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BINDT PCN Certification Meets Requirements of EU Pressure Equipment Directive
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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 June 2021. Failure to do so by 30 June 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 June 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."

About BINDT
The British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT) is a UK-based professional engineering institution working to promote the advancement of the science and practice of non-destructive testing (NDT), condition monitoring (CM), diagnostic engineering and all other materials and quality testing disciplines. Internationally recognised, it is concerned with the education, training and certification of its members and all those engaged in NDT and CM and through its publications and annual conferences and events it disseminates news of the latest advances in the science and practice of the subjects. For further information about the Institute and its activities, visit http://www.bindt.org

About WQ-iC Ltd
WQ-iC Ltd was acquired by the Lloyd’s Register Group in September 2020. Based in Dublin, Ireland the company was established as an RTPO for PED welding and welder certification. The new management team has established a set of ambitious targets for expansion and diversification of the business. The company’s main focus will remain with the engineering inspection business; however, opportunities in other sectors are being actively pursued. Product testing and information management are just two examples of the focused approach. For more information, visit: https://wqic-eu.com
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