FIFTH CANADIAN CONFERENCE ON NONDESTRUCTIVE ... - IAEA

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The Canadian Society for Nondestructive Testing (C.S.N.D.T.) was
formed from C.C.N.D.T., and with the similar objectives, in 1967
and the NDT community had a truly Canadian Society. The increased
interest in NDT an,d support of a National Society in the late 50's
and early 60's paralleled a new emphasis, in Canadian education, on
mathematics and sciences. It may be that the Vocational Training
Act, passed in 1961, emphasized the need for training in new technologies,
although the federal dollars did not filter through to a
Canadian institution specifically for NDT training.
It was also in 1960 that the Canadian Government Specifications
Board (C.G.S.B. and now the "Canadian General Standards Board") introduced
C.G.S.B. Standard 48-GP-4 "The Certification of Industrial
Radiographie Personnel". This Standard established a Junior and
Senior level of certification, outlining the requisite amount of
work experience and the responsibilities of each level. Standards
for certification in Ultrasonics, Liquid Penetrant, Magnetic Particle
and Eddy Current followed.
C.S.N.D.T. Chapters across Canada continued to offer continuing education
programs and increased the educational input of the Society by
conducting seminars. By the mid 70's, it was evident that assistance
was needed to provide industry with trained NDT personnel from the
Canadian labour force. It should be noted that some companies were
still finding it necessary to hire Europeans who had good NDT backgrounds
and to send personnel to the United States for training
courses. Also at this time, the Department of Energy, Mines and
Resources (the Examining Authority for C.G.S.B.) indicated their need
for assistance in conducting the certification program.
In 1976, the educational arm of C.S.N.D.T. was established as the
Canadian Society for Nondestructive Testing Foundation. This nonprofit
organization, headquartered in Hamilton, Ontario, has three
main objectives:
- to improve the quality of education in nondestructive
testing throughout Canada.
- to assist Canadian industry in its use of nondestructive
testing
- to assist the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources
in conducting the written and practical examinations for
certification of nondestructive testing personnel, in
accordance with the Standards of the Canadian General
Standards Board.
These objectives outlined a major undertaking; previously, there had
not been an organization charged with the responsibility of providing
intensive, daytime NDT programs. The Nondestructive Testing Section
of the Department of National Defense, Aircraft Maintenance Development
Unit, based in Trenton, Ontario had been (and still is) a major
contributor to education and certification in Canada. The Foundation's
responsibility, however, is to the entire spectrum of NDT in Canadian
i ndus try.