Transcript Writing a Good Specification for Bridge Painting Presented by: Derrick Castle, PCS Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

Writing a Good Specification for
Bridge Painting
Presented by: Derrick Castle, PCS
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
Learning Outcomes
• At the end of this webinar, you will be able
to:
– Recognize the essential elements needed in a
coating specification to obtain quality work
Introduction
• A detailed coating
specification is a complex and
sometimes confusing
document to navigate. Yet, it
is the rulebook for QC and QA
personnel responsible for
inspecting work
Introduction
• It takes years of experience and the proper
qualifications (e.g., SSPC Protective
Coatings Specialist) to develop a good
coating specification
Specification
• The part of the contract that details the
qualitative and quantitative requirements for
the finished product
Coating Specification
• The single most important characteristic of
a specification is that it must be part of a
competent design, defined loosely as
complete, accurate and inclusive of all
information that contractors need to
accurately estimate the cost of complete
performance
Coating Specification
• Each coating specification for a steel bridge
structure should start with SSPC PA 1 as
the foundation
• Each coating specification for a concrete
bridge structure should start with SSPC PA
7 as the foundation
SSPC-PA 1
• SSPC-PA 1, Shop, Field, and Maintenance
Painting of Steel
SSPC-PA 7
• SSPC-PA 7, Applying Thin Film Coatings to
Concrete
Key Elements
•
•
•
•
•
•
Scope of project
References
Precedence of documents
Definitions
Submittals
Work Plan
Key Elements (cont’d)
• Description of project site conditions
• Delivery and storage of materials and
equipment
• Pre-cleaning prior to surface preparation
• Surface preparation
• Surface preparation media
Key Elements (cont’d)
• Specified types of coating materials
• Coating materials delivery and their
identification
• Acceptable ambient conditions
• Coating application
Key Elements (cont’d)
• Kits and equipment for inspection testing
• Quality control inspection and
documentation
• Quality assurance inspection and
documentation
• Warranty
Scope of Project
• Introduction that describes
the general scope of the
project. It should cover
requirements for all:
– Materials
– Labor
– Equipment and tools
Scope of Project (cont’d)
• It should provide a description of the project
location
• May include a map or plan of the work area
• Define clearly what areas ARE to be coated
and what areas are NOT to be coated
References
• A reference section of the specification
should provide a listing of all documents
cited in the specification and NO others
Precedence of Documents
• Set an order of precedence in the event
that there is a conflict or an ambiguity
between referenced documents
Definitions
• Include definitions of all words and terms
used in the specification that are not
universally understood
Submittals
• Require project documentation (objective
quality evidence) that the contractor is to
provide to the owner to support complete
conformance
Submittals (cont’d)
• A sample of submittals required prior to
initiation of production:
– Any required permits, access rights, etc.
– Project specific work plan
– Project specific safety, health and
environmental protection plan
– Containment drawings
Submittals (cont’d)
– Manufacturer’s PDSs
– Manufacturer’s MSDSs
– Samples of specified liquid
coatings
– Coating draw-down films
– Laboratory test results
– Certificates of product
conformity
– Warranty
Submittals (cont’d)
• Sample submittals required after initiation
of production:
– Request for information (RFI) log
– Contract change order log
– Submittal log
– Daily production reports
– Daily inspection and test reports
Submittals (cont’d)
– Corrective action requests
(CARs)
– Nonconformity log
– Corrective action log
– Preventive action log
Work Plan
• The specification should require the contractor to
develop a work plan that translates the
requirements of the specification into a series of
steps for field implementation
Work Plan (cont’d)
• The work plan may include such
procedures as:
– Health, safety and environmental compliance
plan
– Confined space entry plan
– Procurement of necessary material
– Procurement of necessary jobsite and support
equipment
Work Plan (cont’d)
• The work plan should include:
– Assigning the management team to the project
– Obtaining craft workers with the necessary
skills
– Mobilization of all of the above
– Worker training and personal protective
equipment (PPE) needed
– Inspection and test plan
Work Plan (cont’d)
• Should also include written procedures
detailing the individual production
processes being conducted
• Examples include:
– Mobilization and setup
– Surface preparation
– Coating application and curing
– Clean-up
Work Plan (cont’d)
• When using a work plan, optional hold or
check points may be placed in the
specification to permit inspection for
conformance of work to date before
proceeding further
✓-OK
Description of Project Site
Conditions
• Information on any environmental
limitations or other conditions at the project
site that might affect project work should be
presented
• This section may also describe where the
contractor can locate work, equipment,
trailers, lunch room and shower facilities
Delivery and Storage of
Materials and Equipment
• A delivery and storage section of the
specification should contain special
requirements for packing and shipping
products, equipment and their components
Delivery and Storage of Materials
and Equipment (cont’d)
• Conditions for acceptance of these items at
the project site should also be included,
along with special storage, handling and
disposal requirements necessary to prevent
contamination or damage
Pre-Cleaning Prior to Surface
Preparation
• This section of the specification describes
the required pre-cleaning actions before the
actual surface preparation for coating
• It also describes the required levels of precleaning
Surface Preparation
• Any required special equipment or procedures should be specified
along with the required level of cleaning and profiling
• Other requirements that may be included are:
– Field checking for cleanliness of abrasives
– Field checking for cleanliness of air supply used in abrasive
blasting and blow down
– Quality of water used in waterjetting
Surface Preparation Media
• The specified media should be tested for
conformance to the specification before
use, e.g., expendable abrasive media for oil
content, crystalline silica and soluble
contaminants by the referenced test
methods in SSPC-AB 1
Specified Types of Coating
Materials
• A materials section of the specification lists
the coating materials to be used on the
project. It may provide:
– The names and code identifications of
approved products
– A qualified product list (QPL)
– A description of the generic material
– A description of the required performance
Coating Materials Delivered
and Their Identification
• Upon delivery, the coating materials must
be identified as those specified and having
sufficient shelf life to meet contract
requirements
• It is good practice to require checking of
the condition of the containers upon
delivery and the condition of the coating in
the containers prior to mixing
Acceptable Ambient Conditions
• This section of the specification lists
applicable ambient conditions for surface
preparation and coating application and
curing. These include, but are not limited
to:
– Air temperature
– Surface temperature
– Dew point/relative humidity
– Wind speed
– Lighting for all work areas
Coating Application
• An application section of the specification
should state acceptable methods that can
be used to apply the specified materials
Coating Application (cont’d)
• Application concerns are listed below:
– Condition in container
– The ratio by volume of the components to
combine
– Instruction for mixing components
– Induction time at different temperatures
– Amounts of thinner, if any, permitted
– Ambient conditions for application
Coating Application (cont’d)
– Pot life at different
temperatures
– Recoat window
– Contrasting colors for
multiple coat systems
– Stripe coating
requirements
– Acceptable dry film
thickness range
Kits and Equipment for
Inspection Testing
• Inspection kits and other equipment
necessary for testing for surface
cleanliness, surface profile and coating
thickness must be available at the work site
in order for production workers to monitor
quality of their own work and QC personnel
to verify that the specification requirements
are being met
QC Inspection and
Documentation
• Project documentation, including inspection
and testing records, must be used to
determine the contractor’s compliance with
specification requirements and approved
procedures
• These forms should be signed by the
coatings inspector
Quality Assurance
• A quality assurance section of the
specification includes prerequisites,
standards, limitations and criteria that
define the quality for products and work.
They may include, but are not limited to:
– Qualifications of the coating contractor
– Qualifications of certified protective coating
specialist (PCS)
Quality Assurance (cont’d)
– Qualifications of coating inspection company
– Qualifications of a quality control (QC) coating
inspector
– Qualifications of individuals performing
abrasive blasting, waterjetting, coating
application, airless spray and plural component
spray
Quality Assurance (cont’d)
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Qualifications of a certified industrial hygienist (CIH)
Qualifications of a testing laboratory for coatings
Qualifications of a testing laboratory for abrasives
Certifications of materials
Regulatory requirements
Field sampling requirements
Pre-construction conference and coordination meeting
Warranty
• The warranty section of the specification
requires:
– That all materials and equipment be of good
quality and new
– That the work be free from defects not inherent
in the quality required or permitted
– That the work conforms to all contract
documents
– The work is suitable for the intended purpose
Summary
•
A coating specification is a legally binding document. It is
a contract between the owner and the contractor. While a
coatings specification is a legal document, it must be
workable and understandable. A coating specification
should also be practical, so that the owner can effectively
communicate the desired outcome, including the project
schedule. The specification should not be unreasonably
restrictive, but should anticipate problem areas that the
contractor may encounter and must overcome to
successfully complete the contract.
Questions
Conclusion
• This concludes our webinar for today.
Please join us for our next webinar, March
16th at 11am EST on Confined Space
Safety