Responsible Welding Coordinator
RWC
The named person under BS EN ISO 14731 responsible for a fabricator's welding quality: procedures, welder qualifications, consumables, inspection and nonconformance, with competence matched to the execution class.
BS EN 1090 requires a fabricator to have welding coordination, and BS EN ISO 14731 describes it: a person or people with the technical knowledge to plan, control and supervise welding production and ensure the specified quality. The level of knowledge required rises with the execution class: basic for EXC2 in lower-strength steels and thinner sections, specific for most EXC2 and some EXC3 work, and comprehensive (typically an International or European Welding Engineer or Technologist, or equivalent demonstrated competence) for EXC3 and EXC4. The notified body checks the RWC's competence against the class on the FPC certificate, and the certificate names the person.
The RWC's tasks are the spine of the welding quality system: reviewing requirements and technical contracts, subcontracting, welding personnel, equipment, production planning, qualification of procedures, work instructions, consumables, materials, post-weld heat treatment, inspection and testing, nonconformance and corrective action, calibration, identification and traceability, and quality records. In a small shop the RWC is often the owner or the senior welder with a CSWIP or equivalent qualification; the standard does not require a degree, it requires demonstrated competence for the class and the authority to stop production. The RWC is a single point of failure for the certification: if they leave, the fabricator must appoint a replacement of equal competence or lose the class.
Where it comes from
- BS EN ISO 14731 (welding coordination: tasks and responsibilities), as required by BS EN ISO 3834 and BS EN 1090-2 Annex on welding coordination by execution class.
Questions people ask
Can the RWC be a consultant?
An external welding coordinator is permitted if they have genuine authority and involvement in production, not a name on a certificate. Notified bodies look for evidence of that involvement: signed procedure reviews, inspection records, presence at audits. A part-time RWC who is never in the shop is a finding waiting to happen.
What qualification does an RWC need for EXC2?
Specific technical knowledge under BS EN ISO 14731 for most EXC2 work, which in practice means a recognised welding inspection or technology qualification (CSWIP 3.1 and above, or an IIW diploma) plus experience, or equivalent demonstrated competence accepted by the notified body. Basic knowledge suffices for the simplest EXC2 work in thin S235/S275.
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