The Answer Is

Q: I was hoping you could offer some suggestions regarding a few concerns I have with my job. I feel overwhelmed by having too little time to attend to all the tasks I am expected to perform, as well as by performing tasks for which I feel unqualified. As a Certified Welding Inspector, I wear several hats. I perform inspections of welds, dimensional checks of machined parts, paint inspections, welder qualification, and I write welding procedure specifications for the company. My concerns are threefold. One is that I don’t feel I have the proper training and experience to complete all the tasks assigned to me. Second, I simply don’t feel I have the time necessary to perform all my tasks in a thorough manner. Last, am I violating any ethical principles?

A: Thanks for asking my opinion. Actually, this is a common problem among Certified Welding Inspectors (CWIs). As CWIs, we are qualified to perform visual examinations of welds. That is the scope of what we are certified to do. Other job functions such as dimensional inspections, paint inspections, performing other nondestructive examination (NDE) methods, or metallurgical examinations are beyond the scope of the CWI certification.

In some cases, additional certification may be required depending on the customer’s requirements. These requirements may be spelled out in the project specifications, purchase order, or applicable fabrication standard. For example, AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code — Steel, and other structural welding codes reference ASNT SNT-TC-1A, Personnel Qualification and Certification in Nondestructive Testing, for the qualification and certification of personnel performing NDE other than visual testing. In the case of coatings, NACE may be referenced by the project specification.

The extent of a CWI’s involvement in qualifying welders and procedures is addressed in QC1, Specification for AWS Certification of Welding Inspectors. The CWI is expected to witness the performance qualification testing and properly document it using the welder performance test record (WPTR). Likewise, the CWI is expected to be capable of witnessing and recording welding parameters and test data on the welding procedure qualification record (WPQR). However, the CWI is not expected to write production WPSs or determine qualification testing without additional training. That being said, there’s nothing in QC1 that states that a CWI cannot develop a WPS. Many CWIs write prequalified WPSs as part of their routine duties, but they generally have several years of experience working with someone that taught them the ropes. It can be considered unethical to develop a WPS if the CWI is uncomfortable doing so. For example, developing a WPS for a complex repair for base metals the CWI is unfamiliar with borders on unethical due to the potential risk to people and property.

AWS offers endorsements and seminars that provide instructions on how to document a WPS, qualify a welder, and record test results under an AWS Accredited Test Facility (ATF). Other organizations offer similar seminars on the subject of developing WPSs. Employers may be willing to cover these costs, and the training hours can be used toward your 9-year recertification.

The Code of Ethics states that CWIs should not perform tasks for which they are not qualified. However, it doesn’t go into detail the required qualifications. That being said, it is between you and your employer to determine whether you are qualified to perform a task. If additional training is needed, consider taking courses offered by community colleges. A course that aligns with one of the job responsibilities can be used toward professional development hours requirements needed for your 9-year recertification. If you want to write better inspection reports, take a class in technical writing. If you are a CWI, but don’t have a strong background in welding, take a welding class at a local vocational school. Do you need to tweak your math skills? Take a class in algebra, geometry, or trigonometry. Do you need to learn about coatings? Take a seminar offered by the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP).

Lack of sufficient time to perform inspections in a thorough, competent manner can be a gray area. Once you sign an inspection report, you own it. If an inspection is not thorough or performed in a competent manner, both the inspector and employer bear the consequences. If something fails, it’s your name on the report and it’s your reputation that is at risk. There is a risk of financial liability for your employer if something you inspected fails once it is placed into service.

If you don’t have time to inspect each weld and resort to random spot inspections, the report must clearly state what was inspected and what was not. Be very exact, right down to the specific fitting, joint number, etc. Reporting a full inspection when a random spot inspection was performed is unethical and fraudulent.

AWS D1.1 requires inspection of all welds. The code differentiates between the contractor’s inspector, who is responsible for quality control, and the owner’s inspector, who is responsible for quality assurance. The individual responsible for quality control is expected to inspect every weld. The individual responsible for quality assurance is responsible for ensuring the contractor’s inspector is doing a proper job of inspecting all welds.

If the contractor’s inspector isn’t given the time or help needed to inspect all welds, the inspector must take action to change the situation. Remember, it is not the contractor that is charged with violating the code of ethic, it is the party certified by AWS: the CWI. AWS can revoke a CWI credential for cause. If a CWI falsifies inspection reports, the client may file charges and the Ethics Committee may suspend or revoke the CWI credential.

On a project, an inspector performing the visual examination was less than thorough. A fitting was tack welded to the column shaft, but the weld was never completed. During erection, the tack welds failed and the girder fell, throwing ironworkers to the ground and injuring another ironworker. I would find it difficult to live with knowing I was responsible for those injuries. The inspector was not a CWI, but it is doubtful that individual continued working as an inspector.

Mistakes happen, but we must strive to perform our work competently to minimize the likelihood that unacceptable work is overlooked or mistakenly accepted.

CWIs are expected to be honest and to act with integrity. The strong reputation of the CWI Program, as defined by QC1, has been earned and is evident by CWIs who have refused to succumb to pressure to accept subpar welds and who have performed their duties unflinchingly. People who buckle under pressure by contractors or owners do not typically last long in this profession.

CWIs have earned the trust of their clients by honestly reporting the conditions observed and by not altering reports to make them more palatable to contractors. It isn’t always easy. Contractors want a clean bill of health to keep work moving. Fabricators want to meet schedules and ship product. Owners want their parts or buildings completed. The pressure to “buy off” subpar work can be immense. The CWI must stand their ground and resist the temptation to “just make them happy.”

The reports filed by the CWI are trusted to be thorough and accurate. One client once told me, “Al, I might not like what you have to say, but I know what you say is your honest conviction, and I can take that to the bank.”

Unfortunately, a CWI may have to walk away from a job rather than succumb to pressure from a manager trying to coerce the inspector to accept material or welds that do not meet the standard. Once an inspector’s honesty is compromised, their reputation and career as a CWI is likely destroyed.

Our community is relatively small, and an inspector’s reputation arrives on the job site before they do. You must do what is necessary to protect that reputation. If that means walking away from a job, so be it. You can always find another job, but it takes years to build a reputation that can be destroyed in a single moment of indiscretion.

When it comes to the CWI Code of Ethics, it ultimately comes down to doing what is right, what is honest, and what is morally correct. If an activity makes you uncomfortable, or if you would prefer others not know about it, it is likely a violation of the code of conduct. You can’t go wrong by doing the right thing, taking pride in what you do, and refusing to be swayed into doing something you believe is wrong.

The fact that you are asking these questions is a good sign that you are on the right track. If your gut tells you something isn’t right, it probably isn’t. Trust your instincts.

ALBERT J. MOORE JR. (amoore999@comcast.net) is owner of NAVSEA Solutions, Burlington, Conn. He is an AWS Senior Certified Welding Inspector and an ASNT NDT Level III. He is also a NOCTI certified welding instructor.

The Society is not responsible for any statements made or opinions expressed herein. Data and information developed by the authors are for specific informational purposes only and are not intended for use without independent, substantiating investigation on the part of potential users.