Does a company that does only erection work involving welding need a plant?

• A. Yes, all companies must have a plant.
• B. No, not required, but must conform to all standard requirements to be certified.
• C. Only if the work involves pressure vessels.
• D. Only for Division 3.

Answer: (B)

The important idea here is that the need for a welding plant depends on where the welding work is done and the scope of that work. If a company does only erection work on site, there is no mandatory requirement to own or operate a fixed welding plant. You can be certified to perform field welding, as long as you meet all the standard requirements for certification. That means having qualified welders, approved welding procedures, proper supervision, a suitable quality control system, and the other elements the standard requires, applied to the work you actually perform.

So, not having a plant does not prevent certification for erection work, because the certification focuses on meeting the standard for the type of work you do. The other choices aren’t correct because the obligation isn’t simply “everyone must have a plant,” it isn’t specifically tied to pressure vessel work, and it isn’t limited only to Division 3.