October 2009 Vol. 64 No. 10
Features
NASSCO’s Inspector Training Program Gaining Momentum
In a relatively short period of time, NASSCO’s Inspector Training and Certification Program (ITCP) is establishing new industry standards for inspecting cured in place pipe (CIPP) installations.
The need for the program is clear, said Gerry Muenchmeyer, P.E., Muenchmeyer Associates and NASSCO technical director.
“Virtually all other types of construction, including bridges, highways and even private homes, require inspection as part of the construction and acceptance process,” said Muenchmeyer. “Since billions of dollars now are being spent on pipeline rehabilitation, it follows that inspection should be mandatory in all cases during construction. The value of the program is to provide engineers and inspectors with an awareness of the importance of inspecting every CIPP installation and to ensure that a quality product is delivered to the customer.”
After the first ITCP training session was held in 2008, demand for the training has grown rapidly. By the end of June 2009, nearly 200 inspectors had been trained and certified by NASSCO.
“The industry has responded positively and several areas of the country are requiring that NASSCO-trained inspectors be on the job site during CIPP installations,” said Muenchmeyer.
Added NASSCO Executive Director Irv Gemora, “ITCP training has achieved traction in the industry much faster than anticipated. The training is receiving rave reviews from those who complete it. We believe it is a very important program, and we expect that ITCP will have long term benefits for the rehabilitation industry.”
Program coverage
Each two day ITCP training program covers five areas:
• Existing pipe defects and how they affect CIPP installations;
• Overview of CIPP technology;
• Steps required for inspecting a CIPP field installation;
• CIPP specifications and inspector guidelines; and
• Other pipeline renewal technologies, including TAG R selection software. (NASSCO’s Trenchless Assessment Guide to Rehabilitation (TAG R) is a comprehensive database which selects the applicable rehabilitation process for a specific set of parameters.)
Muenchmeyer said while the content of the inspector and certification program has remained generally the same since its launch in 2008, it is updated periodically with new photos, forms and new techniques that may be developed from time to time, relative to the CIPP technology.
Those completing the course receive 1.35 continuing education units (CEUs) and for future job site reference, a course manual with hundreds of photographs. Attendees also receive Interactive TAG R software.
Muenchmeyer is the lead instructor He has more than 45 years of experience in the pipeline construction and rehabilitation industry. Also qualified as an instructor is Ed Kampbell, P.E., president of Rehabilitation Resource Solutions with more than 30 years experience.
Necessary process
Muenchmeyer believes there is a general misconception throughout the pipeline rehabilitation industry that trained inspectors are not always required for CIPP. Inspection of CIPP and other technologies during construction has been deemed in some cases an unnecessary expense by many municipalities and therefore job site inspection requirements are only marginally defined in many specifications and sporadically enforced in the field. The ITCP program is off to a good start in changing those misconceptions, he indicated.
“The trained inspector is a key to achieving quality CIPP installations on a consistent basis, benefitting the owner, engineer and contractor,” Muenchmeyer said.
The response and success of the ITCP for CIPP has prompted the NASSCO board of directors to authorize the preparation of additional inspector training and certification programs, including pipebursting, manhole renewal and rehabilitation. Both courses are expected to be available sometime in 2010.
NASSCO (National Association of Sewer Service Companies) is a national association composed of several hundred members representing sewer and rehabilitation industry manufacturers and suppliers, municipalities and utility districts, engineers and contracting firms dedicated to establishing and implementing standards for rehabilitation of underground utilities. For more information about ITCP and other association programs, visit the NASSCO web site www.nassco.org or call (410) 486 3500. The association’s headquarters is in Owings Mills, MD.
Praise For ITCP Training
Industry professionals who have completed NASSCO’s Inspector Training and Certification Program (ITCP) are highly complementary and applying what they learned on their daily jobs.
Roger Bechner, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) systems inspection group leader, said he and about 20 of the commission’s inspectors have taken ITCP courses.
“It has provided a great value for us,” said Bechner. “We are ramping up our sewer rehab program, going from about two miles of pipeline rehabilitation to 45 miles in fiscal year 2010, and we recently bid six large contracts. Our inspectors will be out daily and ITCP training is a great resource for how to make proper inspections and will be very helpful to inspectors.”
Headquarters for the WSSC is in Laurel, MD.
Contractor David Avrett, president of Augusta, GA, contracting company Avrett Plumbing, said the ITCP training provides insight about the right way to make CIPP installations and defines correct parameters to work toward.
“CIPP installations,” he said, “are complex work, and it’s important that it be done correctly. Being in the pipe lining business, we want to be sure we do the work correctly to minimize the risk of problems during construction. Underground failures are time consuming and costly, and we want to do everything possible to avoid them and to complete every installation in accordance with applicable standards.”
Gary Bowen, DLZ Ohio, a consulting engineering firm, calls NASSCO’s inspection and certification training very valuable.
“It provides a comprehensive overview of CIPP technology and the inspection process,” said Bowen, construction services manager and manager of the firm’s inspection department.
“We are in our ninth year of a contract with the city of Columbus to provide construction administration and inspection services,” he said. “Four inspectors plus myself have completed ITCP training and what we learned has helped us streamline our inspection procedures and documentation.”
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