Requirements Overview Guide forThe Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC)

QUALITY PROCEDURES (QP)SSPC-QP1:

FIELD APPLICATION TO COMPLEX INDUSTRIALAND MARINE STRUCTURES

Requirements outlined in this guide are based on SSPC QP 1 with last editorial changes May 2016.

Helping NSPCA Members Attain Credentials Through Proactive Organization

WORKING TO PRESERVE AND EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR IUPAT SIGNATORY CONTRACTORS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA

National Steel Painting Contractors Association

IntroductionThe Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC) Quality Procedures (QP) SSPC-QP1 accreditation was originally organized to answer an industry need voiced by contractors, owners, and others who hire industrial painting contractors. At that time, the industry did not have a national standard to evaluate the primary capability of a contractor prior to a contract award. SSPC issued the first version of the QP1 standard in September 1989, with the accreditation program being released later that same year. Since that time, the QP1 contractor accreditation program has been consistently reviewed and improved to meet the changing quality needs of our industry. Significant QP1 changes are made by consensus and approved by the SSPC Standards Review Committee and the SSPC Board of Governors.

SSPC-QP1 accreditation is an internationally recognized program that evaluates the practices of industrial painting contractors in key areas of business. These standards are considered the minimum level of service and quality for today’s coatings industry. The complex nature of coating systems and the specific surface preparations required for these systems have made the QP1 guidelines vital to the longevity of applied protective coatings.

The program is designed to provide facility owners and specification writers a means to determine whether the painting contractor has the capability to perform surface preparations and coating application in the field on complex industrial and marine structures, such as:

• Bridges• Food and beverage facilities• Off-shore drilling• Power generation facilities• Petro / chemical plants• Storage tanks• Ships maintenance• Wastewater treatment facilities

NSPCA SupportNSPCA provides on-site help from the beginning of the application process to certification by helping contractors organize their QMS Manual, providing correct interpretation of requirements, conducting pre-certification audits, and assisting with corrective action responses, if needed. NSPCA will also help contractors develop procedures not already in-house prior to the initial audit.

RecommendationsWhen setting up your folder, provide examples of documentation that prove compliance to requirements. For example, insert samples of QC Forms/DIR to show that items 22 and 24 on the checklist are in compliance.

QP1 Requirements Index

QP1 Item & Paragraph Number Requirements Comments1 - 4.1.1a.* Mission Statement • Signed, posted, and on company letterhead

2 - 4.1.1b.* Disseminating Policies • Employee handbook with proof of acknowledgement

3 - 4.1.2a.* Org Chart • Must include key QP personnel and be signed by executive management.

4 - 4.1.2b.* Job Descriptions • Must include duties, licenses, and required certifications for key personnel.

5 - 4.1.3a & b* Proof of Acceptable Accounting • Letter from CPA or equivalent accounting pro

6 - 4.1.3c.* Contract Review • Need documented proof of contract review by management personnel.

7 - 4.1.3d. Distribution of Specifications • Need proof (email, intranet, etc.) of distribution of specs to affected personnel.

8 - 4.1.3e. & 4.4.1i* Learning About and Complying With Regulations

• Key person is designated in writing and site access to EHS regs

9 - 4.1.3f.* Legal Viability • Tax returns on file• Tax ID• Insurance docs• Business license• Workers are employed by company or legal

leasing co.

10 - 4.1.3g & 4.5 Subcontracting Assignment and Delegation

• Subs on QP projects are QP certified• What kind of oversight of subs are you

performing, if applicable?

11 - 4.1.3h Regulatory Citations • All fines, citations are maintained and available for review.

• Management is required to review and act upon all citations.

12 - 4.2.1 & Appendix A Craft Worker Assessment and Qualification Program

• Only applies if job has 4 or more painters/blasters and there is abrasive blasting going on.

• Must follow craft worker requirements of spec.• Responsible Supervisor must be designated in

writing.• Procedure must be on file.

13 - 4.2.2a&b & 4.3.2a Technical Resources and Library • What technical organnizations are you affiliated with?

• Hard copy or electronic copy of references invoked in spec, plus industry related standards (SSPC, etc.) available at site and in office.

• PDS and SDS available on site for personnel.

14 - 4.2.3a Document Control • Record receipt and distro of specs and other contract documents, including contract changes.

• Removal of all obsolete or superseded docs is implemented.

15 - 4.2.3b Procedure for Clarifying Ambiguous Specs

• Must be in writing (email, form, etc.) and record maintained per company procedure.

• Document any verbal responses.

QP1 Item & Paragraph Number Requirements Comments16 - 4.2.3c Communicating Contract and

Technical Reqs to Field Personnel• Document any pre-job meeting notes with owner

or their reps and internal meetings.• Include procedure that lists how technical

requirements are distributed to field personnel.

17 - 4.2.3d Quality Control Program • QP Program/manual on file and reviewed by RE.• When required by spec, a QC Plan is on file at site.

18 - 4.2.3e Production Processes • Ensure procedures for blasting, coating application, water-jetting, power tool cleaning, and mixing ar eon file and available on site.

19 - 4.2.4a & b Job Notifications, Letters of Satisfactory Completion of Work

• Job notifications for current project is submitted and in contract file and available for review on site.

• All JNs shall be available during full office audits.

20 - 4.2.4c, d & e* Reporting of Defaults, Contract Terminations, Disbarments, etc.

• Keep detailed records of any terminations, defaults, disbarments, etc. and notify AMPP immediately if this happens.

21 - 4.2.4f Maintenance and Repair of Equipment

• Field audit-maintain equipment in good working order.

• Office audit-maintain detailed records of repairs and maintenance for all major equipment.

22 - 4.3.1.1 Quality Control Supervisor • Full-time employee is designated in writing.• Ensure individual is qualified to at least Level II

inspector and has QCS training.• Include certs and experience.• Ensure QCS is in charge of QP program.

23 - 4.3.1.2 Quality Control Inspectors • Ensure properly trained to at least Level I.• Ensure letter of designation is on file and available

for review.• Include all certs and experience.

24 - 4.3.2b & h Daily Inspection Report and QC Inspections

• Include DIR/QC reports and ensure they are properly filled out with all required information.

• DIRs must be reviewed by QCS.

25 - 4.3.2c Inspection Equipment Calibration and Accuracy Checks

• Ensure all inspection equipment is properly calibrated at times of use and certs are available for review on site and in office.

• Ensure PA-2 verification of calibration is properly documented per standard.

26 - 4.3.2d & g Documenting Non-Conforming Work

• Ensure non-conforming is properly documented per company procedure.

• Ensure process for deviation requests is available and followed when requesting a deviation from specification.

27 - 4.3.2e & f Written Procedures and Hold Point / Checkpoint Inspections

• Ensure you have a documented procedure for all key checkpoints in the preservation process.

28 - 4.3.3* Corrective Action Procedures • Maintain a non-conformance log and document non-conformities per internal procedures.

• Review at a minimum annually any repeat non-conformities and implement corrective and preventive action, including root cause.

QP1 Item & Paragraph Number Requirements Comments29 - 4.3.1.3 Environmental, Health, and Safety

(EHS) Officer• Include EHS Officer certifications and experience.

30 - 4.4 Corporate Health and Safety Program

• Include program manual and ensure it lists all required procedures that are up to date.

• Include any annual worker safety training.• Manual must be reviewed and approved annually

by RE.• Ensure any violations are filed, workers are made

aware of contents of program, and manual is on site.

• Pre-job assessments are accomplished and documented.

31 - 4.4.1b Routine Job Specific Hazard ID • Include any on-site hazard ID and analysis performed once production starts.

32 - 4.4.1c Accident Reporting • Include procedure, reporting form, and ensure investigations are done per procedure.

• Provide a few examples if applicable.

33 - 4.4.1d* Monitoring Safety and Loss Control • Include management reviews from current or previous year and ensure they include required data to make sure safety program is effective.

• Include EMR and OSHA 300 log.

34 - 4.4.1e SOPs for Major Equipment • Ensure SOPs and safety manuals for major equipment are on site and available for review.

35 - 4.4.1f PPE and Repiratory Protection Programs

• Include PPE and RPP procedures.• Ensure respirators are properly used, maintained,

and stored.• Document inspections.• Make most recent respiratory fit tests available at

site.

36 - 4.4.1g First Aid Trained Employees • Ensure first aid kit is on site.• Ensure at least one person on site is CPR/first aid

certified.• For crews of six or more, two certified personnel

are required.• Ensure emergency numbers are posted.

37 - 4.4.1h Enforcement of Safety Rules • Ensure any safety violations committed by employees on site are documented per company procedure and appropriate action is taken.

• Provide examples.

38 - 4.4.3 Environmental Compliance • Ensure company ECP is on file, on site, and is being followed.

• Include the program in the job file.

* Denotes these items are typically reviewed during full office audits only.

National Steel Painting Contractors Association (NSPCA)

The National Steel Painting Contractors Association (NSPCA) is a trade association formed to provide a platform for contracting professionals engaged in structural steel painting and industrial coatings. Overseen by a board of directors, NSPCA supports initiatives to enhance work opportunities of IUPAT signatory contractors. NSPCA serves its members through programs to promote jobsite safety and quality workmanship, and provides a platform to inform, influence, and improve regional and national interests of its members. NSPCA members are represented on a regional and national level with industry organizations such as SSPC and NACE. Additionally, NSPCA members have a platform for addressing regional and national issues specific to their trade.

NSPCA Members provide painting and industrial coatings for:• Bridges• Tunnels• Potable Water Tanks• Power Industry• Refineries• Marine• Offshore• Petro Chemical• Pharmaceutical• Waste Water• Oil and Gas

For additional information, visit https://nspcassociation.org. National Steel Painting Contractors Association

ConclusionNSPCA developed this document to assist its membership in obtaining industry certifications. Similar documents have been created for SSPC-QP2: Field Removal of Hazardous Coatings and SSPC-QS1: Standard Procedure for Evaluating a Contractor’s Advanced Quality Management System.

These accreditations are important because they provide more structure, repeatable processes thus allowing contractors to become more efficient which leads to more competitive bids for accredited companies. There are over 430 owners who invoke the QS1, QP1, and certifications, with most being in the public sector.