CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING OF COMPETENT PRESSURE EQUIPMENT INSPECTORS.

J. McCallum This paper gives some background into the formation of the Australian Institute for the Certification of Inspection Personnel, and the manner in which it has set about the task of certification since its inception some ten years ago. As an organisation, it has developed from ideals to achievements, and although some of the broader ideas canvassed in its formative years have been either relinquished or are yet to come to fruition, there is no doubt of its success in the fields identified early in its life as critical. As should be normal for any organisation, AICIP subjects itself to regular review and has recently re-defined its Business Plan, Objectives and Key Strategies, recognising that with the passing of time, changed circumstances should lead to appropriate responses. The legislative environment has been subjected to considerable change over the life of AICIP, but in reality, very little has changed in terms of the inconsistencies between the various jurisdictions of operating and manufacturing pressure equipment in Australia. In such an atmosphere, some level of uniformity can be provided by national bodies such as AICIP. Mr John McCallum is Managing Director of Jahco Welding Engineers Pty. Ltd. located here in Melbourne and is Chairman of the Australian Institute for the Certification of Inspection Personnel.

File No.

WTIA PE Forum, April 2005

Certification and Training of Competent Pressure Equipment Inspectors in Australia

John McCallum, Managing Director, Jahco Welding Engineers Pty.Ltd Chairman, Australian Institute for Certification of Inspection Personnel

SCOPE
Outlines background, basis and performance of AICIP in first ten years. AICIP = Australian Institute for Certification of Inspection Personnel. Special emphasis on challenges and opportunities taken for AICIP success in meeting industry, candidate and training body needs. Also challenges and opportunities in near future.

BASIS - BACKGROUND
Industrys Responded to PE Regulatory Authorities, de-regulation and privatisation, which started in 1991-1994. Needed a body to ensure essential checks previously done by Regulators were performed by competent personnel, and to provide users with some indication of that competence. Initially looked at a wide range of certifications, including In Service Inspection of Pressure Equipment, Fabrication Inspection of PE, Design Verification of PE, Inspection of Cranes, Amusement Devices, Concrete Pumps.

Agreement that certification would assist in the most urgent areas of: PE design verification. PE Fabrication inspection. In-Service PE Inspection.

File No.

WTIA PE Forum, April 2005

AICIP FORMATION
Need for a new body became clear in development of: - AS 4481-1997 Pressure Equipment. Competencies of Inspectors and - SN/SNZ MP76 1997 Pressure equipment : inspection bodies and personnel Industry meeting called with wide representation including Governments, ANTA, Standards, ACA, Users, Manufacturers, Inspectors, NATA, Unions, IEAust,etc Recommended form an Australian PE Certification Board along lines of proven CBIP and NB BPVI in the USA. Formed 1995 (Then the hard work started).

AICIP
Title:
In Australia we would not use word Board Hence AICIP was selected as the title.

Objectives: Were very broad, and were developed to achieve the original aim of certification as
well as ensuring the ongoing viability of the organisation itself.

Goal:

To contribute to Australias quality of life by facilitating the recognition and use of competent personnel in the inspection of hazardous Engineered Plant at critical stages of design, fabrication and service.

AICIP COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Drawn from all relevant interested parties, with the opportunity of expansion when appropriate. Includes representation from: PEAI, WTIA, Standards, ACA, AINDT, NATA, AIES, AMEI, IEAUST, IMEA, WORKPLACE; HEALTH & SAFETY.

Industry

Government

AICIP Committee

Secretary C o -ordinator

PE

In-Service Inspectors

Other

Exam Panel

6 highly experienced members

Invigilators appropriate for exam location Note: -Lean flat structure. Big Industry Support

Figure 1. AICIP Structure

File No. 3 WTIA PE Forum, April 2005

AICIP FEATURES
Institute: Independent, national, not-for-profit, registered body Membership: Voluntary, representative, democratic, no one group, all main players, all keen Meeting of Committee: Normally twice per year Early Days Assisted greatly by WorkCover NSW who loaned Virendra Pal engineer for 6 months System Modelled on WCA-NSW Licensed Boiler Inspector System, National Board, WTIA, AINDT etc with fresh industry ideas Policy: To use AS 4481, AS/NZS MP76 & AS/NZ 3788 as main criteria. Be completely independent of training to avoid conflict of interest.

CERTIFICATION COVERATE
Early policy was to have two levels of PE Inspector ISI and S1S1 S1S1 for more complex inspection work, management and supervision of inspectors and trainees. These were determined by consensus from existing inspectors, industry and governments keeping in mind new challenges.

One main principle was to provide maximum flexibility and economy for users in industry and inspectors in covering all PE ie boilers, various PV, and pressure piping. Basis was the great similarity of basic knowledge and skill to cover all PE, e.g: - fired pressure vessel is very similar to a boiler - safety controls or devices are similar for all PE No one has inspected all types of PE and we expect ISI to find ut any special factors for equipment new to the inspector e.g. from makers, other inspectors and basic overall approach.

AICIP EXAMINATIONS FOR ISI OF PE

Papers for ISI are: Paper A - General Paper B Specific types of PE AS/NZS3788 identifies approximately 15 of which there are about 8 with special variations e.g. QA doors on autoclaves; hyperbaric chambers; self checking boiler controls; buried vessels; deaerators; road tankers, etc. Paper E Practical which is unique (we dont know anyone doing this). It has proven essential to match the important industry requirement of proven knowledge, training and experience. This was not permitted in AS4481 because of Regulatory Authority pressure to only recognise Competency along the lines of developments in ANTA. Details of these are discussed in an OPE8 paper

PERFORMANCE

File No.

See Figure 2 for overall detail and trends Initially we expected there would be a general drop from the initial two sets of exams as the need "dried up".
4 WTIA PE Forum, April 2005

No so, as PE numbers increase with population and industry expansion, and greater industry responsibility. The drop in 2000 is typical for many bodies - attributed to the Olympic Games. Table 1 give more details on Exam performance.

PERFORMANCE TRENDS
Figure 2
ISI Sat SISI Sat ISI Issued SISI Issued Total sat

AICIP ISI & SISI Sat & Certificates Issued

100 90
No of candidates & Certificates per year

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1997 1998 1999 2000 Year 2001 2002 2003 2004

FUTURE CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

Recognition of certification. Standards, legislators, owners. ANTA and the acknowledgement of industry training. Relationships with similar certifying bodies overseas. Areas not covered adequately concrete pumping. Restricted certification. Expand organisation resources, workload on a few. Assistance to, and promotion of, Australian Manufacture of pressure equipment. Expand examination panels to maintain existing high standards

SUMMARY
AICIP first 10 years has been a great success, far better than some were forecasting. Its certification has helped to encourage training and gaining of knowledge essential for modern technology using highly hazardous PE. It provides a powerful means of helping industry meet its regulatory requirements to employ competent personnel. Finally we strongly believe it has helped industry maintain a very good safety record and give production performance.
5 WTIA PE Forum, April 2005

File No.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Credit must be given to: SAA and their committee members for filling a big gap by production of AS 4481 and SN/SNZ MP76. WTIA, Chris Smallbone in particular, who put his hand up to implement a brand new concept and system. WorkCover NSW for crucial support in the formative days an excellent example how they worked to help industry be safe at a time of withdrawing from direct involvement. Industry at large for support in many ways and in providing test specimens eg Atlas Copco supplied air receivers which facilitate real inspection typical of almost all PE except there is less welding and surface area to inspect, and it is not possible to enter the vessel. This helped greatly in exams in 12 different sites. Finally to the Committee itself, Krystyna and others and the great support by a dedicated team of Examiners.

FEEDBACK FROM NOVEMBER 2004 EXAMINATIONS

CANDIDATES QUESTIONNAIRE
ISI QUESTION Was the coverage (or scope) of the examination reasonable? Was the level of questions appropriate to the level of qualification? Were the questions clear and adequate? Did your training for this examination adequately prepare you? What type of training did you do for this examination? A 16 16 13 6 15 1 B 16 2 17 9 9 15 E 10 3 13 4 6 10 1 SISI C 7 2 7 1 2 5 6 3 D 11 11 11 9 1 Total 60 0 7 64 1 39 26 55 6 Notes 1

1.

2.

Yes Insufficient Excessive Yes No Yes No Yes No

3. 4.

2,3 4

5.

6.

7.

41 DMIT Course 12 12 8 5 4 6 4 AMTC 2 2 2 11 Self Study 2 2 5 2 61 Do you feel feedback and guidance Yes 15 15 13 8 10 5 5 on your paper would help you? No 2 2 1 What format would you like? Face to face; phone call; email; advise where went wrong or weak; sample questions; exam paper; general guidance; return paper with marks and comment. 25 Other Comments 5 8 5 4 3

Notes 1. Coverage scope and time of examination seem about right, except paper C needs reducing by 5%. 2. These answers assess examiners and help improve examinations. The replies received were only reviewed after marks had been allocated and had no affect on markings. 3. In marking, some allowance is made for obvious difficulties with one or two questions. 4. Approx 80% of those answering this question had training at a training body. 5 Feedback from exams from experienced candidates helped improve AS 4343 and AS/NZS 3788 current edition and the proposed 2005 edition. Direct feedback was given to 9 candidates and individual training bodies have been advised of results.

File No.

WTIA PE Forum, April 2005