a re-verification test before allocating code work.

4.Maintaining the register

The Quality and Safety Manager updates the register when a procedure is qualified or withdrawn and when a welder passes a qualification or re-verification test. The training matrix must be updated at the same time. The register is reviewed at each internal audit.

5.Using the register

Before allocating a code welding job, the supervisor must confirm in this register that a procedure covers the joint and that the welder is current for it, and must record the procedure number and welder identification on the weld record for the job.

6.Records

Procedure qualification records, welder test reports and superseded versions of this register will be retained for the life of the company because customers can request them for the life of the asset.