Verification of technician certification and Member Company validity
This domain tests whether you can prove, before work starts, that the people and the company on site are genuinely certified and in date. It is a paperwork skill that regularly fails audits and client pre-qualification.
What a valid technician certificate shows
An IRATA certificate carries the technician's name and photograph, IRATA registration number, level (1, 2 or 3), assessment date, expiry date - certification runs in three-year cycles - the assessing technician's number and the member company. The logbook backs it up: hours signed off by a Level 3 supervisor, which is what supports progression to Level 2 and Level 3. A Level 3 also needs a current first aid certificate.
Checking it properly
Verify against the IRATA online certificate database, not just the card in someone's hand. The name must match photo ID, the level must match the task (supervisory work needs a Level 3), and the expiry date must still be in the future on the day of work. Keep a register with expiry alerts so certificates do not lapse mid-contract.
Member Company validity
Separately, the employer must be an IRATA member in good standing. Check the membership directory for the company name, membership number and grade, and confirm the scope covers the work being offered. A technician's certificate and the company's membership are two independent checks - passing one does not prove the other.
Worked example: a subcontract crew arrives and the supervisor's certificate expired twelve days ago; he says his reassessment is booked. Reasoning: an expired certificate means he is not currently certified at Level 3, and a booking is not certification. Verify in the database, stand him down from supervisory duties, and deploy only certified people; the job may need rescheduling.
Traps: accepting a photocopy or a phone photo; checking the card but not the database; assuming a Level 2 can cover supervision; confusing an in-house training card with IRATA certification.