ÒõAPPµ¼º½

There are several codes, standards and regulations in Canada that require mandatory CWB ÒõAPPµ¼º½ for companies involved in the welding operation.

Buildings & Structural Steel

Buildings and structures falling under the jurisdiction of the National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) – and its Provincial versions – must be welded by CWB Certified companies.

Neither the National nor the Provincial Building Codes have any direct reference to welding certification. The requirements for welding certification of fabricators and erectors are done via the mandatory requirement in the NBCC that specific design standards shall be used for design of all structural steel. Further, these specified design standards have clear provisions for mandatory welding certification required for fabricators and erectors conducting any work in accordance to the National Building Code of Canada. Below are the references in the NBCC to the design standards:

• Section 4.3.4.1 of NBCC states "Buildings and their structural members made of structural steel shall conform to CAN/CSA S16-09, Design of Steel Structures"
• Section 4.3.4.2 of NBCC states that "Buildings and their structural members made of cold formed steel shall conform to CSA A136, North American Specification for the Design of Cold Formed Steel Structural Members".
• Section 4.3.3.3.1 of NBCC states that "Buildings and their structural members made of plain, reinforced or prestressed concrete shall conform to CSA A23.3, Design of Concrete Structures".
• Section 4.3.3.3.1 of NBCC states that "Buildings and their structural members made of aluminum shall conform to CSA 157, Strength Design in Aluminum".
• Section 4.3.5.1 of NBCC states that "Steel Building Systems shall be manufactured by companies certified in accordance with the requirements of CSA A660, ÒõAPPµ¼º½ of Manufacturers of Steel Building Systems".

CSA A660, CSA S16, CSA A23.3, CSA A136 and CSA S157 have mandatory provisions requiring fabricators and erectors to be CWB certified to one of the following standards:

• CSA Standard W47.1 "ÒõAPPµ¼º½ of Companies for Fusion Welding of Steel"
• CSA Standard W47.2 "ÒõAPPµ¼º½ of Companies for Fusion Welding of Aluminum"
• CSA Standard W186 "Welding of Reinforcing Bars in Reinforced Concrete Construction"
• CSA Standard W55.3 "ÒõAPPµ¼º½ of Companies for Resistance Welding of Steel and Aluminum"

For the ease of reading, the CWB developed a document that reflects the Linkage between NBCC and Welding ÒõAPPµ¼º½.

Other Mandatory Applications

In addition, a number of safety and product codes have direct reference to CWB certification. These include:

• Bridges
• Cranes
• Elevators and escalators
• Hoists and manlifts
• Antenna structures
• Wind turbine towers
• Mobile homes
• Concrete structures (Reinforcing bar)

Due to the large number of CSA Standards that directly reference CSA Welding ÒõAPPµ¼º½ Standards, the CWB has compiled relevant excerpts from all currently published CSA standards into reference guides.

The intent of these documents is to inform and encourage consultants, building officials, purchasers, government departments and other authorities to use these standards, specify and enforce certification requirements, where applicable.