Overview
CEN ISO/TS 24283-1:2022 - Geotechnical investigation and testing - Part 1: Qualified technician and qualified operator - specifies qualification criteria and assessment guidance for people who perform sampling, field and laboratory testing, measuring, monitoring and installation of downhole equipment (e.g. piezometers, borehole heat exchangers, inclinometers and extensometers) within geotechnical ground investigations. It is the first part of the ISO 24283 series and was adopted by CEN for provisional application in 2022.
Key topics and requirements
- Scope of competence: defines the documented competence expected of a qualified technician/operator to carry out identification and description of soil and rock, sampling, laboratory and field testing, monitoring and equipment installation.
- Core knowledge areas:
- Purpose of geotechnical ground investigation and basic geological, soil/rock and hydrogeological principles.
- Preparation and maintenance of records according to the relevant standards.
- Health, safety and environmental regulations applicable to field and lab work.
- Functioning, safe operation, maintenance and field checks of geotechnical equipment.
- Relevant elements of quality management systems.
- Experience and training:
- Specifies minimum work experience for many common field and laboratory tasks (see Annex A, Tables A.1/A.2) - e.g., familiarity with cone penetration, penetration tests, dilatometers, permeability and routine soil laboratory tests.
- Allows admission to assessment on the basis of completed vocational training plus relevant experience, or on experience alone for some roles.
- Assessment guidance:
- Annex A provides guidance on assessment and re-assessment procedures, prerequisites for assessment (minimum age 18, language competence, vocational training or documented experience) and recommended training preparation (Annex B).
- The document supports declarations of conformity by contractors, clients or third-party conformity assessment bodies.
Practical applications and users
- Intended for organizations and individuals involved in geotechnical site investigation, including:
- Field technicians and operators performing in-situ tests, monitoring and instrument installation.
- Laboratory technicians preparing and conducting routine geotechnical tests.
- Employers, training providers and certification/assessment bodies who need objective qualification criteria.
- Typical uses:
- Defining job specifications and training curricula for geotechnical crews.
- Structuring competency assessments and certification schemes.
- Supporting quality assurance, health & safety and procurement criteria for geotechnical contracts.
Related standards
- The specification references and aligns with many established geotechnical standards used to define task-specific competence, including (but not limited to):
- Part of the ISO 24283 series (Part 2: Responsible expert; Part 3: Qualified enterprise).
Keywords: geotechnical investigation, qualified technician, qualified operator, ISO/TS 24283-1:2022, qualification criteria, assessment, sampling, field testing, monitoring, piezometers, inclinometers, extensometers, borehole heat exchanger.