Certifications, Qualifications and Training in the Thermal Imagery Sector
Whether your industry sits in or outside the ‘thermal technology world’, working with trust providers for your business, seeking help from those who are qualified, professionally trained and experienced is key to the long-term success of your company.
When it comes to thermography, we would argue that the need to validate your services via accreditation and professional training is even more important to have. Why? Because thermology is an industry that helps many other industries keep their staff and others around them safe all at times. It also helps large companies support the ever-increasing expanding world we live in.
Unfortunately, at present, there are no formal regulations in place to screen thermography providers to oversee what certifications, qualifications and training they have invested in. Nonetheless, we encourage all businesses to be their own regulators in order to protect their assets and business.
In this blog, we cover the benefits of working with a provider who possesses high levels of certification in the thermography field. The dangers that businesses could put themselves under by not doing this. What the leaders in the world are doing, and what type of certificates and qualifications you should be asking for when looking to put your trust in a thermography provider.
BENEFITS
The key benefits of working with a qualified thermography provider are, firstly you know that you’re in safe hands and they will have the most up to date knowledge and information required for your business. Secondly, upon seeking insurance, specifically stating that you are working with a team of thermographers who are highly qualified can make the process of getting your insurance approved promptly and smoothly.
POTENTIAL DANGERS
In the unfortunate event that something goes wrong, or you need more technical assistance, a provider without this level of qualification might not be able to advise you and your team in the best way. Furthermore, with the potential of health and safety being compromised, this could be detrimental to not only any staff members or other people who are situated around your premises but also to your accounts and finances.
An insurer might be in their right to reject any claims your business makes if it is seen that you used a provider which was not certified and provided you with incorrect advice. From a cost perspective, this could run into thousands, or millions depending on the severity and say if a factory burnt down. In most serious cases, if an insurer refuses to pay out, it can leave businesses in insecure and unfortunate financial circumstances.
WHAT ARE THE LEADERS DOING?
Whether we are working with a small, medium or large business, in all cases we advise to think big and act the same way that the big corporates do, thermography related or otherwise. When looking to work with safe contractors in the thermal imagery industry, big corporates such as Alpha UK Group, Amazon and Vertivco all look for the very best accreditation and request this before proceeding.
WHAT ACCREDITATION SHOULD I BE LOOKING/ASKING FOR?
The ISO - independent body - is a quality management system which is known to be the only reputable accreditation in the thermology industry. They cover all areas and a range of industries. An additional accreditation which is worth checking for is the 'Safe Contractor' accreditation, which covers health and safety.
Thermascan is proud to be Level 2 qualified, which means Level 2 professionals are experienced thermographers and troubleshooters. Usually, after deploying more than one diagnostic technology to determine the root cause of a problem, the Level 2 expert will recommend repairs. Because of their more advanced IR training, Level 2 thermographers are qualified to provide technical direction to Level I certified personnel.
There are many areas that you as a business will be looking at when making a decision as to what provider to choose. Looking for formal accreditation should always be treated as a top priority.
Though ‘cost’ can often be a deciding factor in making a business decision, we always recommend reviewing each provider in relation to the quality of work they deliver to their clients in addition to the level of expertise and knowledge you will be able to access by working with them.
If you are looking to speak to a trusted and qualified team about your thermography needs for your business. We’ll be happy to hear from you.
Book a consultation/appointment with our team here.