KTA’s Certified Coating Inspector Forum
Volume 4, Issue No. 1 – February 2025
William Corbett, Technical Consultant and KTA Fellow
AMPP Senior Certified Coating Inspector & Certified Protective Coating Specialist
Introduction
KTA’s Certified Coating Inspector Forum is designed to provide professional development/continuing education on standards, inspection practices, new instruments, and other topics to help keep certified AMPP and FROSIO coating inspectors current. It represents the views of the author and KTA-Tator, Inc. It may or may not represent the views of AMPP: The Association for Materials Protection & Performance, even though SSPC, NACE, and AMPP standards are frequently referenced in the content.
Background
SSPC Paint Application Standard No. 1 (SSPC-PA 1), now maintained by AMPP, is a commonly referenced standard in coating specifications. It contains the basic requirements and best practices for the application of industrial and marine coating systems to both uncoated and coated steel surfaces, for both new construction and maintenance painting operations. It contains general and specific requirements for the application of liquid coatings by brush, roller, and spray, but is not intended to supersede product-specific requirements listed on a manufacturer’s Product Data Sheet[1]. SSPC-PA 1 may be invoked by contract in its entirety, or by referencing specific sections. When invoked by a coating specification that is part of a contract, the standard or specific referenced sections are mandatory, while the appendices are nonmandatory unless noted otherwise in the specification.
The standard is currently composed of 22 pages containing 11 sections and three appendices as listed below:
Sections
- General
- Definitions
- Requirements for Handling and Storage of Coating
- Requirements to Address Before Coating Application
- General Requirements for Application of Coatings
- Requirements for Brush, Roll, and Spray Application
- Requirements for Shop Coating
- Requirements for Field Coating
- Repair of Existing Damaged Coatings
- Curing and Handling of Applied Coatings
- Inspection Requirements
Appendices (nonmandatory)
- Explanatory Notes
- Work Plan
- Sample Specification Language
Note that the 2016 version of SSPC-PA 1 contained 15 sections and three appendices. Therefore, if a project specification invokes SSPC-PA 1, you’ll need to make sure you are referencing the correct version of the standard. If the specification includes the date of the standard, there is no confusion. If it doesn’t, the typical interpretation is to use the version of the standard that was in effect the date the specification was prepared, but some specifications may require that the version in effect at the time of bid be used. The version becomes even more important if the specification calls out specific sections of PA 1. For example, Requirements for Handling and Storage of Coating is Section 5 in the 2016 version but it is Section 3 of the 2024 version.
Significant Changes to SSPC-PA 1 between the 2016 and 2024 Versions
Generally, SSPC and NACE standards (now maintained by AMPP) are reviewed by the appropriate subcommittee every 5 years. These reviews may generate technical and editorial updates for consideration by subcommittee members, which are subsequently balloted prior to publication. SSPC-PA 1 is under the jurisdiction of AMPP Subcommittee 23 (SC 23), Coating System Application, Maintenance, and Inspection. The previous version of SSPC-PA 1 was dated June 1, 2016, so it was due for review/update in 2021, which is the same year that AMPP (the merged association of SSPC and NACE) launched, so the review was delayed. Review of the standard began about one year later (2022) and was completed in 2024.
As trained and certified coating inspectors it is critical to stay abreast of updates to industry standards. Some industry standards list the major changes between the previous and current versions (typically on the last page); however, AMPP does not currently follow this practice. The chart provided in this article highlights the more significant changes made to the 2024 version; however, I would recommend obtaining the most current version from the website (www.ampp.org) and reviewing the standard in detail, especially if it is invoked by contract on a project that you will be inspecting. Access to standards is free with an AMPP membership.
Significant Changes to SSPC-PA 1
| 2016 Version (Section No.) | 2024 Version (Section No.) |
| (4) No definition of “Coating.” | (2) Definition of “Coating” added. |
| (4) Definition of “Holiday” incomplete. | (2) Definition of “Holiday” updated. |
| (5.1) Required all material to be from the same batch unless otherwise specified. | (3.1) The requirement that all material be from the same batch unless otherwise specified was removed. |
| (6.5.4) Cease exterior application of coatings when wind velocity reaches 25 MPH or greater (gusts or steady state). | (4.5.4) Cease exterior application of coatings when wind velocity negatively impacts coating application (gusts or steady state). The 25 MPH limit was removed. |
| (6.10.3) No discussion of when to add thinner for a coating that requires an induction time. | (4.10.3) If the coating requires an induction time, any thinner is added after the allotted induction time. |
| (6.11) Instructions for processes related to tinting single and multi-component coatings provided. | (4.11) Field tinting instructions of single and multi-component coatings truncated since tinting is typically performed by the coating manufacturer. |
| (7.3) No mention of rough/pitted surfaces requiring stripe coating. Requires brush application of stripe coat before full coat application (unless otherwise specified/ approved). | (5.3) Rough/pitted surfaces added to list of items to be stripe coated. Application method and sequence of stripe/full coat removed. |
| (7.7) Section titled “Recoat Windows.” | (5.7) Section retitled, “Preparation for Overcoating in a Multicoat System.” |
| (8.4.5) Cracks, crevices, blind areas, fasteners, and inaccessible areas required to coated by brush or dauber. | (6.4.5) Cracks, crevices, blind areas, fasteners, and inaccessible areas required to coated by brush, dauber, or other methods to ensure coverage. |
| (9.2) Touch-up of Shop Coated Surfaces: Inorganic zinc primers shall not be touched up using the same material unless permitted by the manufacturer. No further guidance provided. | (7.2) Inorganic zinc (IOZ) primers shall not be touched up using the same material. Organic zinc primer typically used to touch-up IOZ unless otherwise specified. |
| (15) Notes (not requirements of this standard). | (Appendix A) Explanatory Notes are nonmandatory but may contain mandatory language and are intended to provide supplementary information/guidance. |
| (15.13) “Most facility owners that have been certified to meet the appropriate slip coefficient requirements.” (Sentence is incomplete and is confusing to the reader). | (A13) Reworded: “Most facility owners permit the coating of slip critical faying surfaces with coatings that have been certified to meet the appropriate slip coefficient requirements.” |
| (15.15) Advantages of various high pressure airless spray methods of coating application are described. | (A15) Advantages of various high pressure airless spray methods of coating application are not addressed. |
| (Appendix B) Sample Specification Language includes the option to list exceptions that are not required by specification (but are included in SSPC-PA 1) and describes the need to identify & clarify discrepancies discovered prior to the commencement of work. | (Appendix C) Sample Specification Language does not provide the option to list exceptions. It addresses the need to identify & clarify discrepancies discovered prior to the commencement of work as well as those discovered after the commencement of work. |
| (Appendix C) Additional Reference Material includes a list of 26 SSPC standards. | List of additional reference material not included. |
Summary
This edition of the KTA Certified Coating Inspector Forum focused on the primary revisions to the 2016 version of SSPC-PA 1, Shop, Field, and Maintenance Coating of Metals, which was published by AMPP on June 19, 2024. As trained and certified coating inspectors it is critical to stay abreast of updates to industry standards. This Forum is designed to assist in that process, but it is important to access the actual standards invoked in a project specification and review them prior to commencing work.
[1] Let’s Talk About How Inspectors Can Effectively Use Product Data Sheets; KTA’s Certified Coating Inspector Forum, Volume 2, Issue No. 1 – January 2023