General Info & FAQs

ABSA allows Power Engineers and In-Service Inspectors access to their ABSA account information online.

Having an online account allows you to schedule examinations, view examination results, view your certificate expiry date, print copies your certificate wallet card, and renew your certificate online. You will also be able to submit changes to your personal information through your online account. Changes to your name or date of birth will need additional verification. Please contact renewals@absa.ca for more information.

To obtain access to your online account, please send your request, by email, to renewals@absa.ca and provide your:

• Full Name
• ABSA File number
• Date of birth
• Preferred Email address

Please note that once you have activated your account online, all correspondence regarding examinations and renewals will be sent by email.

Please email renewals@absa.ca if you experience any issues accessing your online account.

Please click here to fill this form online.

• AB-301 Request for Examination with Accommodations

• Request for Examination with Accommodations Reference Booklet

The Administrator has established a seven year time limit for Power Engineering examinations that candidates have passed and operating experience that candidates have obtained.

Examination syllabi are reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis. Examinations papers required for power engineer certifications will be valid for seven years from the date an examination paper was passed. Seven years after an examination paper was passed, it can no longer be considered towards higher certification and the examination paper will have to be written again.

Regarding work experience, legislation, technology, machinery, power engineering examination and syllabi, and power plant operating processes are continually changing and improving. The validity of power engineering operating experience decreases with the passage of time and at some point becomes meaningless in the interest of public safety. Operating experience older than seven years will not be accepted for higher level of certification. To continue with certification, applicants will have to re-submit up-to-date pressure equipment work experience.

When examinations from other Canadian jurisdictions are requested to be verified, any examinations that have been passed more than seven years prior will not be accepted by ABSA.

Examinations that have been passed in Alberta, seven or more years prior, will not be verified for other Canadian jurisdictions.

This new policy will be effective on July 1, 2012.

For more information on the expiry dates see the Administrator's Information Bulletin : IB23-017

Contact ABSA’s Examination and Certification Department at 780-437-9100 for Edmonton area or outside Edmonton area at 1-888-454-3926 or email power.engr.cert@absa.ca.

Section 28(g) of the Power Engineers Regulation provides for disqualification of a candidate for failure of any 3 papers in succession in any examination.

The Administrator establishes policy for disqualifications due to consecutive failures of examination papers. The disqualification time starts at the last failed examination date. A summary of disqualification guidelines follows:

1. Failure of any 3 examination papers in succession will receive a 6 month disqualification from writing any further papers of that examination.
2. Subsequent failures of any examination papers in succession will each receive a further 6 months disqualification.
3. Candidates are not permitted to schedule examination papers for situations where they have potential to be under disqualification at the scheduled examination date.

• Candidates with 2 consecutive failures may not schedule more than one paper in advance.
• Candidates with one failure may not schedule more that two papers in advance.
• No candidate may schedule more than 3 papers in advance.

4. The time period under consideration for failed papers is 2 years. Failed examination papers older than 2 years are not considered in determination of disqualification from writing future examination papers.
5. Any exam results achieved outside of the Province of Alberta during a penalty period are not transferable to Alberta for Power Engineer certification during the penalty period.

The 6 month disqualifications are minimum penalties. The Administrator may impose a disqualification for up to 12 months, if deemed appropriate.

If applicants in a penalty situation attempt to apply for examination on-line, they will receive a message stating they are in a penalty situation and will be unable to schedule the examination during the penalty period. Applicants in a penalty situation using the AB-66 form to apply for examination will be contacted and advised that they cannot be scheduled during the penalty period.

If you have any questions regarding Power Engineers examinations, you can contact our Edmonton office Examination Department toll free at 1-888-454-Exam (1-888-454-3926) for outside the Edmonton area, 780-437-9100 for the Edmonton area or exams@absa.ca.

What can I do if dissatisfied with the results of an application regarding certification?

A candidate is allowed to use, and may be provided, the following items in the examination room:

• The Safety Codes Act and Regulations under the Safety Codes Act ;
• CSA B51, Boiler, Pressure Vessel and Pressure Piping Code;
• CSA B52, Mechanical Refrigeration Code;
• ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Codes except for Sections VI and VII;
• The 2007 ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code Academic Extract and Supplement produced by PanGlobal Training Systems;
• ASME/ANSI B31.1 Pressure Piping Code and B31.3 Process Piping Code;
• Handbook of Formula and Physical Constants, Steam Tables and Refrigeration Tables are normally provided;
• A non-technical English language dictionary;
• Pens and pencils;
• Non-programmable calculator and
• Drawing instruments and drawing templates.
• (Normally, the above items are useful for all classes of examination)

Note:

• The candidate must provide picture ID to the Examiner prior to the examination.
• No cell phone or any electronic communication devices are allowed to be brought into the examination room.
• The reference material listed in the examination syllabus is permitted to be used on the exam.
• Highlighting and tab sections are allowed in reference material.
• No other reference material is allowed.
• The information in the 1983 Edition of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Academic Extract is outdated. Using this 1983 Edition of the ASME Extract for any power engineering examination is not recommended. Besides using the 2007 Edition of the ASME Academic Extract and Supplement, candidates may use the current edition of the ASME Code.

ABSA is committed to providing services with impartiality. All employees are required to review and sign ABSA’s Impartiality and Confidentiality Agreement on an annual basis. Risks to impartiality are evaluated in accordance with ABSA’s Enterprise Risk Management Policy.

ABSA acknowledges its responsibility for the impartiality of its services and understands the importance of impartiality in carrying out its activities manages conflict of interest and ensures the objectivity of its activities.

ABSA is a not for profit organization, independent from commercial, financial or affiliation relationships.

ABSA policies and procedures are developed and implemented to ensure a fair and consistent application to all affected parties.

ABSA and its employees do not:

• engage in the design, manufacture, supply, installation, purchase, ownership, use, or maintenance of pressure equipment items inspected
• engage in activities that could compromise its impartiality
• seek to influence decisions that might further their private interests

ABSA and its employees do:

• provide formal compliance guidance or advice through the delivery of training seminars, and published documents
• provide informal and impartial advice to interested parties
• provide fair and consistent certification processes for applicants and candidates

INTRODUCTION :

As part of its role in administering Alberta’s pressure equipment safety programs under the Safety Codes Act, ABSA maintains recognized standards with respect to certification of applicants transferring from another region and/or country. In accordance with the Fair Registration Practices Act, ABSA makes application and certification requirements publicly available and allows for the submission of alternative proof of an applicant’s qualifications/credentials when original documentation is not available and/or accessible to the applicant.

PURPOSE :

On occasion, applicants may find themselves in exceptional circumstances, where retrieving or accessing original documents required for certification is made difficult or impossible. These circumstances may include—though are not limited to—war, natural disaster, cyber attack, and/or political persecution. ABSA has thus developed a policy that provides applicants the opportunity to submit alternative proof of qualification if they can demonstrate that adequate and sufficient attempts were made to procure documentation.   

POLICY :

In the event that original documentation cannot be obtained, ABSA may require that an applicant provide any or all of the following:

• a written explanation detailing efforts made to obtain original documents and why attempts to do so were unsuccessful
• copies of correspondence (letters, email, etc.) between applicant and relevant institutions that indicate applicant’s efforts to obtain original documents
• copies of documents directly from applicant or other available sources
• professional portfolio, including a detailed list of past employers (with contact information) and relevant courses/training
• letters/affidavits from verifiable personal, professional, and/or educational references

CONCLUSION :

Upon review of all material provided in lieu of original documentation, ABSA will evaluate if an applicant meets the required prerequisites or certification. If ABSA determines that further documentation is needed, the applicant may be instructed to submit additional information or, conversely, take part in supplemental training and/or a supervised period of practice.