Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Croatian NDT personnel Qualification and Certification scheme is the primary concern of The Croatian Society for NDT (CrSNDT - HDKBR), where upon CrSNDT is working permanently keeping that activity for a long time. CrSNDT always carries about the demands of current and future industry needs introducing compliance with the European norms (EN) and International standards (ISO).

In addition, a lot of activities and efforts are being devoted to provide congruence with many relevant standards which purchasers require to be applied to the control to be performed.

Croatia is a country with industry oriented to export, with many enterprises which are doing business in even rather distant countries, not familiar with our Certification system. Because of that, the CrSNDT is to guarantee the appropriate level of knowledge and skillfulness of certified NDT personnel, who conduct testing anywhere in the world. This very important part in the process of certification in CrSNDT takes time for the CrSNDT and requires unnecessary expenditure.

In spite of the fact that with the time the situation is improving and CrSNDT certificates are recognized in many places and by industry partners with not so much formality, the trends for harmonization of national certification schemes, developing in Europe for a better mutual knowledge and understanding could overcome this and many other problems.

After the European Council has decided in 1989 to provide quality standards for harmonization within EU, the basis for accredited certification of personnel in NDT was provided with the EN 45013 and EN 473.

Since the CrSNDT strategy is always to follow the quality assurance authorities and policy, relevant EN norms and ISO standards are of great help to rely on for establishing highest level of competency. The courses, examinations and certification at CrSNDT's Center for Qualification and the Center for Certification are held in accordance with EN 473 and ISO 9712. These two independent Centers, in accordance with the EN 45013, are parts of Qualification and Certification scheme in CrSNDT.

Nevertheless, either these standards should be balanced and the international harmonization could be forced despite of the difficulties, or the new concept of common European procedure for every one should be prepared and followed of course. CrSNDT is highly interested in new concept approach. Upon CrSNDT long qualification and certification experience, it could contribute to the new concept development, particularly CrSNDT being close and very familiar with education process at University contributing and profiting of it.

The Training and the Certification of NDT personnel in former Yugoslavia was presented at the 3rd European Conference on NDT in Florence, 1984, (Conf book 2, page 313), with all the experience of the CrSNDT in that prospect. CrSNDT was the Center for Qualification and Certification known as Zagreb-NDT school and its participants from all republics of former Yugoslavia prove as today that CrSNDT is recognized Center for Qualification and Certification.

The State Office for Standardization and Metrology of Republic of Croatia is developing the national accreditation and certification system within AMOS project. The aim of the AMOS project is assistance in development of the Accreditation and Certification Systems (EAL/EAC) in Central and East European States through mutual recognition of testing and conformity assurances to avoid multiple testing of the national European bodies (1). An essential precondition is establishing of the reliability and trust combined with a high degree of transparency.

CrSNDT is a great deal involved in AMOS project regarding education of experts in NDT field, so the accreditation of CrSNDT Center for Certification is to be expected rather soon, for the first time in its own free country.

Keywords: Training

Source: Conference Proceedings of the 4th International Conference of the Slovenian Society for Nondestructive Testing, 24 - 25 April 1997, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Pages:279 - 284

Publisher:
Slovenian Society for Nondestructive Testing, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Askerceva 6, SLO 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Tel +386 61 177 12 03, Fax +386 61 218 567, Email: janez.grum@fs.uni-lj.si.