The welding coordinator under ISO 14731: when, who and what

As soon as a company delivers welded work under EN 1090-2 from EXC2 upwards, under ISO 3834-2 or -3, or under sector schemes such as EN 15085 for rail, welding coordination is mandatory. ISO 14731 describes what welding coordination entails: the tasks and responsibilities involved, how they are assigned and what level of technical knowledge is required.

In practice the role causes plenty of confusion. Does the coordinator have to be an employee? Will an experienced foreman do, or must it be an IWE? And what exactly needs to be demonstrable? This article sets out the requirements for work planners, QC staff and management wanting to assign the role properly.

When a welding coordinator is required

ISO 14731 itself mandates nothing: it is a standard that describes the role. The obligation comes from the standards and schemes that reference it:

• EN 1090-2: from execution class EXC2 onwards a welding coordinator is required, at a knowledge level depending on class, steel grade and thickness.
• ISO 3834-2 and 3834-3: both parts require welding coordination with documented tasks and responsibilities.
• Sector standards such as EN 15085 for railway vehicles impose their own, often stricter, coordinator requirements.

Even without a formal duty the role is worthwhile: someone must ensure procedures, qualifications and execution line up. Our article on the execution classes under EN 1090-2 explains which requirements belong to which class.

The tasks under ISO 14731

ISO 14731 lists an extensive set of tasks that must be assigned where applicable. The core:

• Review of contract and design requirements: is the welding feasible and are the requirements clear.
• Selecting welding processes and arranging qualification of procedures and welders.
• Preparing and releasing welding procedure specifications and work instructions.
• Assessment of parent and filler materials, including weldability and storage.
• Production planning and supervision: welding sequence, preheat, interpass temperature, heat treatment.
• Defining the extent and timing of inspection and testing, and evaluating the results.
• Managing records: from qualification records to weld logs and non-conformity reports.

Not every task has to sit with one person. The standard allows tasks to be divided, provided the division is documented and responsibilities are clear.

Knowledge levels: comprehensive, specific and basic

ISO 14731 distinguishes three levels of technical knowledge:

• Comprehensive technical knowledge (level B in EN 1090-2): needed for complex work, higher steel grades, greater thicknesses and the higher execution classes. In practice usually an International Welding Engineer (IWE).
• Specific technical knowledge (level S): sufficient for a defined scope of work, often an International Welding Technologist (IWT).
• Basic technical knowledge (level C): for simple work within narrow limits, often an International Welding Specialist (IWS).

The IIW diplomas IWE, IWT and IWS are not a legal requirement but are the accepted way of demonstrating the level. Documented knowledge and experience count too: the certification body assesses whether the person matches the company's scope of work.

Which level EN 1090-2 demands

EN 1090-2 links the required knowledge level to execution class, steel group and material thickness in tables. Simplified: for EXC2 in common steel grades and limited thicknesses, basic or specific knowledge suffices, while EXC3 and EXC4 almost always call for comprehensive technical knowledge. Companies working with higher strength grades, such as S460 and above, quickly reach a higher level even at EXC2. Check the table for each scope of work and record which combinations of grade and thickness your coordination covers, as this helps define the scope of your certificate.

Internal or external

The welding coordinator does not have to be an employee. ISO 14731 permits an external coordinator, provided tasks, responsibilities and availability are laid down contractually and the coordinator can genuinely supervise the work. For smaller workshops an in-house IWE is rarely economical; an external arrangement for a number of hours per week or per project is a realistic route that certification bodies accept. What matters is that the coordinator is not a paper function: he or she must be involved in work preparation, releases and non-conformities, and the records must show it. See our welding coordinator service for the options.

Demonstrability: what must be on paper

Audits fail on demonstrability far more often than on knowledge. Arrange at least:

• An appointment of the coordinator stating name, knowledge level and scope.
• A task assignment in line with ISO 14731, signed and up to date.
• For external arrangements: an agreement covering availability and authority.
• Evidence of actual coordination: reviewed welding procedure specifications, releases, toolbox talks, evaluation of NDT results and non-conformities.

Coordination is part of the wider quality system under ISO 3834; set both up together and no duplicate work arises.