SSPC QP 3

SSPC developed the shop painting contractor certification program to verify the capabilities of shop facilities to perform quality surface preparation and coating application. SSPC achieves this by independently auditing shops to determine whether they have the personnel, organization, quality procedures, knowledge, and technical capability to produce quality surface preparation and protective coating application of steel in a shop environment and in accordance with contract specifications and industry best practices. SSPC audits blast and paint shops according to AISC SPE/SSPC QP3 420-10 “Certification Standard for Shop Application of Complex Protective Coating Systems,” current edition.

The SSPC-QP3 certification program does not involve inspection of the shop’s work or training of its personnel, and is limited to coating and related operations conducted in the shop. The program is not intended to guarantee the quality or safety performance of a specific shop. It is intended rather to assist facility owners, general contractors, and others who contract for shop painting services in evaluating the qualifications of paint shops. While SSPC certification confirms a shop’s capability to meet the requirements of SSPC-QP3, owners, specifiers, fabrication shops, and others who hire paint shops should also assess additional capabilities not covered by the QP3 program such as the shop’s financial stability, ability to meet tight schedules, and performance on previous projects.

Contractors applying for SSPC QP3 certification must demonstrate a history of compliance with QP3 quality requirements. QP3 applicants must be able to document that necessary components of quality programs have been in place company-wide for at least six production months prior to the initial evaluation. For instance, where an evaluation item requires specific procedures to be in force, such as the preparation of daily inspection reports, the procedures must have been in force at least six production months prior to the time when the contractor undergoes the initial audit. Once certified, the Contractor is expected to consistently apply required certification procedures year round for all industrial steel painting work.

SSPC QS1

SSPC-QS 1 is the standard procedure in the SSPC PCCP program that requires participating contractors to implement and document more stringent (ISO 9001 Compliant) quality control and record-keeping procedures than those included SSPC-QP 1, SSPC-QP 3, etc. However, unlike ISO 9001 certification, QS-1 provides the facility owner with the dual benefit of a coatings-industry specific QMS model for contractors who have the operational capability required by QP 1 plus the ISO 9001 compliant QMS detailed in QS 1.

Owners and specifiers who require a higher level of quality control for their projects may request that contractors already qualified to standards such as SSPC-QP 1, QP 3, QP 6, QP 8 or others also present evidence that their quality systems meet the requirements of QS 1.

The objective of this procedure is to confirm that a contractor has the personnel, organization, qualifications, procedures,  knowledge, and capability to implement the quality standards described in QS 1.

Contractors applying for QS 1 must comply in practice and methods with generally accepted inspection criteria for coating inspection (including surface preparation) and field testing activities normally required as a part of coating inspection work.

NACE CERTIFIED COATING INSPECTORS

For over 30 years, the NACE Coating Inspector Program has set the standard for inspections in the protective coatings industry and is the world’s most recognized coating inspector certification program. CIP is the first international certification program designed to improve the overall quality of inspections performed, and it continues to provide the most complete training curriculum, producing top-notch inspectors for the industry.
Building on the momentum of the last 30 years and over 26,000 certified inspectors, NACE has recently enhanced the CIP learning experience with more hands-on time with new inspection methods and equipment, better graphics and video presentation as well as additional emphasis on international standards.

CIP introduces inspectors, applications, blasters, manufacturers, owner’s representatives, specifiers, and technical salesmen to the basics of corrosion control, paint inspection, and project management in a way that has resulted in savings of billions of dollars in costly mistakes.