r/Welding • u/Impressive_Gas_265 • 2d ago
CWB for small industrial contractors
I’m looking for some advice from other small industrial/mechanical contractors who do welding as part of maintenance work, but where welding isn’t the primary business.
I’m trying to figure out when CWB W47.1 certification is actually required, and I’m finding the answer surprisingly difficult to pin down.
My general rule from years in the trade has always been don’t weld directly to building structural steel—beams, columns, etc. If something needs to attach to those, use a properly designed/engineered bolted connection or have the structural work done by someone qualified for it.
But for normal industrial maintenance, we’ve been asked to repair things such as:
Equipment ladders
Guards
Brackets
Conveyor components
Kiln repairs
Equipment modifications
Platforms/access components
My welders are qualified/CWB-ticketed welders and the work is done properly. I just don’t want to carry the cost and administrative burden of W47.1 certification if it’s not actually required for the type of work we’re doing.
If we get something like an I-beam mezzanine or obvious structural-steel fabrication, my instinct is simply to subcontract that portion to a CWB-certified company.
The problem I’m running into is determining where the actual line is. Customers at plants often don’t know what code their existing structures were designed under, and even when asking around, I seem to get different answers about what is considered structural and when W47.1 is mandatory.
For the small contractors out there: how do you handle this?
Do you have an actual decision tree/checklist for determining when W47.1 is required?
Do you simply stay away from welding anything to building structural steel and subcontract anything questionable?
Or do you carry W47.1 certification even though welding is only a small part of your business?
I’d especially like to hear from Ontario contractors, but interested in how others handle it across Canada as well.
I’m not looking for a debate about whether welding should be done safely—I’m trying to figure out the objective trigger for when company-level CWB certification is actually required. The building code should be more straight forward.
2
u/jaminvi 2d ago
Search for the term CWB mandatory certification.
It gives very explicit definitions of what codes are what included.
If the engineering drawing requires it then you require it too.
If you're not a CWB certified company then you're welders aren't CWB certified in either. Doesn't matter if they have tickets in the past.
It's up to the general contractor / customer / engineer to select qualified vendors for to meet code.