Public information · EN ISO/IEC 17020 & 17024
Statements on certification.
Metlab Ltd is pleased to provide details of its certification activities without request — the documents, safeguards and process behind every certificate we issue.
Certification documentation
Available to everyone, before you ask.
Download the current accreditation certificates, scopes and certification procedures. Printed or emailed copies are available on request from any office.
- ISO/IEC 17020 Certificate of AccreditationINAB Reg. 9031 · PDF
- ISO/IEC 17020 Scope of AccreditationINAB Reg. 9031 · PDF
- ISO/IEC 17024 Certificate of AccreditationINAB Reg. 7007 · PDF
- ISO/IEC 17024 Scope of AccreditationINAB Reg. 7007 · PDF
- RTPO Letter of AppointmentPED 2014/68/EU · Art. 20 · PDF
- 901 — Application & Certification Terms of UseQuality record D901 · PDF
- 902 — Recertification, Prolongation, Suspension & WithdrawalProcedure SOP 902 · PDF
- 706 — Customer Feedback, Complaints & AppealsProcedure SOP 706 · PDF
Independence & impartiality
Free from pressure, by design.
EN ISO/IEC 17020 — 4.1 · EN ISO/IEC 17024 — 4.3 & 5.1
The personnel of Metlab certification are free from any commercial, financial and other pressures which might affect their judgement. Procedures are implemented to ensure that persons or organisations external to Metlab cannot influence the results of the inspections and certification carried out. All possible threats that may arise are documented, eliminated or minimised as far as possible by Metlab.
Metlab has in place an Impartiality Committee to address, minimise and safeguard any potential or perceived conflicts that may arise in relation to its certification process. The committee is made up of three members: the Managing Director of Metlab and two members separate from Metlab certification with knowledge of EN ISO/IEC 17024, Metlab’s certification process and a minimum of two years’ experience in the relevant area of certification. The committee convenes at a minimum once a year; matters of an urgent nature are prioritised, with the Impartiality Committee meeting to discuss and recommend the appropriate course of action.
The quality policy records Metlab’s top-management commitment to impartiality. Metlab is independent to the extent required by the conditions under which it performs its services. Metlab provides third-party services and meets the following criteria:
- Metlab is independent of the parties involved. Metlab and the staff responsible for carrying out inspection are not the designer, manufacturer, supplier, installer, purchaser, owner, user or maintainer of the items they inspect, nor the authorised representative of any of those parties.
- Metlab and its staff do not engage in any activities that may conflict with their independence of judgement and integrity in relation to certification activities — in particular, they are not directly involved in the design, manufacture, supply, installation, use or maintenance of the items inspected, or of similar competitive items.
- All interested parties have access to the services of Metlab. There are no undue financial or other conditions, and the procedures under which the body operates are administered in a non-discriminatory manner.
The certification process
From application to certificate.
EN ISO/IEC 17024 — 8.3
There are no prerequisites to taking the examination other than being physically capable of welding the joint in question.
- The applicant makes an application by downloading, completing and submitting the application form to Metlab.
- The applicant chooses the certification scheme they wish to be certified to during a contract review meeting, where the details of the examination are agreed.
- The examination consists of welding the joint following the chosen certification scheme. A competent Metlab invigilator is present throughout the duration of every examination.
- After the examination, the test piece is indelibly marked and tested at an approved test laboratory by destructive or non-destructive testing.
- A test report is produced by the test laboratory and issued to the Metlab inspection body, stating whether the test sample is acceptable to the standard stipulated by the chosen certification scheme.
- If the sample is acceptable and all terms and conditions have been complied with, a certificate is awarded to the applicant.
The process for recertification depends on the chosen certification scheme but is broadly similar to the process above. The process requirement for initial certification and for recertification is the successful completion and passing of the required tests in accordance with the scheme elements.
Withdrawal of certification
In accordance with EN ISO 9606, certification may be withdrawn “when there is a specific reason to question the welder’s ability to make welds that meet the product standard quality requirements; the qualifications that support the welding he or she is doing shall be revoked. All other qualifications not questioned remain valid.”
In accordance with ASME IX, certification may be withdrawn “when there is a specific reason to question [the individual’s] ability to make welds that meet the specification; the qualifications which support the welding [the certificate holder] is doing shall be revoked. All other qualifications not questioned remain in effect.”
Applicants should familiarise themselves with their chosen scheme from the list of certification schemes available through Metlab below. Suspension, withdrawal and appeals are governed by the procedures available for download above.
Certification schemes
Schemes available through Metlab.
| Certification scheme — name & description | Scheme designation |
|---|---|
| Approval testing of welders when welding procedure approval is not required — TIG or MIG welding of aluminium and its alloys | BS 4872-2 |
| Approval testing of welders when welding procedure approval is not required — fusion welding of steels | BS 4872-1 |
| Qualification testing of welders — fusion welding of aluminium and its alloys | EN ISO 9606-2 |
| Specification and qualification of welding procedures for metallic materials — arc welding of aluminium and its alloys | EN ISO 15614-2 |
| Specification and qualification of welding procedures for metallic materials — arc and gas welding of copper and its alloys | I.S. EN ISO 15614-6 |
| Qualification of welders — fusion welding | EN 287-1 |
| Specification and qualification of welding procedures for metallic materials — welding of tubes to tube-plate joints | I.S. EN ISO 15614-8 |
| Specification and qualification of welding procedures for metallic materials — arc and gas welding of steels and nickel and nickel alloys | EN ISO 15614-1 |
| Qualification testing of welders — fusion welding of steels | I.S. EN ISO 9606-1 |
| Weld procedures and welder qualification tests | ASME IX |
For additional information on any of our welding certifications or qualifications, contact our offices: Cork (021) 431 1614 · Dublin (01) 864 6764, or emailcork@metlab.ie.
Testing · Inspection · Certification
Questions about certification?
Application forms, scheme guidance and current scope documents are one phone call away — and always provided without request.