Annex 7 - Procedures for Certification of a Company Engaged in Thickness Measurement of Hull Structure

 This guidance applies for certification of the company which intends to engage in the thickness measurement of hull structures of ships.

  2 Submission of documents

  2.1 The following documents should be submitted to an organization recognized by the Administration for approval.

• .1 Outline of the company, e.g. organization and management structure.

• .2 Experience of the company on thickness measurement of hull structures of ships.

• .3 Technician careers, i.e. experience of technicians as thickness measurement operators, technical knowledge and experience of hull structure, etc. Operators should be qualified according to a recognized industrial NDT Standard.

• .4 Equipment used for thickness measurement such as ultrasonic testing machines and their maintenance/calibration procedures.

• .5 A guide for thickness measurement operators.

• .6 Training programmes for technicians for thickness measurement.

• .7 Measurement record format in accordance with recommended procedures for thickness measurements (see annex 10).

  Auditing of the company

  2.2 Upon reviewing the documents submitted with satisfactory results, the company should be audited in order to ascertain that the company is duly organized and managed in accordance with the documents submitted, and eventually is capable of conducting thickness measurement of the hull structure of ships.

  2.3 Certification is conditional upon an on-board demonstration of thickness measurement as well as satisfactory reporting.

  3.1 Upon satisfactory results of both the audit of the company referred to in 2.2 and the demonstration tests referred to in 2.3, the Administration or organization recognized by the Administration should issue a Certificate of Approval as well as a notice to the effect that the thickness measurement operation system of the company has been certified.

  3.2 Renewal/endorsement of the certificate should be made at intervals not exceeding 3 years by verification that original conditions are maintained.

  In case where any alteration to the certified thickness measurement operation system of the company is made, such an alteration should be immediately report to the organization recognized by the Administration. Re-audit should be made where deemed necessary by the organization recognized by the Administration.

  5.1 The certification may be withdrawn in the following cases:

• .1 where the measurements were improperly carried out or the results were improperly reported;

• .2 where the surveyor found an deficiencies in the approved thickness measurement operation system of the company;

• .3 where the company failed to report any alteration referred to in 4 to the organization recognized by the Administration as required.