Welder certification according to DS/EN ISO 9606-1

When a company is certified under EN 1090 to manufacture load-bearing steel structures, it's not enough for the company as a whole to have procedures and controls in order. Each welder must themselves be able to document that they can properly perform the specific welding task. That's what certification under DS/EN ISO 9606-1 is about.

§Why certification exists

A weld bead can look nice on the surface even though it is weak inside. That is why standards such as EN 1090-2 require that welders working on load-bearing structures be qualified according to a recognized standard. DS/EN ISO 9606-1 covers the qualification of welders in fusion welding of steel and is the most common standard for hand welding in Denmark.

§What the standard covers

A certification is not just 'proof that you can weld'. It is tied to a number of concrete variables that together limit what the certificate covers. The certificate only applies within the combinations of variables it is issued for.

• 01Welding method (e.g. MMA, MIG/MAG, TIG)
• 02Material group (e.g. unalloyed steel stainless steel)
• 03Goods thickness and pipe diameter within the range covered by the sample
• 04Welding position (e.g. downhand, horizontal, vertical, overhead)
• 05Type of filler material and any shielding gas
• 06Joint type — for example butt weld or bevel weld

§How the certification system works — CE marking explained

The welding test is supervised by a trained examiner who ensures the test is carried out according to the requirements of the standard. The welder performs an actual weld following an established welding procedure, and the result is assessed both visually and by one or more inspection methods — typically a destructive test where the test piece is bent or broken to reveal any internal defects, and often supplemented by non-destructive testing if the certificate is also to be used for pressure equipment.

§Validity and renewal

A welder certificate is not valid forever by itself. It requires the employer or a welding coordinator to confirm every six months in writing that the welder has continued to perform welding work with the given method within the last period. The certificate must also be fully renewed after a set maximum period typically every second or third year depending on the specific arrangement.

§What it means in practice

For the individual blacksmith the certification system means competence is not just something you say you have — it is documented defined and time-limited. It gives customers and authorities a guarantee that the person who has welded a load-bearing structure has actually shown they can perform exactly that type of welding. At the same time it means a skilled welder must continually maintain their certificates if the work tasks change — for example if you start welding a new material group or a new position.