Verified Procedures
A signature can be copied. Our procedures can be checked.
Every NDT procedure our Level 3s write or approve now carries its own QR code. Anyone holding a copy can confirm in about a minute that it is a genuine issue. They see who wrote it, who approved it, how many pages it has and whether it is still current.
The problem
Forged procedures are more common than anyone admits
A procedure is only worth the Level 3 standing behind it. That is why it gets forged. A signature is lifted from one document and pasted onto another, or an old issue is reprinted as current. To an auditor, a main contractor or an end client, a convincing fake looks exactly like the real thing.
What we see
- A Level 3’s signature and PCN number copied onto a procedure they never reviewed.
- Superseded issues still on site, years after they were replaced.
- Pages added, removed or edited after approval.
- Drafts sent out for comment, then used as if they had been approved.
How it works
From issue to answer in four steps
We issue
When one of our Level 3s writes or approves a procedure, our system gives that issue a unique verification code. We record the title, reference, issue, date, author, approver, page count and a digital fingerprint of the file. The QR code goes in the header and the code goes in the footer of every page.
They scan
Whoever holds a copy scans the QR, or types the code in at testinspect.com/verify-procedure. It works the same for a PDF on a screen and a printed copy on site.
They prove the copy
They type in the reference and issue printed on their copy. If these don’t match what we issued under that code, the check stops there. They then confirm their email address with a one-time code.
They see what we issued
The checker shows the title, client, reference, issue and date, who wrote and approved it with their PCN qualifications, the page count, and whether that issue is current.
What it catches
The fake doesn’t survive a side-by-side comparison
Someone can copy our QR code onto a fake. The checker still shows what we actually issued under that code, so the title, author and page count won’t match the copy in their hand.
A pasted signature
A procedure we never issued has no code, or carries a code that belongs to a different document.
An edited reference or issue
The reference and issue have to match our record before anything is shown.
Pages added or removed
The checker shows the number of pages we issued. A copy with a different count is not ours.
An out-of-date issue
Once a later issue replaces it, the old one shows as superseded.
A draft used as approved
Review drafts show as draft, not approved, however official they look.
A withdrawn procedure
If we withdraw a procedure, every copy of it shows as withdrawn.
Who it is for
Proof you can hand to anyone
If we write or approve your procedures
- Your auditors, main contractors and end clients can check your procedures for themselves, any time, without phoning us.
- Clear evidence that a named, qualified Level 3 stands behind your NDT.
- Old issues show as superseded the moment a new one is approved, so the wrong issue doesn’t stay in use.
- Every check is logged. If a copy of your procedure turns up somewhere it shouldn’t, we know.
If someone hands you a procedure
- Check it before you accept the inspection results that rely on it.
- You don’t need an account or any software. All it takes is your phone camera and an email address.
- If the details don’t match, tell us at hello@testinspect.com or on 0800 640 4998.
Questions
Common questions
Which procedures carry the code?
Every procedure issued from our system that one of our Level 3s writes, reviews or approves. That includes procedures we write for your company on your own template, under your own reference.
Why does the checker ask for an email address?
So every check can be traced. It also means a procedure’s details aren’t open to anyone who guesses a code. The code is sent to that address and can be used only once.
Why type in the reference and issue as well as the code?
It ties the check to the copy in your hand. If someone puts a genuine code on a different document, the reference or issue won’t match and the check stops.
The procedure I have has no QR code. Is it fake?
Not necessarily. Procedures issued before October 2026 don’t carry the code. Email us the reference and issue and we will confirm it for you.
Does it work on a printed copy?
Yes. The QR code is in the header and the verification code is in the footer of every page, so a photocopy or a single page can still be checked.
Can our existing procedures be brought into it?
Yes. When one of our Level 3s reviews and re-approves your procedure, the new issue carries its own code from then on.
Make your procedures checkable
Talk to one of our Level 3s about writing, reviewing or approving your NDT procedures, with verification on every issue.
