Who is primarily responsible for qualifying a weld procedure?

The primary responsibility for qualifying a weld procedure typically lies with the contractor. This is because the contractor is tasked with ensuring that the welding done during a project meets the necessary standards and specifications outlined in the project documents. They must make sure that all welding procedures are properly documented and that the welders are qualified to perform the work to maintain compliance with relevant codes and regulations.

In this context, it is vital for the contractor to be involved in the qualification of the weld procedures since they oversee the overall project execution. While a welding engineer may design and create these procedures, it is ultimately the contractor who must ensure that they are appropriately validated and adhered to during the construction process. Moreover, even though independent testing labs and welding inspectors play important roles in supporting the process—by providing third-party testing services or inspecting welds—they do not carry the primary responsibility for the initial qualification of the welding procedure itself.