QP-SPC-L-0002-REV-1

STANDARDS PUBLICATION

QP TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION FOR

PAINTING AND WRAPPING

OF METAL SURFACES

(NEW CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE)

DOC NO: QP-SPC-L-002

(FORMERLY QGPC ES-Q-12)

REVISION 1

Doc. File No.: SPC.L002.R1 Page 1 of 79 Custodian Dept.: FQAD

STANDARDS PUBLICATION

QP TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION FOR PAINTING AND WRAPPING OF METAL SURFACES

(NEW CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE)

DOC NO: QP-SPC-L-002

(FORMERLY QGPC-ES-Q-12)

15/1/2002 1

Issued as Revised QP

Standard Specification

QAM/1 QAM QA

SQ DT DO Date Rev. Description Prepared By

Reviewed By

Approved By

Corporate Endorsement

QP TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION FOR PAINTING & WRAPPING OF METAL SURFACES (NEW CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE) DOCUMENT NO. QP-SPC-L-002 REVISION 1


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page No. FOREWORD 5 1.0 OBJECTIVE 6 2.0 SCOPE 6 3.0 APPLICATION 6 4.0 TERMINOLOGY 7 4.1 Abbreviations 7 4.2 Definitions 7 5.0 REFERENCE STANDARDS AND CODES 10

5.1 Painting and Coating General 10 5.2 Surface Preparation 11 5.3 Inspection and Testing 12 5.4 Colour Coding 13 5.5 Health, Safety and Environment 13 5.6 Priority of Reference Standards and Codes 14

6.0 GENERAL CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS 14

7.0 HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS 15

7.1 General Health and Safety Considerations 15 7.2 Access Facilities and Scaffolding 16 7.3 Blasting and Spray Painting Equipment 17 7.4 Paints, Solvents and Abrasives 17 7.5 Personnel Protective Equipment 18 7.6 Paint, Solvent, Chemical and Waste Material Disposal 19

8.0 PAINTING OF NEW EQUIPMENT AND STRUCTURES 19

8.1 General Requirements 19 8.2 Vendor Standard Coating Systems 20 8.3 Materials and Equipment Not to be Painted 21

9.0 PAINTING OF EXISTING EQUIPMENT AND STRUCTURES 21

9.1 General Requirements 21



Page No.

10.0 SURFACE PREPARATION 22 10.1 Preparatory Grinding and Degreasing 22 10.2 General Blast Cleaning Requirements 23 10.3 Dry Blast Cleaning 25 10.4 Wet Abrasive Blast Cleaning and Water Jetting 26 10.5 Power Tool Surface Preparation 27 10.6 Mechanical Hand Tool Surface Preparation 28 10.7 Chemical Pickling 28

11.0 PAINT APPLICATION 28 11.1 Paint Suitability, Storage and Mixing 28

11.2 Paint Application Equipment 29 11.3 Paint Application Methodology 30 11.4 Repair of Damaged Paintwork 32

12.0 WRAPPING TAPE APPLICATION 32

12.1 Tape Suitability and Storage 32 12.2 Surface Preparation 33 12.3 Tape Application Methodology 34 12.4 Repair of Damaged Wrapping Tape 35 12.5 Protection of Threaded Connections and Flanged Joints 35

13.0 INSPECTION DURING SURFACE PREPARATION AND COATING 36

13.1 General Inspection Requirements 36 13.2 Inspection System Requirements 37 13.3 Inspection of Equipment, Materials and Access 39 13.4 Inspection Equipment Requirements 42

14.0 QUALITY ASSURANCE REQUIREMENTS 43 15.0 DOCUMENTATION 44 16.0 PROTECTIVE SYSTEM CLASSIFICATION BY AREA, SERVICE AND MATERIAL 45 17.0 COATING AND WRAPPING SCHEDULES 46-63 18.0 COLOUR CODING AND IDENTIFICATION SCHEDULES 64



Page No. 19.0 APPENDICES 65 19.1 APPENDIX A. TABLES 65 1 Corresponding Degrees of Paint Rusting Standards 66 2 Corresponding Surface Preparation Standards 66

3 Painting and Wrapping Quality Inspection and Test Plan Checklist 67-68 4 Painting and Wrapping Daily Inspection Report 69 5 Painting and Wrapping Close Out Inspection Report 70

6 Colour Coding Scheme for Equipment 71 7 Colour Coding Scheme for Pipework, Valves and Fittings 72 8 Colour Coding Scheme for Hazards and Fire and Safety Signs 73 9 Colour Coding Scheme or Industrial Gas Cylinders 73 10 Respiratory Personnel Protective Equipment 74 11 Eye and Face Personnel Protective Equipment 74 12 Foot and Body Personnel Protective Equipment 74 19.2 APPENDIX B. FIGURES 75 1 Zones of Offshore Structures for Corrosion Protection 75

19.3 APPENDIX C. MINIMUM FORCED VENTILATION REQUIREMENTS 76 REVISION HISTORY LOG 77-79



FOREWORD This document has been developed by Facilities Quality Assurance Department (FQAD), reviewed by QP User Departments and endorsed by QP Management for use as the QP Technical Specification for the Painting and Wrapping of Metal Surfaces (New Construction and Maintenance). The document is published for QP Departments, Contractors and Consultants utilization for the painting and wrapping of metallic equipment, structures and components other than subsea pipelines and the Splash Zone section of riser lines. It is emphasised that the requirements of the document should be adopted and utilised in their entirety for all such work undertaken for QP whenever applicable and appropriate. This document is the first revision of former QP Standard ES-Q-12, the original version of which was issued in April 1996. It supersedes that document and has been renumbered in line with the present Standards Numbering System. The document in its present form reflects as far as possible the current QP requirements for this type of work, taking account of the present industrial practices, materials and technology and the latest applicable National and International Standards and Codes. It will be subject to further periodic review, to re-affirm its adequacy, conform to any changes in QP requirements and include new developments in the field. It is recognised that there will be situations where addenda, data sheets or points of clarification require to be attached to the document, in order to suit a specific application or service environment. In such situations, the contents shall not be changed or re-edited by any user but any addenda or clarifications that would entail major changes shall be brought to the attention of the Custodian Department. Any proposed exceptions or deviations from this Specification shall also be submitted, together with justification, to the Custodian Department for review and consideration. The Custodian of this document is Facilities Quality Assurance Department. All technical comments, opinions and recommendations on the contents should therefore be sent to: Facilities Quality Assurance Department Manager Building No 5, Ras Abu Aboud P.O. Box No 47 DOHA, Qatar Tel: 4402205 Fax: 4402207



1.0 OBJECTIVE

1.1 The objective of this Specification is to define the QP requirements for the protective painting and wrapping of all new and existing metallic equipment, structures and components and the specific requirements for different types of equipment, service environment and constructional material.

1.2 It provides a technical basis for developing individual painting and wrapping project

specifications, coating schedules and purchase requisitions. It also enables the painting and wrapping work carried out by Contractors to be monitored for compliance with specification requirements.

2.0 SCOPE

2.1 This document specifies the minimum QP standards for the surface preparation, painting and wrapping of metallic equipment, structures and components, including inspection, testing and reporting, for corrosion protection and aesthetic purposes during new construction and maintenance.

2.2 It covers the general, safety, environmental and quality control requirements for the

materials used and the surface preparation of, and application of paint and wrapping tape to, the exterior of vessels, tanks, process equipment, pipework and structural steelwork and the interior of vessels and tanks.

2.3 It identifies the specific painting and wrapping system requirements for items to be

painted for individual applications, based upon the nature of the service conditions and environment and the constructional materials involved. It details the specific surface preparation and paint system and wrapping tape requirements, including the standard of surface cleanliness and roughness, the number of coats of each type of paint or tape and their film thickness.

2.4 The following items are outside the scope of this document:

(a) External coating of sub-sea pipelines, which is covered in QP-SPC-L-004. (b) External coating of the Splash Zone section of riser lines, which is covered in

QP-SPC-L-003. (c) Internal cement-based lining of pipework and vessels.

3.0 APPLICATION 3.1 This Specification shall be used for all painting and wrapping of newly constructed

equipment and structures, including repair during and after installation, and for the field maintenance painting and wrapping of existing equipment, from local touch up work to total refurbishment.

3.2 All surface preparation, paint application and wrapping shall be carried out in

accordance with this Specification and the Paint Manufacturers' recommendations. In the case of conflict between this Specification and the Paint Manufacturer's recommendations, the latter shall apply.



4.0 TERMINOLOGY

4.1 ABBREVIATIONS The following abbreviations shall apply. COSHH Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

DFT Dry Film Thickness FBE Fusion Bonded Epoxy Coating LEL Lower Explosive Limit MIO Lamellar Micaceous Iron Oxide Pigment MSL Mean Sea Level PPE Personnel Protective Equipment QA/QC Quality Assurance/Quality Control QP Qatar Petroleum TEL Threshold Exposure Limit TDFT Total Dry Film Thickness WFT Wet Film Thickness 4.2 DEFINITIONS The following definitions shall apply.

Amplitude The average peak to trough height of the profile of a steel surface after

preparation by abrasive blast cleaning (see Profile).

Applicator A party to a contract who is responsible for the application of paint coatings and wrappings, including all surface preparation. An Applicator may be a Contractor or nominated Sub-contractor

Atmospheric The part of an onshore structure or facility that is above ground Zone level and the part of a marine structure above the Splash Zone that is

subject solely to atmospheric exposure during service. Coating A continuous film or layer of a suitable substance that is applied to the

surfaces of an item for protective or aesthetic purposes.

Consultant A party to a contract who is responsible for providing design engineering and other consultancy services under the contract.



Contractor The party, firm or company with whom QP enters into a contract to

perform the work to which this Specification applies. Degree of The quantity and size of the areas of a painted steel surface in which Paint deterioration of the paint film by rust breakthrough and underrusting is Rusting evident, expressed as a percentage of the total surface area.

Dewpoint The temperature at and below which aqueous condensation formation from the air starts to occur as a result of it becoming supersaturated with water vapour. It will be governed by the Relative Humidity of the air, higher values of which produce an increase in the dewpoint temperature

Dry Film The thickness of a coat of paint, layer of tape or coating system in Thickness its fully cured condition.

Dry Abrasive A cleaning procedure in which a suitably sized and shaped dry metallic Blast or non-metallic abrasive is mixed with compressed air and fired at metal Cleaning surfaces at a pressure of around 100 psig to remove corrosion

products, paint and other surface residues.

Elevated Surface of the equipment or facility that will attain a Temperature temperature in excess of 120C during service.

Fusion An epoxy coating that is applied to preheated pipe as a powder by Bonded electrostatic spray, rapidly cured by the controlled heat from the pipe and Epoxy water quenched to give a fusion bonded coating.

Fabricator Organization responsible for the construction or fabrication of new facilities and the installation of items of equipment therein.

Hold Points Steps within the surface preparation and application procedure beyond

which the applicator shall not proceed without formal authorization via an inspection report from the QP Engineer or Authorised Representative

Holidays Discontinuities such as pinholes and small sized defects in the paint or

wrapping film that significantly lower the dielectric strength of the coating

Hot Dip A process by which steel articles are coated with zinc by controlled Galvanising immersion in a molten zinc bath.

Hot Surfaces Metal surfaces on the equipment or facility that will normally attain a

temperature in excess of 65C and can therefore be injurious to personnel touching them.

Inspector The QP Engineers Appointed Representative delegated to witness

QA/QC requirements and report on the compliance or non-compliance with these requirements.



Lining A protective coating on the internal surface of a vessel or pipe.

Manufacturer A party responsible for manufacture of equipment or materials to perform duties specified by QP or its nominated consultants.

May An acceptable option or options under the contract. Microns One thousandth of a mm (expressed as m).

Mouse Hole A small hole cut in a steel plate or section to either bridge a weld or

provide a drainage point.

Paint The number and type of coats of paint to be applied to a substrate to System provide a required level of corrosion protection. Painting The application to a substrate of one or more layers of a pigmented

coating material, in liquid, paste or powder form, which forms an opaque film having protective properties.

Pigment Solid filler or colouring agent in a paint.

Potlife The length of time that a single pack or mixed two-pack paint will remain

in a usable condition at a given temperature.

Profile The roughness or contour of a steel surface after preparation, also known as the Anchor Pattern (see also Amplitude).

Qatar The Corporation. Any actions taken by QP shall be taken to include Petroleum actions taken by an Appointed Agent of Qatar Petroleum.

Qatar Petroleum The Appointed QP Representative under the conditions of the

Engineer contract.

Relative The mass of water vapour in the air expressed as a percentage of the Humidity mass of water vapour that is required to saturate the same volume of air

at the same temperature.

Shall A mandatory requirement to be strictly followed under the contract.

Shelf Life The Manufacturers recommended maximum storage time for a given product under recommended storage conditions.

Shop The Vendors, or Sub-contractors, factory location for surface

preparation and painting operations.

Should A strong but non-mandatory recommendation to comply with the contract requirements.



Site The field location for surface preparation and painting operations approved by QP.

Splash Zone The portion of a partially immersed marine structure or pipeline that is

subject to both wetting by seawater or sea spray and drying by the marine atmosphere. It is to be taken as being from 3.00m (10 feet) below MSL to +4.5m (15 feet) above MSL (see Figure 1).

Submerged The immersed portion of a marine structure from the seabed up to Zone 3.00m (10 feet) below MSL (see also Splash Zone and Figure 1).

Substrate The metal surface to be prepared and coated.

Thinner An approved liquid added to a paint to reduce the viscosity and ease its

application.

Total Dry The thickness of the complete fully cured coating or wrapping system. Film Thickness

Vendor The Organization responsible for manufacturing, fabricating or supplying

any items for delivery to the Fabricator or QP.

Wet Abrasive A cleaning procedure in which a mixture of a suitable abrasive in fresh Blast water is fired at metal surfaces at a pressure of up to 2000 psig to Cleaning remove corrosion products, paint and soluble salts.

Water Cleaning procedures in which fresh water, which may contain a corrosion Cleaning / inhibitor, is fired at surfaces at a pressure of from less than 5,000 psig to

Jetting over 25,000 psig to remove scale, corrosion products and soluble salts.

Wet Film The thickness of a paint film immediately after application when little Thickness or no solvent evaporation has occurred. Will An essential action or need to meet the mandatory requirement. Wrapping The application to a component of a continuous strip of plastic-backed

self-adhesive tape that is wound on in a helical manner for protective purposes.

5.0 REFERENCE STANDARDS AND CODES

The latest editions of the following Standards, Codes and Specifications shall apply.

5.1 PAINTING AND COATING - GENERAL ASTM A123/M Standard Specification for Zinc (Hot Galvanized) Coatings on Iron and

Steel Products.



ISO 1461 Hot-Dip Galvanized Coatings on Fabricated Iron and Steel Articles Specifications and Test Methods.

ISO 12944-1-8 Paints and Varnishes Corrosion Protection of Steel Structures by

Protective Paint Systems. ISO 14713 Protection Against Corrosion of Iron and Steel in Structures Zinc and

Aluminium Coatings.

BS EN 22063 Metallic and Other Inorganic Coatings - Thermal Spraying.

SSPC Manual Vol. 1. Good Painting Practice. Vol. 2. Systems and Specifications.

5.2 SURFACE PREPARATION

ASTM D2092 Standard Guide for Preparation of Zinc Coated (Galvanized) Steel

Surfaces for Painting.

ISO 8501-1 / Preparation of Steel Substrates Before Application of Paints and SIS 055900 / Related Products - Visual Assessment of Surface Cleanliness. Part 1: BS 7079-A1 Rust Grades and Preparation Grades of Uncoated Steel Substrates

& Supp. and Steel Substrates After Removal of Previous Coatings.

ISO 8503-1-4 / Preparation of Steel Substrates Before Application of Paints and BS 7079-C1-4 Related Products Surface Roughness Characteristics of Blast

Cleaned Steel Surfaces.

ISO 8504-2 / Preparation of Steel Substrates Before Application of Paints and BS 7079-D2 Related Products Surface Preparation Methods. Part 2: Abrasive

Blast Cleaning.

ISO 8504-3 / Preparation of Steel Substrates Before Application of Paints and BS 7079-D3 Related Products Surface Preparation Methods. Part 3: Hand and

Power Tool Cleaning.

ISO 11124-1-4 / Preparation of Steel Substrates Before Application of Paints and BS 7079-E1-E4 Related Products -Specifications for Metallic Blast Cleaning Abrasives

ISO 11126-1-10 / Preparation of Steel Substrates Before Application of Paints and BS 7079-F1-F10 Related Products Specifications for Non-Metallic Blast Cleaning

Abrasives. SSPC Vis 1 Visual Standard for Blast Cleaned Steel. SSPC Vis 3 Visual Standard for Power- and Hand-Tool Cleaned Steel

SSPC SP 1-3, 5-8, Steel Structures Painting Council and National Association of 10&11 / NACE 1-4 Corrosion Engineers Surface Preparation Standards.



SSPC SP12 / Surface Preparation and Cleaning of Steel and Other Hard Materials by

NACE 5 High- and Ultrahigh- Pressure Water Jetting Prior to Recoating.

NACE RP 0178 Fabrication Details, Surface Finish Requirements and Proper Design Considerations for Tanks / Vessels to be Lined for Immersion Service.

5.3 INSPECTION AND TESTING

ASTM D610 / Standard Test Method for Evaluating Degree of Rusting on

SSPC Vis 2 Painted Steel Surfaces.

ASTM D1186 Standard Test Methods for Non-Destructive Measurement of Dry Film Thickness of Non-Magnetic Coatings Applied to a Ferrous Base.

ASTM D1212 Standard Test Methods for Measurement of Wet Film Thickness of

Organic Coatings.

ASTM D3276 Standard Guide for Painting Inspectors (Metal Substrates).

ASTM D3359 Standard Test Methods for Measuring Adhesion by Tape. ASTM D4228 Standard Practice for Qualification of Coating Applicators for Application

of Coatings to Steel Surfaces. ASTM D4285 Standard Test Method for Indicating Oil or Water in Compressed Air. ASTM D4414 Standard Practice for Measurement of Wet Film Thickness by Notch

Gages.

ASTM D4417 Standard Test Methods for Field Measurement of Surface Profile of Blast Cleaned Steel.

ASTM D4541 Standard Test Method for Pull-Off Strength of Coatings Using Portable

Adhesion Testers.

ASTM E337 Standard Test Method for Measuring Humidity with a Psychrometer (Wet and Dry Bulb Temperatures).

ASTM F21 Standard Test Method for Hydrophobic Surface Films by Atomiser Test. ISO 4628-1-6 / Evaluation of Degradation of Paint Coatings - Designation of Intensity,

BS3900-H1-4 Quantity and Size of Common Defects - Blistering, Rusting, Cracking, Flaking and Chalking.

ISO 8502-1-10/ Preparation of Steel Substrates Before Application of Paint and

BS7079-B2-10 Related Products Tests for Assessment of Surface Cleanliness.

ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems Requirements.



SSPC PA 2 Measurement of Dry Paint Thickness with Magnetic Gauges.

NACE RP0188 Discontinuity (Holiday) Testing of Protective Coatings.

NACE RP0287 Surface Profile Measurements of Abrasive Blast Cleaned Steel

Surfaces Using a Replica Tape.

NACE RP0490 Holiday Detection of Fusion Bonded Epoxy External Pipeline Coatings of 10-30 Mils.

QSP-QC-09 Quality Requirements for Projects.

5.4 COLOUR CODING

BS EN 1089-3 Identification of Contents of Industrial Gas Containers.

BS 381C Colour for Identification, Coding and Special Purposes.

BS 1710 Identification of Pipelines and Services.

BS 4800 Paint Colours for Building Purposes.

BS 5378-1 & 3 Safety Signs and Colours : Colour and Design.

5.5 HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

OSHA 29 CFR Regulation Pertaining to Work in Confined Areas.

API 2217A Guidelines for Work in Inert Confined Spaces in the Petroleum Industry

BS 5973 Code of Practice for Access and Working Scaffolds and Special

Scaffold Structures in Steel.

QP-PHL-S-001 Corporate Fire and Safety Philosophy. QP Safety Regulations for Contractors.

QP Onshore and Offshore Safety Standards.

QP-SPC-V-001 EMS Specification for Waste Management. QP-GDL-V-001-5 EMS Guidelines: Waste (Solid and Liquid) Management. NIOSH (U.S.A.) Occupational Safety and Health Guidelines for Chemical Hazards.

HSE (U.K.) Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, 1999. Paint Manufacturer Product and Material Safety Data Sheets



5.6 PRIORITY OF REFERENCE STANDARDS AND CODES In the event of conflict arising between this Specification and the National and

International Standards and Codes referenced herein, the requirement of this Specification shall apply, unless otherwise specified.

6.0 GENERAL CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS 6.1 The Contractor shall, unless otherwise formally instructed by QP, supply all required

materials, such as approved blast cleaning abrasives for preparing surfaces and approved paints, thinners and wrapping tapes for coating and wrapping them in accordance with this Specification.

6.2 The Contractor shall, unless otherwise formally instructed by QP, provide all

equipment and tools necessary to carry out the surface preparation and coating work in an effective and efficient manner. All equipment and tools shall arrive in good working order and in a sufficiently clean condition that they do not cause contamination of the coating. They shall be maintained in good working order at all times. The Contractor shall supply all materials, such as oils, greases, cleaners and spare parts, that are required for equipment maintenance purposes.

6.3 The Contractor shall provide and maintain on site in good condition for the duration of

the work all inspection equipment that is required to carry out the painting and wrapping fully in accordance with the Specification.

6.4 The Contractor shall provide the required number of experienced and skilled personnel,

together with experienced, competent and qualified supervision, to carry out the work to the required standard and within schedule, using good general painting practices as laid down in Volume 1 of the SSPC Manual.

6.5 At QPs discretion, the Contractor shall:

(a) Submit documentation of his previous experience with the application of the

same or similar coatings or wrappings. (b) Before starting any coating work under the contract, prepare test panels of the

design specified in ASTM D4228 for the evaluation of the proposed application personnel and equipment capabilities and paint them with the specified coating system in the proposed manner.

(c) Have the test panels evaluated in accordance with ASTM D4228 to qualify such

personnel that are considered to have applied the specified coating to an acceptable standard.

(d) Ensure that all required testing and qualification work is witnessed and evaluated

by the QP Engineer and, if appropriate, the Paint Manufacturers Representative.



6.6 Prior to commencement of the work, the Contractor shall submit for the QP Engineers approval a detailed procedure showing how he intends to carry out the work in accordance with this Specification. He shall provide full details of any Sub-contractor that he intends to use, the location of each part of the work, the preparatory and coating materials that he intends to use and any other information that QP may require to clarify his work intentions.

6.7 The required standard of workmanship shall be achieved strictly in accordance with this

Specification and other relevant documents, such as site and safety regulations and applicable Standards and Codes. Deviations from the Specification and documents are not allowed, unless formally authorised by QP.

6.8 The Contractor shall be responsible for protecting all adjacent equipment, structures

and surrounding facilities that are not to be coated from mechanical damage, blasting abrasive, paint splashes and overspray during the surface preparation and coating work. Instruments, equipment identification plates, electrical and isolating flange components and machined surfaces are especially important in this respect. The Contractor shall take particular care to mask these components against such damage and contamination.

6.9 The Contractor shall maintain at each job site a log which shall consist of Daily

Progress Forms. These forms could be a management summary or the Daily Inspection Report Forms for the contract, the required contents of which are detailed in Sub-clause 13.2.5 and a typical format of which is shown as Table 4. They shall be signed on a daily basis by the Site Supervisor or Engineer-in-Charge and submitted to the QP Engineer. In the event that the work is carried out at an approved offsite location or outside of Qatar, the Daily Progress Report Forms shall form part of the required project documentation.

6.10 No surface preparation and/or coating application work shall be carried out in the

absence of the QP Engineer or without his knowledge or consent. Any such work shall be considered not to meet the Specification.

6.11 The Contractor shall be directly responsible to QP for completion of all work. No

distinction is made between the responsibilities and liabilities of the Fabricator, Vendor or Contractor. This Specification shall be equally binding on all parties. The Contractor is liable for his actions and those of his Sub-contractors.

6.12 Any prepared, coated or wrapped areas that are considered to be defective or in any

way not to conform with this Specification shall be rectified by the Contractor. Any instruments, components or adjacent equipment that is damaged or coated shall be cleaned or replaced at the discretion of the QP Engineer.

7.0 HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS 7.1 GENERAL SAFETY AND HAZARD CONSIDERATIONS 7.1.1 The Contractor shall be responsible for carrying out all surface preparation, painting

and wrapping work in a completely safe and professional manner, in addition to



meeting all QP technical and quality control standards. This will require him to provide good and safe access facilities and working conditions, appropriate preparatory, coating and inspection equipment in good working order and suitable personnel protective equipment and safety devices.

7.1.2. The Contractor shall fully comply with QP health, safety and environmental

requirements specified in the QP Safety Regulations for Contractors, Corporate Fire and Safety Philosophy and QP Onshore and Offshore Safety Standards. These cover working conditions, scaffolding and access, protective clothing, safety equipment, fire and explosion hazards, solvents, lighting, ventilation and earthing of equipment and components.

7.1.3 The Contractor shall prepare a detailed Safety Assessment Report for the job at the

worksite at the outset. This shall identify all potential safety, health and environmental hazards that could arise and ensure that all necessary preventive measures and equipment to avoid each potential hazard are adopted and made available. The Safety Assessment Report shall be approved by the QP Safety Officer before starting work.

7.1.4 The Contractor shall ensure that all fire fighting equipment required is in position at all

times in all identified hazardous areas, such as paint mixing locations, at vessel entries and close to approved diesel-driven equipment.

7.1.5 The Contractor shall carry out documented Safety Audits of the access facilities,

preparatory and painting equipment and materials, personnel protective equipment and surface preparation, painting and wrapping practices used at an agreed frequency, which should be at least monthly. He shall maintain a Log in which he records the findings and actions taken, for review by the QP Safety Officer.

7.2 ACCESS FACILITIES AND SCAFFOLDING 7.2.1 The Contractor shall provide safe and easy access to all areas of surfaces of

components and equipment that are to be prepared and coated. This shall enable the specified method and standard of surface preparation, painting and wrapping to be achieved and confirmed by inspection. The access arrangement shall be such that operators are able to stand up with body and arms free of scaffolding or staging. None of the scaffolding or staging members shall be in direct contact with the component that is being worked on and masking of any area of the component shall be minimised.

7.2.2 The access facility may be permanent or temporary but shall in all cases be subject to

approval by the QP Safety Officer. Scaffolding shall comply with the QP Safety Regulations. The Contractor shall supply and maintain rigging and scaffolding equipment capable of enabling completion of the work in accordance with the requirements of BS 5973. Its safety and security shall be regularly checked and recorded in accordance with a recognised scaffolding safety inspection and auditing system, such as the Scafftag System.



7.3 BLASTING AND SPRAY PAINTING EQUIPMENT 7.3.1 Air hoses, blasting hoses, spray lines and any other hoses that are subjected to any

internal pressure shall be marked with identification numbers showing the dates when they were manufactured and first used. All such hoses, blasting pots any other pressurized equipment shall be provided with valid dated pressure test certificates stating the test pressures used and the safe working pressures that must not be exceeded. The Contractor shall ensure that all hoses and pressurised components are carefully inspected for signs of wear and the presence of defects prior to each use and that no hoses are used for more than six months after their last test date. They shall then be fully inspected and retested at their design pressure before being remarked and certified for a further period of use. All compressor air and blasting hose couplings shall be secured using approved stainless steel snatch wires.

7.3.2 Blast cleaning and spray painting equipment shall be used fully in accordance with

Manufacturers recommendations. The air feed, blasting and spray painting hoses shall incorporate a suitable anti-static material in their construction. The guns shall be fully earthed and spark proofed on each occasion when they are used. All other precautions shall be taken to prevent any build up of electrostatic charge, particularly when they are to be used in confined spaces. The Contractor shall check all such items for electrical conductivity and replace any items showing signs of breakdown that could give rise to static electrical discharges during service.

7.3.3 Blasting nozzles shall be fitted with a Deadmans Handle located as close to the blast

nozzle as practical. Its design must ensure that the Handle cannot, in any circumstances, be held in the ON position by any means other than hand pressure. Paint spray guns shall be fitted with effective Manufacturers trigger lock and tip guards.

7.3.4 Areas in which blast cleaning is carried out shall be sheeted in and cordoned off as

necessary for safety purposes and to minimise contamination of adjacent areas. Warning signs shall be erected as requested by the QP Engineer. This shall exclude all unauthorised personnel that could be injured by stray spent abrasive or harmful dust from old paintwork. Where power tools are being used to remove old paint or rust, precautions shall also be taken to exclude unauthorised personnel from the work area and minimise contamination.

7.4 PAINTS, SOLVENTS AND ABRASIVES 7.4.1 The Contractor shall ensure that the Manufacturers Material Safety Data Sheets and

NIOSH(USA) / COSHH(UK) Statements are available for all paints, solvents, chemicals and abrasives used throughout the work period. Compliance with Manufacturers safety precautions for products shall be an essential element in meeting the job specification. In cases of conflict, the most stringent safety requirements and precautions shall apply.

7.4.2 All paints, solvents, equipment cleaners and other chemicals used shall be stored in

closed, clearly labelled original containers. The containers shall be stored in secure enclosed, sheltered and well-ventilated storage areas or structures, where they are protected from direct sunlight, open flames and electrical discharges. They must be maintained at temperatures well below the Manufacturers maximum recommended



storage temperature for the products. The use of air-conditioned storage areas shall be considered for situations where excessive ambient temperatures are expected. The storage conditions shall meet all Manufacturer requirements and QP Fire and Safety Regulations for the types of chemical involved.

7.4.3 Abrasives used shall be free from toxic or harmful substances such as arsenic, lead,

cyanide and free silica. They shall not produce excessive quantities of fine dust that could cause environmental damage.

7.4.4 Handling and mixing of all paints, solvents and chemicals shall be carried out strictly in

accordance with the Manufacturers recommended procedures and safety and health precautions, to ensure personnel safety. Safety precautions shall be clearly detailed on the relevant product technical data sheets, as well as on the product containers. Where a specification indicates restrictions on the use of certain chemicals, adherence to these restrictions is considered mandatory.

7.4.5 The Contractor shall apply the products strictly in accordance with the Manufacturers

safety recommendations, which shall also be clearly detailed on the relevant Product Technical Data Sheets. Application of solvent-borne paints in restricted areas or inside vessels or tanks requires particularly careful planning and attention. Good ventilation through such vessels is essential, to ensure that the threshold exposure limit (TEL) and lower explosive limit (LEL) of the vapour is not exceeded at any time. The Contractor shall ascertain the TEL and LEL of the solvents contained in all paint products used, to establish the level of ventilation that he is required to provide. Where this cannot be achieved by natural ventilation, a forced ventilation system using a suitable air eductor and incorporating equipment for measuring the air flow shall be installed. A method for calculating the minimum forced air ventilation requirement for an enclosed space is given in Appendix C. Good ventilation is generally required in paint mixing and thinning areas, if these are enclosed.

7.4.6 The Contractor shall take care when spray applying a paint that contains a highly

volatile solvent or a thinner in close proximity (within one metre) of a gas, smoke of fire detector on QP facilities. Such detectors are extremely sensitive to vapours from certain types of solvents and alarms can be activated by their presence.

7.4.7 Where paints containing over 1% lead in the dry paint film are proposed, the Contractor

shall make this fact known to the QP Engineer and be able to demonstrate that he is able to apply the paint within the requirements of the QP Safety Regulations.

7.5 PERSONNEL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT 7.5.1 All personnel involved in site work, from materials handling to access

construction, preparatory cleaning, paint mixing and application and waste material handling and disposal, shall wear appropriate personnel protective equipment (PPE) for their work. The minimum level of PPE required for lung, eye, face, hand, foot and body protection for each type of work is indicated in Tables 10-12 but this should not be taken as a comprehensive guide. The PPE requirements for each activity shall be specified on the QP Work Permit. The Contractor shall be responsible for providing the PPE that is required for all activities under a contract. The requirements shall be established from



his Safety Assessment Report on each type of work (see Sub-clause 7.1.3), which should identify all possible safety and health hazards to be addressed.

7.5.2 All personnel employed in blast cleaning and the spray application of paints and

solvents shall wear air-fed masks. They shall be coupled to a clean air supply fed by an independent filtered source. The masks shall be ventilated by clean, cool air served through a regulator filter to prevent abrasive dust and paint solvents from being inhaled by the operators. These masks shall be cleaned and disinfected daily and a record of their usage maintained and verified by the Safety Officer or his appointed representative

7.5.3 The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that suitable types of protective

footwear, handwear, headwear and overalls are used for the appropriate hazards identified for each activity.

7.6 PAINT, SOLVENT, CHEMICAL AND WASTE MATERIAL DISPOSAL 7.6.1 During and upon completion of preparatory and painting work, facilities shall be

arranged by the Contractor to effectively and safely collect and manage all waste materials. These shall include spent abrasive, old paintwork and unwanted or spoilt paints, solvents and chemicals, plus used equipment such as brushes, rags, hoses, scaffold components and other waste materials. The Waste Management System used shall fully comply with QP Environmental Regulations and all necessary precautions shall be taken to safeguard the surrounding environment.

7.6.2 The Contractor shall arrange to dispose of all waste materials and unwanted

consumables in an acceptable manner at Government-approved disposal sites He shall maintain a formal record of the materials disposed of, the disposal dates and the disposal sites used, in accordance with QP Regulations.

8.0 PAINTING OF NEW EQUIPMENT AND STRUCTURES 8.1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 8.1.1 All surface preparation and painting or wrapping of newly constructed equipment and

structures shall be completed in the Contractors, or his Sub-Contractors, workshop or fabrication yard, unless otherwise specified within the relevant contract drawings or tender documents or approved in writing by the QP Engineer. Individual items of equipment may be delivered to site in only the primed or partly painted condition, with the written agreement of the QP Engineer. In such situations, the application of the remaining coats of paint shall be carried out on site after installation of the equipment.

8.1.2 The partly or fully fabricated items of equipment and structures that have been

completely prepared and painted prior to transportation to site shall be carefully packed, secured and handled to provide maximum protection against mechanical damage of the paint coating during transportation and installation on site. The Contractor shall subsequently make good any damage to the paintwork on the equipment incurred up to the point of commissioning.



8.1.3 Partially fabricated and non-fabricated items, including steel plate and structural members, may with the QP Engineers approval, be prepared, primed and, where necessary, partially painted prior to transportation to site. In such cases, the Contractor shall ensure that the paint coating applied in the workshop has sufficient durability to prevent the onset of corrosion during transportation and throughout the storage and construction period on site. The Contractor shall make good any damage to the paintwork incurred up to the point of delivery.

8.1.4 All surfaces of components that will be inaccessible after site assembly shall be fully

prepared and painted prior to assembly, irrespective of the painting arrangement agreed for the remainder of the equipment. Pipework shall be fully coated in the area of pipe supports, together with the supports themselves, before being installed. A thin layer of Teflon should then be fitted between the pipe and the supports, to minimize subsequent damage to the paint coating at these contact points.

8.1.5 Equipment and components that require to be stress relieved after manufacture shall

not be painted until all heat treatment has been satisfactorily completed. 8.1.6 Equipment that is to be hydrotested shall, unless otherwise formally agreed, not be

painted until this activity has been completed, apart from pipework which is to be site welded prior to line pressure testing. Workshop hydrotested pipe spools may be fully painted prior to site hydrotesting but any site welds shall be left uncoated prior to such testing. The whole paint coating shall be applied to welded areas after site hydrotesting.

8.1.7 All local welding of equipment and drilling of holes for attachments shall be completed

before cleaning and coating begins. This includes the fitting of wear pads or doubler plates to pipework at support and anchor points.

8.1.8 QP may require painted items to be transported before the Paint Manufacturers

specified minimum coating cure time has been reached. In such cases, the QP Engineer shall verify the request in writing to the Contractor and the liability for the repair of any damaged areas of paintwork shall be agreed.

8.1.9 All preparatory and coating work carried out at the Contractors or Sub-Contractors

premises shall be subject to planned inspection, as detailed in Clause 13.0. The Contractor shall carry out documented inspection at every stage of the activity. Pre- arranged inspections shall be carried out with the QP Engineer at specified hold points.

8.2 VENDOR STANDARD COATING SYSTEMS 8.2.1 The coating systems and finishes applied by Vendors of specially designed items of

equipment, such as pumps and compressors, are expected to be in accordance with the relevant Schedule of this Specification. Standard coating systems offered may be acceptable to QP but full details shall be provided at the outset for evaluation and approval by the QP Engineer.

8.2.2 Vendors supplying packaged or skid-mounted units shall ensure the

compatibility and specificational compliance of their overall coating system with that applied to the individual items of equipment by Sub-vendors. The Vendor shall



be responsible for co-ordinating the inspection of all the Sub-vendors surface preparation and painting work.

8.3 MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT NOT TO BE PAINTED 8.3.1 Unless otherwise specified by the QP Engineer or in the contract documentation,

the following materials and equipment components shall not be prepared or painted: (a) Aluminium, unweathered zinc and copper alloy surfaces. (b) Stainless steel or nickel alloy surfaces, other than pressure-retaining components

exposed to marine or heavily polluted environments or when hot insulated. (c) Greased nipples and fittings and lubricated surfaces. (d) Machined and close working tolerance surfaces. (e) Gasket contact surfaces and exposed seals, bearings and glands. (f) Threaded connections (but see Clause 12.5). (g) Friction grip surfaces. (h) Equipment identification plates and information and warning signs. (i) Valve stems, movable linkages, compressor or pump shafts. (j) Heat tracing equipment and electrical cables. (k) Instruments and gauges, especially glass components. (l) Essential equipment openings, such as vents, drains and air intakes.

(m) Areas of components to be site welded or welds subsequently to be hydrotested. (n) Exposed parts of electrically insulating flange kit components. 9.0 PAINTING OF EXISTING EQUIPMENT AND STRUCTURES 9.1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 9.1.1 All surface preparation and maintenance painting of existing equipment and structures

shall be completed at the relevant QP site, unless otherwise specified in the relevant contract drawings or tender documents or approved in writing by the QP Engineer. Individual items of equipment may be removed from site for preparation and painting at the QP workshop or fabrication yard, with the written agreement of the QP Engineer.

9.1.2 A detailed survey shall be carried out by or on behalf of the QP Engineer at the outset,

to establish the condition of the existing paintwork on the equipment and structures to be painted. The findings of this survey shall be used to determine the nature and scope of the maintenance preparation and painting work required, in accordance with the guidelines given in the individual Painting Schedules.

9.1.3 The degree of rusting and extent of coating breakdown on each area and component

shall be established in accordance with the standards specified in ISO 4628 Part 3 or ASTM D610 and these standards shall be used to determine the type of surface preparation and extent of painting required. The equivalent ISO and ASTM degrees of paint rusting are given in Table 1. It may be necessary to dislodge areas of loose and underrusted paint, to establish the full extent of the coating breakdown. If the boundaries of such areas of paint breakdown cannot be reliably determined, the whole surface shall be fully prepared.



9.1.4 Heavily corroded areas of equipment and structures shall be reported to the QP Engineer for review, to avoid possible perforation of thin walled areas occurring during preparatory cleaning prior to repainting. Drainage holes should, where possible, be drilled at traps and water accumulation points prior to painting.

9.1.5 At the outset, attention shall be paid to the provision of suitable access to all areas of

existing equipment or structure for painting. The underside of pipework at and around support points and the areas between closely-spaced structural members may present particular problems. Access difficulties shall not be considered acceptable as a basis for poor workmanship. Any specific concerns in this regard shall be raised in writing with the QP Engineer prior to or at the start of the contract, to reach mutual agreement.

9.1.6 Areas of sound existing paintwork may require to be repainted for aesthetic or other

reasons. All such areas shall be cleaned as required for the paint system that is subsequently to be applied. Particular attention shall be paid to cleaning out and preparing crevices, traps and other details at which dirt and wash water can accumulate

9.1.7 The preparation of existing painted surfaces shall ensure that all loosened and

underrusted paintwork is removed back to a firm edge with suitable feathering of sound paint to give a smooth chamfered profile and that all other surface irregularities such as sags and runs are removed prior to overcoating.

9.1.8 Sweep blast cleaning shall only be carried out for the preparation of existing

paintwork with the QP Engineers agreement after an assurance has been provided that the use of this technique will not be detrimental to the sound coating. This cleaning technique requires a high level of operator skill, the use of a low nozzle pressure and fine abrasive and a low angle of abrasive impingement (typically 30) on the surface from an increased nozzle to surface distance of around one metre. A sample area of the coated surface should be test prepared by this technique and the required quality agreed before any sweep blast cleaning is permitted.

10.0 SURFACE PREPARATION 10.1 PREPARATORY GRINDING AND DEGREASING 10.1.1 Unless otherwise specified, steelwork to be painted and/or wrapped shall be

pretreated as follows prior to any preparatory cleaning being carried out. 10.1.2 All metal surfaces to be painted and/or wrapped shall initially be carefully visually

inspected for the presence of surface-breaking defects, such as laminations and cold lap. All such defects shall be reported for evaluation. Shallow defects in non-critical components shall be fully ground out to give a smooth rounded surface profile. Defects which extend more deeply into the metal and all defects in pressure-retaining components shall be referred back to the QP Engineer for possible rejection.

10.1.3 All sharp and rough edges, mechanical indentations and other surface

irregularities shall be ground off to give gently rounded contours. All burrs and metal protrusions, such as weld spatter and slag, shall be ground off to give a smooth profile.



For the treatment of similar surface details inside vessels to be lined, the requirements of NACE RP 0178 shall apply. Any irregularities which become apparent after blast cleaning shall be treated similarly.

10.1.4 All metal surfaces shall be examined and tested as necessary for the presence of oil,

grease and drawing and cutting fluids. Thick grease and heavy oil deposits shall be removed from the metal surfaces by light scraping and any loose surface residues by scraping or brushing, preferably followed by wiping with solvent or detergent-impregnated rags. Particular attention shall be paid to bolt holes and drainage holes.

10.1.5 Those surfaces that are, or are likely to be, contaminated with oil or grease shall be

solvent cleaned with a suitable water-soluble biodegradable solvent using rags (for small areas), an immersion tank (for small items) or a spray gun (for large areas), in

accordance with SSPC-SP1 requirements. The solvent-cleaned surfaces shall then be thoroughly washed down with fresh water (containing less than 50ppm chlorides), ensuring that the oil-water emulsion formed is completely removed from the metal.

10.1.6 In situations where fresh water washing is not possible, subject to approval by the QP

Engineer, solvent cleaning may be carried out with an appropriate non-filming solvent. 10.1.7 Metal surfaces to be painted and/or wrapped that do not require to be blast cleaned

shall be thoroughly washed with fresh water containing a suitable water-soluble biodegradable degreasing agent, at a minimum pressure of 3,000 psig, to remove all oil, grease and other contamination. Galvanised steel surfaces that are not sweep blast cleaned shall be similarly water washed, using a stiff bristle brush to remove all water-soluble zinc salts.

10.1.8 Similar washing with fresh water containing a suitable degreasing agent and even

solvent washing of partially painted components shall take place between coats of paint or layers of tape at the discretion of the QP Engineer. This is particularly important in offshore situations or in onshore situations where either overcoating has been delayed for more than 72 hours or the partially painted or wrapped surfaces are seen to be contaminated with oil, grease or particulate matter.

10.1.9 Degreased and water washed surfaces shall be checked for residual oil and grease

using the atomized water spray test as per ASTM F21 (Sub-clause 13.4.1.4) and further degreasing carried out if residual oil or grease is found to be present.

10.2 GENERAL BLAST CLEANING REQUIREMENTS 10.2.1 The preferred method of surface preparation for all metal surfaces is dry blast cleaning.

This preparatory technique shall be used wherever possible for the painting and/or wrapping of all newly constructed equipment and the maintenance repainting of existing equipment, except when limited breakdown of the existing coating dictates the use of other methods of surface preparation. In situations where it is considered impractical or unsafe to carry out blast cleaning, the matter shall be referred to the QP Engineer for his approval to use an alternative cleaning method.



10.2.2 For high fire risk situations, where spark production during blast cleaning is considered unacceptable, the use of approved fully shielded vacuum dry blast cleaning equipment with standard abrasives, conventional blast cleaning with non-sparking expendable abrasives such as chalk, water abrasive blasting or water blasting shall be required.

10.2.3 Prior to the commencement of blast cleaning, the Contractor shall ensure that all

adjacent surfaces and equipment that could be damaged by stray abrasive, including flanges, valves, exposed parts of electrically insulating flange kits and instruments, are adequately protected against such mechanical damage.

10.2.4 At the outset, the surfaces of each component shall be examined and their original

condition categorized. For unpainted steelwork, it will be a rust grade from A to D, as specified in ISO 8501 Part 1. For painted steelwork, it will be a degree of rusting, as specified in ISO 4628 Part 3 or ASTM D610.

10.2.5 Each component shall then be fully blast cleaned to produce a surface appearance that

conforms to the requirements designated and illustrated in ISO 8501 Part 1 and Supplement for the relevant standard of surface cleanliness, original rust grade and type of abrasive used. This shall generally be to Sa 3 standard (visually clean/white metal finish) for newly constructed equipment and at least Sa 2.5 standard (very thorough/near white metal finish) for maintained equipment. Equivalent SSPC and NACE standards to the ISO standards are given in Table 2. If the specified standard of surface preparation cannot be achieved after repeated blast cleaning, because of the original steel condition, the matter shall be referred to the QP Engineer for arbitration.

10.2.6 The selection and particle size and shape of the abrasive used for blast cleaning shall

be such as to give the metal surfaces a uniform profile or anchor pattern that is suitable for the coating to be applied with minimum abrasive usage. The required profile height of the surfaces will be related to the total dry film thickness of the specified paint coating

Coating Total Dry Film Thickness Average Peak to Trough Profile Height

Up to and incl. 120 microns 35-50 microns 150 up to and incl. 300microns 50-75 microns

400 microns and above 75-100 microns 10.2.7 At the discretion of the QP Engineer, tests may require to be carried out on selected

areas of the blast cleaned surfaces, to ensure that they are free from residual millscale, oil and grease, abrasive and particulate matter, chlorides and, for non-ferrous substrates, iron salts.

10.2.8 Once metal surfaces have been blast cleaned to the required standard, no solvents,

cleaning solutions or inhibitive or acid washes shall be used on them 10.2.9 At the start of the contract, two small sections of plate shall be blast cleaned using the

specified abrasive under the agreed blast cleaning conditions and with the appropriate air blowdown. The blast cleaned plates shall be checked by the Contractor and the QP Engineer for surface cleanliness, profile height and residual particulate matter, in accordance with the relevant standards. Once it has been agreed that these plate sections meet the specified blast cleaning requirements of the contract, the Contractor



shall put them into transparent, hermetically sealed plastic wallets. One plate shall be retained by each party. In the event of subsequent disputes arising regarding the standard of blast cleaning achieved, they shall be used for arbitration purposes.

10.3 DRY BLAST CLEANING 10.3.1 Dry blast cleaning shall be carried out with an approved type, brand, grade and batch of

abrasive. For environmental reasons, only garnet abrasive shall be used for offshore blast cleaning. Expendable abrasives, such as platinum slag, copper slag and coal slag, and recyclable abrasives, such as garnet and steel grit, may be considered for onshore work. If a recyclable abrasive is proposed, the recycling equipment, procedure and quality control testing measures to be employed shall be reviewed and approval by the QP Engineer before its use can be sanctioned. Neither sand nor contaminated recycled abrasive will under any circumstances be allowed for blast cleaning.

10.3.2 The selection of abrasives for the dry blast cleaning of corrosion resistant ferrous alloys

and non-ferrous metals and alloys shall be subject to the approval of the QP Engineer. 10.3.3 The air compressor used for dry blast cleaning shall be fitted with adequately sized

after-coolers, to ensure that the compressed air supplied is completely dry. It shall also be fitted with suitable traps, separators and filters, which shall be regularly emptied of water and oil. Any accumulated moisture and oil in the air receiver vessel shall be removed by regular air purging. The air compressor shall under no circumstances be allowed to operate at temperatures in excess of 110C. The air supply shall be checked for water and oil contamination as per the procedure specified ASTM in D4285 prior to blast cleaning and regularly throughout blast cleaning operations.

10.3.4 The compressed air supply used for dry blast cleaning shall be of sufficient pressure

and volume to enable rapid and efficient cleaning rates to be achieved. Blast cleaning shall always be carried out at a minimum nozzle air pressure of 100 psig (7 barg), as measured with a hypodermic needle gauge.

10.3.5 Blast cleaning shall not be carried out in the vicinity of recent surface preparation and

painting locations, where dust or spent abrasive from this operation could contaminate either freshly cleaned metal surfaces or a wet or tacky paint film.

10.3.6 The weather conditions shall be monitored prior to and constantly throughout the work

period. No dry blast cleaning shall be carried out when the relative humidity of the air exceeds 85% or the metal temperature is within 3C of the dewpoint temperature. No dry blast cleaning other than preliminary scale removal shall be carried out outside daylight hours at external locations. Surface preparation may also be suspended at the QP Engineers discretion when he considers that adverse weather conditions are likely to develop before priming of the blast cleaned surfaces can be satisfactorily completed.

10.3.7 Upon achieving the required level of surface cleanliness by dry blast cleaning, the

abrasive supply shall be shut off and as much spent abrasive and dust as possible shall be removed from the cleaned metal surfaces by either thoroughly blowing them down with compressed air at the full blasting air pressure or vacuum cleaning them. Brushing the surfaces is also beneficial in removing embedded particulate matter. Vacuum



cleaning shall be used for the removal of abrasive and dust from the internal surfaces of vessels and tanks prior to lining them. The surfaces shall be tested for the presence of residual particulate matter as per the procedure specified in ISO 8502 Part 3. The maximum acceptable size and quantity of retained matter shall be Class 2 Rating 2.

10.3.8 Surfaces on which locally corroded areas display evidence of staining after blast

cleaning, indicative of salt contamination, shall be thoroughly washed down with fresh water and allowed to dry before being reblasted to the specified standard.

10.3.9 All dry blast cleaned surfaces shall be primed or painted before any visible rerusting

occurs and certainly within at most four hours of cessation of blast cleaning. The work must be planned to ensure that this requirement is always met.

10.4 WET ABRASIVE BLAST CLEANING AND WATER JETTING 10.4.1 Wet abrasive blast cleaning and water jetting are more specialised cleaning techniques

that shall only be considered for use on wet, damp or salt-contaminated surfaces, under wet and high humidity ambient conditions, at high fire risk locations where spark formation is considered unacceptable, and when water-dispersing, moisture-tolerant and moisture-curing primers are to be used.

10.4.2 Free water shall be removed from the metal surfaces using compressed air, squeegees

or mops immediately upon completion of cleaning until no visual signs of water remain. 10.4.3 The metal surfaces shall be cleaned by wet abrasive blasting or water jetting to produce

a finish complying with the appropriate visual and nonvisual surface preparation standards specified in SSPC-SP 12 / NACE 5 for the primer that is to be applied. Evaluation of the visual surface condition may be complicated if rust blooming occurs during the drying cycle. A corrosion inhibitor that is compatible with the primer may by agreement be added to the final wash water, to minimize rust formation during drying.

10.4.4 The acceptance criteria for the cleanliness of wet abrasive blasted and water jetted

metal surfaces shall be based upon their visual appearance and an absence of soluble iron salts when tested with potassium ferricyanide, as specified in ISO 8502 Part 1.

10.4.5 The cleaned metal surfaces shall be coated with the appropriate water-dispersing,

moisture-tolerant and moisture-curing primer as soon as all free water has been removed from them. No Schedule for the use of this type of primer is given in this document. Paint Manufacturers recommendations must be sought regarding the selection and use of such primers for any application.

10.4.6 Wet blast cleaning and water jetting techniques and the application of water-dispersing,

moisture-tolerant and moisture-curing primers may be carried out under wet and high humidity conditions. Subsequent paint application shall, however, be carried out under the ambient conditions required for conventional painting, i.e. maximum relative humidity 85% and metal surface temperature at least 3C above dewpoint temperature.



10.4.7 Contractors proposing to use water abrasive blast cleaning shall provide the QP Engineer with a plan for the safe disposal of the expendable wet abrasive, stating the measures that are to be taken to ensure that it does not cause blockage of site drains.

10.4.8 Contractors shall also provide the QP Engineer with detailed method statements for the

use of these wet cleaning techniques, stating the safety precautions that they intend to take in handling these dangerous high pressure water streams. These shall comply, as a minimum, with the operating and safety requirements of SSPC SP-12 / NACE 5.

10.5 POWER TOOL SURFACE PREPARATION 10.5.1 It is stated above that metal surfaces shall be prepared by blast cleaning wherever

possible. There are, however, situations where components or areas of components cannot realistically be blast cleaned, because of their shape, complexity or remote location. In such situations, these components or areas may with the prior approval of the QP Engineer be cleaned as thoroughly as possible using power-driven tools, fitted with approved discs and wire brushes.

10.5.2 The minimum preparatory standard required for power tool cleaned surfaces shall be St

3 standard in accordance with ISO 8501 Part 1 or SP3/SP11 standard in accordance with SSPC-Vis 3. Care shall be taken to ensure that the metal does not become polished during cleaning.

10.5.3 Power tool cleaning shall continue for a minimum distance of 25mm into the adjoining

blast cleaned surfaces or, when the prepared areas continue up to existing painted areas, the interface area shall be feathered back for a minimum distance of 25mm into the sound coating, to prevent lifting of the old coating and provide a smooth sound base for the new paint.

10.5.4 With recessed welds that occur in areas which cannot be blast cleaned and are also

inaccessible for power disc and power wire brush cleaning, the use of power-driven impact tools, such as vibratory and rotary hammers and needle guns, may with the agreement of the QP Engineer be considered for primary surface preparation, followed by manual wire brush cleaning.

10.5.5 All power-driven preparatory equipment shall be of a type and quality and be used in a

manner that avoids creating indentations, grooves, burrs or sharp edges in existing coatings and metal substrates. The use of orbital and/or orbital sanders fitted with suitably graded abrasive discs or sheets is preferred for existing sound coatings. Smudges and surface contamination left by wire brushes or discs shall be removed with a water-soluble solvent. The areas shall then be rinsed with fresh water and dried. In areas where fresh water washing is not possible, with the approval of the QP Engineer, solvent cleaning in accordance with SSPC-SP1 requirements shall be performed.

10.5.6 In high fire risk locations where power or even hand tool cleaning is required, the items

of equipment used shall be of a non-sparking type that is approved by the QP Engineer.



10.6 MECHANICAL HAND TOOL SURFACE PREPARATION

10.6.1 Mechanical hand tool surface preparation shall only be permitted in areas that cannot be blast or power tool cleaned, because of their inaccessibility or isolation.

10.6.2 Details of the proposed cleaning method to be adopted and the tools to be used for

hand tool preparation shall be submitted to the QP Engineer for approval. These may include hand wire brushes, scrapers, pneumatic needle guns and chipping hammers.

10.6.3 All loose rust, mill scale, paint, welding flux and weld spatter shall be removed from the

surfaces by hand brushing, scraping, chipping, hammering or a combination of these methods and stratified rust and scale shall be removed by chipping or hammering. The surfaces shall then be thoroughly cleaned to St 3 standard in accordance with ISO 8501 Part 1 or SP2 standard as per SSPC-Vis 3.

10.6.4 In areas where the coating has been locally damaged or the prepared surfaces are

taken back to an existing painted surface, the substrate may be prepared by mechanical hand tool cleaning but the edges of the prepared area must be carefully feathered back a minimum distance of 25mm into the adjacent sound coating, to prevent it lifting and provide a smooth sound base for the new paint.

10.7 CHEMICAL PICKLING 10.7.1 Chemical pickling to white metal in accordance with the requirements of SSPC-SP8

may, with the agreement of the QP Engineer, be considered as an alternative to blast cleaning in situations and for components where it is a more practically and economically viable preparatory technique.

10.7.2 The pickling solution used shall be approved by the QP Engineer as being suitable for

treating the constructional material used for the component or equipment involved and shall contain a suitable inhibitor to prevent localised or excessive general corrosion of the treated component surfaces.

11.0 PAINT APPLICATION 11.1 PAINT SUITABILITY, STORAGE AND MIXING

11.1.1 Unless otherwise specified, all the paint products comprising a coating system for a

component shall be technically acceptable and approved products that are purchased from the same Paint Manufacturer with his assurances that:- (a) All products are fully compatible with each other. (b) The primer is suitable for the standard of surface preparation specified. (c) The complete coating system is suitable for the intended service environment,

temperature and conditions to which it will be subjected.

11.1.2 Particular care is required in the selection of primers and paints for maintenance painting. Specific assurance shall be sought from the Paint Manufacturer regarding the compatibility of maintenance primers and paints with existing paint and coating



systems. Where doubts exist regarding paint compatibility, field trials shall be carried out on selected areas of the paintwork to be overcoated.

11.1.3 Batches of paint received shall be checked for correct labeling and stored under

secure, sheltered and temperature-controlled conditions. Batches shall be used in the order in which they are received. The paint identification and storage system must ensure that this is the case. Prior to use, each batch shall be checked to ensure that it is still in the original, sealed and properly labeled manufacturers containers and is marked with its shelf life date.

11.1.4 Paints which are not contained in original, fully sealed manufacturers containers and

batches that have exceeded their shelf life date shall be discarded. Paints which are found to have gelled or thickened to such an extent that they cannot be easily mixed, irrespective of their shelf life date, shall also be discarded.

11.1.5 Paints shall be thoroughly mixed in accordance with Manufacturers data sheets, using

suitable rotary stirrers wherever possible, immediately prior to and regularly during use. Care shall be taken to ensure that all settled material at the bottom of containers has been fully dispersed and solvated to produce a liquid of uniform consistency. Five litre and larger sized containers of paint shall always be mixed using rotary stirrers.

11.1.6 When multi-pack paints are used, the separately packaged curing agent or hardener

shall only be added to the base paint after the latter has been thoroughly mixed. Good working practice would dictate that only a sufficient quantity of paint that can be used within its pot life under the prevailing climatic conditions and within the current working period should be mixed. Whenever possible, small units of paint materials shall be used for performing minor repairs, so as to avoid incorrect part mixing and paint wastage.

11.1.7 Standard units of multi-pack paints shall not be broken down to provide smaller

quantities without the prior agreement of the QP Engineer. Such agreement shall only be given if it can be procedurally shown and practically demonstrated that accurate measurements of the quantities of the components to be mixed can be made.

11.2 PAINT APPLICATION EQUIPMENT

11.2.1 Airless spray and conventional air spray equipment used for paint application shall

be of suitable design for the specific paint to be applied. Plural spray pumps shall be used for paints with a short pot life at high temperatures. Equipment shall be used in accordance with the Manufacturers operating instructions and recommendations for the application of that paint. It shall be fitted with suitable pressure regulators and gauges, to enable the operating conditions to be controlled and monitored.

11.2.2 The air pressure to the paint pump for airless spray paint application shall be

adjusted to be sufficiently high to properly atomise the paint for optimum spraying effectiveness but should not be significantly higher than this value.

11.2.3 The pressure and volume of air used for conventional air spray paint application shall

be sufficiently high at the spray gun to atomise the applied paint to the degree and at the rate required. It shall not, however, be so high that it will cause excessive solvent



evaporation or paint loss by overspray. The air supply shall be maintained dry and uncontaminated by fitting the compressor with suitable water traps, separators and filters. The requirements for their maintenance and testing shall be as specified in Sub-clause 10.3.3.

11.2.4 The fluid tips of airless spraying guns shall be of the orifice size and fan angle and the

fluid control gun shall be of the construction recommended by the Paint and Equipment Manufacturers. Fluid tips shall be of the shielded type, to prevent skin penetration by the high pressure paint. The air caps, nozzles and needles of air spraying guns shall be those recommended by the relevant Paint and Spray Equipment Manufacturers.

11.2.5 The spraying equipment shall be fitted with suitable filters and maintained clean

throughout the working period, to ensure that no dirt, dry paint or other foreign material is deposited in the paint film. The equipment shall be thoroughly washed out with solvent to remove all residual paint at the end of each working period but all solvent left in the equipment shall be completely removed before applying any further paint.

11.2.6 Brushes used for paint application shall be of good quality and of a style that is suitable

for the paint to be applied and the components to be painted. Round or oval brushes are most suitable for rivets, bolts and irregular or heavily roughened surfaces, whilst wide flat brushes are most suitable for large flat areas.

11.2.7 Neither brushes over five (5) inches wide nor rollers shall be used for paint application,

other than for the final smoothing of high volume solids paints. 11.3 PAINT APPLICATION METHODOLOGY 11.3.1 Prior to the commencement of paint application, particularly by spraying, the Contractor

shall ensure that all adjacent surfaces and equipment that could be adversely affected by paint, including flanges, valves and instruments, are protected against paint overspray and contamination.

11.3.2 All metal surfaces shall be primed as soon as possible after surface preparation has

been completed. For dry bla

Documents

QP-SPC-L-0002-REV-1