Getting Started: CSA W178.2 Level 1 and 2

Education and Experience Requirements

CSA W178.2 Level 1 Welding Inspector shall have at least 1 year of qualified experience in one or more of the following:

• layout and fitting;
• manual or semi-automatic welding;
• welding inspection;
• welding supervision;
• weld testing;
• weld designing or detailing;
• welding instruction; or
• fabrication planning

Note: CSA W178.2 Level 1 Welding Inspector shall perform welding inspection under Level 2 or Level 3.

CSA W178.2 Level 2 Welding shall have:

• min. 2 years of experience as a certified Level 1 Welding Inspector

Note: Level 1 and 2 welding inspectors shall be certified to the codes and standards under which they are to conduct inspection in one or more of the product category codes identified below.

CSA W178.2 Welding Inspector Examinations

Level 1:

• welding inspection; 1.5 hrs, closed-book
• product category code exam; 2 hrs, open-book
• W178.2; 0.5 hrs, open-book
• visual; 0.5 hr

• min. grade: 70%
• total: 4.5 hrs

Level 2:

• welding fundamentals and welding inspection; 3 hrs, closed-book
• descriptive report writing; 1 hr, closed-book
• product category code exam; 2 hrs, open-book
• W178.2; 0.5 hrs, open-book
• visual; 0.5 hr

• min. grade: 70%
• total: 7.0 hrs

Product Category Code Exams:

• CSA W47.1 and W59 (Steel Construction)
• CSA W47.2 and CSA W59.2 (Aluminum Construction)
• ABS (Ships and Floating Marine Structures)
• CSA S473 (Mobile Drilling Units and Steel Fixed Offshore Structures)
• ASME B31.3 (Process Piping)
• CSA Z662 (Oil and Gas Pipeline Systems)
• ASME VIII-1 and IX (Pressure Vessel Construction)
• API 650 (Welded Tanks for Oil Storage)

Renewals for Levels 1, 2, and 3

Levels 1, 2, 3:

• every 3 years, reapply
• every 6 years, write code exam(s) previously qualified

Reciprocity and Recognition

From CSA to AWS

• CSA W178.2 Level 1 to AWS CAWI with endorsement code(s)
• CSA W178.2 Level 2 to AWS CWI with endorsement code(s)

From AWS to CSA

• CAWI* to Level 1 with endorsement code(s)
• CWI* to Level 2 with endorsement code(s), but only after 2 years as a CWI

* must write a 0.5 hr open-book W178.2 exam

Note: When applying as an AWS CWI for CSA W178.2 Recognition, you will be permitted to inspect the equivalent code endorsement(s) for which you wrote your AWS CWI exam.

For more information about CASTI's CSA W178.2 Exam Preparation courses, please visit:

• CSA W178.2 Level 1 Exam Preparation Course
• CSA W178.2 Level 2 Exam Preparation Course