African Fusion November 2015

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Systems, quality and NDT training: changing roles at SAIW of the services delivered by SAIW.

A s a result of renewed emphasis on the quality of SAIW’s offering and, in particular, on training quality, SAIW has appointed Harold Jansen to the post of systems and quality manager. Filling Jansen’s role as NDT training manager andmanager of the SAIWNDT training centre is Level 3 NDT inspector, Mark Digby. Harold Jansen, SAIW’s former NDTman- ager, has been appointed systems and quality manager to oversee the internal quality of systems and service delivery across the three non-profit companies (NPCs) – SAIW, SAIW Certification and SAIW Foundation – that now constitute the SAIW Group. “Each entity contributes a unique function towards the products delivered by the SAIW Group,” says Jansen. “The Group has, therefore, established the systems andqualityposition toestablish systems and to constantly monitor and improve the quality of the services and products delivered,” he explains. While the position does not change the role of functional managers in any way, all departments will now be ex- pected to complywith andmaintain the agreed systems and quality standards that are established. Inconsistencies will be identified throughestablishedpro-activeand reac- tive feedback loops. These will trigger resolution processes via appropriate panels or committees. Jansen’s medium term priorities include: • The rollout of an SAIW Online regis- tration and administration system during the first quarter of 2016. • The harmonisationof SAIW’s various quality management systems into one ISO 9001-accredited system. • Aligningall SAIWproductswith inter- national andnational requirements. • The proper harmonisation of train- ing and qualifications in NDT and welding-related courses. • To create and maintain a document control procedure and to system- aticallymodify SAIWnotebooks and training manuals to comply. The newposition addresses impartiality by ensuring that established processes and independent staff are used tomoni- tor anddrive the quality and consistency Systems and quality: Harold Jansen

NDT training and centre manager: Mark Digby As part of SAIW restructuring during 2015, Mark Digby, an NDT stalwart of South Africa’s Power Industry, has been appointed to the post of NDT training and training centre manager. Digby rejoined SAIW in February this year as a senior NDT lecturer, having previously been employed twice before: from1995 to2002and from2007 to2011. “I started my career as an inspector at Hall Longmore from 1980 to 1989. Then I decided to do and apprenticeship and I became an electrician,” he says. In 1990, Digby joinedHowdenPower as the quality control vendor inspector for the ID and FD fans for Eskom Power stations. He joined SAIW for the first time in 1995, working with a NDT team that includedBenBeetge. “Wewere the train- ers, the training organisers and the plan- ners andwe put together all of the initial NDT courses for the SAIW,” he relates. In 2003, he was invited to join Rotek Engineering – the Eskom Group subsid- iary for servicing plant – as its Level 3 NDT inspector. “I was responsible for NDT on centre-line components on tur- bines andgenerators, with responsibility for all NDT carried out on Eskom plant being serviced by Rotek,” he adds. After nearly five years, he returned to SAIW to teach. But in 2011, Digby was offered the opportunity to become the Eskom Group’s Level 3 inspector, pos- sibly the most demanding NDT position in South Africa. “The Eskom job became too big for a single person, though, and I took the opportunity to return to SAIW earlier this year as an NDT trainer and senior lecturer. “When the new structure was cre- ated following themanagement change, I applied for the position to head upNDT training and tomanage the NDT training centre,” Digby tells African Fusion . “I will be focusing on training and training courses; updating material, making sure the training is conducted properly, auditing the lecturers; and running the NDT training department,” he says. With the addition of the Durban branch, a consolidation and harmonis- ing of the courses is needed, – “primarily for L1, L2 and L3 NDT personnel on the

different NDT techniques”. “Wealsohave a role supporting the Weld Inspectors’ courses with NDT input and we offer an NDT appreciation course for engineers,” he adds. A medium-term goal for SAIW’s NDT training centre is to introduce advanced techniques that are not currently on of- fer at the Institute: eddy-current testing (ET); phased-array UT; time of flight dif- fraction (Tofd); andDigital Radiography. “Wewill be sending our lecturers for formal testing, either overseas or with local specialists, witha viewtoestablish- ing these courses locally,” Digby says.

SAIW KwaZulu-Natal branch opens S AIW KwaZulu-Natal has opened its offices at 40 Essex Terrace, Westville Durban. “We are extremely pleased to have found the right premises for our new, fully- fledged KwaZulu-Natal branch,” says SAIW executive director Sean Blake. “There is so much potential in this region and having a branch here will help an ever-increasing number of people to benefit from welding and NDT training.” Blake says the interest and enthusiasm shown by the newly formed KwaZulu-Natal committee is most encouraging. “The first chairman, SAPREF’s Donovan Govender, is keen for the committee tomake a difference in the local industry and I havenodoubt that they will do just that,” he says.

The new SAIW KwaZulu-Natal branch will be housed in offices at 40 Essex Terrace, Westville Durban.

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November 2015

AFRICAN FUSION

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