NDT Hold Point vs Witness Point: Complete QA/QC & Inspection Guide (2026)
INDIA
A Hold Point is a mandatory control stage where work must not proceed beyond the specified point until the required inspection, verification or release has been completed according to the approved project requirements.
A Witness Point is an inspection stage where the designated party is notified and given the opportunity to witness the activity. Whether work may proceed when the witness does not attend depends on the approved ITP, contract, specification and project procedure.
This distinction is extremely important because incorrectly treating a Hold Point as a Witness Point can allow work to continue without the required approval and may create a quality or contractual non-conformance.
This guide explains Hold Points and Witness Points from a practical NDT and QA/QC perspective, including ITP requirements, inspection requests, NDT activities, welding inspection, documentation, common mistakes and a real site scenario.
A Witness Point is an inspection stage where the designated party is notified and given the opportunity to witness the activity. Whether work may proceed when the witness does not attend depends on the approved ITP, contract, specification and project procedure.
This distinction is extremely important because incorrectly treating a Hold Point as a Witness Point can allow work to continue without the required approval and may create a quality or contractual non-conformance.
This guide explains Hold Points and Witness Points from a practical NDT and QA/QC perspective, including ITP requirements, inspection requests, NDT activities, welding inspection, documentation, common mistakes and a real site scenario.
