Accreditation for coating and lining inspection companies

QP 5 is an accreditation program for inspection companies that focuses on the industrial coating and lining industry. The QP 5 program evaluates an inspection company’s ability to provide consistent quality inspection of coatings and linings for its clients.

On a fundamental level, QP 5 provides support to both the owner and inspection company by requiring checks and balances that ensure a high level of quality inspection regardless of which individual inspector is working the job site. This level of quality is accomplished by inspection service providers adopting quality programs that include accountability, regular maintenance training for inspectors, quality and procedural standards and corporate internal auditing of inspection records.

Consistency and accountability at all levels of the inspection service let owners know that their project is not just being inspected, it is also reviewed and supported by the inspection company itself. Both owners and inspection companies have realized that QP 5 fits perfectly where there was once a gaping hole.

Get the QP 5 Standard

To be accredited to QP 5, coating and lining inspection companies must demonstrate company standards in these key areas:

Management procedure
Established inspection practice
Systems of quality control
Internal audit and review procedures
Standards for qualifying and training personnel
Policy for review and resolution of complaints

These areas are evaluated first in the form of submittals at the time of application, then confirmed through an impartial on-site audit at the headquarter offices of the coatings and lining inspection company.

The on-site audit criteria can be found in both the QP 5 application and the Self-evaluation Checklist. SSPC strongly advises using the checklist to be sure all areas are addressed prior to the on-site audit.

QP 5 background

The QP 5 standard was approved in 1999 and released in September 2001. The current program is based on the 2012 revision of the QP 5 standard. QP 5 is based on criteria established in the standard, SSPC-QP 5 “Standard Procedure for Evaluating the Qualifications of Coating and Lining Inspection Companies,” which is part of the Qualification Procedure Standards developed through the QP consensus process.

Read about the QP 5 DAC.

QP 5 – Inspection Companies

Accreditation for coating and lining inspection companies

To be accredited to QP 5, coating and lining inspection companies must demonstrate company standards in these key areas:

QP 5 background

Resources