Lloyd’s Register Approves SSPC Protective Coatings Inspector (PCI) Program
Program approved as equivalent to NACE and FROSIO inspector programs
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 4 /PRNewswire/ — SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings is pleased to announce that effective December 1, 2009, Lloyd’s Register, the world’s largest commercial shipping classification society, has approved SSPC’s Protective Coatings Inspector (PCI) program as equivalent to NACE Coating Inspector Level 2 and FROSIO Inspector Level III.
This approval is another milestone for the PCI program, which was launched by SSPC in 2007 and gained similar approval from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) in 2008. “The PCI is an important program for the industry because it gives professional inspectors another avenue to gain a critical certification that is required on many projects around the world,” stated Bill Shoup, Executive Director of SSPC. “The need for high quality, affordable professional training continues to expand as employers demand a better trained work force and infrastructure owners seek to improve the performance of their protective coating projects.” Added Steve Roetter, P.E., President of SSPC and Managing Principal, Tank Industry Consultants, “As global standards increasingly focus on the importance of coatings to the protection of key assets, PCI provides professionals in emerging markets with the ability and opportunity to put their experience to work and gain certification from an internationally recognized organization.”
The PCI program is an intensive one week program designed to thoroughly train individuals in the proper methods of inspecting surface preparation and the installation of industrial and marine protective coatings and lining systems on a wide variety of steel structures. It is one of four inspector programs offered by SSPC and joins the Bridge Coatings Inspector (BCI) program, Concrete Coatings Inspector (CCI) program, and NAVSEA Basic Paint Inspector (NBPI) course in SSPC’s comprehensive set of coatings inspector certification programs.
Lloyd’s Register has accredited the PCI level 2 training program with equivalent status under the direction of IACS Procedural Requirement No. 34 (PR34) which addresses “Application of the IMO Performance Standard for Protective Coatings (PSPC)” and UI SC223, which addresses “Application of SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-2 Performance Standard for Protective Coatings (PSPC) for Dedicated Seawater Ballast Tanks in All Types of Ships and Double-side Skin Spaces of Bulk Carriers.” To achieve approval, SSPC had to undergo a thorough audit of the course contents, course deliverance, and SSPC’s quality management systems. Following approval, Lloyd’s Register Senior Coating Specialist for EMEA, Bill Cramman, presented an Accreditation Certificate to Bill Shoup.
The qualification is valid for all Delegates who have successfully completed the SSPC PCI Training Program level 2 (certification level), and who have a minimum of 2 years experience working as a coatings inspector.
In addition to Lloyd’s and ABS, SSPC training and certification programs have been recognized by other agencies such as The International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and The American Institute of Architects (AIA).
About SSPC
SSPC is dedicated to the use of high-performance coatings for the protection and preservation of steel, concrete and other industrial structures. Founded in 1950 as the Steel Structures Painting Council, SSPC is the only non-profit association whose sole mission is to promote and support the use of protective and marine coatings for corrosion protection. Its surface preparation and other standards are used in painting specifications worldwide to provide a solid foundation for protective coatings work. In addition to standards, SSPC provides painting contractor certification, develops training and certification programs for individuals, provides advocacy, and publishes a wide range of information resources. Membership in SSPC includes over 8,000 coatings professionals and over 750 industry-related companies. For more information, visit www.SSPC.org.
About Lloyd’s Register
Lloyd’s Register owes its name to Edward Lloyd’s 17th century London coffee house. Some other organizations also started there, like the entirely separate Lloyd’s of London international insurance market. Edward Lloyd helped his shipping industry clientele to exchange information by printing a sheet of all the news he heard. In 1760, the Register Society was formed by the coffee house customers and it printed the first Register of Ships in 1764 to give underwriters and merchants an idea of the condition of the vessels they insured and chartered.
In 1834, the organization was reconstituted as Lloyd’s Register of British and Foreign Shipping and the first classification Rules were published.
In 1852, the organization opened its first overseas office, in Canada, and other offices followed around the world.
In the 1900s we began to apply our expertise developed in the marine industry to other industrial sectors resulting in today’s wide ranging services. Our aim is to be the independent third party of choice helping to make the world a safer and more secure place. Because life matters.
About IACS and IMO IACS, the International Association of Classification Societies, was formed in September 1968 and is a gathering of ten classification societies that promote the safety and protection of the environment of ships and offshore structures. One of the primary functions of IACS is to develop guidance documents for the International Maritime Organization (IMO), whose main function is to coordinate international maritime safety and related practices. More information on IACS can be found at www.iacs.org.uk. More information on IMO can be found at www.imo.org.
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SOURCE Society for Protective Coatings