Steel fabricators are not interchangeable, and the cheap bid from an unqualified shop is the most expensive steel you will ever buy. Here is the checklist procurement teams use to separate certified fabricators from hopeful ones.
1. Welding certification: CWB W47.1
In Canada, structural steel welding requires certification by the Canadian Welding Bureau under CSA W47.1. This is non-negotiable and verifiable: the CWB maintains a public directory of certified companies. Confirm the certification division and confirm welding is executed to CSA W59.
2. Fabricator certification: AISC
AISC certification audits the fabricator's entire management system: drawing control, material management, fabrication process control, and inspection. It is the standard credential for North American structural work and a strong signal even on projects that do not strictly require it.
3. Management systems: ISO 9001, 14001, 45001
Registered management systems tell you the company runs on documented process rather than tribal knowledge. Quality (9001), environment (14001), and health and safety (45001) registrations should be current, from an accredited registrar, with scopes that actually cover fabrication and field work.
4. Safety: COR and the field record
For Ontario work, COR accreditation through the IHSA is the standing prequalification benchmark, and most owners and constructors require it at the gate. Ask for the letter of good standing, current WSIB clearance, and the safety statistics. A fabricator who hesitates on any of these is telling you something.
5. The paper test
Request the full vendor package: quality manual, certificates, insurance, WSIB, references. Time how long it takes to arrive and how complete it is on the first pass. A shop that takes three weeks to assemble its own credentials will take three weeks to assemble your inspection records too.
Then visit. Walk the floor, meet the quality manager, and watch how material is marked and stored. One hour in a shop tells you more than any prequalification form.
How Promart answers this checklist
CWB W47.1, CSA W59, AISC certified, CSA N299.3-16 nuclear QA, SSPC QP3 coating facility, ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001 registered, COR accredited. Every certificate is published on our certifications page, and the vendor package returns same business day. Shop visits are encouraged.
Related: Verify our certifications