Inspection Documentation

The coating inspector will be expected to produce inspection documentation

for the contract or project.

Documentation can be extremely important and good records are essential.

The types and detail of documentation can and will vary between contracts
and projects.

In the event of a dispute or coating failure, the records and documentation

may play a major role in determining the cause of the dispute or defect.

The Inspector should be able to read and write accurately and understand the
importance of keeping good records that may ultimately be read by others
months or years after a contract or project is complete.
Inspection Documentation

The specification may detail the level of documentation required and may give
examples and specific formats to be used

Notwithstanding the above, good practice dictates that accurate detailed

records should be developed and kept or filed.

The type and level of documentation may be discussed at the pre-job

conference.

Inspection documentation should include all aspects of environmental

conditions, pre-treatment, surface preparation, coating application and all
inspection testing.

Records can be handwritten or typed, the latter having the advantage of being
able to be delivered electronically and saved electronically.
Diary

A site diary is a very useful tool for general information.

The diary is typically handwritten and will be used to give a general review of
the activities that day.

The diary is not a daily report which will be detailed later in this unit.

The diary may detail where the work is being conducted, the resources, the
weather and details of meetings and site visitors etc.

Also used to detail telephone conversations etc.

In short, the diary is a quick reference record.

Diaries are typically hardback books which are left on the coating inspector’s
work desk.
Inspectors Logbook

Inspectors logbooks are used in certain locations around the globe.

The coating inspector may carry this logbook and record events and data
during the working shift.

The notes may be transferred at a later date onto a daily report.

Some ‘purpose made’ coating inspector’s logbooks are commercially available

through coating organisations which have been specifically developed for the
coating inspector and contains checklists.

Sample forms are included for the coating inspector to use while inspecting
and monitoring the works. The coating inspectors log is not generally
specified but is a useful tool for coating projects.
Daily Inspection Reports

The daily inspection report is the most widely used inspection form and will be
found on virtually every coating contract and project.

The daily report should be clear and concise and be able to be read by others,
possibly at a later date.

Each report should be numbered dated and signed by the coating inspector.

If the daily report is produced electronically, a hard copy should be kept on

file.

A distribution list may be necessary, depending on the Client or customer.

There will be certain contracts or projects where two or more inspectors are
used such as offshore installation.

The daily report is extremely important in these circumstances allowing the

knowledge and continuity to flow on the contract or project.
Daily Inspection Report

The daily inspection report style will vary from organisation to organisation,
however, the fundamental information should be similar.

 Contract or project name

 Date and No.
 Inspectors Name
 Location
 Environmental conditions
- RH, Dew point and substrate temperature
 Pre-preparation details
- Pre-cleaning or preparation such as grinding edges etc.
 Surface preparation
- Standards, conditions, types of abrasive etc.
 Coating Application
- Types and method of application
- Material type, batch numbers
 Equipment available
- Blast and paint equipment etc.
Daily Inspection Report (cont)

 Labour and resources on the job

 Details of where work is being conducted and location of work
 Estimate of work completed
 Any anomalies such as re-blasting due to the contractor failing to
achieve the specified standard
 Details of all the inspection activities conducted including the standards
used
- Film thickness
- Holiday detection etc.
 General notes should also be included in the inspection report
- Stoppages
- Accepted and rejected work
- Non-conformances raised
- General information
Daily Inspection Report (cont)

If a camera is allowed on the contract or project, a number of photographs

may be used to complement the report.

A permit may be necessary to use a camera in certain locations.

Battery operated pieces of equipment are not allowed in locations such as

intrinsically safe areas found in the offshore and petrochemical industry.

Drawings may also be marked-up daily by the inspector showing the progress
of preparation and coating activities.

Such items may be attached to the daily inspector report.

Other Forms of Documentation

There are other forms of documentation that may be used on the contract or
project and completed by the Inspector.

Materials Report

A materials report may include the amount of abrasive and paint, coatings,
and thinners used on a daily basis.

The inspector may also be asked to monitor the delivery, storage and produce
materials inventory reports.

Labour and Resources

The inspector may also be asked to monitor the number of personnel used on
the contract or project including the hours worked daily, weekly or monthly.
Quality Assurance

The coatings inspector will often have to compile documentation in

accordance with a Quality Management System.

Inspection test plans may be used which detail all the levels of activities,
inspection criteria and type of documentation to be completed.

Procedures will be available for the calibration of test equipment such as dry
film thickness gauges.

All instruments should be traceable through calibration and have a label on

the instrument detailing the last and next calibration date.

The inspector may have to keep a record detailing the calibration of

equipment.
Weekly Reports

The coating inspector may also have to complete a weekly report which is an
overview of the week's events.

The weekly report is generally a written (typed) report and will not go into the
full details as expected in the daily report.

Non-conformance Report

Non-conformance reports abbreviated as NCR’s are now common place for

coating inspection jobs especially the larger type contracts.

An NCR will inform the contractor of a quality related problem.

The NCR should be closed out once the re-work or rectification has been
completed as per specification.
Documentation Checklist

The coating inspectors documentation and reporting is extremely important.

The checklist should be used to ensure that the Inspector complies with the
requirement for the relevant information needed.

 Check the specification or contract to see if the type and level of

documentation are specified
 Check the Quality Management system and agreed on inspection plans
if available
 Be accurate, clear and concise
 Number, date and sign all reports
 Check if reports have to be distributed
 Establish if photographs are required or marked up drawings are to be
produced
 Ensure all reports (not electronic) are completed in ink
Documentation Checklist (cont)

 Complete all sections and boxes on the report, insert N/A if a section is
not used. Do not leave a space blank.
 Complete the documentation in a timely manner, if practical, complete
the daily inspection report at the end of the shift.
 If NCR’s are raised ensure these are closed out.
 Keep a good filing system which may include all the details of the
contract or project and may include minutes of meetings etc.
 Establish if a final report is required and how the completed
documentation is compiled. Scanning all copies of documentation
including data sheets are sometimes conducted.
 Sign reports and check if electronic signatures are acceptable.
Standards

The coating inspector should have access to the standards used for testing.

These may include NACE, SSPC or ISO Standards on inspection techniques or

procedures used such as conducting dry film thickness measurements, salt
determination or holiday detection.

When reporting such tests, the specific standard should be referenced.

Any deviations from the standards should also be reported.

Summary

Within this training unit, we have reviewed the requirement for good and
concise documenting on a regular basis.

We also discussed the types of documentation and details of the contents that
should be included.