Use of a company's WPS by contractor 10

[Raikwar]

Hi guys,

I work for company 'A', and I have seleted our own (company 'A') WPS for our project. Due to time constraints we had to subcontract the production welding to a contractor.

Is it acceptable (per AMSE &/or AWS) to hire a contractor, qualify their welder to company 'A' WPS & use company A WPS for the production weld.

Thanks for your time & help.

Regards
PK

 

[unclesyd]

A situation not mentioned is one like my stepson was under while he was working while listed as welder for a rent-a-welder company. The rent-a-welder company had absolutely no idea about requirements of and for welding as he was only a numbered person who said he was a welder. He worked mainly for steel erection companies, but also worked for a shipyard, a petroleum company along with several piping and pressure vessel fabricators.

He stated that only one time was he tested to D1.1 in steel erection business. Most of the time he said that someone may look at his first weld or at times it maybe the tenth weld.

Of the several times he has worked in the shipyard he hasn't been tested.

He was tested while welding for the petroleum company. It was a plate test and all his welding while working there was welding gas pipe.

He has been tested to different procedures under Sect IX at the three vessel fabricators, all are code shops. He has copies of all tests taken at these shops. He says that two of the shops have a file on him even though he is employed by the rent-a-weld company. The rent-a-welder company keeps no records of any kind related to his welding.

He said that one company company apparently keeps no records on the rent-a-welders. I checked and they only keep time on site records and welding qualifications and NDT records are kelp with the vessel package. As far as he knows his credentials have only been checked one time where welder/welders of record was questioned in a weld involving multiple welders.
Apparently one shop tries to keep him on the projects where there are low NDT requirements. He thinks there is no restrictions in the other two shops on what he welds under his qualifications.

PS:
He recently went to work as "building engineer" for company that recently moved into a large new building and was told to setup a shop that included what he needed for welding as long as the equipment was by a certain manufacturer. He has it all SMAW, TIG, MIG. He was tested by a local NDT company to the Sect IX. The question now is how to maintain his certification and is being discussed with the company' insurance carrier, the NDT company, and a consultant.

 

[Ballbearing1]

sjones,
Not sure what you mean by "reactionaries" ?
We were simply stating opinions and just because those opinions differ from yours does not make us "reactionaries".
I agree with DVWE that there are two scenarios but I was definitely not of the same opinion as you on which scenario is stated here.
"Subcontract the production welding to a contractor" leads me to believe the work will be performed in the subcontractors premises whereas a statement along the lines of "hire subcontract welders to perform the production welding" would lead me to believe it was the scenario you are ascribing to.
Regards,
BB

 

[SJones]

The mechanics of the "subcontract" were not examined and assumptions, such as you have outlined, were immediately made without assessment of the possibilities. The concept under discussion is really the application of quality systems, if any, and contractual responsibilities. Instead it turned into a "I've looked at the Code and it says No!" thread, i.e. a reactionary approach.

Steve Jones
Materials & Corrosion Engineer

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/8/83b/b04

 

[DVWE]

Well, one thing we've learned is that the application of quality systems, and even contractual responsibilities are all part of following the rules of any code. We must first look at the code to make the "assessment of the possibilities". I wouldn't call that reactionary, but that's just me.

 

[SJones]

I suppose it's just a case of every action has a reactionary!!

Steve Jones
Materials & Corrosion Engineer

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/8/83b/b04

 

[DVWE]

Cheers to you on that!

 

[GenB]

ASME allows subcontractors for babrication and the condition of welding still sticks: the sub must have their own procedures.
you can rent a welder but you have to test him/her (WPQ)
ASME B&PV mandates full contrl of welders by fabricator,
mean that welders can belong to another company but managed as hired and fired by the fabricator, if the fab. can not proove that to the AI, the AI can stop the production of those welders, it is getting serious.
genblr

 

[Rooster3]

Hi all

First of all, thanks for all of the replies.

Question:
I work for company 'A', and I have seleted our own (company 'A') WPS for our project. Due to time constraints we had to subcontract the production welding to a contractor.

Is it acceptable (per AMSE &/or AWS) to hire a contractor, qualify their welder to company 'A' WPS & use company A WPS for the production weld.

Let me re-state the question:
I work for company 'A' and we have selected company 'A' WPS # 1 for our project. Due to excessive internal work load, we need additional help to get the welding on our project completed on time.

Can I hire a sub-contract welder from company 'B' to work under company 'A' QA system to weld uning company 'A' weld procedure?

If yes, what actions or verifications must I do with the sub-contract welder from company 'B' to allow him to weld using company 'A' WPS # 1.

Steve

 

[DVWE]

Yes. You would just need to have him do a WPQ (welder performance qualification) following company A's WPS.

 

[Rooster3]

Thanks

Steve