Highway & Bridge Corrosion Prevention Canada

Protecting Canadian Highways & Bridges: What we do

Corrosion poses a growing threat as highway and bridge infrastructures continue to age and spending on maintenance and repair is put off. Corrosion is a leading factor in the degradation of bridges. The Coating Inspector possess expertise in corrosion inspection, prevention and protective coatings.

Bridge Coatings: Protecting Our Steel Giants

Bridge coatings serve as the frontline defense against corrosion for steel bridges, a vital component of the Canadian infrastructure. Despite the construction of steel bridges continuing into the present, the bulk of them were erected from the 1920s to the 1970s. Lately, the pace of new highway construction has decelerated, with a noticeable shift towards using concrete for new bridge projects. This shift underscores a significant concern: the ongoing maintenance needs of the existing and increasingly older fleet of steel bridges. Today, the median age of these structures surpasses 40 years, and a substantial portion of their protective coatings have reached or surpassed their expected lifespan. Consequently, there’s a growing call for the maintenance or renewal of these protective layers.

Over the last twenty years, the process of painting bridges has undergone profound changes, largely driven by stringent environmental and health safety standards. These changes have led to a dramatic overhaul in how bridges are painted, particularly with the introduction of controlled environments to contain the debris and toxins from surface preparation and coating removal. Moreover, there’s been a push towards using coatings with significantly lower solvent content. These adjustments have not only led to cost surges ranging from 200% to 500% but have also placed innovation at the heart of bridge maintenance strategies.

The financial toll of corrosion on highway bridges is staggering, with estimates by the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) reporting annual costs to be between $6.43 billion and $10.15 billion—an amount that continues to rise. This underlines the critical need for innovative, efficient, and cost-effective coating solutions to protect these essential infrastructural elements from the ravages of time and nature.

Understanding Structural Deficiency in Bridges

The designation of a bridge as “structurally deficient” within the federal guidelines doesn’t automatically mean it’s unsafe for use. Instead, this classification highlights that such a bridge needs considerable maintenance and repair work to continue operating safely. Additionally, it indicates that the bridge will likely require significant rehabilitation or complete replacement to rectify its deficiencies. To ensure safety and manage the bridge’s load capacity, authorities might impose weight restrictions. This means limiting the maximum weight of vehicles allowed on the bridge to below the usual legal limits, ensuring the bridge can continue to serve safely under these conditions.

Navigating the Concept of Functional Obsolescence

A bridge deemed “functionally obsolete” is one built to standards that are no longer applied in modern bridge construction. This term doesn’t suggest the bridge is structurally deficient or unsafe. Rather, functionally obsolete bridges are those that fail to accommodate today’s traffic efficiently due to inadequate lane or shoulder widths, insufficient vertical clearance, or susceptibility to flooding.

Drawing a parallel, consider a functionally obsolete bridge akin to an older home. A house constructed in the 1950s might still be a comfortable, safe place to live, despite not conforming to current building codes. Similarly, when it comes to upgrading or improving such a bridge, efforts focus on modernizing and adapting it to meet contemporary standards, enhancing its functionality and safety for everyday use.

Solutions for Securing Bridges

Preventive Coating Inspection: This proactive measure is essential for maintaining and protecting various structures, including bridges. Certified inspectors perform detailed assessments to identify potential issues before they escalate, focusing on the integrity and longevity of coatings and substrates. Regular inspections can catch small issues before they become major problems, thereby preventing costly failures like moisture damage, corrosion, and structural damage.

High-Quality Coating Inspection Services: Ensuring the durability and effectiveness of protective coatings involves a meticulous evaluation process at every stage of application. This includes surface preparation review, selection of appropriate coating materials based on environmental conditions and intended lifespan, monitoring application techniques for uniformity and correct thickness, and final inspection for defects or inconsistencies. Utilizing advanced tools like digital thickness gauges and adhesion testers, inspectors ensure that coatings meet high standards for protecting bridges against environmental elements and wear.

Our process

our coating inspection process

We have a tried and true methodology for assessing and prevention corrosion through our ISO-standardized and client-customized workflow.

01.

Survey

A maintenance survey determines the coating conditions of a surface. Surveys are used to create a maintenance schedule for re-coating and touch-up applications.

02.

Testing

The Coating Inspector performs testing for a wide range of coating applications. We test for conformity, compatibility, performance, coat thickness, hardness, adhesion, and finishes.

03.

Recommendations

Once testing has been completed, we provide our detailed recommendations in a report. This ensures that all aspects of the survey are considered and addressed.

04.

Coating Specifications

All jobs are conducted according to industry standards: NACE/AMPP, ISO 9001:2015 and CSA/SSPC in Canada, ASTM and ISO for international clients.

05.

our team

The Coating Inspector works with contractors, owners, and engineers. We are a third party unbiased leader in the provision of professional coating inspection services.

06.

blasting & painting

The Coating Inspector provides supervision and project management in the sandblasting, painting and coatings industry.

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why us

Best Coating Inspectors for Hiring Across Canada

Do you have existing corrosion, or are looking to prevent costly equipment failure? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Contact us today to get a consultation.

What sets the coating inspector apart?

The Coating Inspector is ISO certified, something few competitors can offer. We also have extensive reviews, decades of combined experience and the most highly trained coating inspectors in the industry.

What is an ISO Certification?

“Certification to ISO 45001 demonstrates an organisations commitment to a safer working environment and the protection of employees against injury at work.

ISO 45001 certified organisations have identified and operate to regulatory requirements through enforcing procedures for compliance with legislation. Improved identification of hazards and risk management, involving all levels of the organisation through setting objectives, targets and documented responsibilities are recognised by regulators as a commitment to safe working conditions and continuous improvement.”

Source: https://www.qas-international….

Compliance
QAS ISO certifies strict compliance procedures to legislative and standard compliances.

Service
We have been certified in continuous improvement and service to our compliance.

Commitment
We are commited to impeccable client service & employee safety.

What is nace/ampp?

The AMPP (Formerly know as The National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE)) is a globally recognized certification body to certify and train corrosion engineers.

With over 36,000 members globally, it is the most recognized trade association of corrosion inspectors to ensure industry standards in the coating inspection industry.

Established in 1943, it serves to train corrosion inspectors, enforce industry standards, certify engineers, publish and research corrosion inspection techniques and journals, as well as provide a standardized approach to corrosion inspection and prevention.

NACE “equips society to protect people, assets and the environment from the adverse effects of corrosion.”

How much does coating inspection cost?

Every project, business and industrial assets are unique. Depending on the scope of work, location and amount of inspectors or work hours required for your project, the cost can vary.

However, The Coating Inspector is committed to saving your business time, money and assets. The cost of equipment breakdown, shutdown or repair delays can cost your business far more resources than preventative maintenance, work and inspection.

what is the process?

Call, email or contact us via the form below with a bit more of information about your business. From there we’ll consult with you regarding your unique corrosion prevention requirements.

From there we’ll provide you a comprehensive quote and scope of work, and then begin working together with you to keep your facility and equipment in top working area.

what areas do you service?

Primarily all across Canada and globally (depending on the project).

Other Industries

NUCLEAR COATING INSPECTION

This sector provides a major boost to the local economy through the employment of nearly 30,000 people, as well as the same number through contractors such as The Coating Inspector. It’s for these reasons that Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) should think about engaging a professional and independent NACE corrosion.

waste, wastewater, municipal

Both public and private water and wastewater agencies throughout North America have infrastructure assets ranging in value, from millions to billions of dollars. The Coating Inspector utilizes proven principles of corrosion prevention and mitigation for dams, aqueducts, tunnels, water and wastewater treatment plants, pumping plants, distribution pipelines and storage reservoirs.

Amusement Parks & Attractions

Park rides and attractions see a combination of stresses and elements unlike other comparable structures of their size and shape. The Coating Inspector works with government regulators and amusement parks to successfully control corrosion on rides and make corrosion inspection a critical and fundamental part of a park’s maintenance operation.

military coating inspection

Aircraft, ships and other vital assets used by the military must be kept in peak shape and readiness to fulfill their important defense roles. That means corrosion prevention is a must. The Coating Inspector offers industry knowledge gleaned from years of experience working in differing environments in regions.

Pipeline Inspection & Underground Systems

Storage tanks, pipelines and other underground systems are all susceptible to corrosion. They carry or hold such materials as crude oil, processed liquids, and wet and dry gas. The Coating Inspector can perform regular pipeline inspection for condition, effectiveness and potential for failures.

marine coating inspection

The ability of coatings to resist corrosion over extended periods is an important contributor in safeguarding your capital investment. Corrosion related maintenance can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars over the lifetime of your ship. The Coating Inspector can help you to reduce costs, maximize asset availability, keep personnel safe, and preserve the environment.

oil & gas coating inspection

Combating corrosion in the oil and gas industry is paramount since the economic loss in these industries due to corrosion is extremely high. The Coating Inspector has years of experience combating corrosion issues at oil and gas pipelines, refineries and petrochemical plants.

train & railway coating inspection

The Coating Inspector provides NACE level 2 and level 3 Senior Inspectors who are trained and fully compliant with the Rail Industry and Rail specification documents. From coated surfaces of rail vehicles to track and switching hardware, we are rail & railway coating specialists.

marine coating inspection

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395 Anchor Rd, Unit 23

38B Bigwin Rd, Unit 2A