Painting Contractor Certification Programs (PCCP)

General Program Information

The SSPC contractor certification programs are based on consensus standards developed by a diverse committee of industry professionals. It is a nationally recognized independent contractor evaluation program, as well as a pre-qualification tool developed by SSPC for facility owners and others who hire industrial painting contractors.

Each program reviews the industrial painting contractor's primary ability to provide quality work in accordance with applicable safety, health and environmental compliance standards. The program is divided into the following categories:

QP 1 evaluates contractors who perform surface preparation and industrial coating application on steel structures in the field.

QP 2 is a supplement to QP 1 that evaluates the contractor's ability to perform industrial hazardous paint removal in a field operation. Two categories of certification are available based on the type of equipment and containment
Category A - Negative Air Containment
Category B - No Negative Air Containment

QP 3 evaluates a contracting company's ability to perform surface preparation and protective coating application in a fixed shop facility. SSPC issues three categories of shop certification:

• enclosed shop
• covered shop
• open shop

QP 6 certification evaluates the qualifications of industrial thermal spray (metallizing) contractors and defines a minimum standard to evaluate the contractor's capability to evaluate and accept the preparation of the surface to be metallized and to thermally spray

(1) coatings of aluminum, zinc, and their alloys for corrosion protection of steel and/or
(2) zinc anodes on steel reinforced concrete.

QP 8 certification evaluates the qualifications of contractors hired to install polymer coatings or surfacings on concrete and other cementitious surfaces in commercial, institutional, and industrial facilities.

QP 5 is a certification for Inspection Companies whose focus is the industrial painting industry. QP 5 evaluates an inspection company's ability to provide consistent quality inspection of coatings & linings for its clients.

Protective Coatings Specialist Certification (PCS)

PCS Certification identifies professionals in the industry and awards recognition to individuals who have achieved the level of knowledge and experience that few others have reached. All PCS Certified individuals are knowledgeable in the role of coatings in the prevention and control of corrosion.

Disciplinary Action Criteria (DAC)

The Disciplinary Action Criteria was released in January 1998, and is the consensus document that establishes criteria to discipline SSPC certified contractors who violate safety, quality, environmental, and ethical practice standards of performance as is outlined in SSPC's contractor certification programs (QP 1, QP 2 and QP 3).

Once certified, each contractor must work within the rules and standards outlined in the program. If the standards are not met, the contractor is subject to the DAC's penalties: warning, probation, suspension, or revocation.

Facility Owners

The SSPC certification programs offer facility owners the advantage of knowing that the industrial painting contractor who is working on their project has the experience, knowledge and equipment to produce quality work in accordance with the local, state and federal guidelines for safety, health and environmental compliance.

Additional Information found on the Lists, Forms & Applications:

• Applications to certification
• Auditor Evaluation Survey
• Fee Schedules
• Job Notification Form
• List of certified contractors - view online (html), or download to desktop (pdf)
  1. Contractors by name
  2. Contractors by state
  Note: You must have a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer to view and print PDFs. For a free copy click the Adobe download box.
• List of owners known to require certified contractors
• Certification News Center
• Technical Standards Library requirements