This standard establishes the requirements for AWS certification of welding inspection personnel. It describes how personnel are certified, and the principles of conduct and practice by which certification may be maintained. Any oral or written claim of certification under the guidelines established herein shall be made only by those individual SCWIs, CWIs, and CAWIs who are, at the time of the claim, current and in compliance with all sections of this standard.

This standard meets or exceeds the requirements of AWS B5.1:2003, Specification for the Qualification of Welding Inspectors. This standard supersedes AWS QC1:2006.

The three levels of certification are Senior Certified Welding Inspector (SCWI), Certified Welding Inspector (CWI), and Certified Associate Welding Inspector (CAWI).

In the certification process, AWS conducts an examination to determine a person's general knowledge of welding inspection and related technical areas. No determination is made of an individual's capabilities in applying that knowledge within a specific work environment or under actual working conditions.

It shall be the responsibility of the employer to determine that the SCWI/CWI/CAWI is capable of performing the duties involved in his/her particular welding inspection assignment.

This standard is intended to supplement the requirements of an employer, code, or other documents and shall not be construed as a preemption of the employer's responsibility for the work or for the performance of the work.

Safety Precautions. This standard is not intended to address safety and health matters regarding certified welding inspectors. Safety and health requirements are provided in ANSI Z49.1, Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied Processes, other safety and health standards, and federal, state, and local government regulations. This standard only covers the rules of certification.

Verb Usage. As used in this standard, the word shall denotes a requirement; the word should denotes a guideline, and the word may denotes an obligation to make a choice.