What certifications should a GPR scanning company have

GPR scanning is unregulated in the UK in the sense that there is no statutory licence required to operate the equipment. That doesn’t mean all surveyors are equivalent. A defensible scanning company holds a recognisable set of certifications and accreditations that signal competence, accountability, and insurance cover. Here is what to look for — and what the lack of it means.

EuroGPR Certified Surveyor

EuroGPR is the European-level professional body for GPR practitioners. The Certified Surveyor scheme is the recognised European standard for individual GPR competence on construction work. Holders have demonstrated knowledge of the underlying physics, the equipment, the methods, and the interpretation of results.

For any non-trivial concrete scanning work — particularly post-tension floor scanning — EuroGPR Certified Surveyor competence is the appropriate baseline. Ask whether the person doing the work holds it, not just whether the company employs someone who does.

CSCS

The Construction Skills Certification Scheme card is the UK construction industry’s standard competency identifier for site work. A valid CSCS card is the minimum baseline for anyone working on a commercial UK construction site. Reputable surveyors carry one, of the appropriate level for the work they do.

CHAS, ConstructionLine, and similar PQQ schemes

CHAS and ConstructionLine are UK pre-qualification schemes used by main contractors, public-sector clients, and Tier 1 organisations to qualify subcontractors and consultants. Membership demonstrates that the company has documented health and safety procedures, public liability and employer’s liability insurance, and the operational maturity to take on significant work.

For projects where the scanning company will be subcontracted to a main contractor, PQQ scheme membership is often a procurement requirement.

UK CAA Operational Authorisation (for drone work)

If the company also offers drone work — common with modern surveying companies — they should hold a UK CAA Operational Authorisation. Without this, commercial drone work in the UK is unlawful. Ask to see the current document.

UKAS-accredited laboratory partnerships (for NDT)

Where concrete testing is part of the offer, the laboratory testing of cores should be performed by a UKAS-accredited laboratory. UKAS accreditation is the UK’s mark of laboratory competence; it is not optional for defensible compressive-strength testing.

Professional indemnity, public liability, and employer’s liability insurance

All three are non-negotiable for commercial work in the UK:

• Professional indemnity covers the company against claims arising from negligent advice or interpretation.
• Public liability covers third-party injury or damage caused during the work.
• Employer’s liability is a statutory requirement for any company with employees.

Ask for current certificates of insurance before commissioning. Reputable companies provide them without hesitation.

Documented method statements and risk assessments

These aren’t certifications, but they are part of the operational maturity that distinguishes a defensible company. Every job should be accompanied by a documented method statement and risk assessment, supplied before attendance and reviewable on request.

A company that doesn’t routinely produce these is operating below industry standard.

Calibration documentation

Calibrated equipment is the basis of defensible measurement. A reputable company:

• Keeps calibration records traceable to the manufacturer’s standard.
• Calibrates at the start of each session for in-field methods.
• Includes the calibration record in the project deliverable.
• Has its laboratory equipment regularly maintained and certified.

Ask whether the calibration record is supplied with the job. The answer should be yes.

Sector-specific accreditations

For specific sectors, additional competencies may apply:

• Rail — Sentinel cards and rail-specific induction for rail-side work.
• Nuclear and defence — vetted personnel, specific clearances, and additional QA requirements.
• Listed buildings and heritage — conservation-aware methods and engagement with conservation officers.
• PAS 128 utility work — explicit reference to the standard and demonstrated PAS 128 deliverables.

What the absence of these signals

A scanning company that:

• Cannot provide insurance certificates.
• Does not employ EuroGPR Certified Surveyors.
• Has no documented method statement process.
• Does not provide calibration records.
• Cannot reference recent comparable projects.

…is offering work that is hard to defend if anything goes wrong. Even on a small job, the cost of using a non-credentialled surveyor extends to the contractor commissioning them. Liability and insurer scrutiny do not stop at the survey company’s door.

Practical checklist

Before commissioning a GPR scanning company, confirm:

1. EuroGPR Certified Surveyor competency on the surveyor doing the work.
2. CSCS card and other site-specific competencies.
3. CHAS, ConstructionLine, or equivalent PQQ scheme membership.
4. Professional indemnity, public liability, and employer’s liability insurance.
5. Documented method statement and risk assessment process.
6. Calibration records traceable to the manufacturer’s standard.

Reputable companies provide all of these on request. Less reputable ones do not. Spending five minutes on this checklist saves significant exposure later.