Independent Personnel Competence Assessment and Credential Verification
Independent assessment of welders, NDT technicians and plant operators against a defined standard, with verification of existing credentials.
A certificate proves that someone attended a course; it does not prove that they can do the job. itmad's personnel assessment establishes competence directly, by testing what an individual actually produces, knows and does against a defined standard, with a result that can be put in front of a client or an auditor. itmad operates across the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
What itmad assesses
Welders and welding operators are tested to the procedure and position range required, with test coupons put through the examinations that the code specifies, and qualification is issued against a defined range of approval covering process, material group, thickness, diameter and position. NDT personnel are assessed against the qualification scheme in force, with general and specific theory and a practical examination on representative specimens with known defects.
Plant and crane operators are assessed practically on the machine they will use, covering pre-use inspection, load chart interpretation where applicable, operation within limits and response to abnormal conditions. Where no external scheme exists but the requirement is contractual or safety-critical, itmad assesses role competence against a standard that the client defines, for a role, a task or a permit-to-work authority level.
How assessment is carried out
Practical assessment is observed performance of the actual task, on the actual equipment, under the conditions that the work is done in, and nothing else establishes competence reliably. Written and theory examination tests the underpinning knowledge where the scheme or role requires it, including code interpretation, calculation and hazard recognition. Existing certificates are checked back to the issuing body and not accepted at face value, with validity, scope and range of approval confirmed, and a records review looks at continuity of employment in the discipline and any interruption that affects the validity of a qualification.
Why credential verification matters
A certificate that looks correct frequently is not: it may have been issued by a body that no longer exists, fall outside its stated range of approval, have lapsed through interruption of work in the discipline, or simply be fabricated. Verification back to the issuing body is a small piece of work that prevents an unqualified person from carrying out safety-critical work on site, and prevents the client from finding out after an incident.
Standards applied
Assessment follows the standard that the contract or the governing code specifies. For welder qualification these are commonly ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section IX, AWS D1.1 for structural welding, and the ISO 9606 series, and NDT personnel are assessed against ISO 9712 or ASNT SNT-TC-1A as applicable. Operator and role competence is assessed against the manufacturer's requirements, the applicable equipment standard, or the client's own documented competence criteria.
Where it is used
Typical uses are qualifying welders before fabrication begins on a contract; verifying contractor personnel before mobilisation to site; meeting a client requirement for independently assessed competence; checking the credentials of an incoming or agency workforce; re-assessing personnel after an interruption in work in the discipline; assessing competence after an incident in which it is in question; and establishing a competence baseline across a workforce.
Independence
itmad assesses personnel independently of any training that they have received. Where an individual has been trained elsewhere, that has no bearing on the assessment, and where they have been trained by itmad, the assessment is conducted and recorded separately. An assessment that a training provider cannot fail is not an assessment.
What the client receives
An assessment record for each individual, identifying what was assessed and against which standard, with a clear result of competent or not yet competent and the specific gaps recorded where the standard was not met. Where a qualification is issued, it states its range of approval and any expiry or revalidation date, and test results and examination records support the outcome. Verification findings on existing credentials include any that could not be substantiated, and itmad can hold a consolidated register of assessed personnel for the client.
Frequently asked questions
What does personnel competence assessment establish?
It establishes competence directly, by testing what an individual produces, knows and does against a defined standard. A certificate shows attendance at a course, but an assessment shows whether the person can do the job.
Which roles does itmad assess?
Welders and welding operators, NDT technicians, plant and crane operators, and client-specific roles such as a permit-to-work authority level. Client-specific assessment is against a competence standard that the client defines.
Why verify existing certificates?
A certificate that looks correct frequently is not: it may come from a body that no longer exists, fall outside its range of approval, have lapsed through interruption of work, or be fabricated. Verification back to the issuing body prevents an unqualified person from doing safety-critical work.
Which standards does itmad apply?
Whichever the contract or code specifies. Welders are commonly assessed to ASME Section IX, AWS D1.1 or the ISO 9606 series, and NDT personnel to ISO 9712 or ASNT SNT-TC-1A.
What is the result of an assessment?
A clear competent or not-yet-competent result for each individual, with the specific gaps recorded where the standard was not met. Where a qualification is issued, it states its range of approval and any expiry or revalidation date.
Does itmad assess people it has trained?
Yes, but the assessment is conducted and recorded separately from the training. An assessment that a training provider cannot fail is not an assessment.