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Bridge Inspection Practices (2007)

Chapter: Chapter Three - Inspection Program Personnel

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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Three - Inspection Program Personnel." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Bridge Inspection Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14127.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Three - Inspection Program Personnel." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Bridge Inspection Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14127.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Three - Inspection Program Personnel." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Bridge Inspection Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14127.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Three - Inspection Program Personnel." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Bridge Inspection Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14127.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Three - Inspection Program Personnel." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Bridge Inspection Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14127.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Three - Inspection Program Personnel." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Bridge Inspection Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14127.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Three - Inspection Program Personnel." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Bridge Inspection Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14127.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Three - Inspection Program Personnel." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Bridge Inspection Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14127.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Three - Inspection Program Personnel." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Bridge Inspection Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14127.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Three - Inspection Program Personnel." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Bridge Inspection Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14127.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Three - Inspection Program Personnel." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Bridge Inspection Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14127.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Three - Inspection Program Personnel." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Bridge Inspection Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14127.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter Three - Inspection Program Personnel." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Bridge Inspection Practices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14127.
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13 This chapter reviews staff titles, responsibilities, and the qualifications of personnel in bridge inspection programs. The size, formation, and assignments of inspection teams are discussed. The chapter begins with U.S. information and continues with information collected from foreign nations. U.S. INSPECTION STAFF TITLES U.S. federal regulations identify four staff positions for bridge inspection programs: • Program manager: The individual in charge of bridge inspection, reporting, and inventory. • Team leader: The individual in charge of an inspection team and responsible for planning, performing, and re- porting field inspections. • Load rater: The individual with the overall responsibil- ity for bridge load rating. • Underwater bridge inspection diver: Individual(s) per- forming inspections, by diving, of submerged compo- nents of bridges. U.S. state DOTs implement federal requirements and expand both program management structure and program technical expertise to suit the bridge population of each state. Staff titles were collected from 34 state DOTs plus the U.S.DOT Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division (Eastern Federal Lands). More detailed responses can be found in the tables in Appendix E. Inspection Program Manager All state DOTs identified at least one and sometimes two central office personnel that manage the bridge inspection program. Where two staff members are named, responsibili- ties may be divided between inspection field work and bridge data management, or between state-owned bridges and local- agency bridges (see Table E1). Additional Inspection Program Managers Eight of 34 DOTs identified additional central office per- sonnel that manage contracts for inspection consultants, coordinate inspections for local agencies, manage bridge data, supervise underwater inspections, supervise special inspections, or manage inspections of movable bridges. Twenty-two DOTs employ district-level managers for inspection programs, often assigning this duty to the dis- trict engineer. Districts (or regions at some DOTs) may have further levels of staff working under the district engineer to supervise inspection teams and inspection equipment. Additional central- and district-level manage- ment staff is listed in Table E2. Bridge Load Rater Ten DOTs have staff identified as a bridge load rating engi- neer or similar title. Two DOTs assign bridge load rating to the inspection program manager, 3 DOTs assign load rating to staff in charge of load permits, 13 DOTs assign load rating to the state bridge engineer or other central office staff, and 17 DOTs delegate some load rating duties to districts or to engineering consultants. DOT staff titles for central and dis- trict-level load raters are shown in Table E3. Inspection Team Leaders, Inspectors, Inspection Assistants U.S. state DOTs all have staff designated as leaders of bridge inspection teams. Titles include Team Leader, Lead Inspector, Bridge Inspector, Safety Inspector, Supervising Inspector, and District Inspector. Twenty of 34 DOTs have a separate title or grade for inspection team members subor- dinate to a team leader. Twelve DOTs do not identify in- spection team members by specific job title. Other DOTs variously use one-person teams for most routine inspections or have all field staff qualified as team leaders; one person serves as the inspector of record for a particular inspection and other equally qualified staff serves as team members. Ten DOTs identified staff as inspection assistants, inspec- tion helpers, or inspection trainees. DOT staff titles for team leaders, bridge inspectors, and inspection assistants are shown in Table E4. Many DOTs employ consulting firms for inspection services and do not track numbers of staff em- ployed by consultants. Underwater Inspection Leaders and Inspectors Ten of 34 DOTs identified agency staff as underwater leaders or inspectors. Fourteen DOTs do not designate staff in these job titles, and 11 DOTs employ consultants to furnish leaders for underwater inspections. These same counts and categories CHAPTER THREE INSPECTION PROGRAM PERSONNEL

14 apply to divers performing underwater inspections. Staff titles for underwater inspections can be found in Table E5. For inspections of channels, DOTs in New York and Ore- gon identified specific personnel for fathometer and sound- ing inspections near bridges. Inspection Specialists Nine of 34 DOTs identified personnel who focus on the in- spection of fracture-critical or fatigue-prone members. Six DOTs identified personnel who focus on scour inspection and evaluation, 12 DOTs identified personnel for movable bridges and equipment, and 5 DOTs have other specialized personnel. Staff specialist titles are shown in Table E6. Other Inspection Staff Titles Other staff titles in bridge inspection programs include bridge management engineers; database engineers; bridge appraisal engineers; and equipment operators for snoopers, cranes, and under bridge inspection vehicles or trucks (see Table E7). RESPONSIBILITIES OF INSPECTION PROGRAM STAFF Program Manager Responsibilities for inspection program managers are col- lected under several headings: • Administration, including annual reports, annual bud- gets, and personnel hiring; • Inspection policies, including updates to bridge inspec- tion manuals and standards; • Inspector training and qualifications; • Inspection work, including scheduling, assignments, team formation, and use of inspection consultants; and • Inspection findings and critical inspections. Information was collected from 34 DOTs. Administrative tasks assigned to the inspection program manager include preparation of annual reports for the inspec- tion program (14 DOTs), annual budgets for the inspection program (16 DOTs), recommendations on size and composi- tion of program workforce (19 DOTs), and recommendations for inventory and types of equipment needed for inspections (23 DOTs). Hiring of agency personnel (17 DOTs), inspec- tion consultants (24 DOTs), and agency load raters (10 DOTs) can also be the responsibilities of the inspection pro- gram manager (see Table E8). At most DOTs, the program manager maintains a bridge inspection manual or prepares technical memoranda on inspection procedures (26 DOTs), establishes methods of inspection (22 DOTs), creates or controls standard inspection reporting forms (19 DOTs), and sets the format of the bridge database (16 DOTs). The manager directs these same pro- gram aspects for inspection of non-state-owned bridges at 10 DOTs (see Table E9). The program manager determines inspection intervals (20 DOTs); identifies complex bridges (18 DOTs), fracture-critical bridges (18 DOTs), and scour-critical bridges (11 DOTs); forms DOT inspection teams (15 DOTs), assigns bridges to agency teams (15 DOTs), directs the use of access methods or equipment (10 DOTs), and assigns bridges to inspection con- sultants (15 DOTs) (see Table E10). The program manager orders the execution of damage in- spections (21 DOTs), special inspections (15 DOTs), in-depth inspections (17 DOTs), hands-on inspections (14 DOTs), bridge monitoring (15 DOTs), field testing (11 DOTs), and the application of nondestructive testing (14 DOTs). At 18 DOTs, the program manager identifies critical findings for bridges (see Table E11 for more details). The program manager directs training of inspection staff (21 DOTs), certifies (19 DOTs) and decertifies (10 DOTs) DOT leaders and inspectors, and certifies inspection staff employed by consultants at 13 DOTs (see Table E12). The program manager establishes QA and QC procedures (standards and oversight) at 26 of 31 DOTs, and executes QA/QC activities at 27 DOTs. The program manager also executes quality programs for inspection consultants at 15 DOTs (see Table E13). The program manager can be involved in bridge emergency repairs (11 DOTs), bridge maintenance repairs (11 DOTs), and bridge rehabilitation (4 DOTs). The manager’s role can range from recommending work, to monitoring progress, to execu- tion of repair work, or preparation of rehabilitation plans (see Table E14 for a breakdown of responses). The program manager is frequently involved in bridge load rating (21 DOTs), but less frequently involved in load posting (8 DOTs) and load permitting (6 DOTs). The man- ager’s role can range from selection of load rating methods, to execution of analyses, to collection and storage of rating and posting data (see Table E15). Bridge Load Rater The bridge load rater, in addition to performing analysis of bridges, can have a role in bridge inspection (25 of 29 DOTs), bridge inventory data (26 DOTs), or load permitting (9 DOTs). The rater’s role in bridge inspection can include requests for inspections, for measurements, or for monitoring. Some- times the load rater participates in the inspections themselves (see Table E16 for details).

15 Bridge Inspection Team Leader Inspection team leaders are responsible for the administration of inspection work both in the office and at the bridge site. Leaders plan for field inspections, set schedules for inspec- tions (28 of 29 DOTs), and assign personnel to inspection teams (2 DOTs). Leaders request (24 DOTs), coordinate (3 DOTs), or supervise (3 DOTs) traffic control and lane restrictions during inspections. Leaders request (23 DOTs), coordinate (4 DOTs), and sometimes operate (3 DOTs) UBITs/UBIVs and other access equipment. Leaders recom- mend critical findings for review by supervisors (23 DOTs) or identify critical findings directly (5 DOTs). At three DOTs, leaders inspect minor bridges, tunnels, light masts, sign bridges, and other structures in addition to the bridges and cul- verts covered by U.S. federal regulations (see Table E17). During field inspections the team leader may specify the inspection methods to be used by the team (12 DOTs), may act as the primary inspector assisted by a team member (9 DOTs), or may supervise the team’s choice and use of inspection methods (4 DOTs). Leaders will recommend addi- tional inspections or bridge monitoring (14 DOTs). Leaders will perform or will direct team members to perform hands- on inspection of components (23 DOTs) (see Table E18). The team leader either performs or verifies entry of inspection data to the bridge database (27 of 29 DOTs) (see Table E19 for the complete team leader and inspection data responses). At 25 of 29 DOTs, team leaders perform QC for inspection reports (Table E20 provides the details for the team leader and QC responses). With the addition of supervision of diving operations, re- sponsibilities of team leaders for underwater inspections are similar to responsibilities of other team leaders. QUALIFICATIONS OF INSPECTION STAFF Training U.S. federal regulations (1) require training for program man- agers and inspection team leaders in an FHWA-approved comprehensive course in bridge inspection. (Available NHI training courses and in-house state DOT courses are noted in Table E21 in Appendix E). Refresher Training Twenty-six of 28 DOTs reported refresher training for in- spectors through NHI courses, in-house courses, in-house workshops, or program-wide meetings. Eight DOTs use an NHI course. Eight DOTs use in-house courses, workshops, or other methods for refresher training. Intervals for refresher training are five years (11 DOTs), two years (5 DOTs), annually (1 DOT), or other period (9 DOTs) (see Table E22). Inspection Program Manager U.S. federal regulations require that the inspection program manager complete comprehensive bridge inspection training and have either registration as a professional engineer (PE) or at least 10 years of bridge inspection experience. Require- ments for inspection program managers were collected from 30 U.S. state DOTs. Of these, 26 require a PE license. In addition, 20 DOTs require professional licensure plus mini- mum bridge inspection experience ranging from 2 years to 10 years, 23 DOTs require an engineering degree, and 1 DOT specifically requires a civil engineering degree. Five DOTs re- quire a PE license, but do not require engineering degrees; 24 DOTs require inspection training, usually in NHI courses; and 5 DOTs require other training. Requirements for inspection program managers are shown in Table E23. Bridge Load Rater U.S. federal regulations require that the person in charge of bridge load rating be a registered PE. Additional requirements at state DOTs for load raters include bridge inspection train- ing (17 of 30 DOTs) and bridge inspection experience (9 DOTs). At seven DOTs, bridge load rating is the responsi- bility of the central or district-level inspection program man- ager (see Table E24). Inspection Team Leader U.S. federal regulations provide six means for qualification as a team leader for bridge inspections. These include four means specifically for team leader plus acceptance of qualifi- cation as an inspection program manager, itself having two means of qualification. U.S. federal regulations require com- prehensive bridge inspection training plus specific combina- tions of professional certification and bridge inspection experience. There is no federal requirement for bridge inspection experience for individuals who are registered PEs or who are certified by the National Institute for Certification of Engineering Technologies (NICET). Bridge inspection ex- perience of two years is required for engineering graduates who have passed the fundamentals of engineering exam and four years for individuals with an associate’s degrees in engineering technology. Five years of bridge inspection experience is required for an individual without other certifi- cation or formal education. Qualifications for inspection team leaders were collected from 34 state DOTs. Of these, seven accept federal require- ments without change, and 14 DOTs add a required period of bridge inspection experience for registered PEs. Periods range from two to six years. Twelve DOTs require a high school diploma or equivalent, 4 DOTs require regular participation in DOT-developed workshops or courses for continuing cer- tification as team leader, and 5 DOTs require registration as a PE for inspection team leaders (see Table E25 for details).

16 For the current workforce of agency team leaders, 3 DOTs (of 28) reported that all team leaders are registered PEs. Ten DOTs reported no PEs among inspection team leaders, 2 DOTs reported that all team leaders hold NICET certification, and 8 DOTs reported no NICET-certified team leaders. Bridge inspection experience among team leaders is 10 years or greater at 17 of the 23 DOTs that reported experience levels (see Table E26). For the current workforce of team leaders employed by inspection consultants, 9 DOTs (of 28) reported that all consul- tant-employed team leaders are registered PEs, and 2 other DOTs reported that 90% or more of the consultant team leaders are PEs. Four DOTs reported some NICET-certified team leaders. For one DOT, 60% of team leaders are NICET- certified. Bridge inspection experience is 10 years or greater for 11 DOTs among the 13 DOTs reporting values for expe- rience of consultant staff (see Table E27). Inspection Team Members U.S. federal regulations do not establish qualifications for inspection team members working under the direction of an inspection team leader. Twenty of 32 state DOTs identified inspection team members either as regular staff positions or as one among the regular duties attached to a staff position. Fif- teen DOTs require bridge inspection training for inspection team members (see Table E28). Underwater Bridge Inspection Team Leader, Underwater Bridge Inspector U.S. federal regulations require that divers for underwater in- spections complete an FHWA-approved course in bridge inspection or underwater bridge inspection. Divers are not required to meet team leader requirements and there is no separate federal designation of team leaders for underwater inspections. Nine state DOTs (of 33) have qualified team leaders for underwater inspections, usually adding require- ments for dive training and certification to other inspection team leader qualifications. Fifteen DOTs use consultants for underwater inspections (see Table E29). Inspector Requirements for Fitness, Vision, and Color Perception Nineteen of 28 DOTs require general good health for bridge inspectors. Fourteen DOTs require some moderate agility or strength (see Table E30 for details on fitness requirements). Five DOTs require good vision for bridge inspectors, two DOTs require adequate color perception, three DOTs require good hearing, and one DOT accepts a valid driver’s license as proof of basic sensory fitness. No DOT reported that there are periodic checks of inspectors’ vision, color perception, or hearing (see Table E31). Divers for underwater inspections must complete an annual physical examination to maintain dive certification. DOTs re- quire certified divers, often as a staff of inspection consultants. DOTs are not involved in diver certification (see Table E32). INSPECTION TEAMS Twenty of 28 DOTs usually use two-person inspection teams. Four DOTs use single-person teams. Among the DOTs with two-person teams, 11 have teams that work together for the long-term and 10 form teams as needed. Four DOTs enforce rotation among team members (see Table E33). Eighteen of 28 DOTs identified specific inspectors or teams for fracture-critical inspections (11 DOTs), inspec- tions having difficult access (6 DOTs), and inspection of complex or large bridges (9 DOTs) (see Table E34). Thirteen of 31 DOTs prefer or enforce rotation of different inspection teams to bridges usually after one or two inspec- tion cycles. Thirteen DOTs prefer that teams inspect the same bridges through many cycles so that teams are thoroughly familiar with the status and progress of bridge conditions. Five DOTs have no preference or have little control on repeat assignments because inspections are done by consultants (see Table E35). Twenty-nine DOTs reported on the basis for assignment of bridges to inspection consultants. Eight DOTs assign bridges based on bridge owner (usually local bridges), bridge route, or DOT region; each essentially a geographic criterion. Six DOTs assign some inspection types, such as underwater inspections, to consultants. Six DOTs assign to consultants individual bridges that are large, complex, or demand significant effort for maintenance of traffic. Consultant contracts may provide for a single inspection or for many inspections over periods of as long as six years. At 11 DOTs, inspection consultant firms usu- ally inspect the same bridges over many cycles (see Table E36). Twenty-eight DOTs reported on the extent of the use of inspection consultants (see Table E37 for details on the use of consultants for inspectors). Twenty-one DOTs employ consultants for less than 25% of their bridge inspections, whereas three employ consultants for more than 75% of inspections. INSPECTION PROGRAM STAFF— FOREIGN AGENCIES Denmark Danish bridge inspections are executed by a single unit in the Road Directorate consisting of a manager and six district inspectors. Underwater inspections and bridge load ratings are done by consultants. The bridge database is maintained by a Directorate manager with three staff, and assisted by

17 consultants. Staff titles for bridge inspection personnel are shown in Table E38 in Appendix E. Directorate bridge inspectors perform “Principal” inspec- tions and serve as contract managers for “Routine” and “Spe- cial” inspections performed by consultants. Finland Finland has a headquarters unit for bridge inspection policy, QA, and inspector certifications. Here, the Finnra Program Manager and staff members establish policies and procedures for bridge inspections, and maintain the bridge inspection man- ual, reporting forms, and other documentation. Bridge load rat- ings and the bridge database are responsibilities of headquarters staff. Certified bridge inspectors at Finnra headquarters are leaders of consultant inspection teams for inspection of refer- ence bridges. These inspections contribute to formation of deterioration models in Finland’s bridge management system. Each Finnra district has a bridge engineer who directs inspection work by consultants. Most certified inspectors work for consulting firms. Underwater inspections are done by consultants. Staff titles for the Finnra bridge inspection program are listed in Table E39. There are 20 to 25 individuals in the bridge inspection and data management program at Finnra. Five of these are in Finnra’s central office. Road foremen are not included among these program personnel. Finnra employs nine Certi- fied Bridge Inspectors (three in the central office, six in the districts). Seven other personnel are trained but not currently certified for bridge inspection. Certification requires annual participation in Finnra’s Advanced Training Day. Among consultants’ workforce the number of inspectors varies. There are currently 61 inspectors with valid certifica- tion in Finland as of summer 2006. Inspection consultants must name a Bridge Inspection Quality Manager in charge of their work (see Table E40). France The French national government has five general inspectors who each manage the execution of inspections for various regions of the country, one director at LCPC who manages inspector training and inspection quality programs, and one manager for bridge management who also allocates funding for inspections to regions in France. French departments have managers for bridge inspection who schedule inspec- tions and assign work to agency crews and to consultants. Inspection teams include team leaders, bridge inspectors, and inspection agents. Team leaders, inspectors, and agents are employed by French Departments, by regional laboratories (LRPC), and by consultants. In addition, Rapid Bridge Eval- uators determine IQOA classifications for bridges. Bridge data specialists operate the BMS. Divers for underwater inspections are employed by the national government and assigned to regional laboratories (LRPC). Job titles for bridge inspection personnel in France are cited in Table E41. Numbers of personnel are cited in Table 10. Consultants for bridge inspections employ team leaders, bridge inspectors, and underwater inspectors. Staff titles are shown in Table 11 and numbers of personnel in Table 12. Germany German states administer inspection of bridges on federal and state roads, and on some county roads. Some states main- tain bridge inspection staff in their road agency; other states employ consultants to do inspections. The federal road agency, BMVBS, does not inspect bridges and does not maintain a bridge inspection staff. Staff organizations differ among German states; however, in general, each state has an inspection program manager (see Table E42). Among states that employ inspectors, there are leaders and inspectors that work in teams, usually with one leader assisted by one inspector. Most inspection pro- gram managers and team leaders are civil engineers. Inspec- tors are technicians. Underwater inspectors may be civil engineers qualified as divers, but more often a nonengineer diver works under the direction of an on-site civil engineer. Submerged elements are viewed with video equipment. South Africa SANRAL has a single individual, the manager of the bridge net- work, to select and monitor consultants for inspections services. Among consultants, there are approximately 30 individuals cer- tified to inspect bridges or culverts (see Table E43). Sweden The SRA employs two inspection managers who together set inspection policies, maintain the inspection manual, Title No. of staff General Inspectors for Bridges 5 LCPC—Technical Director for Bridges 1 State Bridge Inspection Program Manager 1 District Managers CDOA Chief 100 (in 2006) Inspection Team Leaders 50 (LRPC) + 10 (DDE) Bridge Inspectors 100 (LRPC) + 20 (DDE) Underwater Inspectors 4 Inspection Agents 20 Rapid Bridge Evaluators 100 Bridge Data Specialist or Software Specialist 5 CDOA = Cellule Départementale des Ouvrages díArt; DDE = Direction Départementale de l’Equipement. TABLE 10 FRANCE: NUMBER OF BRIDGE INSPECTION PERSONNEL (Government agencies)

18 and direct inspection quality programs. The SRA has 20 inspection team leaders, who perform inspections, hire consultants for inspections, and perform QC (see Tables 13 and E44). United Kingdom The U.K. Highways Agency is a managing agency that sets policies and standards, hires contractors, and monitors con- tractor work. The Highways Agency has 20 area structures managers, each assigned a portion of the agency’s network. Contractors employ team leaders, inspectors, divers, and inspection specialists. Contractor personnel include approx- imately 30 inspection team leaders, 120 bridge inspectors, and 10 underwater inspectors (see Table E45). QUALIFICATIONS OF INSPECTION STAFF— FOREIGN AGENCIES Denmark Apart from underwater inspectors, all Danish inspection per- sonnel are engineers (Table 14). Danish inspectors perform Principal inspections at six-year intervals. Annual inspec- tions are performed by maintenance personnel. Danish pol- icy on inspections, inspectors, and inspectors’ skills are listed in Table 15. The Danish Road Directorate does not certify inspectors. Denmark conducts annual refresher training for all bridge inspectors. There are no other training requirements. For staff titles, such as underwater inspector and bridge load rater, individuals must bring appropriate experience to their posi- tions (Table 16). The Danish National Road Directorate has goals rather than formal requirements for experience of inspection per- sonnel. In this area of qualification, the scarcity of experi- enced personnel is a constraint (Table 17). Danish bridge inspectors and underwater inspectors must be in good physical condition with good eyesight and good color perception. There are no fitness or vision requirements for other staff titles among bridge inspection staff. Finland Among Finnra staff, the inspection program manager and certified inspectors for basic inspections (inspections of ref- erence bridges) are engineers. Inspectors for basic inspec- tions must also have a certificate in concrete structures. Other inspectors need not be engineers; however, they must be cer- tified as inspectors. Finnra’s inspector certification requires four days of theoretical training and two days of field work followed by both written and field examinations (Table 18). Continued certification requires annual advanced training. A separate two-day course in the use of Finnra’s Bridge Regis- ter is required for inspectors permitted to enter registry data. Finnra’s bridge inspection course is required for bridge inspectors and program administrators. The more experi- enced personnel are selected for basic inspections of refer- ence bridges and for leadership positions in the inspection program. Newly certified inspectors often work with more experienced personnel for their first year. Training courses in Finland are listed in Table 19. Training and mentoring requirements are listed in Table 20. Finnra’s policy on inspections and inspectors is shown in Table 21. Title Function Inspection Team Leaders Leader of a team (or crew) for bridge inspection Reports to the district manager (CDOA of the DDE) Guides all field inspection activities and works as a part of the inspection team Completes all necessary preparations for field work including travel, equipment, and reporting forms Bridge Inspectors Personnel performing inspection tasks, taking observations, assigning condition ratings, etc. Reports to team leaders during field work Underwater Inspectors Personnel trained in both diving and bridge inspection; performs underwater inspection tasks, takes observations, assigns condition ratings, etc. Reports to team leaders during field work CDOA = Cellule Départementale des Ouvrages d’Art; DDE = Direction Départementale de l’Equipement. TABLE 11 FRANCE: JOB TITLES AMONG INSPECTION CONSULTANTS Title No. of Staff (approximately) Inspection Team Leaders 50 Bridge Inspectors 100 Underwater Inspectors 20 Job Title SRA Staff Consultant Staff Inspection Program Manager 2 — Team Leaders and Bridge Inspectors 20 30 Equipment Inspectors — 6 Regular Inspectors (road foremen) — 50 TABLE 13 SWEDEN: NUMBERS OF INSPECTION STAFF TABLE 12 FRANCE: NUMBER OF CONSULTANT INSPECTION PERSONNEL

19 Title Education Bridge Department Manager Engineering B.Sc Bridge Inspectors Engineering B.Sc Underwater Inspectors Experienced personnel Bridge Load Rater Engineer B.Sc, Senior engineer with experience in bridge rating calculation Bridge Data Specialist or Software Specialist Engineering B.Sc B.Sc = Bachelor of Science. Inspection Type Inspector Inspector Skills Normal Routine Inspection Roadmen Can evaluate matters affecting traffic safety Can distinguish between significant and insignificant damage Can take prompt action in the event of sudden damage Can evaluate repairs to drainage systems, winter conditions, surfacing, etc. Can make reports Extended Routine Inspection Road foreman Have a good knowledge of bridge maintenance Be able to describe damage Be able to propose improvements Can evaluate the need for preventive maintenance Principal Inspection Bridge inspector The inspector will normally be an engineer Good observation abilities Knowledge of damage concepts Knowledge of damage causes The ability to distinguish significant damage from insignificant damage The ability to evaluate the consequences of damage The ability to evaluate cleaning and maintenance conditions A fair knowledge of materials technology and the mode of action of major structures Knowledge of repair methods and cost estimates Experience in the technical supervision of bridge work Economic Special Inspection Bridge inspector Good knowledge of the causes and development of damage Good knowledge of repair methods Good overview of the influence of repair works on other structural components Experience in bridge design and construction Good knowledge of construction methods and materials technology Good knowledge of cost estimates for repair works Able to make a general evaluation of various repair strategies Able to judge when specialist help is needed for traffic aspects and calculation of road-user costs, evaluation of available condition registrations, and evaluation of load-carrying capacity Technical Special Inspection Bridge inspector Good knowledge of the causes and development of damage Good knowledge of investigation methods Able to decide on the necessary extent of the investigation Experience in work planning Good knowledge of construction methods and materials technology Able to judge when specialist help is needed for special registrations (measurement specialists), materials technology, special investigations, evaluation of the results of investigations, and carrying out structural calculations TABLE 14 DENMARK: BRIDGE INSPECTOR QUALIFICATIONS TABLE 15 DENMARK: INSPECTIONS AND INSPECTORS Title Training Bridge Department Manager No obligatory training programs Bridge Inspectors Two days of refresher training every year, with inspection in field and calibrating of condition marks and repair cost estimates Underwater Inspectors Review of resumes of team members Bridge Load Rater Review of staff resumes. Internal QC in the consulting company Bridge Data Specialist or Software Specialist No obligatory training programs. Thorough knowledge of Danbro use for data specialist Thorough knowledge of Danbro programs for software specialist Danbro = Bridge management systems used by Danish Road Directorate. TABLE 16 DENMARK: TRAINING AND MENTORING REQUIREMENTS

20 France In France, inspection personnel are certified at three levels: Team Leader, Inspector, and Inspector Agent (Table 22). The central laboratory, LCPC, directs a certification board for inspection personnel. Board members are personnel from regional laboratories. To become certified, team lead- ers and inspectors must complete the training required for the job title and be examined by the certifying board. In- spection agents are certified by the director of the regional laboratory. Certification at each level has requirements for formal edu- cation, for training, and for experience with bridges. Inspection team leaders are engineers, inspectors are college-educated, and inspection agents have a high school education or better. These requirements are listed in Table 23. Training courses, called “modules,” are managed by the Ecole Nationale des Title Bridge Inspection (years) Bridge Maintenance (years) Bridge Design (years) Bridge Department Manager 2 2 2 Bridge Inspectors 2 2 1 Underwater Inspectors — — — Bridge Load Rater 1 1 5 Bridge Data Specialist or Software Specialist 5 5 2 Title Education (minimum) Certification (minimum) Bridge Inspection Program Manager Higher exam at a technical university Bridge inspector certification Inspection Staff Member Exam at a technical high school District Bridge Engineer Exam at a technical high school Certified Bridge Inspector Exam at a technical high school Bridge inspector certification Certified Bridge Inspector (for basic inspections) Higher exam at a technical university Bridge inspector certification + FISE certificate in concrete design Certified Bridge Inspector (for special inspections) Higher exam at a technical university Bridge inspector certification + FISE certificate in concrete design Underwater Inspector Exam at a technical high school Bridge inspector certification, diving license Road Foreman (for annual inspections) Exam at a technical school Bridge Load Rater Higher exam at a technical university Bridge Data Specialist Higher exam at a technical university Main User of Bridge Register Exam at a technical school Note: FISE is a Finnish organization that trains and certifies personnel in a variety of technical areas, including bridge design and inspection. Training Description Theoretical Training, 4-Day Lessons on bridge structure, structural parts, and measures; static behavior, load capacity; construction materials; damage, defects, and deterioration; repair, inspection system, and handbooks; bridge register and reports Participant gets the handbooks (2) and all the materials of the lessons Field work and examination take place about one month later Field Work, 2-Day Guided (instructional) inspection of two bridges, followed by testing of individual inspectors Advanced Training, One Day per Year (refresher) Individual inspection of two bridges. The correct results are given and discussed in the afternoon session. After the day, the data are stored in the bridge register and quality points are calculated. Every inspector gets feedback. Bridge Register, 2-Day Use of bridge register system; successful completion certifies the individual for adding and editing data in the bridge database system. TABLE 17 DENMARK: JOB TITLES AND DESIRED EXPERIENCE TABLE 18 FINLAND: REQUIREMENTS FOR EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION TABLE 19 BRIDGE INSPECTION TRAINING: FINLAND

21 Title Training Mentoring Bridge Inspection Program Manager Bridge inspection course Basic course in Bridge Register Many years experience Inspection Staff Member (instructors for the inspection course) Bridge inspection course Depends on the person’s responsibility and examination, many years experience District Bridge Engineer Bridge inspection course Basic course in Bridge Register and BMS use Bridge inspection course Certified Bridge Inspector Basic course in Bridge Register use Certified Bridge Inspector (for basic inspections) Bridge inspection course Basic course in Bridge Register use Two years experience Underwater Inspector Bridge inspection course Basic course in Bridge Register use Diving course Road Foreman (for annual inspections) None Bridge Load Rater Bridge inspection course Basic course in Bridge Register use Many years experience Bridge Data Specialist (teacher of users and developer of Bridge Register and BMS) None Many years experience Main User of Bridge Register Basic course in Bridge Register use BMS = bridge management system. Inspection Type Inspector Acceptance, Annual, General Road foremen Basic, Special Engineers having BS or MS degrees who are certified bridge inspectors Underwater Certified bridge inspectors who are also certified as divers Intensified Monitoring Road foreman or engineer depending on need Title Education U.S. Equivalent Education Certification Inspection Team Leader or Project Manager (Chargé d’études) Civil engineering degree (Baccalauréat + 5 years or Bac + 2 years) BS Civil Engineering By Certifying Board Inspector Baccalauréat + 2 years or Bac Basic university degree By Certifying Board Inspection Agent BEP or Baccalauréat High school diploma By the laboratory director BEP = Brevet d' Enseignement Professionel. Certification/ Awarding Organization Certification Description LCPC (DTOA) Chargé d’études en inspection d’ouvrages d’art Team leader LCPC (DTOA) Inspecteur Inspector LRPC (Directeur) Agent d’inspection Inspector agent DTOA = Direction technique Ouvrages d'art (Technical Direction on Engineering Structures). TABLE 20 FINLAND: TRAINING AND MENTORING REQUIREMENTS TABLE 21 FINLAND: INSPECTORS AND INSPECTIONS TABLE 22 FRANCE: EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR INSPECTION PERSONNEL TABLE 23 FRANCE: INSPECTION CERTIFICATIONS

22 Ponts et Chaussées (Tables 24 and 25). Certifications for Team Leaders, Inspectors, and Inspection Agents follow a common sequence of training. At a minimum, a bridge inspector must be qualified in Module 1. A project manager must be qualified in at least Modules 1 and 6. Having these modules, the individual then completes a field test in bridge inspection and an oral examination by the certifying board. Requirements for experi- ence are listed in Table 26. New team leaders and new inspec- tors are mentored by senior personnel during the first year of their certification. Regarding fitness and vision requirements for inspectors, France makes a distinction between personnel qualifications and assignments. Qualifications are the formal requirements for education, training, and certification. Among qualified personnel, particular assignments, and the duties that come with these, depend on factors such as good vision, ability to work at height, and the general ability to work well with other staff and with clients. Germany In Germany, bridge inspectors must have formal education as civil engineers and complete a federal training course last- ing one week that covers all aspects of inspection (Table 27). Inspection program managers in each state will also routinely have this course on their resume, although there is no federal requirement for it. Additional courses, often dealing with special structures or tasks, are offered at the state level. Con- tinuing training occurs at annual federal conferences for bridge inspections. There is no formal certification of bridge inspectors. German bridge inspectors and inspection team leaders must have five years experience in bridge design, construc- tion, or maintenance. Usually, state inspection program man- agers also have sufficient bridge-related experience. There is no formal requirement for experience for program managers. There are physical fitness requirements. Inspectors must be capable of the walking, climbing, or other activities required by an inspection. Inspectors may not be colorblind and must have no hearing impairment. South Africa For SANRAL, Principal inspections are led by licensed PEs who are certified bridge inspectors and who have experience in bridge design (Tables 28 and 29). All inspectors must attend a two-day inspection workshop run by SANRAL in which the Structures Management System is outlined, full inspections at bridge sites are performed, and all participants must provide condition ratings for a bridge. This course is taught by the Bridge Network Manager with some input from the developer of BMS software. The condition rating system is then discussed by participants as a group. SANRAL accreditation for inspectors requires attendance at an inspection workshop and submission of a resume detail- ing experience and qualifications. The following educational qualifications and experience are needed: • Major culvert inspectors—Civil engineering degree with a minimum of 5 years experience in the design of bridges and culverts. • Bridge inspectors—Civil engineering degree, profes- sional registration, and a minimum of 5 years of full-time experience in bridge design and documentation. • Senior bridge inspectors—A university degree, profes- sional registration, and 17 years bridge design experience that must specifically include design of continuous pre- stressed decks. Training Description Module 1 General structures including common forms of bridges in reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete, steel, and masonry; culverts; common retaining walls Module 2 Prestressed concrete bridges having long spans and/or unusual forms Module 3 Uncommon retaining walls and trenches Module 4 Great steel bridges, cable bridges, gantries Module 5 Tunnels Module 6 Special course for project manager (team leader): Special behavior of bridges, diagnosis, investigations, repair, case studies Title Training (course name) Duration Team Leader/Project Manager Modules 1 and Module 6 Module 1: 6 days Module 1: 6 days Module 6: 3 days Inspector Module 1 Module 1 Optional: Modules 2, 3, 4, and 5 Module 2: 1 day Module 3: 3 days Module 4: 2 days Module 5: Inspection Agent TABLE 24 FRANCE: TRAINING MODULES TABLE 25 FRANCE: TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

23 There are no formal requirements for physical fitness or vision, except the general requirement that inspectors must be able to do the work. Sweden In Sweden, individuals performing General or Major inspec- tions must hold an engineering degree, have experience with bridge design and construction, and must complete a one- week training course offered by the SRA (Tables 30 and 31). Inspectors must have knowledge of bridge types, bridge design specifications, defect types, and the likely rates of growth of defects. Additional certification is needed for underwater inspec- tion, and for inspection of mechanical and electrical equip- ment. QA in bridge inspections is achieved by adequate training of inspectors and by the use, where possible, of quantitative measures of damage. Sweden does not have numerical requirements for inspec- tion experience, but inspectors must have good knowledge of bridges, structural behavior, materials, and deterioration mechanics, as well as the Swedish bridge code. United Kingdom The Highways Agency does not impose formal requirements for education for any staff title, and requires certification as a chartered engineer (equivalent to U.S. PE) only for the super- vising engineer for an inspection team (Table 32). The super- vising engineer hires inspection team members. The agency requires that the supervising engineer ensure that all person- nel performing bridge inspections be fit and qualified for their tasks. Divers are certified by the U.K. Health and Safety Execu- tive. Some nondestructive testing (NDT) specialists are certified by the British Institute for Non-Destructive Testing. This is similar to certification by the American Society for Nondestructive Testing in the United States. The contractor is responsible for providing qualified per- sonnel and for executing competent inspection work. Poor, perhaps incompetent, work by a contractor is evidence that personnel are not qualified or not properly directed. The qualifications that may be applied to individuals regarding their education, licensure, work experience, physical fitness, etc., are all matters for contractor management and oversight. Overall, requirements are met by the contractor; that is, the performance of the contract is judged on the basis of the Title Qualifications Current requirements: Training Modules 1 and 6 with a good notation + One year of mentoring + Test inspection on site + Approval by certifying board Team Leader Alternative requirements: 3 years experience as a team leader + Approval by certifying board Current requirements: Training Module 1 with a good notation + One year of mentoring + Test of inspection on site + Approval by certifying board Inspector Alternative requirements: 5 years of functioning like an inspector + discussion with certifying board Inspection Agent Test on site or demonstration of technical know-how Title Education Inspection Program Manager Civil engineering degree Inspection Team Leader Civil engineering degree Bridge Inspector Civil engineering degree Underwater Inspector Engineering college diploma Title Education Certification* Inspection Program Manager Professional bridge engineer Engineering degree Inspection Team Leader Civil engineering degree PE license Bridge Inspector Civil engineering degree Senior Bridge Inspector Civil engineering degree PE license Underwater Inspector — Certification as diver Inspection Specialists Civil engineering degree Major Culvert Inspector Technical civil diploma or degree *All titles except underwater inspector require certification by SANRAL. TABLE 27 GERMANY: EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS TABLE 26 FRANCE: INSPECTION STAFF QUALIFICATIONS TABLE 28 SOUTH AFRICA: EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

24 quality of the inspection work. The achievements of a firm are considered in the contract award process, rather than the experience of individual personnel. INSPECTION TEAMS—FOREIGN AGENCIES Little information has been collected on questions concern- ing the size of inspection teams and the assignment of teams to bridges. Two-person teams are used in Denmark, France, and Germany. An inspectors’ abilities or experience may sometimes determine their assignments to particular bridges. In Denmark, team members work together for many years. In other countries teams are formed as needed, with frequent changes of individual personnel. No nation in this group reported a policy on repeat assignments of the same teams to the same bridges. In Sweden, bridge inspectors usually work alone unless inspection lifts are needed, with larger bridges requiring two or more inspectors. Dive inspections necessarily have at least two-person teams. Swedish inspectors work on all kinds of bridges. In regions that use consultants for inspections, the same indi- vidual rarely inspects the same bridge in consecutive cycles. Where SRA personnel perform inspections, it may Title Experience (years) Inspection Program Manager 17 Senior Bridge Inspector 17 Bridge Inspector 5 Major Culvert Inspector 5 Inspection Specialists 17 Title Education Certification Inspection Program Manager Engineering degree Inspection Team Leader Engineering degree Certified completion of bridge inspection course Bridge Inspector Engineering degree Certified completion of bridge inspection course Underwater Inspector Engineering degree Certification for diving Inspection Specialists Engineering degree Mechanical, Electrical Equipment Inspector Engineering degree Equipment inspection certification Regular Inspector High school diploma TABLE 29 SOUTH AFRICA: INSPECTION PERSONNEL EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS TABLE 30 SWEDEN: EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR INSPECTION STAFF Certification/Awarding Organization Description of Certification Certified Completion of Bridge Inspection Course/SRA Five-day course including three days of theory and two days of field practice (not compulsory); examination Equipment Inspection Certification/ Electrical Installations Ordinance Electrical competence in accordance with the Electrical Installations Ordinance Certification for Work Under Water/ Labor Inspectorate in Sweden Divers license Title Education Certification Area Structures Manager No specified requirement, but Highways Agency employs a body of technical specialists that can be called on for advice None Inspection Team Leader (supervising engineer) The supervising engineer should be a Chartered Civil or Structural Engineer with a background in design, construction, or maintenance of highway structures. None Bridge Inspector All maintenance inspections must be undertaken by personnel that are judged by the supervising engineer to satisfy the minimum requirements for health, experience, and, where appropriate, requirements for the particular inspection type. None Underwater Inspector U.K. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) control the competency requirements for commercial divers and diving regulations. Yes Inspection Specialists British Institute of NDT provides certification and training of operatives for nondestructive testing. HSE controls safety requirements for some specific operations; e.g., radiography. Otherwise, dependent on the resume of the operator for more innovative methods that are not yet codified; e.g., acoustic emission. Where available TABLE 31 SWEDEN: INFORMATION ON CERTIFICATIONS TABLE 32 UNITED KINGDOM: REQUIREMENTS IN EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION

25 happen that the same inspectors are repeatedly assigned to the same bridge. There is no policy to discourage such an occurrence. Much of the bridge inspection work for these countries is done by consultants. In Denmark, Principal inspections are performed by Directorate personnel, Finland has a set of ref- erence bridges that are inspected by Finnra personnel, and in France large bridges are inspected by personnel of depart- mental agencies or by regional laboratories. Other bridges and other types of inspections are the work of consultants (Table 33). Nation Inspections Agency Consultants Routine ~100% Principal* ~100% Denmark Special ~100% All except Basic 5% 95%Finland Basic (125 bridges) 100% Bridges 100%France Great bridges 100% South Africa All 100% Sweden All 50% 50% United Kingdom All 100% *Principal inspections of a few major bridges are performed by consultants. TABLE 33 INSPECTIONS BY CONSULTANTS OR AGENCY— FOREIGN AGENCIES

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TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 375: Bridge Inspection Practices examines bridge inspection practices in the United States and selected foreign countries. The report explores inspection personnel (staff titles and functions, qualifications, training and certification, inspection teams, and the assignment of teams to bridges), inspection types (focus, methods, and frequency), and inspection quality control and quality assurance. The report also reviews the uses agencies make of information gathered from bridge inspections, what triggers repairs, and plans for future development of inspection programs.

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