SAIW’S Harold Jansen Awarded Prestigious Honorary Membership

The World Conference on Non-Destructive Testing (WCNDT), a highly esteemed event under the auspices of the International Committee for Non-Destructive Testing (ICNDT), has awarded SAIW Harold Jansen with a prestigious Honorary Membership. This honour recognises Jansen’s distinguished contributions and activities within the scope of ICNDT’s objectives.

The Honorary Membership is a special title awarded to individuals who have shown exceptional dedication and achievement in the field of NDT. This accolade was first presented at the 7th WCNDT in 1973 and has since become a significant mark of recognition within the industry. Jansen is proud to follow in the footsteps of Prof Ferid Herelli (Tunisia) and Dr Manfred Johannes (South Africa), making him only the third African to have received this honour.

SAIW Executive Director John Tarboton comments, “Harold’s dedication and contributions to the field of non-destructive testing in South Africa and across the continent are truly exemplary and his recognition at the WCNDT is a testament to his unwavering commitment to advancing NDT technologies and methodologies. We are incredibly proud of his achievements and the impact he has made in the global NDT community.”

Career and Achievements

Jansen has had a remarkable career in the field of non-destructive testing. With over 25 years of experience. He has been at the forefront of numerous pioneering projects and research initiatives and has authored multiple papers and articles in renowned journals, contributing to the advancement of NDT technologies and methodologies.

Jansen’s career at the SAIW began in January 2010, and he played a crucial role in ensuring the correct implementation of the national SAIW NDT Qualification and Certification Scheme (previously known as the SAQCC NDT Scheme) and is part of the independent SAQCC NDT Board, established in 2022; and mandated by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy to register Non-Destructive Testing personnel.

One of the highlights of his career at SAIW is his involvement in the SAIW NDT Scheme (previously known as the SAQCC NDT Scheme), which has been SANAS ISO17024 accredited since 2005. Under his guidance, it became the first certification scheme developed by Africans for Africans focusing on the African NDT industry, to achieve the prestigious ICNDT MRA Schedule 2 registration, facilitating the acceptance of personnel qualification and certification from fellow-registered personnel certification bodies worldwide.

Currently, he chairs the ICEC (ICNDT Certification Executive Committee), overseeing global certification efforts involving 19 countries. This role includes pushing for greater African representation in global certification. “We aim to get at least five ‘subregional’ leading African countries recognized at this level within the next six years,” Jansen said.

Digital innovation, global collaboration

Never one to rest on his laurels, Jansen outlines the main projects for this year, emphasising the SAIW NDT Department’s work on introducing UT Phased Array and ToFD Level 1 and 2 as per the latest edition of ISO 9712 (2021). This forms part of a collaborative project between SAIW and NECSA and is sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) allowing eligible and selected individuals to partake in these courses at no cost (apart from logistics relating to travel and accommodation).

Part of this project is to establish a ‘Nuclear School of Excellence’ at the NECSA (Pelindaba) focusing on welding and non-destructive testing training, qualification, certification and consultation within the nuclear industry.

In his continuous effort to innovate, Jansen is also working on a platform that will allow for the transition from paper-based to digital test papers, enhancing efficiency and user-friendliness. It aims for global harmonisation of NDT personnel theoretical examinations which includes both general and specific examination elements via the ICNDT Working Group 1: Qualification and Certification specialist panels and managed by the ICEC. “The platform shall assist small to medium Personnel Certification Bodies to be included in the ICNDT Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) Schedule 2 and shall ensure that global competence is benchmarked against an international norm.”

Within a global context, Jansen, and his colleague SAIW Certification Manager Renier Mostert have also just returned from the 77^th IIW Annual Assembly and Conference on Welding & Joining that took place on Rhodes Island in Greece. This event gathered participants from 51 countries and offered an opportunity for global collaboration and networking in the welding industry.

This international exposure sets the stage for SAIW’s exciting initiatives in 2024 and beyond, focusing on innovative training, innovative research, and enhanced certification processes. These efforts will only elevate industry standards and ensure practitioners are well-equipped to meet the evolving challenges within the South African industrial context.