EN 15085-2

SCOPE & PROCESS

REQUIREMENTS

What Is EN 15085-2 CL2 Certification for Railway Components in India? Requirements, Scope & Process

By First Welding Certification Technical Editorial Team

8 Min Read Time

03 OCT 2026

Table Of Content

EN 15085 CLASSIFICATION LEVELS

CL-1

High Safety Relevance

CL-2

Medium Safety Relevance

CL-3

Low Safety Relevance

Introduction

For railway manufacturers, component suppliers and welding companies, determining the correct EN 15085 classification level is an important part of establishing the certification scope. Under EN 15085-2:2020+A2:2025, railway welding manufacturers and the welded components they produce are classified according to the safety relevance of the welded component.

EN 15085-2 CL2 applies to welded railway components with medium safety relevance. The standard defines medium safety relevance as a situation where failure of a welded component can impair the overall function and/or may lead to consequential events involving personal injury.

For manufacturers in India supplying railway vehicles, equipment or components to domestic and international customers, understanding CL2 requirements can help establish an appropriate welding quality system, competent personnel, documented procedures and inspection controls.

This guide explains the EN 15085-2 CL2 certification requirements, typical components, documentation and certification considerations for Indian manufacturers.

What Is EN 15085-2 CL2?

EN 15085-2 CL2 certification applies to manufacturers carrying out welding activities for railway components classified with medium safety relevance. The certification scope identifies the applicable manufacturing activities, welding processes, products/components and other relevant requirements. It is used to determine the applicable certification level based on the safety relevance of welded railway vehicles and components and to establish requirements for manufacturers carrying out welding activities.

The standard is relevant to manufacturers involved in the design, production, maintenance and supply of welded railway vehicles and components, depending on their applicable activities and certification scope.

Which Railway Components Can Fall Under EN 15085 CL2?

EN 15085-2 includes examples of components that can be classified as CL2. These include certain structural, equipment and interior components used on railway vehicles.

Examples can include:

Interior partitions and walls
Interior doors and ramps
Supporting frames and brackets for equipment
Driving cab equipment
Seating frames
Underframe equipment boxes supported by another frame
Certain interior traction and power equipment
Equipment consoles
Fastenings for brake pipes
Certain water containers and installations
Certain compressed-air pipes

The applicable classification should not be assumed solely from the component name. The manufacturer’s certification scope needs to reflect the actual products and welding activities.

What Are the Key EN 15085 CL2 Requirements?

A manufacturer seeking EN 15085 CL2 certification needs to demonstrate controlled welding and manufacturing activities within the applicable certification scope.

Important areas include:

Welding procedures

Production welding should be performed using applicable and controlled welding procedures.

Qualified welding personnel

Welders and welding operators need appropriate qualification for the welding activities they perform.

Welding coordination

The manufacturer needs suitable welding coordination arrangements and competent welding coordinators.

Production control

Welding activities should be performed under controlled production conditions.

Inspection and testing

Applicable inspection and testing activities need to be planned and documented.

Traceability and records

Relevant material, welding, inspection and production records should provide evidence of controlled manufacturing.

Our’s EN 15085 requirements guide similarly identifies classification, welding coordination, qualified personnel, WPS, materials, production, inspection/NDT and records as key areas for assessment.

Does EN 15085 CL2 Require WPS and WPQR?

Yes. WPS and WPQR are important parts of the welding qualification system for EN 15085 certification.

For CL2 manufacturers, the applicable quality requirements are linked to EN ISO 3834-3. EN 15085-2:2020+A2:2025 specifies EN ISO 3834-2 for CL1, EN ISO 3834-3 for CL2 and EN ISO 3834-4 for CL3.

A manufacturer should therefore review:

Applicable welding processes
Welding materials
WPS availability
WPQR coverage
Welder qualifications
Welding parameters
Applicable inspection requirements
Production records

The WPS and WPQR system should correspond to the actual welding activities included within the certification scope.

What Welding Personnel Are Required?

EN 15085 certification requires manufacturers to have an adequate number of appropriately trained and qualified welders and welding operators for the relevant activities.

The current requirements also address welding coordination and require suitable welding coordinators with relevant technical knowledge and experience.

Depending on the manufacturer’s activities and scope, welding coordination responsibilities may cover:

Welding procedure control
Welder qualification
Production welding supervision
Inspection coordination
Technical documentation
Welding quality records
Corrective actions related to welding

Our’s existing EN 15085 content also discusses Welding Coordinator Levels A, B and C and their relevance to railway manufacturing.

What Is the Role of Welding Coordination?

Welding coordination is a central part of an EN 15085 manufacturing system.

The manufacturer must demonstrate that welding coordination tasks are fulfilled and that the responsible personnel have appropriate competence for their assigned activities.

This can include controlling the relationship between:

Design → Welding Procedure → Qualified Welder → Production → Inspection → Records

For CL2 manufacturers, welding coordination should therefore be integrated into day-to-day production rather than treated only as an audit requirement.

What Documentation Is Required?

The exact documentation depends on the manufacturer’s scope and activities. Typical records can include:

EN 15085 certification scope
Welding coordination records
WPS
WPQR
Welder qualification records
Welding procedure records
Material identification and traceability records
Inspection and testing records
NDT records where applicable
Calibration records
Production records
Non-conformity and corrective-action records
Relevant technical drawings and specifications

Having documents alone is not sufficient. The records should demonstrate that the documented welding controls are actually implemented during production. Our’s EN 15085 requirements guide highlights this distinction between documentation and implementation.

What Is the EN 15085 CL2 Certification Process in India?

For an Indian railway manufacturer, the certification process can generally be approached through the following stages:

Step 1 — Define the scope

Identify the railway products, components, welding activities, materials, processes and locations that need to be covered.

Step 2 — Determine the classification

Assess the safety relevance of the welded component and establish the applicable classification level.

Step 3 — Review welding controls

Review WPS, WPQR, welder qualifications, welding equipment and production controls.

Step 4 — Review welding coordination

Confirm that appropriate welding coordination responsibilities and competence are established.

Step 5 — Review documentation

Check technical documentation, traceability, inspection records, calibration and other applicable quality records.

Step 6 — Assessment

The applicable certification assessment examines the manufacturer’s processes, documentation and implementation against the relevant requirements.

Step 7 — Certification scope

The resulting certification scope should accurately describe the manufacturer’s activities and applicable railway components.

For Indian manufacturers, the scope should be prepared around the actual products and welding activities rather than using a generic CL2 description.

What Is the Difference Between EN 15085 CL1, CL2 and CL3?

The three classification levels are based on the safety relevance of welded railway components:

Level	Safety relevance	General description
CL1	High	Welded railway vehicles and components with high safety relevance
CL2	Medium	Welded railway components with medium safety relevance
CL3	Low	Welded railway components with low safety relevance

The current standard also places restrictions on the safety categories of welded joints that may be used within CL2 and CL3.

Therefore, manufacturers should determine the applicable level from their actual component and welding scope rather than selecting a classification simply because it appears easier or more suitable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is EN 15085-2 CL2 certification?

EN 15085-2 CL2 applies to manufacturers welding railway components with medium safety relevance. The certification scope covers applicable welding activities and manufacturing controls.

Which railway components can be classified as CL2?

Examples include certain interior structures, equipment supports, seating frames, equipment boxes and other railway components identified within the EN 15085 classification framework. The applicable classification must be determined according to the component’s safety relevance and requirements.

Is EN 15085 CL2 relevant to Indian railway manufacturers?

Yes. Indian manufacturers producing welded railway vehicles, assemblies or components for applicable railway supply chains may need to demonstrate conformity with EN 15085 requirements based on their contractual and technical scope.

Does EN 15085 CL2 require ISO 3834?

For CL2, EN 15085-2:2020+A2:2025 specifies the applicable quality requirements through EN ISO 3834-3.

Is welding coordinator competence required for CL2?

Yes. The manufacturer needs appropriate welding coordination arrangements and suitably qualified personnel for the relevant tasks and scope.

Conclusion

EN 15085-2 CL2 certification is relevant to welded railway components with medium safety relevance. For manufacturers in India, achieving conformity involves more than obtaining individual welding documents.

The manufacturer should establish an appropriate certification scope, identify the applicable classification, maintain qualified welding personnel, control WPS and WPQR, establish welding coordination, control production and retain traceable inspection and quality records.

Because the classification depends on the actual welded component and its safety relevance, manufacturers should evaluate their products and welding activities before defining the final certification scope.

Need EN 15085 CL2 Certification?

First Welding Certification Pvt Ltd (PRVÁ ZVÁRAČSKÁ, a.s.) works with manufacturers seeking certification for applicable railway welding and component requirements.

Discuss your EN 15085 certification scope, railway components and applicable classification requirements with the certification team.