Plant Services - June 2008 - (Page 43)

Let’s start by assuming that you don’t have a qualified coating engineer working in your plant. Having one would be nice, but the position of coating engineer in a manufacturing facility is fast disappearing. Let’s explore some of the important actions that frequently cause problems before, during and after a painting project. Before starting the work, you’ll need to know that coating manufacturers publish technical data sheets, application instructions and material safety data sheets for each product being marketed. A common reason for coating failure is ignoring what the printed forms tell you. If you anticipate that you’ll need to deviate from the guidelines in these publications, contact the coating manufacturer’s technical service department, not the salesman, for guidance. Unilateral deviation from these publications can be risky. But, be aware that the manufacturer’s data alone isn’t sufficient to accomplish flawless work because the information is general in nature. In addition to the manufacturer’s information, you’ll need a specification that describes the work to be accomplished. The specification should include the manufacturer’s technical information and job-specific information such as material selection options, the scope to be painted, inspection requirements, safety, working hours and the like. Insist on a pre-job conference to ensure a meeting of the minds between the applicator and the owner. At this meeting, discuss the requirements of the specification and take the applicator on a pre-job walk-through. It’s vital to identify any areas that can’t be coated or inspected in conformance with the specification and decide how they are to be protected. This also is the time to define how the inspection will be conducted and identify the inspectors, responsibilities and authority. It’s recommended that your inspector be an employee or under contract to your plant, not the applicator. Prep work is important Figure 1. This corrugated galvanized siding is ready for maintenance. From the bottom up Minimize disruption Figure 2. Rough weld at tank baseplate shows evidence of corrosion. For a manufacturing plant, the most critical aspect of executing the work is coordinating with and protecting adjacent operating areas. This problem can be minimized by selecting alternate surface preparation methods. Using ultra-high-pressure water-jetting (UHPWJ) at pressures higher than 35,000 psi can minimize dust and over-blast problems. Commonly available UHPWJ equipment will remove adherent coatings cleanly to the original anchor pattern. In most cases, it produces a cleaner surface than abrasive blasting because no residual abrasive is embedded in the substrate. Adding inhibiters to the water can maintain the desired level of cleanliness for a limited period of time. A copy of the standard, SSPC-SP 12/NACE No.5, Surface Preparation and Cleaning of Metals by Water-Jetting Prior to Recoating, describes options to be considered when specifying water jetting. June 2008 Monitor to the bitter end It is important that inspectors work efficiently and promptly. They should be present to observe the operation, report progress to management and document their observations and measurements. Because stop-work authority normally remains a management prerogative, the inspection methodology and frequency, along with prompt reporting, becomes important. The inspector should work with the coating applicator, but shouldn’t attempt to supervise or direct the work. Establish the mechanism for directing the coating applicator at the pre-job conference - it should involve the project manager of purchasing personnel. Before a job can be considered complete, you’ll need to conduct a rigorous job inspection and prepare a final punch list. It’s my experience that this step is too often merely a visual inspection made on the basis of a brief walk-through 43 www.PLANTSERVICES.com http://www.PLANTSERVICES.com

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Plant Services - June 2008

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