Pressure Equipment Directive

• In order for the certification to be validated, the holder simply has to complete a form on the WQ-iC website (as per the press release previously issued) before the end of June 2021. Failure to do so by 30 June 2021 will invalidate the approval.
• There will be no charge for existing valid certificates up to 30 June 2021; BINDT has decided to cover the costs incurred in setting up this process.
• Once validated for EU PED, approval will continue until the certificate has expired.

1. Please visit the online PCN certification verification page at www.bindt.org/pcn and, if you need to check any of your certification details before proceeding, use the search facility to see them. Then go back to the search page and click on the link to the WQ-iC website.
2. When on the WQ-iC website (https://wqic-eu.com/ndt-operator-certs/), search using your PCN certificate number.
3. Your details will come up as approved by WQ-iC Ltd and you can take a screen shot to demonstrate that your PCN certificate has been accepted by WQ-iC. If required, you can contact WQ-iC directly, by emailing: applications@wq-ic.eu, to request a copy. You will need to provide proof of address and identity.
4. Your approval is considered to be valid from 1 January 2021 and is valid until the normal expiry date of your current PCN certificate, subject to maintaining compliance with the WQ-iC Scheme.
5. In order for your certification to be validated, please go to the WQ-iC website and complete the form named ‘BINDT-PCN – Individual Contract Agreement’ in the ‘Services’ tab. Failure to do so by 30 June 2021 will invalidate your approval and it will be removed from the WQ-iC approved list.

• that your personal information can be shared with WQ-iC Ltd.
• WQ-iC Ltd, as the RTPO, remains the owner of the certification as detailed in the Scheme.

• As of 1 May 2021, all examinations and renewal applications for those sectors/methods eligible for PED recognition (see table below) will include a charge of £45.00 plus VAT. This will be charged as an additional PCN PED administration fee.
• The AQB will implement this charge in addition to the PCN administration fee for relevant examinations (listed below).
• BINDT is forced to pass this charge on to candidates/PCN certificate holders to cover the cost of compliance with the agreement and issuing PED certification. The cost of validating existing certificates (up to 30 June 2021) is being absorbed by BINDT; however, considerable additional costs have been and are being incurred and, reluctantly, BINDT has no choice but to pass on some of these costs to certificate holders.
• PCN certificate holders will receive automatic recognition to the Pressure Equipment Directive and will be visible on the WQ-iC verification page. They will be issued with a certificate showing compliance with PED.
• Approval will continue until the certificate has expired.

The British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT) is pleased to announce that it has agreed a robust certification process with an EU27 Recognised Third-Party Organisation (RTPO) for the certification of NDT personnel. This process is fully compliant with CEN/TR/15589 Route B requirements and allows BINDT/PCN to issue certification that is acceptable under the European Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) 2014/68/EU, Annex 1 § 3.1.3.

BINDT has received an appointment from WQ-iC Ltd, an RTPO and Notified Body (NoBo No 2893) based in Dublin, Ireland. WQ-iC Ltd is a member of the Lloyd’s Register Group of companies.

The scheme applies to both current and new/renewal certification in the welding and pre- and in-service inspection sectors and, being an electronic/web-based solution, will minimise the inconvenience caused and simplify the process as far as possible. For current certification, a process has been agreed to review the technical documentation held by BINDT/PCN and issue an accredited certificate in accordance with the WQ-iC Ltd Scheme. Individuals’ certification details are searchable on the WQ-iC website for official verification purposes. Details of the certificate holder may be displayed, as approved by WQ-iC Ltd. Each individual’s approval is valid from 1 January 2021 and until the normal expiry date of the current PCN certificate, subject to maintaining compliance with the WQ-iC Scheme.

In order for the certification to be validated, the holder simply has to complete a form on the WQ-iC website before the end of April 2021. Failure to do so by 30 April 2021 will invalidate the approval.

There is no charge for this service; BINDT has decided to cover the costs incurred in setting up this process.

If, for whatever reason, certificate holders choose not to validate for EU PED work now, then their certification will still be valid for Pressure Equipment Regulations (PER) (PED in the UK) for UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking work under the BINDT/PCN Scheme. Operators should note that in this case PCN certification remains valid for all cases for which they are qualified, except for work done under the European Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU. The expedited process described above will not be available after 30 April 2021.

Once validated for EU PED, approval will continue until the certificate expiry date, at which time the certification administration charge from BINDT applied to new, renewal or recertification will be increased to include the issuing of approval from WQ-iC Ltd.

Following the announcement, BINDT CEO David Gilbert said: “We have been working very hard behind the scenes to ensure that we can provide a reliable and efficient arrangement for all our customers by ensuring we have an option for PCN certificate holders to continue serving the EU market and, in particular, meet the requirements of the European Pressure Equipment Directive. We are thrilled to have been appointed by WQ-iC Ltd for this purpose and we are confident that we have an effective and user-friendly solution in place that will minimise any inconvenience caused.

“As always, BINDT and PCN are committed to providing the best service we can to all of our clients and the NDT industry, operating and communicating with integrity at all times. We remain resolute in our drive to work collaboratively with businesses and organisations around the globe to promote the advancement of the science and practice of NDT and all associated disciplines,” he concluded.

Paul Karim, Managing Director of WQ-iC Ltd, said of the development: “I am delighted that WQ-iC Ltd has been able to develop a solution in conjunction with BINDT/PCN to help the manufacturing industry overcome post-Brexit challenges. Our teams have worked closely to develop an effective and efficient process for maintaining NDT approvals that are recognised and accepted across the EU. Technical integrity and quality governance are in our DNA, ensuring we can continue to add value to the wider industry by collaborating with our customers to meet the industry’s needs. The arrangements with BINDT/PCN clearly demonstrate how this works in practice.”

For details of how to apply to WQ-iC Ltd for certification, click here.

Previous posting - 01/01/2021

Following the signing of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement on 24 December 2020, the British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT) wishes to clarify and confirm the following points with regard to certificates issued under its Personnel Certification in Non-Destructive Testing (PCN) scheme.

In summary:

3. It is understood that all valid certificates issued before 1 January 2021 may – unless otherwise advised – continue to be valid for their full scope of application as detailed on each individual certificate until their expiry. 

4. BINDT is currently engaged in negotiations with a European organisation to enable certificates to be issued by a third-party organisation recognised by an EU Member State, thus satisfying the EU requirement for certificates delivered by a body which is recognised as an EU Notified Body. These talks are at an advanced stage and it is anticipated that a solution will be in place within the next few weeks. More information will be provided when arrangements have been finalised.

5. With regard to pressure equipment supplied in or into Great Britain, the UK has established a new framework for UK-based bodies to assess pressure equipment and assemblies against GB rules. Existing UK notified bodies are granted new UK ‘approved body’ status and listed on a new UK database. This includes recognised third-party organisations (RTPO), so BINDT will be granted UK identification status.

Click here for further details (download PDF).