The independent authority for certification of NDT laboratories (NOAL) of JSC “RPA “CNIITMASH” (belonging within JSC Atomenergomash, a machine-building division of ROSATOM) has successfully passed the procedure of increasing the accreditation scope for electric power equipment. At present NOAL is entitled to certify the laboratories testing electric power installations using NDT methods at the facilities under the supervision of Rostechnadzor.
Certification and accreditation are required for testing laboratories to confirm their expertise in works at hazardous sites and help to ensure reliability and safety of power equipment operation. Formerly, NOAL of CNIITMASH was able to certify the laboratories for NDT of boiler and pressure vessel facilities, gas supply and distribution systems, hosting facilities, mining, metallurgy, oil and gas industries, explosion, fire and chemically hazardous production facilities, railway transport, buildings and premises (construction projects). In 2019 certification and accreditation of laboratories for testing of electric power equipment using ultrasonic, magnetic, liquid penetration, thermal, visual and dimensional methods were added to the list. It will enable CNIITMASH to extend the scope of activity and the range of customers, as well as to enhance the prospects of winning in the industry bids for services in the field of conformity assessment. To participate in such contests, it often matters much how wide the scope of NOAL accreditation is and what competencies the Institute employees have.
“We have quite an extended accreditation scope, but we realized that nowadays the companies of the industrial sector with an increasing frequency faced the need to certify and accredit their laboratories for the work with electric power equipment. Apparently, it is related to the enactment of Federal Law No.271-FZ “On introduction of changes into the individual laws of the Russian Federation regarding the issues of confirmation of competency of workforce at hazardous production facilities, hydrotechnical structures and electric power facilities” dated 29.07.2018. Therefore, in the spring in 2019 we obtained a Supplement to our Certificate allowing us to certify and accredit laboratories for the above said works,” says Larisa Basatskaya, Director of NOAL and TOB CNIITMASH. “Presently there are 45 independent authorities for certification of NDT laboratories in Russia, and they are actively competing with each other. Only a quarter of this number managed to include electric power equipment in their accreditation scope, so we are at the forefront of this process. Currently we certified two laboratories; however, we have some potential orders.”
CNIITMASH was first accredited as an independent authority for certification of NDT laboratories (NOAL) in 2000 for the purpose of confirmation of their competence in the field of industrial and environmental safety, safety in power generation and construction sectors in the Unified Conformity Assessment System. It is required to confirm the accreditation of NOAL once in three years. In 2000 the Institute was accredited as a Territorial Authorized Body (TOB) rendering services for voluntary assessment of conformity of testing laboratories (NDT laboratories, laboratories of destructive and other types of inspection) to the requirements of the Unified Conformity Assessment System in the field of industrial and environmental safety, safety in power generation and construction sectors. As of now 1023 NDT laboratories and 23 laboratories of destructive and other types of inspection have been certified by NOAL and TOB.