What is FROSIO ?

In order to fulfill the expanding demand for qualified and certified workers on all levels within management, production, and inspection of work within corrosion protection and surface treatment, the industry founded the member organization FROSIO in 1986. 

FROSIO takes action by developing standards of excellence for surface treatment and insulation inspectors. A FROSIO-certified inspector is a specific requirement within several standards and specifications, and the FROSIO approval and certification scheme has received a significant international reputation.  

Since 2003, Norsk Akkreditering has granted FROSIO ISO 17024 accreditation. 

FROSIO specializes in :  

Surface Treatment. 

Insulation.  

Who Can Become a Certified FROSIO Inspector?

-Training is offered to those working in adjacent industries like shipbuilding and the oil and gas industry.

- The training is suitable for people who wish to diversify their fields of expertise.

- Anyone who has little to no prior experience in the industry is welcome to attend the course.

- However, for the training to be effective, individuals must have plans to work in the associated field.

- Excellent reading, writing, and comprehension skills in English are essential.

What happens after Studying FROSIO?

After receiving training, individuals will take the examinations (theoretical and practical). If they pass the exams, FROSIO will send them an email asking them to attach supporting papers so that their experience level may be determined.

There is a system of certification based on experience, with three FROSIO levels based on demonstrable skills:

FROSIO Level I - Experience of under two years

FROSIO Level II - Over two years of experience

FROSIO Level III - Over 5 years of experience, with the last 2 years of that experience being in inspections

Once they have received a certificate based on their experience, the individuals can grow in their jobs and excel in their fields. putting in place the appropriate work-related processes and activities. Being aware of the topics to be covered at the pre-job meeting and making an effort to address the problem and find a workable solution.  

What are the Requirements to Get FROSIO Certification?

Participate in a training program for surface treatment inspection

 Choose a FROSIO-accredited training provider's Coating Inspector course.

 80-hour course completion and passing of theoretical and practical tests

 Compile a record of your inspection expertise and experience.

 Documentation should be submitted for the FROSIO Board's examination. The Board will evaluate experience to determine qualification levels.

 The output is used to fulfill certification and approval requirements.

In order to fulfill the expanding demand for qualified and certified workers on all levels within management, production, and inspection of work within corrosion protection and surface treatment, the industry founded the member organization FROSIO in 1986. 

We are NACE Certified surface inspection professionals, delivering comprehensive services to industrial and commercial customers across Canada and around the world. We provide complete coating inspection services for all industries.

Address: 1167 Rymal Rd E Unit 4B, Hamilton, ON L8W 3M7, Canada

Phone: (289) 272-6219

The industry faces a common problem of corrosion on steel. According to research, soluble salts within the steel surface increase corrosion, reducing the lifespan of the protective coating. For ideal coating, coating inspectors perform a test that consists of a concentration of soluble salt(s) on metal surfaces before coating application and after the surface preparation.

Coating specification mentions that the soluble salt limit needs to be of a certain level. It also mentions the test method the coating inspector has to follow to perform the test.

There’re many apparatuses and tests available that will help in measuring the salt level of the surface that requires coating.

In this article, you’ll learn how to conduct the soluble salt test by using the conductivity meter and the bresle test patch.

What Is Inside The Salt Test Kit?

To perform the test, you need the bresle test kit that's made following ISO 8502-6/9 for the salt test measurement. You will find the following items in the kit:

· Bresle test patch

· Calibration solution

· Cleaning solution

· Distilled or deionized water

· A syringe with the needle

· A plastic beaker.

· Conductivity meter

How to Perform the Salt Test

Make sure to wear protective equipment, such as clean and disposable gloves, to avoid contaminating the instruments and the testing surface.

Next, switch your conductivity meter by pressing its on-off button. Then, soak the electrode for a couple of minutes by using the cleaning agent from the kit.

While cleaning the surface of the electrode, use distilled water to thoroughly rinse your electrode. Dry it off by shaking off the instrument.

Next, check the accuracy of your instrument by using the calibration solution on your instrument electrode. The value on your instrument screen should be corresponding with the provided value of the solution.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to calibrate the conductivity meter if you don’t see the provided value of the calibration solution.

The Sampling Process

It is time for the next step where you need to remove the bresle test patch’s protective backing, including the foam center.

Using the adhesive side of your patch, gently place and then press it against your test surface. Make sure that minimum to no air gets trapped in the patch compartment.

Next, use distilled water to decontaminate the beaker and the syringe. Fill up the beaker with enough amount of deionized water for testing. Note down the blank value of the deionized water within the beaker prior to using it for the test.

To get the blank value, first switch on the conductivity meter, and read out its screen to zero. Then fill your conductivity meter electrode using the deionized water within the beaker. Finally, write down the water’s conductivity that appears on the screen as your blank value.

Next, use your syringe to take out 2.5 ml of deionized water from your beaker and insert the needle to your bresle patch by using the spongy foam perimeter in the angle of almost 30˚.

Release the syringe’s water inside your patch. Allow the salt to dissolve by tapping on the latex membrane for a minute by using your finger, then wait for two minutes.

After two minutes, without taking out the needle from your patch, use the syringe to suck the water, and then re-inject it into your patch. Do this at least four times.

After completing that, use the syringe and try extracting as much solution as possible. Finally, remove the needle from the patch.

The Water’s Conductivity Measurement

The solution that's extracted gets injected inside the conductivity meter electrode to evaluate the test solution’s conductivity as your measured value.

Then, subtract the blank value from the value measured and you’ll get the salt level of your steel surface in µS/cm.

Salt Test Equation

The manufacturer of your conductivity meters will supply the equations, when needed, to convert the salt level from µS/cm to mg/m2. To get the equation, you need to refer to the datasheet or the instrument manual.

Specification Compliance

An inspector should record their findings within the daily report. They should check with the project coating specification to make sure that the test result is in the suitable range.

What to Do If the Salt Test Result Is Not Within the

Specification

In this case, it is necessary to wash the entire surface with water (refer to specification for water’s PPM range). Next, perform the test again once that's done to ensure specification compliance.

Applicable Standards for Salt Test by Bresle Method

To better understand the test, please take a look at the ISO 8502-6/9 or/and the instrument manufacturer instructions plus guidelines to perform the salt test if the specification does not specify the slat test standard.

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Video Explaining How You Should Perform the Salt Test

Adhesion is one of the major common problems of a protective coating or painting which often causes premature coating failure. One of the mediums that coating can have adhesion failure is due to the dust particles available on the surface while the paint coating application, thus the coating specification often specifies to carry out the Dust Test or Dust Tape Test after the surface preparation and before the coating application.

The specification sets the limit of the dust level and the coating inspectors perform the dust test following the specification guidelines to ensure if the prepared surface contains dust on it and/or the dust level is within the specified limit set by the coating specification.

Often dust is invisible to the naked eyes and may not be detected by the visual inspection.

When talking about dust, it’s made up of fine particles that can be easily deposited on a prepared surface due to the following sources:

Surface preparation operation through blast cleaning

Soil that gets lifted through the wind

Dust particles get easily accumulated on horizontal surfaces, in structural cavities, and the inside of pipes.

This article will make you learn all you need to know on performing the dust tape test before you apply coating on the prepared surface.

The Main Issue of having Dust on the Surface to be Coated

Dust particles found on blast-cleaned steel surfaces might alter the adhesion of the coating that’s applied. Also, the absorbed moisture can increase the chances of corrosion of this steel surface.

For project coating specification, it often requires a dust test to make sure that the surface for coating is properly cleaned. It should also be free from all dust particles prior to the coating application.

The Dust Test Methods

According to a trend in the industry, a pressure-sensitive tape test is carried out that follows industry specifications plus the applicable standards. Generally, a project coating specification will often specify ISO 8502-3 standard test method in order to perform the test.

The tape test will require a kit, like from TQC, Elcometer, or approved equivalent so it’s used by the coating inspector. The kit contains the following items:

Display board

Dust assessment plate

Spring-loaded roller

Disposable gloves

Adhesive tape

Magnifier

Pictorial references

The Dust Test Procedure

Prior to the test, the coating inspector should get rid of the first three turns of adhesive tape from its roll. They should then take out a 200 mm long piece. Touch its end to hold the tape, and then firmly press it 150mm onto your surface under the test.

Now you have two options for your next step:

Take your thumb and keep it across one end of your tape. Move your thumb, while keeping your firm pressure, at a constant speed right along with your tape 3 times in each direction. Hence, each stroke will take between five to six seconds.

Use a calibrated spring-loaded roller and apply it centrally across one end of your tape. Then move the roller, while keeping a downward load between 39.2N – 49.0N at a constant speed right along with your tape 3 times in every direction. Hence, each stroke takes between five to six seconds.

After performing one of the above-mentioned tasks, now remove the tape from your test surface. Keep it on your dust assessment plate that comes with the kit. Make sure that the tape properly sticks on the plate. You can also use your thumb to stick it appropriately.

Assessing The Dust Quantity

Once on the assessment plate, carefully compare the section on the test strip with your equivalent section from the pictorial reference that’s provided. Compare the two thoroughly before rating it. You can rate it between 1 to 5.

Assessing The Size Of The Dust

Use a magnifier to examine the size of the dust particle on the tape which gets designated in the pictorial reference. You can rate the size between 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Specification Compliance

The inspector’s job is to record these findings within the daily report. They should take help from the project coating specification to make sure that the dust size and quantity is within the right range.

What To Do If Dust Level is Not Within The Specification

In this case, the dust should get blown from the surface by using dry and clean compressed air. You can also use an air blower. After it’s cleaned, the test should get performed again to make sure that the level has decreased to the specified limit.

Applicable Standard for the Dust Test

There is a popular belief that only if you have technical knowledge, there is scope to grab jobs, which promise lucrative salaries. It is true and hence to work on the best pay packages, there is a need to undergo formal training. As a young guy on the lookout for a great career, you have the liberty to choose an industry. It is completely your choice regarding the nature of the industry, one would be eager to associate, but we would like to say that the best opportunities exist in oil & gas.

The lucrative pay packets and fewer working days are the highlights

This is an industry, which pays employees lucrative money, and starter packages can be as high as $30,000. The experienced workforce in the oil and gas sector have the opportunity to take home $1,50,000/-. There are also fewer working days in case you are posted at the rig. The employees stationed at the rig only work six months a year. Hence, one can see that it is a win situation for an employee because you are only working half a year and getting paid full. This is precisely the reason why you need to train with institutes offering career development courses for oil and gas.

A look into some key courses on offer

Oil and gas is a broad subject and there is plenty to learn here. It could start with thermal insulation and this is the basic way to conserve energy. The training could start with insulation inspector level 3 courses here you are taught about insulation inspection and quality control. This course covers the basic features of thermal insulation. There are level 2 courses and you could even complete a diploma. There is also the scope to enroll in fireproofing courses and similar to the thermal insulation, here too one comes across level 1&2 or even the diploma courses. One can also work as a coating inspector and training institutes will provide you with the necessary training for this purpose.

Coating Inspector | Painting Inspector training | Paint inspector