A WH Scott Group Company
Engineering Inspection Services
Delivered by Metlab — one of Ireland’s and the UK’s leading independent engineering inspection and NDT providers, established in 1982 and part of the WH Scott Group since 2023. INAB-accredited laboratory testing, welding certification and non-destructive testing from accredited laboratories in Cork and Dublin.
Testing the Material, Not Just the Machine
Most of the inspection work in this group is about whether a piece of equipment is safe to keep using. Engineering inspection asks a different question: is the material itself sound? Is that weld free of defects? Has this vessel wall thinned? Will this concrete reach strength? Those answers come from a laboratory and a set of accredited test methods, not from a visual examination.
That work is delivered by Metlab, which has been doing it since 1982 and joined the WH Scott Group in 2023. It describes itself as one of Ireland’s and the UK’s leading independent engineering inspection and NDT providers, and it operates as a specialist brand in its own right rather than as a department.
Two accredited laboratories — Cork, the head office, and Dublin — support testing across Ireland and the UK, with further bases in Belfast, Bristol, London and South Wales.
NDT Methods
From routine weld inspection through to advanced phased array and time-of-flight diffraction. Method selection depends on the material, the geometry, the defect type you need to find and whether the component can be taken out of service.
Weld and material inspection without taking the component apart — ultrasonics, radiography, magnetic particle and dye penetrant, through to phased array and time-of-flight diffraction.
On metlab.ieWelding procedure approvals and welder qualification, carried out under INAB accreditation to ISO/IEC 17020 and ISO/IEC 17024 — proving the weld and the welder behind it.
On metlab.ieCertified competence in thermoplastic welding — qualification for the operators and procedures used on plastic pipework, liners and containment systems.
On metlab.ieTesting of polyethylene pipework and its joints, where the integrity of a buried or pressurised system depends on weld quality that cannot be inspected once it is in the ground.
On metlab.ieGround truth for groundworks — soils, aggregates and construction materials tested to establish that what was specified is what actually went in.
On metlab.ieStrength you can certify — cube and core testing, workability and compliance testing for structural concrete, under laboratory accreditation.
On metlab.ieInspection of vessels and pressure equipment, backed by Recognised Third Party Organisation status under the Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU.
On metlab.ieMeasure degradation before it decides for you — corrosion assessment and wall thickness measurement so remaining life is a number rather than an assumption.
On metlab.ieSpecialist engineering inspection and technical consultancy — specifying the right test regime, interpreting results and advising on what the findings mean for the asset.
On metlab.ieConstruction quality assurance for containment and lining systems, where a single defective seam can compromise an entire engineered barrier.
On metlab.ieCondition assessment of bridges and structures — combining visual survey with NDT to establish what the structure is actually carrying and what it can keep carrying.
On metlab.ieLOLER, PUWER and PSSR examinations. This overlaps with our own Inspection Services — see “Which team do you need?” below, or just ask and we will route it correctly.
On metlab.ieINAB Accreditations & Registration Numbers
Anyone can say they are accredited. An accreditation with a registration number and a defined scope can be looked up and checked — which is the whole point. Metlab holds three separate INAB accreditations plus Recognised Third Party Organisation status.
ISO/IEC 17025
Laboratory Testing. The competence standard for testing and calibration laboratories — it covers the validity of the test result itself, not just the management system around it.
ISO/IEC 17020
Welding Procedure Approvals. The standard for bodies performing inspection — here applied to approving the welding procedures themselves.
ISO/IEC 17024
Welder Certification. The standard for bodies certifying persons — so the welder’s qualification is issued under accreditation, not just the procedure.
RTPO
Pressure Equipment Directive. RTPO status allows approval of personnel and procedures for the permanent joining of pressure equipment.
Metlab — Testing, Inspection & Certification
Metlab runs its own site, with the full service detail, accreditation schedules and technical contacts. If you already know what test you need, go straight there. If you are not sure whether it is a Metlab job or a WH Scott job, ask us and we will route it — you do not have to work that out yourself.
Which Team Do You Need?
Statutory Inspection Services
Choose this when the question is “is this equipment legal and safe to keep using?”
- Thorough examination of lifting equipment and accessories
- Work equipment, pressure systems, LEV, PAT and HAVS
- Scheduled programmes across multiple sites and both jurisdictions
- Reports and certificates delivered through the online portal
Engineering Inspection & NDT
Choose this when the question is “is this material, weld or structure actually sound?”
- Non-destructive testing of welds, plate and pipework
- Welder and welding procedure certification
- Concrete and construction materials testing
- Corrosion, remaining wall thickness and structural condition
Certified Systems Behind the Testing
Separate from the technical accreditations above — these certify how the business is run, not the validity of an individual test result.
Sectors We Test For
Engineering inspection tends to be specified by a standard, a client QA requirement or a regulator — which means the sector usually determines the acceptance criteria as much as the method does.
Engineering Inspection FAQs
Is Metlab a separate company or part of WH Scott?
Both, in effect. Metlab has traded since 1982 and joined the WH Scott Group in 2023. It keeps its own brand, its own site and its own accreditations, because those accreditations are held by Metlab as a legal entity and are what clients specify against.
Practically, that means you can approach either the group or Metlab directly, and contracts can be placed whichever way suits your procurement.
What does INAB accreditation actually give me?
INAB is Ireland’s national accreditation body. An INAB accreditation means an independent assessor has verified technical competence for a defined scope of activity — not just that a quality manual exists.
Metlab holds three: ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing (Reg. 398T), ISO/IEC 17020 for welding procedure approvals (Reg. 9031) and ISO/IEC 17024 for welder certification (Reg. 7007). The registration numbers let you verify each one independently.
Is every test you do covered by accreditation?
No, and that is true of every testing house — accreditation is always scope-limited. Each accreditation covers a defined schedule of methods and materials.
If your specification requires an accredited result for a particular test, say so at enquiry stage and we will confirm it falls inside the relevant scope before work starts. It is a quick check, and it avoids the far worse outcome of a report that cannot be used.
Which NDT method do I need?
It depends on the material, the geometry, the defect type you are looking for and whether the component can come out of service. Radiography and ultrasonics find internal defects; magnetic particle and dye penetrant find surface and near-surface ones; phased array and time-of-flight diffraction give better characterisation and sizing on demanding welds.
You do not have to decide this yourself — specifying the right method is part of the inspection and consultancy service.
Can you certify our welders as well as inspect the welds?
Yes, and the two are accredited separately for good reason. ISO/IEC 17020 (Reg. 9031) covers approval of the welding procedures; ISO/IEC 17024 (Reg. 7007) covers certification of the welders themselves, because certifying a person is a different discipline from inspecting a product.
Metlab also holds RTPO status under the Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU, which covers approval of personnel and procedures for permanent joining of pressure equipment, and certifies thermoplastic welding as well as metals.
Do you cover the UK as well as Ireland?
Yes. The two accredited laboratories are in Cork (head office) and Dublin, with further bases in Belfast, Bristol, London and South Wales.
Note that INAB is the Irish national accreditation body. Where a UK contract specifically requires UKAS accreditation rather than an equivalent, tell us at enquiry stage so it can be confirmed before work starts.
I need statutory LOLER or PUWER inspection. Is that you or WH Scott?
Either can help — Metlab runs a statutory and workplace inspection service covering LOLER, PUWER and PSSR, and WH Scott’s own Inspection Services covers the same ground across the UK and Ireland.
Which is right depends on your location, the scope and what else is happening on site. Send us the details and we will route it internally rather than making you work it out.
Tell Us What You Need Tested
Send us the material, the weld, the structure or the specification you are working to. If it is a Metlab job we will route it there; if it is statutory equipment inspection we will handle it here. Either way you only have to ask once.