Program.

The rules for the American Welding Society (AWS) Certified Welder Program and the requirements for maintenance of certification are provided in this standard. This standard requires the use of accredited test facilities for qualification testing.

Exclusion.

This standard does not prevent a manufacturer, fabricator, or contractor from continuing to qualify welders according to other standards. Employers may impose requirements in addition to this standard, as deemed necessary.

Limitation.

Certification under the American Welding Society Certified Welder Program shall be limited to those welding performance variables provided in the applicable supplements to this standard.

Safety Precautions.

This document is not intended to address safety and health matters regarding the training of certified welders. This document only covers the rules of certification.