STANDARD

SPECIFICATIONS FOR
CONSTRUCTION WORKS

2008

Module 11 Structural Steel and Coatings

Introduction
The Standard Specifications are published as a series of 21 stand-alone modules each addressing
a single distinct area of the construction process. This stand-alone module 11 is an integral part of
the Standard Specifications.

The purpose of the MoW STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION is to provide the
design professional with a guide for accepted construction practices for Ministry of Works projects.
As an aid to the designer, these Standard Specifications are provided for the inclusion in proposed
development projects for ease, efficiency and cost savings.

The Standard Specifications are not intended to limit the design responsibility of the design
professional. However, they establish a minimum acceptable criterion and/or quality for use within
Ministry of Works projects.

The design professional may increase the requirements of an item contained in the Standard
Specifications to meet job requirements, but when this is done, there should be no reference for
that item on the drawings to the Ministry of Works Standard Specifications and a new specification
should be included with the drawings or project contract documents.

The design professional must review all Standard Specifications to be sure that they are adequate
for the proposed project based on the job site conditions; the design professional is solely
responsible for the designs submitted under his seal.

In order to keep design standards current with changing regulations and improved construction
materials and practices this section will be updated and maintained by the concerned authorities of
the Ministry of Works. Prior to starting a new project, the design professional should contact the
concerned Directorate of the Ministry of Works to verify that he/she has the latest document
revisions.

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Module List
Module
No

Module Title

Guidance and General Specifications

Concrete

Earthworks

Glass and Glazing

Joinery and Carpentry

Ironmongery

Internal Finishes including Thermal Insulation

Painting and Decorating (Internal & External)

Metalwork

10

Roofing

11

Structural Steel (and Coatings)

12

Structural Timber

13

Masonry

14

Plumbing and Sanitary

15

Mechanical Installation in Buildings

16

Electrical Installation

17

Sewerage, Pipelines and Pipework

18

Sewerage M&E Works

19

Roadworks

20

Landscaping

21

Dredging, Reclamation and Shoreline Protection

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Table of Contents
CLAUSE

DESCRIPTION

PAGE

Introduction

Module List

Table of Contents

Foreword

1.

PART 1 GENERAL

1.1

Scope. 5

1.2

Source Approvals 5

1.3

Testing... 7

1.4

Submission of Drawings and Method Statements. 7

1.5

Care and Control of Materials 8

2.

PART 2 METHODOLOGY AND WORKMANSHIP

2.1

General.. 9

2.2

Bolted Connections. 9

2.3

Friction Grip Connections... 9

2.4

Cambering...10

2.5

Cutting. 10

2.6

Drilling..10

2.7

Welding... 10

2.8

Composite Floors...12

2.9

Foundations 13

2.10

Contractors Responsibilities13

2.11

Erection14

2.12

As Built Drawings.. 14

3.

PART 3 SUMMARY

3.1

Codes of Practice.. 15

3.2

Publications.16

4.

PART 4 APPENDICES

4.1

Appendix A: Steelwork Coating and Fire Protection 17

Abbreviations

15

17

28

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Foreword
This specification provides the basis for using structural steel in construction. It covers the main
requirements for procurement, fabrication, erection and protective coating of structural steelwork.

This specification must be read in its entirety, as it is structured in order of work-flow, which means
that items or activities appear in several places in the specification corresponding to the
progression of the construction process.

For larger or more complex or specialist projects, a project-specific Particular Specification for
structural steelwork may also be provided.

Absence of clauses for materials and methods does not necessarily signify that they can not be
used. Proposals for use of innovative methods and materials are encouraged and are subject to
review and approval by the Client.

Where the word approved is used in this specification, this means that the Client or Engineer has
been consulted and has confirmed that the item or procedure is acceptable in the specific context
for which approval has been requested.

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1.

PART 1 GENERAL
The supply, fabrication and erection of the structural steelwork shall be in accordance
with the general clauses of the National Structural Steelwork Specification for Building
Construction and the clauses of this Specification. In the event of any discrepancies the
clauses of this Specification take precedence over and are in addition to the clauses of
the National Structural Steelwork Specification.

1.1

Scope
This document outlines the requirements related to procurement, fabrication, erection and
protective coatings of structural steelwork which has been designed in accordance with
BS 5950.
All references to Standards and Codes of Practice given hereafter shall be made to the
editions current at the time.

1.2

Source Approvals

1.2.1

Hot Rolled Steel

Steel for hot rolled sections, hot finished structural hollow sections, plates and bars shall
comply as a minimum with the basic specifications of BS EN 10025: Part 1 and BS EN
10210: Part 1. Dimensional properties, tolerances and rolling margins for hot rolled steel
materials shall comply with the following standards:

1.2.2

plates and bars BS EN 10029

universal beams, columns, rolled joists, channels and tees BS 4: Part 1
rolled angles BS EN 10056
structural hollow sections BS EN 10210: Part 2

Cold Formed Steel

Steel for cold formed welded structural sections shall comply as a minimum with the basic
specification of BS EN 10219: Part 1, and the following standards as applicable:

Cold formed structural sections in uncoated steel shall be manufactured from strip in
accordance with BS1449: Part 1.
Cold formed structural sections in zinc pre-coated steel shall be manufactured from
strip in accordance with BS EN 10143.
Cold formed longitudinally welded hollow sections shall be in accordance with BS
EN 10219: Part 2.
Purlins, side rails and accessories shall be manufactured from pre-hot-dipped
galvanized mild steel to BS EN 10143 with coating designation Z 275 and a minimum
yield stress of 280 N/mm2.
All cold formed sections shall be formed by rolling, and not pressing.
Dimensions and tolerances for cold formed steel materials shall comply with the
following standards:
o Cold rolled sections BS EN 10162
o Cold formed hollow sections BS EN 10219: Part 2

1.2.3

Stainless Steel
Stainless steel for structural purposes shall be grade 316 S31 to PD 970 unless specified
otherwise.

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1.2.4

Consumables
Consumables for use in metal arc welding shall comply with BS EN ISO 14341, BS EN
ISO 2560, BS EN 756, BS EN 757 and BS EN 760 as appropriate.

1.2.5

Structural Fasteners
Structural fasteners shall be in accordance with the following standards:

1.2.6

Shop and site bolts and nuts in ordinary bolt assemblies shall be grade 4.6 in
accordance with BS 4190 or grade 8.8 or 10.9 in accordance with BS 3692 but with
dimensions, tolerance and threaded length to BS 4190.
High strength friction grip (HSFG) bolt assemblies shall be in accordance with
BS 4395: Part 2.
Stainless steel bolts, screws, studs and nuts shall be grade A4-80 to BS EN ISO
3506 unless specified otherwise.
Holding down bolts in foundations shall be in accordance with BS 7419.
Cup and countersunk bolts shall be in accordance with BS 4933.
Metal washers shall be made in accordance with BS 4320 Section 2 and unless
otherwise specified shall be black steel washers to Form E.
All lock nuts shall be in accordance with BS EN ISO 2320 and BS EN ISO 7042 or
BS EN ISO 7719 as appropriate.
Where specific coatings are required to fasteners they shall be provided by the
fastener manufacturer and submitted to the Engineer for approval.

Shear Studs
Proprietary shear studs used in composite construction shall be in accordance with
BS 5950: Part 3.1 and shall be the headed type with the following properties after being
formed:

1.2.7

Minimum yield strength 350 N/mm

2
Minimum ultimate tensile strength 450 N/mm
At yield elongation of 15% on a 5.65So gauge length, as given in BS EN 1002: Part
1.

Protective Treatments
Protective treatment materials shall comply with the requirements of the following
standards:

1.2.8

Chilled iron shot and grit for blast cleaning shall be in accordance with BS EN ISO
11124.
Surface coatings shall be in accordance with the guidance given in BS EN ISO
12944, BS EN ISO 14713 and/or specialist advice.
Sherardized coatings shall be in accordance with BS 4921.
Composition of zinc in galvanizing baths shall be in accordance with BS EN ISO
1461.
Lightweight gauge metalwork shall be galvanized by the hot-dip process as specified
in BS 3083 or BS EN 10143.

Surface Condition
The surface condition of steel for fabrication shall be in accordance with the following
standards:

Steel surfaces when used shall not be more heavily pitted or rusted than Grade C of
BS EN ISO 8501: Part 1.

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1.3

Surface defects in hot rolled sections, plates, wide flats, round and square bars
revealed during surface preparation which are not in accordance with the
requirements of BS EN 10163 for quality of finished steel, shall be rectified
accordingly.
Surface defects in hot rolled hollow sections revealed during surface preparation
which are not in accordance with the requirements of BS EN 10210: Part 1 shall be
rectified accordingly.

Testing
The Contractor shall perform tests and provide test certificates, or obtain and submit test
certificates from the manufacturers, for the materials to be used in the work.
The tests shall include the following, in accordance with BS EN 10025, BS EN 10210:
Part 1, BS EN 10219: Part 1 and BS EN 10160 as appropriate:

Chemical analysis
Tensile strength tests
Impact tests
Bend tests
Lamination tests

The tests shall be carried out by an approved testing authority and notice shall be given
of the intended execution of any such tests.
If any sample fails a test the consignment it represents may be rejected in part or in
whole.
If necessary, additional tests shall be carried out by Inspection Authority selected by the
Engineer in the event of apparent discrepancy between submitted certificates and actual
condition of the supplied material.

1.4

Submission of Drawings and Method Statements

The Contractor may amend the responsibilities of the Contractor defined in these
Specifications, subject to the prior notification and approval of the Engineer.
The Contractor shall submit for approval four initial copies of each fabrication drawing
produced by Contractor and subsequently four prints and one electronic copy of the
approved shop drawings for retention by the Engineer. Materials shall not be ordered nor
fabrication commenced until shop drawings are approved. Such approval shall not relieve
the Contractor from any of his obligations and responsibilities under the contract.
In submitting drawings and erection procedures for approval, the Contractor shall allow
sufficient time for review, comment, checking and re-submission as agreed with the
Engineer.
The Contractor shall submit, as a minimum, the following information on or with the
fabrication drawings:

position of all plates, sections, stiffeners, welds, bolts, holes, shear connectors and
temporary attachments including type, size and orientation;
length of plates and sections with a specified and calculation-supported allowance
for shrinkage and curvature caused by the method of fabrication, wherever such
deviations may become critical for building tolerances;
cambers which should allow for the pre-cambers given in the Contract Drawings;
grades of structural materials and connectors.

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The Contractor shall maintain and submit a record of the source of all plate, section, bolt
and welding consumables, including test certificates.
At least 6 weeks prior to erection, the Contractor shall submit an erection method
statement which shall include the following information:

health and safety statement including procedures relating to safe working practice;
sequence of programme for erection of steelwork and execution of protective coating
systems, including drawings detailing crane and steelwork positions during erection,
lifting tackles, temporary props, supports and bracing;
details of stationary lifting arrangements (tower cranes) including calculations
relating to allowable ground pressures for crane supports;
details of mobile lifting equipment including details of ground surface preparation in
crane operation areas;
procedures for site bolting, welding and corrosion protection;
calculations relating to all props, supports and bracing required to maintain the
stability of steelwork at all stages of erection;
details of access to be provided for erection, bolting, welding, corrosion protection
and inspections by the Contractors Quality Personnel representatives and the
Engineer.

1.5

Care and Control of Materials

1.5.1

Handling, Storage and Protection of Materials

1.5.2

Steelwork shall be bundled, packed, handled and transported in a safe manner so

that permanent distortion does not occur and surface damage is minimised.
All lifting tackle shall carry a current test certificate.
Suitable packings, lashings, lifting harnesses, nylon slings, rubber protected chains
and chocks, etc. shall be used.
Fabricated components shall be stacked clear of the ground, kept clean and
supported in such a manner as to avoid permanent distortion. If possible,
accumulation of water from rain or condensation shall be avoided.
Freshly applied surface coatings shall be protected from damage. '
Wet paint'signs
and protective barriers shall be provided where necessary. Surfaces adjacent to
those being coated shall be protected.
Early degradation of coatings by blistering, peeling, flaking, cracking, lack of
adhesion, etc. shall be made good by complete removal, preparation and
reapplication of all coats, as instructed.
Inadequate dry film thickness or surface defects due to adverse weather may,
depending on the type of paint, be remedied by rubbing down and applying further
coat(s), as instructed.
Mechanical damage to coatings shall be made good by local cutting back of
coatings, preparation and reapplication of all coats to leave a neat, continuous and
flat finish.
Where damage to coatings or subsequent surface preparation has exposed bare
metal, it must be thoroughly cleaned and primed within two hours.
Consumables stored in the contractors works and on site shall be kept in a
controlled atmosphere, in accordance with BS EN 1011: Part 1.

Fabricated Material Control & Delivery

Every component which is to be individually assembled or erected shall be allocated

a unique erection mark. Members which are identical in all respects may have the
same erection mark. Individual pieces shall be capable of positive identification at all
stages of fabrication.
Completed components shall be marked with a durable and distinguishing erection
mark in such a way as not to damage the material. Hard stamping may not be used.

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Marks shall be placed, where possible, in positions where they will be visible in
storage and after erection.
All steel shall have a test certificate reference so that its properties are known and
can be verified.

2.

PART 2 METHODOLOGY AND WORKMANSHIP

2.1

General

2.2

Bolted Connections

2.3

All parts shall be cut, shaped and assembled to ensure accurate erection.
Proprietary components, where used, shall be to manufacturers recommendations,
and to the satisfaction of the Engineer.
The ends of structural sections shall be cold sawn or machined except where special
permission is granted for hot sawing.
All plates and sections shall be true to form and free from twists, accurately
straightened, planed or shaped as necessary.
Where material lengths are incorrect, the extension of members by welding on
additional material will not be permitted.
End connections of beams shall not have more than 2 mm clearance at each end,
but cleats may project a maximum of 6 mm beyond the beam.
Columns with ends not in direct bearing shall be fabricated to the accuracy required
by Clause 7.2.2. of the National Structural Steelwork Specification, i.e. out of
squareness not exceeding (depth of section)/300.
Columns intended to be in direct bearing shall be fabricated to the accuracy required
by Clause 7.2.3. of the National Structural Steelwork Specification i.e. out of
squareness not exceeding (depth of section)/1,000.

Bolts shall be threaded only over the length of shank which is outside the parts
bolted together i.e. bearing must be made on unthreaded shank.
The bolt shall protrude by at least two complete threads and not more than four
complete threads beyond the outer face of the tightened nut.
Bolt holes shall not be distorted or enlarged by the use of drifts.

Friction Grip Connections

High-strength friction grip bolts shall be fitted in accordance with BS 4604: Part 2.
Faying surfaces of friction grip joints shall be immediately masked after blast
cleaning and before coating surrounding areas to protect from contamination and
deterioration.
If paint system comprises more than one coat, each coat shall be stepped 30 mm
back from the edge of the preceding coat and away from masked areas.
Immediately before bolting, masking shall be removed. Faying surfaces shall be
checked as free from adhesive, and cleaned with solvent if necessary.
After final tightening of bolts, and inspection of joints:
o
o
o
o

Uncoated areas including bolts shall be thoroughly degreased and cleaned.

Primer shall be applied without delay.
The full shop coating specification shall be applied.
Where direct tension indicators are used, measuring gaps shall be sealed to
prevent ingress of moisture.

Load-indicating washers
o Load-indicating washers shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturers
recommendations.
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o The load indicator protrusions should be oriented against the bolt head
o The bolt head shall not be allowed to rotate against the protrusions

The unit shall be tightened until the average gap is as indicated in the table below.
Table 1 Load Indication Fitting for Friction Grip Connections
Load Indicator
Fitting
Under Bolt Head
Black Finish Bolts
All plating

2.4

BS 4395
Metric Series
General Grade Part 1
Higher Grade Part 2
0.4 mm
Max 0.5 mm
Min 0.4 mm
0.4 mm
Max 0.5 mm
Min 0.4 mm

Cambering
Unless shown otherwise in the Contract Drawings, cambering shall be a smooth
continuous curve. Selection of a curving or straightening process shall be agreed with the
Engineer prior to execution.

2.5

Cutting

2.6

Flame-cut edges which are free from significant irregularities shall be accepted
without further treatment except for the removal of dross; otherwise cut edges shall
be dressed to remove irregularities.
Sniping of stiffeners at the root radii of rolled members shall be avoided wherever
possible. Stiffeners shall be cut to the required profile to fit closely into all such radii,
and seal welded in accordance with the welding requirements hereafter.

Drilling
Bolt holes shall be drilled, punching is not allowed. Slotted holes shall be formed by
drilling two holes and completed by cutting. Holes in components shall be shown to the
following sizes.
For ordinary bolts and preloaded (HSFG) bolts:

not exceeding 24 mm diameter, 2 mm greater than the bolt diameter

greater than 24 mm diameter, 3 mm greater than the bolt diameter

For holding-down bolts:

6 mm greater than the bolt diameter, or with sufficient clearance to ensure that a
bolt, whose adjustment may cause it to be out of perpendicular, can be
accommodated through the base plate.
Where cope holes are required to allow completion of butt welding they shall be of
adequate size to allow fillet welding to seal the connection, while still allowing full
accessibility for subsequent painting.

2.7

Welding

2.7.1

Site Welding
In all cases precautions are to be taken so that the welding current does not damage
components it passes through and adequate return earth connections are made local to
the area being welded.
Welding shall not be permitted during inclement weather, unless adequate protective
measures are taken.

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2.7.2

Welders

2.7.3

Welding Methods

2.7.4

Welders employed on the work shall be tested to BS EN 287: Part 1 and Part 2, but
in the case of welders engaged on fillet welding only, BS 4872: Part 1 is an
acceptable alternative.
Welder testing shall be witnessed and certificates endorsed by an independent
Inspection Authority. Copies of certificates for all welders shall be supplied to the
Engineer and the welder of any joint shall be shown to be qualified for the position
and type of weld proposed.
Welding shall be carried out under the supervision of a competent welding
technologist and the test pieces shall be tested in accordance with BS EN ISO
15614: Part 1.
Documentation shall be maintained to enable welds to be traced to the welder who
made them.
The Engineer has the right to instruct the Contractor to suspend any welder whose
performance is deemed unsatisfactory.

Welding of steels to BS EN 10025 and BS EN 10210: Part 1 shall be metal arc

process in accordance with the requirements of BS EN 1011: Part 1.
Fillet welds shall be continuous to form a complete seal where two members join.
Gaps at joints to be fillet welded shall not exceed 1 mm average (measured over 1 m
or length of weld, whichever is smaller) and 2 mm maximum.
Butt welds shall be full penetration welds. Butt welds in flanges and webs shall be
dressed flush by grinding in the direction of stress.
Run-on/run-off plates shall be used during butt welding. No temporary backing strips
shall be permitted.
Penning of welds will not be permitted.
Welding electrodes shall be of matching chemical composition to the parent metal in
compliance with BS EN ISO 2560, and shall give a weld deposit with mechanical
properties not less than the minimum specified for the parent metal.
Hydrogen-controlled electrodes shall be used for butt welding of steel over 25 mm
thick.

Weld Testing
Finished welds shall comply with Section 6 of API Standard 1104. Defective welds shall
be cut out, remade and retested until approved.
For surface flaw examination, magnetic particle inspection (MPI) shall be used. If MPI is
impractical, dye penetrant inspection (DPI) can be used in accordance with the
recommendation given in BS EN 571: Part 1, with the permission of the Engineer.
The Contractor shall ensure that the welding processes are maintained to an accepted
standard which is generally suitable for structural steelwork. The Engineer shall check
that any additional project specific requirements for non-destructive testing (NDT) of
welds are clearly specified in the Particular Specification. BS 5950: Part 2, Annex A may
be used as a reference for identifying critical welds which require additional inspection.
Further details regarding scope of inspection, record of testing, visual inspection of welds
and surface flaw inspection can be provided if required.

2.7.5

Visual Inspection of Welds

Visual inspection shall be made in accordance with guidance given in BS EN 970

over the full length of all welds. Such inspection shall be performed before any
required NDT inspection.
A suitably qualified person for visual inspection of welds may be a welding inspector
or a welder who can provide evidence of having been trained and assessed for
competence in visual inspection of the relevant types of welds.
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2.7.6

Radiography Testing
Site-welded joints shall be inspected by radiography in accordance with Section 8 of API
Standard 1104. Initially 100% of each butt weld shall be inspected. At the discretion of the
Engineer, the number of inspections may subsequently be reduced.

2.8

Composite Floors

2.8.1

Stud Welding

2.8.2

Decking

2.8.3

Shear studs shall be through deck welded on site following erection of the profiled
steel decking.
Top surfaces of beam flange shall be free from mill-scale, rust, grease, oil, paint, and
other substances detrimental to welding. Flanges shall be cleaned prior to laying
decking.
Studs shall not be welded if the deck is wet.
The minimum distance from sheet edge to the hole made in a sheet by welding shall
be 25 mm.
Before starting, suitability of materials, equipment and welding system proposed for
welding of studs shall be demonstrated. Not less than ten studs shall be fixed for
testing. Each trial weld shall exhibit full 360 degrees '
flash'
. Each trial stud shall be
subjected to a 30 degree bend test; welds must show no sign of cracking. Test
results shall be retained for the Engineers inspection.
Production welds shall be visually free from cracks and lack of fusion and capable of
developing at least the nominal ultimate strength of the studs. 2% of all studs shall
be bent to 15 degrees to the vertical, to ensure continuing weld adequacy. Bent
studs are not required to be re-straightened.

Floor decking shall be fixed (during layout) to the beams to ensure no gaps between
beams and deck, fixed by shot-firing or self drill-tap screws.
Profiled decking shall be galvanized steel.
Personnel shall not walk on the decking until after it has been fixed to the steel
beams. After fixing, access to the decking shall be via crawling boards. Any
damaged sheeting shall be replaced entirely at the Contractors expense. Delays in
delivery of new sheets will not be considered as grounds for an extension of the
contract period.
The Contractor shall ensure that no moisture is trapped between the beams and
decking, and provisions shall be made for boiling off any moisture prior to studwelding.
Joints in the decking shall be prepared to the manufacturer'
s recommendations (by
taping or mechanical fixing) to prevent grout leakage.
Decking sheets are to be clean and free of all traces of grease or mould oil
contamination. The Contractor shall de-grease the decking to the satisfaction of the
Engineer.
Spacers for reinforcement shall be steel or concrete, in accordance with the
Concrete Specification. The use of plastic spacers is not permitted.
All ferrules shall be removed prior to placing the reinforcement or concrete.

Temporary Propping

All propping for concrete work shall comply with the Concrete Specification.
Where required by the design the Contractor shall provide, install and maintain
propping of all slabs as required until the design strength of the concrete has been
reached. Propping shall be in accordance with the deck suppliers recommendations
and shall be capable of transferring all loads to the ground or floors below without
overstressing any part of the structure. A full method statement shall be submitted
and approval shall be obtained from the Engineer before installation.
Page 12

Propping shall not be removed until the concrete in the slabs has achieved the
design strength. The propping shall be progressively lowered in bays between
columns to ensure the loads taken by the propping are transferred uniformly to the
composite construction.

2.9

Foundations

2.9.1

Holding Down Bolts

2.9.2

The Contractor shall position the holding down bolts and sleeves in accordance with
the Contractor'
s Foundation Plan. The ends of bolts shall be held and linked by cast
steel sections.
Holding down bolts shall be protected by bituminous paint to the unthreaded parts
before casting in, and all exposed parts and nuts shall be recoated after grouting and
tightening.
Holding down bolts shall be hand spanner tight when the base plates are grouted,
and fully tightened at least 7 days after grouting to a controlled torque as specified by
the Engineer.
Bolts shall be cast into foundations, using templates to ensure accurate positioning
to the required line and level, within cylindrical pockets (sleeves). Anchor plates shall
incorporate welded '
stops'to prevent bolt rotation during tightening.
Neither bolts nor pockets shall be in contact with steel reinforcing bars. Immediately
after concreting in, all bolts shall be '
waggled'to ensure free movement within the
pocket.

Grouting

All grout and grouting shall comply with the Concrete Specification.
The Contractor shall notify the Engineer if the space beneath any column base is
less than 15 mm or more than 50 mm, and await his instructions before grouting
under any bases of the structure concerned.
Bedding operations shall not commence until a sufficient number of columns,
trusses, beams, bracings and ties have been properly lined, levelled, plumbed and
finally assembled.
Immediately before grouting, pockets and spaces under the base plates shall be
thoroughly cleaned and excessive moisture removed.
Bolt pockets shall be filled with neat cement grout, just fluid enough to pour.
Spaces under base plates shall be filled as follows:
o depth not exceeding 25 mm Neat cement grout, just fluid enough to pour.
o depth between 25 mm and 50 mm Mortar of 1:2 cement : fine aggregate, just
fluid enough to pour. The mortar shall be tamped as filling proceeds.
o In all cases care shall be taken to ensure that no pockets of air are trapped under
base plates. In larger base plates grout holes of appropriate size and location
shall be provided.
o In all cases a shrinkage compensating additive shall be incorporated in the
material in accordance with manufacturer'
s recommendations.

2.10

Grout or mortar shall have a minimum 28-day strength of 50 N/mm2. Packs shall be
protected by grout to a minimum thickness of 50 mm.

Contractors Responsibilities

The Contractor shall inspect the prepared foundations and holding down bolts for
position and level not less than seven days before erection of steelwork starts. In the
event of any discrepancies found which are outside the permitted maximum
deviations, these shall be reported to the Engineer and the necessary remedial work
shall be carried out before erection commences.

Page 13

Accuracy of position and levels of foundations and holding down bolts shall be as
specified in the National Structural Steelwork Specification for Building Construction.
It should be noted in particular that the permitted deviations for foundations and
foundation bolts are:
o Clause 9.4.1 the maximum deviations of foundation level from exact level are
+ 0 mm and - 30 mm;
o Clause 9.4.3 the maximum deviation of foundation bolt from exact location is
20 mm in any direction horizontally and + 25 mm or - 5 mm vertically at shaft tip.

These are total deviations from the exact locations due to setting out inaccuracies as well
as construction allowance. Note also the required bolt movement in the location tube of
25 mm minimum in all directions from the central position.

2.11

Erection

2.11.1

Approvals
The erection sequence and procedure shall be submitted for Engineers approval at an
agreed time period prior to erection including the details of lifting plant and other
machinery. Prior to use, all lifting equipment shall be certified by an authorized third party
to be safe for use on site.

2.11.2

Contractors Responsibilities
Until the steelwork is accepted, the Contractor shall provide and maintain setting out lines
and datum levels within or immediately adjacent to the Works. Before grouting under
column bases (or casting-in bases) the Contractor shall check the accuracy of the
steelwork erection and any errors shall be corrected.
The Contractor shall

Achieve the design level of base plates during erection of columns, and steel plate
packs or shims of appropriate thickness shall be used. It is not allowed to support
base plates from levelling nuts.
Be entirely responsible for stability of the steelwork during erection and shall arrange
for all temporary guying, bracing and supports, together with any additional tackbolts
necessary for structure stability until final bolting up. Use of tack welds shall be
limited to an indispensable minimum.
Assemble all parts as shown on the drawings and shall accurately position, plumbline and level the work. Drift pins shall only be employed to align component parts
and must not distort the work.
Accurately erect the steelwork within the tolerances outlined in National Structural
Steelwork Specification and BS 5950: Part 1. In the event of discrepancy, the
following tolerances take precedence:
o Ensure that setting out/plan dimensions do not exceed 12 mm overall building
dimensions, or 5 mm in any one bay;
o Ensure that levels do not exceed 5 mm for truss and beam support plates, 10
mm stanchion base plates;
o Ensure that stanchions are not out of plumb by more than 0.1% of height for
stanchions and vertical axis of truss girders, or 6 mm overall;
o Ensure that after erection, straightness, bow or out-of-squareness shall be not
more than the rolling tolerances given in appropriate British Standards.

2.12

As-Built Drawings
The contractor shall produce all As-Built drawings before hand over, and format size and
number shall be as specified in the contract.
Page 14

3.

PART 3 SUMMARY

3.1

Codes of Practice
Reference

Title

BS 4: Part 1

Structural steel sections. Specification for hot-rolled

sections
Steel plate, sheet and strip. Carbon and carbonmanganese plate, sheet and strip
Specification for continuously hot-dip zinc coated and ironzinc alloy coated steel
Specification for hot-dip zinc coated and hot-dip
aluminium/zinc coated corrugated steel sheets for general
purposes
ISO metric precision hexagon bolts, screws and nuts.
Specification
ISO metric precision hexagon bolts, screws and nuts.
Specification
Specification for metal washers for general engineering
purposes. Metric series
Specification for high strength friction grip bolts and
associated nuts and washers for structural engineering.
General grade
Specification for high strength friction grip bolts and
associated nuts and washers for structural engineering.
Higher grade bolts and nuts and general grade washers
Specification for the use of high strength friction grip bolts
in structural steelwork. Metric series. General grade
Specification for the use of high strength friction grip bolts
in structural steelwork. Metric series. Higher grade (parallel
shank)
Specification for approval testing of welders when welding
procedure approval is not required. Fusion welding of steel
Specification for sherardized coatings on iron or steel.
Specification for ISO metric black cup and countersunk
head bolts and screws with hexagon nuts
Structural use of steelwork in building
Specification for holding down bolts
Wrought steels for mechanical and allied engineering
purposes. Requirements for carbon, carbon manganese
and alloy hot worked or cold finished steels
Qualification test of welders. Fusion welding. Steels
Approval testing of welders for fusion welding. Aluminium
and aluminium alloys
Non-destructive testing. Penetrant testing. General
principles
Welding consumables. Solid wires, solid wire-flux and
tubular cored electrode-flux combinations for submerged
arc welding of non alloy and fine grain steels. Classification
Welding consumables. Covered electrodes for manual
metal arc welding of high strength steels. Classification
Welding consumables. Fluxes for submerged arc welding.
Classification
Non-destructive examination of fusion welds. Visual
examination
Welding. Recommendations for welding of metallic
materials. General guidance for arc welding
Tensile testing of metallic materials. Method of test at
ambient temperature

BS 1449: Part 1
BS 2989
BS 3083
BS 3692
BS 4190
BS 4320
BS 4395: Part 1
BS 4395: Part 2
BS 4604: Part 1
BS 4604: Part 2
BS 4872: Part 1
BS 4921
BS 4933
BS 5950
BS 7419
PD 970
BS EN 287: Part 1
BS EN 287: Part 2
BS EN 571: Part 1
BS EN 756
BS EN 757
BS EN 760
BS EN 970
BS EN 1011: Part 1
BS EN 10002: Part 1

Page 15

BS EN 10025
BS EN 10029
BS EN 10056
BS EN 10143
BS EN 10160
BS EN 10162
BS EN 10163
BS EN 10210: Part 1
BS EN 10210: Part 2
BS EN 10219: Part 1
BS EN 10219: Part 2
BS EN ISO 1461
BS EN ISO 2320
BS EN ISO 2560
BS EN ISO 3506
BS EN ISO 7042
BS EN ISO 7719
BS EN ISO 8501: Part 1

BS EN ISO 11124
BS EN ISO 12944
BS EN ISO 14341
BS EN ISO 14713
BS EN ISO 15614: Part 1

3.2

Hot rolled products of structural steels

Tolerances on dimensions, shape and mass for hot rolled
steel plates 3 mm thick or above
Specification for structural steel equal and unequal leg
angles
Continuously hot-dip metal coated steel sheet and strip tolerances on dimensions and shape
Ultrasonic testing of steel flat product of thickness equal or
greater than 6 mm (reflection method)
Cold rolled steel sections. Technical delivery conditions.
Dimensional and cross-sectional tolerances
Delivery requirements for surface condition of hot-rolled
steel plates, wide flats and sections
Hot finished structural hollow sections of non-alloy and fine
grain steels. Technical delivery requirements
Hot finished structural hollow sections of non-alloy and fine
grain steels. Tolerances, dimensions and sectional
properties
Cold formed welded structural hollow sections of non-alloy
and fine grain steels. Technical delivery requirements
Cold formed welded structural hollow sections of non-alloy
and fine grain steels. Tolerances, dimensions and
sectional properties
Hot dip galvanized coatings on fabricated iron and steel
articles. Specifications and test methods.
Prevailing torque type steel hexagon nuts. Mechanical and
performance properties
Welding consumables. Covered electrodes for manual
metal arc welding of non-alloy and fine grain steels.
Classification
Mechanical properties of corrosion-resistant stainless-steel
fasteners
Prevailing torque type all-metal hexagon nuts. Property
classes 5, 8, 10 and 12
Prevailing torque type all-metal hexagon nuts, style 1.
Property classes 5, 8 and 10
Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints
and related products. Visual assessment of surface
cleanliness. Rust grades and preparation grades of
uncoated steel substrates and of steel substrates after
overall removal of previous coatings
Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints
and related products
Paints and varnishes. Corrosion protection of steel
structures by protective paint systems
Welding consumables. Wire electrodes and deposits for
gas shielded metal arc welding of non alloy and fine grain
steels. Classification
Protection against corrosion of iron and steel in structures.
zinc and aluminium coatings. Guidelines
Specification and qualification of welding procedures for
metallic materials

Publications
National Structural Steelwork Specification for Building Construction.
API 1104: Welding of Pipelines and Related Facilities

Page 16

4.

PART 4 APPENDICES

4.1

Appendix A: Steelwork Coating and Fire Protection

Surface preparation and painting shall be carried out in accordance with good practice,
generally but not exclusively laid down in such publications as BS 6150 Code of Practice
for Painting of Buildings, BS EN 12944 Paints and varnishes. Corrosion protection of
steel structures by protective paint systems, BS 7079 Preparation of Steel Substrates
Before Application of Paints and Related Products, BS EN ISO 8501 to 8504
Preparation of Steel Substrates Before Application of Paints and Related Products.
Where the surface preparation or coating requirements of this specification differ from
those of the approved manufacturer, the manufacturer'
s requirements shall take
precedence, subject to the approval of the Engineer.
All references to Standards and Codes of Practice shall be made to the editions current
at the time.

4.1.1

Materials

4.1.1.1

Approved Systems
Coating systems proposed shall have a verifiable track record for use in climates similar
to Bahrain.
The upper and lower limits provided for the Nominal Dry Film Thickness (NDFT) indicate
the minimum requirements for time to first maintenance of 10 years and 15 years
respectively. Where an upper limit is not provided, the time to first maintenance is
expected to be more than 10 years and less than 15 years.
The durability requirements for the project shall be defined in the contract documents.
Water-based coatings are preferred. Where water-based formulations are not available,
preference shall be given to high solids systems that contain low fractions of volatile
organic compounds.
Coatings containing lead or chromate based pigments will not be approved.

4.1.1.2

Decorative Coatings
Decorative coatings for steel shall meet the requirements of the following coating systems
listed in Table 2 below:
Note: Decorative paint coatings shall only be applied to steel intended to be installed in
air-conditioned environments.
Table 2 Coating System for Decorative Coating
System ID
System 1
System 2
System 3

4.1.1.3

Primer
Alkyd
Acrylic
Epoxy

Topcoat
Alkyd
Acrylic
Poly-urethane

NDFT m
80-160
120-160
120-160

Protective Coatings
Protective coatings shall meet the requirements of the following coating systems listed in
Tables 3, 4 and 5 below:

Page 17

Note: Protective coating systems are defined based on the expected exposure condition.
The exposure conditions are based on those described in BS EN ISO 12944-2 as follows:

E1 equivalent to BS EN ISO 12944-2 (C3)

E2 equivalent to BS EN ISO 12944-2 (C4)
E3 equivalent to BS EN ISO 12944-2 (C5-M)

Exposure condition E1 shall apply to the interiors of non-air-conditioned buildings in

urban areas.
Table 3 Coating System for Protective Coating Exposure Class E1
System ID
System 1
System 2
System 3
System 4

Primer
Alkyd
Acrylic
Epoxy
Epoxy

Topcoat
Alkyd
Acrylic
Epoxy
Poly-urethane

NDFT m
160-200
160-240
160-240
160-240

Exposure condition E2 shall apply to the exteriors of buildings in urban areas greater than
1,000 m from the coast and the interior of buildings containing swimming pools, or
chemical processing facilities.
Table 4 Coating Systems Exposure Class E2
System ID
System 1
System 2
System 3
System 4

Primer
Acrylic
Epoxy
Epoxy-Zn-R
Ethyl-silicate
Zn-R

Topcoat
Acrylic
Poly-urethane
Poly-urethane
Poly-urethane

NDFT m
240
240-320
200-320
200-320

Exposure condition E3 shall apply to the exteriors of all buildings less than 1,000 m from
the coast and the interior of buildings containing almost permanent condensation or high
pollution levels. Minimum coating thickness shall be as in Table 5 below:
Systems denoted by * shall only be applicable to applications where UV exposure is not
expected.
Table 5 Coating Systems Exposure Class E3
System 1*
System 2*
System 3*
System 3
System 4
System 5
4.1.1.4

Primer
Epoxy
EpoxyZn-R
Ethylsilicate
Epoxy-Zn-R
Ethyl-silicate
Epoxy Zn-R

Topcoat
Epoxy

NDFT m
400
300-500

Epoxy

240-320

Poly-urethane
Poly-urethane
Epoxysiloxane

240-320
240-320
200

Galvanizing
Hot dip galvanizing shall be in accordance with the requirements of BS EN ISO 1461.
The minimum coating thickness for steel work exposed to air-conditioned interiors of
buildings or interior spaces where the exposure condition is E1 as defined above shall
be in Table 6 below:
Page 18

Table 6 Galvanized Coating System Exposure Class E1

Article Thickness
6 mm
3 mm to < 6 mm
1.5 mm to < 3 mm
< 1.5 mm

Mean coating
thickness m
85
70
55
45

The minimum coating thickness for exterior steelwork where the exposure condition is E2
as defined above shall be as in Table 7 below:
Table 7 Galvanized Coating System Exposure Class E2
Article Thickness
6 mm

Mean coating
thickness m
85

The minimum coating thickness for exterior steelwork where the exposure condition is E3
as defined above shall be as in Table 8 below:
Table 8 Galvanized Coating System Exposure Class E3
Article Thickness
6 mm
3 mm to < 6 mm
1.5 mm to < 3 mm
4.1.1.5

Mean coating
thickness m
115
95
70

Fire Protection Coatings

The requirements for fire-protection shall be defined in the Particular Specification.
Coating systems for the provision of fire-protection shall be limited to the systems listed in
Table 9 below.
Table 9 Fire Protection Coating System
System ID
System 1
System 2
System 3
System 4
System 5

Primer
Ethyl silicate Zn-R
Epoxy Zn-R
Ethyl silicate Zn-R or
Epoxy Zn-R
Ethyl silicate Zn-R or
Epoxy Zn-R
Ethyl silicate Zn-R or
Epoxy Zn-R

Fire Protection Coating

1
Thin film intumescent
Intumescent epoxy mastic
2
Lightweight concrete
Fire protection boards/
casings3
Concrete4

Notes:
1 Thin intumescent coatings shall only be used in domestic/commercial internal
applications. They shall not be used for external or industrial type projects unless
approved by the Engineer
2 Lightweight concretes shall generally comply with the Concrete Specification and shall
be proprietary mixes based on vermiculite or similar lightweight materials with a
proven fire rating when tested in accordance with BS 476
3 Due to longer-term durability issues, fire-protection systems based on protection
boards or casings shall be applicable for internal applications only
4 Concrete shall comply with the Concrete Specification and shall provide a minimum
cover of 50 mm to the element it is protecting. Where installation is external, the

Page 19

concrete shall be coated with a protective coating rated to Class 1 for flame spread
when tested in accordance with BS 476 Part 7.
The required fire rating shall be defined in the contract documents.
4.1.2

Approval of Systems
The Contractor shall submit details of the proposed coating systems for approval by the
Engineer. Submittals shall include:

Technical data for all materials including but not limited to the following:
o
o
o
o
o

nominal recommended coating thickness

surface preparation requirements
manufacturer approved application methods
available colours
over-coating intervals

Samples of the proposed coating system

o A verifiable track record for the coating system for use in climates similar to
Bahrain.

For fire rated systems, test certificates indicating the performance of the material when
testing in accordance with the requirements of BS 476 shall be provided.
Materials shall be sourced from a single manufacturer.
Materials shall not be procured until they have been approved. Such approval shall not
relieve the Contractor from any obligations and responsibilities of the contract.
4.1.2.1

Alternative Systems
The Contractor shall be entitled to submit alternative systems for approval. Alternative
systems shall meet the durability requirements of the approved systems. Their
performance shall be documented and evidence shall be submitted for approval by the
Client.

4.1.3

Handling, Storage and Protection of Materials

4.1.3.1

Safety
Hazards associated with the handling and storage of materials shall be defined and
control measures identified and included in the Contractors method statements.
Safe handling practices shall be adhered to at all times. Personnel shall be trained in the
safe handling, and storage or materials.

Control of Volatile Organic Compounds

Materials shall be stored, prepared and applied in well ventilated areas. Where
adequate ventilation is not practically achievable, painters shall be provided with
suitable respiratory devices to prevent ingestion of vapours.

Fire Safety
Materials shall be stored away from potential ignition sources. Smoking shall be
prohibited on sites where flammable materials are being stored or applied.

Page 20

Fire hazards shall be assessed and controls defined in the Contractors method
statements.
4.1.3.2

Storage
All materials shall be stored in a secure air-conditioned area. Unless other temperatures
are indicated in the manufacturers instructions or specified elsewhere, coating materials
shall be stored at temperatures above + 3C and under + 30C. Materials shall only be
taken to site as required by planned coating operations. Containers shall remain sealed
until the contents are prepared for use.
Partly used containers may be re-sealed and used later unless otherwise advised by the
manufacturer. Partly used containers shall be clearly marked.
Steelwork protected by only prefabrication primer shall not be stored outside for more
than 21 days.
If damage has exposed parent metal, local re-blasting may be required to prepare the
steel for remedial coating. The maximum time lag between cleaning steel and applying
primer shall not be more than two hours.

4.1.3.3

Shelf Life
Materials shall not be used beyond their specified shelf life.
When any mixed 2 pack material has exceeded its pot life it should be discarded
irrespective of its apparent condition.
Labelling and date stamps:
All containers shall be clearly identifiable and shall be machine labelled with the following
information:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Manufacturers name
Material name
Mass/Volume of contents of container
Date of Manufacture
Expiry date or expected shelf life
Batch and/or production number
Materials hazard classification (if applicable)
Recommended storage temperature

4.1.4

Methodology and Workmanship

4.1.4.1

Approvals

Method Statements
The Contractor shall submit detailed method statements for the coating work. The
submittal shall include but not be limited to the following:
o Technical data sheets and material safety data sheets (MSDS) for all products
proposed
o Details of proposed surface preparation methods and materials
o Details of proposed application methods
o Details of equipment to be used
o Details of Personal Protective Equipment required
o Details of safe handling controls
o Methods for protecting finished coatings during transport and erection on site
o Details of fire safety controls
o Nominated safety officers
Page 21

Inspection and Test Plan

The Contractor shall submit an Inspection and Test Plan (ITP) that details quality
and safety hold points and inspections for all stages of the works including surface
preparation, materials preparation and application as detailed in the method
statements.

4.1.4.2

Preparation

Cleaning
Accumulated dirt, grease and soluble salts shall be removed and the steelwork
cleaned in accordance with BS 7079. Dry bristle brushing shall normally be
adequate for accumulated dirt. Soluble salts shall be removed by fresh water
washing.

Preparation of Welds/Edges
Sharp edges shall be rounded or chamfered. All burrs from holes shall be removed
prior to blasting.
All welds shall be free of undercutting, craters and splatters. Splatters shall be
removed by suitable methods prior to blast cleaning.

Blast Cleaning
All surfaces shall be blast cleaned with to a minimum standard of Sa 2 (ISO 8501:
Part 1). Surface profile shall be in accordance with recommendations from the
coating manufacturer.
For galvanized elements, the surface shall be prepared by sweep blast, cleaned to
surface roughness fine (G) in accordance with ISO 8503: Part 2.
Abrasives based on silica-containing materials shall not be used.
After blast cleaning all dust and debris shall be removed by vacuum cleaner or oil
free compressed air and brush. Freedom from residual surface contamination shall
be checked by pressing the adhesive side of transparent adhesive tape onto the
cleaned surface and on removal examining it for adherent rust, scale or dust.

Cleaning Prior to Hot Dip Galvanizing

All steel articles shall be cleaned by acid pickling to remove mill scale, oils and other
protective films prior to hot dip galvanizing.

Safety
Personnel involved in surface preparation shall be trained to a recognized standard
and shall wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment that shall include but
not be limited to:
o Eye protection
o Hearing protection
o Respiratory protection
Areas where surface preparation works are carried out shall be clearly demarcated
with warning signs/barriers. Access to the work site during surface preparation shall
be limited to those carrying out the works.

Page 22

Access to the work site for other personnel shall only be upon a clearly defined
signal as defined in the Contractors Safety Management Plan.

Period Between Surface Preparation and Coating

The period between surface preparation and coating shall be kept to the minimum
that is practically achievable. Where periods between surface preparation and
coating may be sufficient for the preparation grade to change (e.g. by formation of
rust), temporary protection such as pre-fabrication primers or adhesive films shall be
provided.
Further preparation will be required prior to coating application.

4.1.4.3

Galvanizing

Galvanizing of steelwork shall be carried out after fabrication is complete in

accordance with BS EN ISO 1461.
Steelwork required to be galvanized shall be pickled in dilute hydrochloric acid,
washed, fluxed and stoved, and then coated with zinc by dipping in a bath of molten
zinc. Components shall be immersed in the bath only for a period sufficient to attain
the temperature of the bath, and shall be withdrawn at a speed which ensures that
2
the coating of 610 g/m of surface is achieved (85 microns minimum DFT).
Components shall be covered evenly on all surfaces and shall be free from pin
holes, lumps of galvanizing materials and all other defects.
Items described as heavily galvanized shall be grit blasted prior to galvanizing and
shall receive a minimum coating of 1,000 g/m2 of surface (140 microns minimum
DFT).
Before application of the specified paint treatment, galvanized steelwork shall be
cleaned, degreased and etch primed.
All damaged galvanizing surfaces and all edges exposed by cutting, drilling or
welding after galvanizing shall be treated with two coats of sprayed metallic zinc in
accordance with manufacturer specification, prior to restoring of paint system.
Contact between galvanized steel members and aluminium surfaces or between
galvanized and ungalvanized steel members shall be prevented by means of
approved insulating washers and grommets.

4.1.5

Application

4.1.5.1

General
Prior to and during the application, the Contractor shall verify coating materials to ensure:

conformity of the container label with the specified product description

no skin formation
no irreversible settling
usability under the given site conditions

Where viscosity modification is required it shall be made in strict accordance with the
manufacturers recommendations.
4.1.5.2

Safety
Personnel involved in surface preparation shall be trained to a recognized standard and
shall wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment that shall include but not be
limited to:

Eye protection
Hearing protection (as applicable)
Skin protection (gloves or barrier cream as appropriate)
Respiratory protection
Page 23

4.1.5.3

Shop Coating
Where fabrication methods allow, all coating shall be completed in a dedicated coating
facility.
All completed coatings shall be protected from damage during storage and during
transport to the site.

4.1.5.4

Site Coating
Where fabrication methods do not allow shop coating or where touch-ups or final coats
on connections are required, site coating shall be allowed.
Containment shall be provided to ensure abrasive used for blast cleaning and coating
overspray is contained local to the works.
The containment shall also offer the area of any works adequate protection from rain and
wind.
Ideally the containment should be able to control the local environment to the ambient
conditions detailed in this specification throughout the preparation and painting
operations and including the initial drying and curing of the applied paints.

4.1.5.5

Ambient Conditions
Coating application should only be carried out when good atmospheric conditions and
clement weather prevail.
The surfaces to be treated shall be safely accessible and well illuminated.
Coating should not be undertaken:

When the air temperature falls below the lower drying or curing limit of the coating
During fog or mist conditions or when rain is imminent
When the surface to be painted is wet with condensation or when condensation can
occur during the initial drying period of the coating
When the amount of moisture likely to be deposited on the surface by condensation
or rain immediately after coating, may have a harmful effect on the coating
When the ambient temperature falls below 10C
When substrate is below 10C
When the relative humidity rises above 85%.
When the ambient temperature is less than 3C above the dew point
When the substrate or ambient temperatures are above 40C
When wind-borne dust may have a harmful effect on the coating.

In order to determine whether or not a surface is wet, the steel temperature should be
measured using a surface temperature thermometer and the dew point calculated after
measurement of humidity with a hygrometer. Coating application should not take place
when steel temperature is less than 3C above the dew point.
4.1.5.6

Mixing
All components of the coating materials shall be prepared strictly in accordance with the
manufacturers printed requirements.
Mixing equipment shall be clean and dry and not contaminate the materials in any way.

4.1.5.7

Pot Life
Coatings shall not be used beyond the pot life specified by the manufacturer or when it is
obviously thickening.
Page 24

4.1.5.8

Application Methods
All coatings shall be applied in accordance with the requirements of the manufacturer.
Where concrete is used for fire protection, installation shall be in accordance with the
Concrete Specification.
Coating application methods shall include but not be limited to the following:

Brush
Roller
Trowel
Airless spray

The application method shall be determined in accordance with the manufacturers

recommendations and any other factors that may affect the suitability of a particular
method. The application method shall be included in the method statement submittal for
review by the Engineer.
All application equipment shall be cleaned at the commencement of painting and shall be
kept clean during the painting operation, using the cleanser specified for the particular
paint. Brushes stored in thinners shall be well worked out to remove thinners before use.
4.1.5.9

Coating Thickness
All materials shall be applied at the manufacturers recommended thickness, but the
completed coating system must meet the minimum dry film thickness defined in the
project specification.
Unless agreed otherwise, individual dry film thicknesses of less than 80% of the nominal
dry film thickness are not acceptable.
Stripe coats shall be applied to all welds, lap joints, plate edges, corners, sharp edges,
and any other edges where spray application of the overall coating system may prove
difficult resulting in low dry film thicknesses.
Wet film thickness gauges shall be used regularly to check adequate wet material is
applied meet the recommended application rates for each coat.

4.1.5.10 Testing
The type and frequency of testing shall be identified in the inspection and test plan.
Testing shall include but not be limited to:

Surface comparator testing (if particular profile is required by coating manufacturer)

Wet film thickness testing
Dry film thickness testing
Pull-off testing
Spark testing

During application wet film thickness of each coat shall be checked with a wheel or comb
gauge used in accordance with BS EN ISO 2808.
After each coat has dried, check total accumulated film thickness using a magnetic or
electromagnetic meter.
Average dry film thickness shall be at least specified thickness over any square metre
and no reading to be less than 75% of the specified thickness.
Top coat dry film thickness shall be sufficient to give an even, solid, opaque appearance.
Page 25

Measurements to be independently witnessed.

Check meter against standard shims and recalibrate regularly against a smooth steel
reference plate.
4.1.5.11 Period between Over-coating
Over-coating periods shall be strictly in accordance with the paint manufacturers printed
requirements.
Surfaces to be over-coated shall be clean and dry and prepared as required by the
manufacturer.
4.1.5.12 Colour of Coats
To enable clear identification of coats, the primer, intermediate and top coats shall be of
different shades subject to the opacity of the final coat.
The final coat colour shall be defined in the contract documents.
The colour shall be as defined in the contract documents at the end of the warranty
period.
4.1.5.13 Special Requirements

Connections:
Where fabricated items are to be subsequently welded on site, the coating system
shall not be applied within 150 mm of the weld.
Where steelwork is galvanized, the galvanizing shall be removed from the weld area
to provide a minimum of 75 mm clearance from the weld.

HSFG bolt connections:

Coatings shall be carefully selected to ensure that the friction factor does not affect
the ability of the connection to perform as designed.
Friction type bolted connections shall be blast cleaned to Sa 2 in accordance with
ISO 8501: Part 1 with an agreed roughness. The friction surfaces can be coated with
a material with a suitable friction factor.

4.1.5.14 Re-work
Where testing indicates that the coating does not meet the requirements defined in the
contract documents, the coating shall be made good by complete removal of all coats,
preparation of the surface and re-application of the coating system in accordance with the
contract documents.
Where localised repairs are required, the coating shall be made good by local cuttingback of the coating, preparation of the surface and re-application of the coating system in
accordance with the contract documents.
4.1.6

Reference Documents

4.1.6.1

Standards
Reference

Title

BS 476
BS 5950
BS 6150

Fire tests on building materials and structures

The structural use of steelwork in buildings
Painting of buildings. Code of practice
Page 26

BS 7079
BS EN ISO 1461
BS EN ISO 2808
BS EN ISO 8501
BS EN ISO 8502
BS EN ISO 8503
BS EN ISO 8504
BS EN ISO 9002
BS EN ISO 12944
BS EN ISO 14713

4.1.6.2

General introduction to standards for preparation of steel

substrates before application of paints and related
products
Hot dip galvanized coatings on fabricated iron and steel
articles. Specifications and test methods
Paints and varnishes. Determination of film thickness
Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints
and related products. Visual assessment of surface
cleanliness
Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints
and related products. Tests for the assessment of surface
cleanliness
Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints
and related products. Surface roughness characteristics of
blast-cleaned steel substrates
Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints
and related products. Surface preparation methods
Quality systems. Model for quality assurance in production,
installation and servicing
All parts Paints and varnishes. Corrosion protection of
steel structures by protective paint systems
Protection against corrosion of iron and steel in structures.
Zinc and aluminium coatings. Guidelines

Publications
rd

Fire protection for structural steel in buildings, 3 Edition, (2004),

Association for Specialist Fire Protection, UK
ISBN 1 870409 22 1
Spray coatings for the protection of structural steel Part 1: Technical guidance note for
the mechanical retention of sprayed mineral coatings based upon the requirements of BS
8202: Part 1: 1993, Association for Specialist Fire Protection, UK
ISBN 1 870409 11 6

Page 27

Abbreviations
Air Circuit Breakers
Approved Code of Practice
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry
Board
Acoustic Doppler Current Meters
ADCM
AFMA
Australian Fisheries Management Authority
AGMA
American Gear Manufacturers Association
AISI
American Iron and Steel Institute
AS
Acceptance Strength
ASTA
Association of Short-circuit Testing
Authorities
American Society for Testing Materials
ASTM
ATS
Automatic Transfer Switch
American Welding Society
AWS
BASEC
British Approval Service for Electric Cables
Building Officials and Code Administrators
BOCA
BRE
Building Research Establishment Ltd.
British Standards
BS
Building Service Research and Information
BSRIA
Association
California Bearing Ratio
CBR
CCTV
Close Circuit Television
CECOMAF Comit Europen des Constructeurs de
Matriel Frigorifique
CENELEC Comit Europen de Normalisation
Electrotechnique
CFC
Chlorofluorocarbons
CIBSE
Chartered Institution of Building Services
Engineers
CHW
Chilled Water
CI
Cast Iron
CLW
Cooling Water
CM
Current Margin / Communication cable
Communication cable (Plenum)
CMP
Code of Practice
CP
CPC
Circuit Protection Conductor
CPT
Cone Penetration Testing
Categorised Required Strength
CRS
Cathode Ray Tube
CRT
CRZ
Capillary Rise Zone
CT
Current Transformer
Underwriters Laboratories Incorporated
c(UL)
(Canada)
DEO
Defence Estate Organisation
DFT
Dry Film Thickness
DI
Ductile Iron
DIN
Deutsches Institut fr Normung
DPC
Damp Proof Course
DPDT
Differential Pressure, Differential
Temperature
DS
Durability Strength
DVR
Digital Video Recorder
DW
Ductwork Specification
EA
Exhaust Air
ECMA
European Computer Manufacturers
Association
Exhaust Air
EA
ECMA
European Computer Manufacturers
Association
ECR
Extra Chemical Resistant
EIA
Environmental Impact Assessment/
Electronic Industries Alliance
ACB
ACOP
ACRIB

EMC
EPDM
FA
FBA
FRP
FSC
GANA
GGBS
GMS
GRC
GRP
HCFC
HDPE
HEPA
HFC
HPL
HPPE
HRC
HSE
HSFG
HV
HVCA
ICBO
IGCC
IGE/UP
IP
ISAT
ISO
ITP
KD
kVA
LCD
LED
LPG
LS0H
LSF
LV
MCB
MCC
MCCB
MDF
MDD
MDPE
MEP
MICC
MIO
MMI
MOD
MS
MSDS
MSRPC
N
NDFT
NEMA
NFPA
NRC
NS

Electromagnetic Compatibility
Ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer
copolymer
Fresh Air
Factory Built Assembly
Fibre Reinforced Polymer
Forest Stewardship Council
Glass Association of North America
Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag
Galvanized Mild Steel
Glass Reinforced Cement/Glass Reinforced
Concrete
Glass Reinforced Plastics
Hydrofluorocarbons
High Density Polyethylene
High Efficiency Particulate Air
HydroFluoroCarbon
High Pressure Laminate
Higher Performance Polyethylene
High Rupturing Capacity
Health and Safety Executive
High Strength Friction Grip
High Voltage
Heating and Ventilating Contractors
Association
International Conference of Building Officials
Insulating Glass Certification Council
Institution of Gas Engineers Utilization
Procedures
Ingress Protection
Initial Surface Absorption Test
International Standard Organization
Inspection Testing Plan
Kiln Dried
Kilovolt Ampere
Liquid Crystal Display
Light Emitting Diode
Liquid Petroleum Gas
Low Smoke Zero Halogen
Low Smoke and Fume
Low Voltage
Miniature Circuit Breaker
Motor Control Centre
Moulded Case Circuit Breakers
Medium Density Fireboard
Maximum Dry Density
Medium Density Polyethylene
Mechanical Electrical Plumbing
Mineral Insulated Copper Covered Cable
Micaceous Iron Oxide
Man Machine Interface
Ministry of Defence
Micro-silica
Material Safety Data Sheet
Moderate Sulphate Resistance Portland
Cement
Nitrogen
Nominal Dry Film Thickness
National Electrical Manufacturers Association
National Fire Protection Association
Noise Reduction Coefficient
Norwegian Standard

Page 28

O/D
ODP
OFS
OFTEC
O&M
OPC
PD
PE
PFA
PFC
PM
PTFE
PVC
PVC-u
PWTAG
QA/QC
RA
RCCD
RCD
R&D
REFCOM
RPM
RPZ
RTD
RTR
SA
SBCCI
SDR
SIS
SP
SPDT
SRPC
SS
SSPC
TIA
TRA
UL
ULPA
UP
UPS
UTP
UV
VC
VR
WBP
W/C
WIS
WP
WRAS
XLPE

Outside Diameter
Ozone Depletion Potential
Oil Fired (Appliance/Equipment) Standard
Oil Firing Technical Association
Operation and Maintenance
Ordinary Portland Cement
Published Documents
Polyethylene
Pulverised Fuel Ash
Power Factor Correction
Project Manager
Polytetrafluoroethylene
Polyvinylchloride
Unplasticised Polyvinylchloride
Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group
Quality Assurance/Quality Control
Return/Recycled Air
Residual Current Circuit Breaker
Residual Current Device
Research and Development
Register of Companies Competent to handle
refrigerants
Reinforced Plastic Mortar
Reduced Pressure Zone
Resistant Temperature Detector
Reinforced Thermosetting Resin
Supply Air
Southern Building Code Congress
International (Incorporated)
Standard Dimension Ratio
Swedish Institute of Standards
Super-plasticizing
Single Pole Double Throw
Sulphate Resistance Portland Cement
Structural Strength
Steel Structures Painting Council
Telecommunication Industry Association
Trussed Rafter Association
Underwriters Laboratories Incorporated
Ultra Low Penetration Air
Unsaturated Polyester Resin
Uninterruptible Power Supply
Unshielded Twisted Pair
Ultra Violet
Vitrified Clay
Video Recorder
Weather and Boil Proof
Water Cement Ratio
Water Industry Specification
Water Proofing
Water Regulations Advisory Scheme
Cross Linked Polyethylene

Page 29