NAKS certification: training, levels, certification

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The role of the human factor in such a matter as ensuring the quality of work performed is one of the key ones. The level of competence of specialists in the field of welding production is especially important, since the safety of the facility, the life and he alth of people depend on their professionalism. Therefore, NAKS certification is the main criterion for assessing the qualifications of a welder.

NAKS activities

National Welding Control Agency:

• a complete package of regulatory and methodological documentation required for certification of welding production is being developed;
• consulting and methodological assistance is provided to certification centers and control of their activities;
• formation of experts for certification of personnel, welding equipment, materials and technologies;
• the NAKS register is being created, in which data on all successfully passed attestation tests are entered;
• the technical policy of the certification system is being developed, its activities are being coordinated and improved.

Why should a welder take a certification test

NAKS Welder is in high demanda specialist who has the right to work at hazardous production facilities controlled by Rostekhnadzor. During certification, you confirm that you have a level of professional practical skills and existing theoretical knowledge sufficient to obtain an admission to complex welding work.

How and where is the certification of NAKS

• The certification test procedure includes three mandatory exams: general, practical, special.
• The first stage of the examination chain is a practical exam. It can also be the last one if the certified welder or welding specialist fails to cope with the task and receives an unsatisfactory grade. The next time he will be admitted to certification only in a month, subject to additional practical training and payment for the re-examination.
• To obtain a satisfactory grade and admission to the general and special exams, you must demonstrate the ability to perform welded joints, observing the requirements set out in the technological documentation, as well as knowledge of labor protection and safety regulations.
• Simultaneous NAKS certification of one specialist in several types of welding work is allowed.
• Welders or welding specialists can be certified in any region of the Russian Federation. The place of certification exams is the production base of certification centers or certification points (regional offices) of NAKS.

Who is inattestation commission

The composition of the commission that takes the exams and makes a decision on the assignment of the level of professional training to the certified person:

• representative of Rostekhnadzor (mandatory);
• employees of attestation bodies who are specialists in welding production (not lower than level II) and have passed a special certification, giving them the right to conduct training and take exams for compliance with the level of professional training.

Attestation levels

Professional level	Category of welding personnel	Certification is mandatory
I	welder
II	master welder	foremen, craftsmen or other specialists whose oral or written instructions are required when performing welding work
III	welder-technologist	engineering and technical workers responsible for the development, approval and control of welding technological processes - heads of structural divisions of the enterprise (laboratories, technical bureaus, departments, etc.)
IV	welding engineer	chief engineers, chief welders, heads of welding service and other specialists whose job responsibilities include approval of all welding documentation at the enterprise

Important: the NAKS Commission does not cancel and does notreplaces the qualification rank assigned to the welder.

Preparation for certification

Applicants for the NAKS level, in addition to having the appropriate system of certification of work experience, qualifications of general and vocational education, must undergo special additional training in training centers to consolidate and expand existing skills.

Programs, according to which NAKS is trained, are developed taking into account the industrial specialization and the level of professional training of the certified specialist. Required sections include:

• safety and labor protection rules for welding;
• technologies for surfacing and welding joints;
• welding consumables and equipment;
• welding quality control methods;
• methods to eliminate identified defects.

If a specialist has mastered the curriculum of special training on his own, he can be admitted to certification by decision of the certification committee.

What documents are issued upon completion of the verification

A welder or welder certified by the National Welding Control Agency must be issued:

• NAKS certification certificate, valid throughout the Russian Federation;
• copy of the protocol on primary, periodic, extraordinary or additional certification drawn up in accordance with the approved sample;
• certificate confirming the fact of passingspecial pre-certification training.

How can I check the authenticity of NAKS documents? The register, which contains data on all certified welders and welding production specialists, can be found on the official website of the organization.

Important: certified specialists and welders can be allowed to perform only those types of work that are included in the scope of their certification and are indicated in the issued certificate.

ID validity period

Certificates obtained after successfully passing the exams (during primary certification) are valid for:

• two years - for welders certified for I level of professional training;
• three years - for welding specialists certified for II or III level of professional training;
• five years - for welding specialists certified at the IV level of professional training.

When they pass additional and extraordinary checks

Additional certification of the NAKS is carried out if it is necessary for the welder to obtain admission to the types of welding work not specified in the certification certificate obtained after the initial certification, or if the break in the work of a specialist in these types of work is more than six months. Only practical and special exams are taken.

The basis for an extraordinary certification is a temporary suspension from the performance of welding work for repeatedly identified unsatisfactorythe quality of the welded joints made by the welder or the violation of the welding process. All three types of exams are taken (general, practical, special).

Improve your level of competence, learn, expand your knowledge base, successfully pass certification. The Russian economy needs professionals!