To begin with, AICIP or Australian Institute for Certification of Inspection Personnel, is a non-profit organisation associated with the Department of Fair Trading under Associations Incorporations Act of 1984. The organisation also possesses the status of an Australian Registered Body with Australian Securities Commission.
History
Earlier, because of Government policies, all manufacturing industries had to regulate quality on their own through manufacture, setup and operation of any engineered plant. But due to National Standard for Plant, the owners of these plants in particular wanted to make sure that only competent people inspect the in-service plants. That’s why AICIP was established by several industry organisations with extensive support from State Regulatory Authorities for providing certification programmes to competent inspection personnel. And those programmes, though voluntary, offered greater confidence to employers in efficiency of inspectors.
Constitution
The Committee of Management of AICIP is constituted by different office bearers – Chairman, Treasurer, Vice-Chairman and Public Officer/Secretary, along with other members. The quotidian administrative and secretarial functions of the organisation are performed by the Welding Technology Institute of Australia (WTIA). Relevant organisations qualified for obtaining membership of the AICIP are invited every now and then. The body also publishes advertisements and press releases from time-to-time to welcome membership applications.
Situation With The Welding Inspectors
Between the WTIA and the AICIP, there exists an agreement for introducing, administering and conducting programmes to train personnel of welding inspection. These programmes offer certification across a wide variety of engineering plant. And at present, the training is offered by TAFE system.
Plant Covered
The kinds of plant or equipment which can be envisaged for being covered by AICIP in case of demand, consist of pressure equipment, lifts, pipelines and amusement devices. In the beginning also, AICIP provided certification to in-service & welding inspectors and design verifiers for plants.
First Examinations
The very first examinations of AICIP were completed successfully on 10th July, 1997. They were held specifically for certifying inspection personnel – In-Service and Senior In-Service Inspector – for Pressure Equipment. Currently, the exams of the organisation are held in Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
AICIP normally prepares reports for highlighting those areas of exams where improvements have to be made by employers, trainers and applicants. The experience of AICIP gained through arrangement of examinations can be utilised for certification of the inspection personnel in different fields like welding fabrication & inspection, cranes, amusement devices, lifts, as necessitated by the industry.
Welding Inspection Services 