Providing Your Own Training
for the SSPC
Abrasive Blasting (C-7) Exam
Companies that have already trained their workers in the topics listed below may elect to forgo the SSPC classroom training component and have an authorized SSPC representative oversee a written exam and a hands-on certification session in abrasive blast cleaning. The SSPC exam proctor will not review any of the training topics with the students. It will be assumed that they have already been trained and are ready to be tested.
If you would like to forgo the SSPC classroom training and only have SSPC come to your facility to proctor the exams, please contact Jennifer Miller (miller@sspc.org or 877-281-7772 ext 2221) to request a cost proposal for this option.
**It is your company’s responsibility to train the students.
When SSPC comes to your location we will proctor the 1-hour multiple-choice exam and the hands-on exam.
The instructor will not review any material with the students.**
The following topics are normally covered in SSPC’s Abrasive Blasting (C-7) Lecture . It is up to your company to have your students prepared to answer questions on the exam in the following areas:
Surface Preparation
Surface defects to be corrected
Pre-cleaning prior to blast cleaning
Surface contaminants
Non visible contaminants (salt contamination)
Abrasive blasting surface cleanliness levels
Standards for abrasive blast cleaned surfaces
Nozzle Blasting System Components
Air compressor
CFM and PSI
Air drying equipment/moisture separator
Air hose & fittings
Blast machine
ASME code
Abrasive metering valve
Remote controls (deadman)
Blast hose & fittings
Blast nozzle
Productivity and PSI
CFM for operators
Dust generation
MSDS
PPE
Other safety hazards
Abrasive recovery and containment
Abrasive Characteristics, Types, and Specifications
Wheel Blast Equipment Types, Set up, Operation, Maintenance*
*For those requiring training in centrifugal blast cleaning
It is up to your company to have your students prepared to demonstrate hands-on blasting. Information about what will be happen in the blast yard during the Hands-On Session is as follows:
The objective is to have the student’s set up, suit up, and demonstrate their skills at blast cleaning.
Demonstrations
The final hands-on session consists of actual abrasive blasting. The students will suit up in preparation for blasting. After the equipment is started, blasting will begin, with the students participating in the actual operation.
Each student will blast for 15-30 minutes. During blasting, students will demonstrate the effects of the following on the blasting operation:
-Abrasive (show differences when using different abrasive)
-Identifying type of profile (round or angular)
-Metering (adjust meter to show too much flow versus too little flow before setting correctly)
-Pressure (test pressure at the nozzle; adjust pressure up or down to demonstrate effect on productivity)
-Hose length (inspect and minimize bends)
-Angle of attack and stand-off distance (vary to show effect on cleaning)
-Nozzle size (inspect liner and gasket; switch nozzles to show difference)
-Obtaining cleanliness levels
At the end of the blasting session(s), students will take and record profile readings and also determine the level of cleanliness using
SSPC-VIS 1.
Please note that the blast equipment technician you make available to the class must be approved by the equipment manufacturer. This is important for safety reasons.
The following are some suggestions that I think will help the Abrasive Blasting course run more smoothly and guarantee that everyone gets an opportunity to blast.
Please make sure you have enough personal protective equipment (PPE') on-site for the hands-on part of the course. Make sure you have enough blast helmets, coveralls, leather gloves, earplugs, etc. (You must supply this or make certain you let the students know they have to bring their PPE.)
The blasting part of the course can move along quickly if it's done in an assembly-line fashion. There should be one (1) "experienced" contractor representative and one (1) instructor suited with the proper PPE in the blastroom. The ratio should be one student blasting per one instructor.
There needs to be enough room to blast simultaneously safely. The instructor in the blastroom can evaluate the students while they are blasting.
The key to making this all run smoothly is to have enough PPE and blasting equipment.
If you supply a full-face respirator then you also need to provide antiseptic wipes to disinfect the respirators between uses.
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