SSPC achieves this by independently auditing shops to determine whether they have the personnel, organization, quality procedures, knowledge and technical capability to produce quality surface preparation and protective coating application on steel, metal components, cementitious materials and other structural components or parts in a shop environment and in accordance with contract specifications and industry best practices. SSPC audits blast and paint shops according to the current edition of AISC SPE/SSPC QP3 420.10 Certification Standard for Shop Application of Complex Protective Coating Systems.

For blast and paint shops that have powder coating lines for coating of structural steel, piping or miscellaneous steel or metal components installed on industrial and marine structures such as marine vessels and wish to include the powder coating process under its QP3 Certification or for those shops that only apply powder coatings, SSPC audits your powder coatings process based on AISC SPE/SSPC QP3 420.10 and supplemental criteria that is beyond the scope of QP3/420.10.

Supplemental criteria for powder coating includes, but is not limited to:

1) Existence of Relevant Powder Coating Institute (PCI) publications in the shop’s technical library;
2) Existence of specialized training in powder coating application techniques for the top powder coatings person(s);
3) Isolation of the powder coating process to avoid contamination from other processes;
4) Installation of specialized equipment, powder stowage areas, ovens, etc. necessary for powder coating application in conformance with powder coating manufacturer’s recommendations and customer requirements;
5) Existence and implementation of surface preparation, application and curing procedures specific to powder coatings applied;
6) Quality Control personnel shall have customized training in how to inspect powder coating applications and a minimum of 500 documented hours of Onthe-Job Training (OJT) on powder coating inspection or Powder Coating Institute Inspection Certification.

The objectives of SSPC standards include at least one of the following:

• to maintain the safety of industrial, public, and private facilities during surface preparation and coating application operations
• to ensure the safety and health of all personnel involved during coatings-related activities
• to provide an authoritative statement on a specific subject
• to promote the use of technical practices that are standardized through consensus review
• to minimize the costs of corrosion, its prevention, and its control through the use of protective coatings
• to provide a specific reference that can be used for discussion, purchase, or other interchange between parties to provide a source of information and guidance in the fields of corrosion prevention and control through the use of protective coating systems

Text courtesy of SSPC : The Society for Protective Coatings