Certified Welder:

Do you need a certified welder? The answer is a very firm “maybe”. Certain projects require that the welder(s) working on it be certified. Welders who build submarines, for example, all require certification. Welders who work on any kind of petroleum supply lines require certification. Bid request specification from most municipal, governmental or military agencies, at whatever level, will almost always require that respondents provide certified welders.

Lack of a certification does not by any means indicate a lack of competence. All certification means is that the welder has been tested to a standard by someone qualified to evaluate, and is able to perform at a level set by a standard-setting agency (usually AWS, the American Welding Society).

In general, shops will only certify their welders if required; it's expensive and usually only done if necessary. While AWS now has a program for transferring certification, most certifications “expire”. That means that as long as a welder maintains continuous (uninterrupted) employment with a shop, the certification is valid. Any interruption in employment and the certification needs to be re-done.

At one point, Eric was the lead fabricator on a marine fuel supply line replacement at a marina on Nantucket. He was required to be certified for the project. While that certification is not transferable to Phoenix Fabrication, should your project require a certified welder, Eric will be more than happy to re-certify for you

Any questions about certification?

ABC Testing, Bridgewater, MA

American Welding Society