Why Prepare the Inspection Plan?

Although the coating specification can be very detailed, an inspection plan will
provide the inspector with a systematic tool that covers each phase of the
work in the sequence in which it will likely to be performed.

The inspection plan is a written document that lists what must be inspected,
how it is inspected and the acceptance criteria from the coating specification.

The process of developing an inspection plan provides the inspector with an

opportunity to navigate through the specification and transfer the inspection
criteria onto a usable document.
Who Develops the Inspection Plan?

The coating specification should define who develops the inspection plan,
generally, this is the requirement of the coating contractor.

The inspection plan should be developed prior to the commencement of the

works and will generally require approval by client, customer or inspection
authority.

The inspection test plan is a live document and should have a revision status.

The inspection test plan should form part of a quality system and may cross
reference other documents contained within the quality system.
Communication

The inspection plan is the ideal communication tool between the coating
contractor, inspector and other interested parties.

As the inspection plan has to be approved, there should be no surprises

during the inspection process and the inspection plan should provide a
methodical and consistent inspection programme.

The coating specification can be a detailed and in some circumstances, a

complex document compared to the Inspection Plan which should be easy to
follow and define the exact inspection criteria.
Documents Required

There are a number of documents and items that should be reviewed when
developing an inspection plan.

1. The coating specification.

2. Notes from pre-construction meeting.
3. Specific referenced standards such as ISO, SSPC, NACE International,
ASTM etc.
4. Product data sheets for coatings.
5. Technical data for items of testing equipment, abrasives, chemicals etc.
Standards

It is important that all the specified standards are available on the project and
that all the standards have the latest revision status.

A number of standards may be necessary from the following:

 ISO - International Standards Organisation

 SSPC – The Society for Protective Coatings
 NACE International
 ASTM
Inspection Equipment

All inspection equipment necessary for successful inspection activities should

be verified for accuracy before starting work and maintained in good working
order throughout the project.

A log of coating inspection equipment should be maintained throughout the

project.
Inspection Plan Format

There is no universal standard format for inspection plans.

The document is typically in table format in easy to read columns.

The inspection plan format should be developed to follow the sequence of the
activity and in numerical order.

Therefore pre-preparation of welds and edges will precede abrasive blast

cleaning.

Coating dry film thickness will also precede cure testing or final inspection.

The document can be reduced in size and carried by the contractor's foreman
or supervisor.
Inspection Check Points

The inspection check points process can vary globally and has three types of
check points:

Surveillance (S)
The activity has to be conducted, however, there is no need to hold the
process.

Witness (W)
The activity has to be conducted and the inspector is advised of the activity.
Work may progress with the inspector conducting an inspection.

Hold (H)
The activity has to be inspected and cannot proceed until the activity has been
accepted.
Inspection Check Points

Surveillance points are generally activities such as purchasing the material,

storage, checking the batch numbers etc.

Witness points can be activities which may have an influence on the quality of
the project such as paint mixing, stripe coating, dust cleaning etc.

Hold points are important activities which can have a major bearing on
coating performance and premature coating failure.
Inspection Format Details

The inspection format detail will be agreed in advance of the works.

The format can be relatively simple or complex in detail.

A simple format would have three columns:

1. Inspection item. Example: pre-surface preparation

2. Technique or instrument – visual inspection
3. Acceptance Criteria – all weld spatter removed, sharp edges radiussed
Inspection Format Details

A more complex format could be six columns or more.

Example:

1. Inspection item verifying abrasive blast cleaning standard

2. Technique or instrument - visual
3. The frequency of test – 100% of the surface
4. Standard test method – SSPC – SP10/NACE No.2 or ISO 8501-1 Sa2½
5. Coating specification – section 2.4.1
6. Acceptance criteria – visual standard in accordance with the visual
standards
Hold Point Inspections

As previously discussed, the hold points are designated stages of a coating

project at which the production has to stop until the inspection is conducted
and complete.

If any non conformances are raised during the inspection these should be
closed out before the next activity commences.

Generally, the hold points are confined to:

 Pre-surface preparation
 Post-surface preparation
 Surface conditions for coating application
 Coating application
 Post-coating application
 Post-curing of coatings
 Final inspection
Hold Point Inspection

Within the main activity groups there will be a number of hold points:

Pre-preparation

 Documentation
 Safety plans and procedures
 Environmental Plans
 Design, drawings etc.

Post Surface Preparation

 Surface preparation
 Surface profile

Surface Conditions for Coating Application

 Surface cleanliness
 Environmental conditions

Coating Application

 Correct coating material

 Shelf life and product mixing
Hold Point Inspection (cont)

Post-cure Application

 Ambient conditions during cure

 Cleanliness between coats

Post-Curing of Coating

 Dry film thickness

Final Inspection

 Overall final inspection of the coating including repairs and contact

touch up points
Summary

Within this training unit, we have reviewed the requirements and development
of the inspection test plan and how an inspection plan is a tool used for
communication.

We discussed the types of documentation, format, and requirement to include

standards etc.

We also discussed the various inspection check points which are used in
inspection test plans.