The British Gas Approval Scheme (BGAS), formerly referred to as “ERS” is administered by The Welding Institute (TWI) on behalf of National Grid plc. The scheme is primarily designed for inspectors involved in one or more of a number of activities related to gas pipelines.

Inspectors working on National Grid contracts will be required to hold the appropriate BGAS qualification. Other client organisations may also accept BGAS qualified personnel.

The BGAS registration document can be found on the BGAS downloads page.

• BGAS qualifications are highly regarded
• They are pipeline specific qualifications
• They complement the well-known CSWIP inspection qualifications
• They are internationally recognised
• Training is well established

TWI runs the Certification Scheme for Welding and Inspection Personnel (CSWIP). This is TWI’s equivalent to BGAS. The two schemes are separate, but overlap in some areas, therefore CSWIP and BGAS work in partnership.

The British Institute of Non Destructive Testing (BINDT) runs the Personal Certification of Non-destructive Testing (PCN) scheme.