SA mining industry looks set to make ISO 3834 welding certification mandatory

Source: NorGal © za.fotolia.com

Southern African Institute of Welding (SAIW) executive director John Tarboton says, “This is a welcome and overdue development given that suppliers to a variety of other safety-critical sectors - including the power, petrochemical and rail industries - have all moved to mandatory ISO 3834 requirements for companies seeking to obtain contracts with them.”

Health and safety seizes the day

Renewed attention on this form of endorsement stems from the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic which has brought quality requirements into far sharper focus with a newfound appreciation for the importance of these core facets of manufacture and production and the need to ensure that mining personnel and products are at the correct level.

This is vital given that in terms of current mining health and safety regulations if, for example, there is a safety incident in a mine due to a weld defect, the mine can most certainly be held liable.

Cost savings

In addition, current global and local financial constraints have seen a move towards cost savings, and welding is one of the key areas where producers have been able to initiate cost-savings. This is because the use of ISO-compliant standards and procedures results in an improvement in quality with fewer failures and less downtime and overall lost production revenue.

Comments Tarboton: “The benefit for ISO 3834-certified fabricators and mining suppliers is that they operate at a globally-recognised level which in turn increases their new business opportunities in a far broader range of markets. In addition, ISO 3834 is an excellent way to develop startups by ensuring their quality management is up to scratch and they can fabricate at a higher level for larger, better paying clients.”