About Certificates Of Competency
To ensure public safety, pressure welders are required to demonstrate specific skills
and knowledge before they are allowed to weld on pressure equipment in Alberta. ABSA
administers three Pressure Welders Certificates of Competency:
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Grade B Pressure Welder Certificate of Competency
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Grade C Pressure Welder Certificate of Competency
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Machine Welding Operator Certificate of Competency
Each qualification includes two components: a Certificate of Competency and a Performance
Qualification (PQ) card.
The Certificate of Competency authorizes the holder to weld on pressure
equipment, subject to the limitations prescribed in the Pressure Welders Regulation
and described on the PQ card held by the certified person. All Certificates of Competency
for pressure welders are issued by ABSA. The Grade B and machine welding operator
certificates are permanent certificates, whereas a Grade C certificate is a temporary
certificate up to a maximum 24-month certification period.
A PQ card is issued on successful completion of a performance qualification
test conducted by a Safety Codes Officer or an authorized welder testing organization.
All PQ cards have an expiry date. To be legally entitled to weld
on pressure equipment in the province of Alberta, the certificate holder must have
a current PQ card that authorizes the holder to perform that type of welding.
How To Obtain A Certificate Of Competency
Candidates wanting to obtain a certificate of competency must complete the appropriate
application form and hold the minimum qualifications required for that certification.
Pressure welders transferring from another Canadian jurisdiction may qualify for reciprocal
recognition and not be subject to testing in order to obtain a certificate of competency.
However, there are minimum qualifications required of the pressure welder relative
to the applicable certificate of competency.
For detailed information on certification criteria and application procedures, see
the Pressure Welders Regulation (AR169/2002), available from the Queen's Printer.
Grade B Pressure Welder Certificate of Competency
Candidates for the Grade B Pressure Welder Certificate of Competency can find detailed
information on the examination procedure, ABSA office locations, cancellation
policy, and failure policy in the Grade "B" Pressure Welder Certificate of Competency
Examination Reference Syllabus AB-61.
To take a Grade B Certificate of Competency examination, a candidate must complete ABSA
Application Form AB-68 and submit with a copy of their Journeyman or Red Seal
Certificate, a copy of government issued photo ID and examination fee to ABSA at
least seven (7) days before the performance qualification test.
A pressure welder transferring from another Canadian jurisdiction may apply for this
certification without testing provided the welder's certification is equivalent to
the Alberta Grade B. The welder must have all the following minimum qualifications:
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Interprovincial Red Seal Journeyman Welder Certificate or Welder Trade Certificate
-
Valid Pressure Welder Certificate where the test is identical to the Alberta initial
test and conducted by the jurisdictional inspector
-
Valid Performance Qualification issued by the jurisdiction
To apply for the certification, the candidate must submit a completed application
form (AB-129(a)) with the fee indicated, copies of the qualifications listed above
and government issued photo ID.
A pressure welder from a Canadian jurisdiction who is not equivalent to the Grade
B requirements may apply for a temporary Grade C Pressure Welder Certification.
Grade C Pressure Welder Certificate of Competency
1) Welder that Required Testing
This is a provisional welding certificate. The person who earns this Certificate
of Competency is only permitted to weld at the worksite of the employer named on the
certificate. Employer's worksite(s) will be listed on the certificate and the certification
will be valid for a maximum of 12 months.
A candidate may be required to provide proof of work experience for his/her application
to be considered. To take a Grade C Certificate of Competency examination, the employer must
complete ABSA Application Form AB-69 on behalf of the employee. The employer
should submit the form and examination fee to ABSA at least seven (7) days)
before the performance qualification test. The performance qualification
test may be carried out at an authorized testing organization's facility or at the
employers shop or field site.
2) Pressure Welder Transferring from another Canadian Jurisdiction (No Testing
Required)
A certified pressure welder transferring from a another Canadian jurisdiction may
apply for the Grade C Certification without testing. The certification is valid
for a maximum of two years and a separate application is required for each performance
qualification being transferred. To continue pressure welding in Alberta beyond
two years, the welder is required to successfully challenge the Alberta Grade B Pressure
Welder Certificate Examination. The performance qualification issued will be
restricted to the expiry date and the scope of the original performance qualification.
The certified pressure welder must have the following minimum qualifications:
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Interprovincial Red Seal Journeyman Welder Certificate or Welder Trade Certificate
-
Valid Pressure Welder Certificate
-
Valid Performance Qualification
To apply for the certification, the candidate must submit a completed application
form (AB-129(b)) with the fee indicated, copies of the qualifications listed above
and government issued photo ID.
3) Renewal
If a Grade C Certificate of Competency holder applies for renewal of his/her certificate,
renewal will not be granted if he/she is qualified to take a Grade B Pressure Welder
Certificate of Competency examination. For detailed information on certification criteria
and renewal restrictions, see the Pressure Welders Regulation.
Machine Welding Operator Certificate of Competency
To take a Machine Welding Operator Certificate of Competency examination, a candidate
must be employed by a company that has one or more welding procedures, for automatic
welding processes, approved by a safety codes officer. The candidate must complete ABSA
Application Form AB-70 and submit the form and the prescribed fee to ABSA at
least seven (7) days before the performance qualification test. The performance
qualification test will be in accordance with a registered welding procedure for a
machine welding process that is to be used for production welding by the candidate
at the employer's work site.
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Updated Feb 18, 2010