SSPC-Guide to VIS 4(1)
July 1, 1998
SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings
INTERIM GUIDE TO SSPC-VIS 4(1)/NACE NO. 7
Visual Reference Photographs for Steel Cleaned by Water Jetting
Disclaimer
SSPC and NACE International issue this Guide to
reference photographs in conformance with the best cur-
rent technology regarding the specific subject. This Guide
represents a consensus of those individual members who
have reviewed this document, its scope, and provisions.
This Guide is intended to aid the manufacturer, the con-
sumer, and the general public. Its acceptance does not in
any respect preclude anyone, whether he has adopted the
Guide or not, from manufacturing, marketing, purchasing,
or using products, processes, or procedures not in con-
formance with this Guide. Nothing contained in this Guide
is to be construed as granting any right, by implication or
otherwise, to manufacture, sell, or use in connection with
any method, apparatus, or product covered by Letters
Patent, or as indemnifying or protecting anyone against
liability for infringement of Letters Patent. This Guide
represents minimum requirements and should in no way be
interpreted as a restriction on the use of better products or
materials. Neither is this Guide intended to apply in all
cases relating to the subject. Unpredictable circumstances
may negate the usefulness of this Guide in specific in-
stances. Neither NACE nor SSPC assumes responsibility
for the interpretation or use of this Guide by other parties.
Users of this Guide are responsible for reviewing ap-
propriate health, safety, and regulatory documents and for
determining their applicability in relation to this Guide prior
to its use. This Guide may not necessarily address all safety
problems and hazards associated with the use of materials,
operations and/or equipment detailed or referred to within
this document. Users of this Guide are also responsible for
establishing appropriate health, safety, and environmental
protection practices, in consultation with appropriate regu-
latory authorities if necessary, to achieve compliance with
any existing applicable regulatory requirements prior to the
use of this Guide.
CAUTIONARY NOTICE: This Guide is subject to peri-
odic review and may be revised or withdrawn at any time
without prior notice. This Interim Guide must be reaffirmed,
revised, or reviewed no later than two years from the date
of initial publication. The user is cautioned to obtain the
latest edition. For information on this and other joint SSPCI
NACE publications, contact either organization. The SSPC
Publications Dept. may be reached at 40 24th Street,
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4656 (telephone +1 412-281-2331).
The NACE International Membership Services Dept. may
be reached at P.O. Box 218340, Houston, Texas 77218-
8340 (telephone +1 281 228-6200).
COPYRIGHT 2003; NACE International
Editorial Changes September 1, 2000
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Foreword
This guide describes the use of the visual reference
photographs depicting the appearance of mill scale-free,
unpainted, rusted carbon steel prior to and after cleaning by
water jetting (WJ). The steel surfaces had previously been
blast cleaned to remove the mill scale and were then
allowed to rust. Although prepared from unpainted steel,
the photographs are also suitable for depicting the appear-
ance of painted steel after water jetting.
NOTE: SSPC and NACE International Visual Refer-
ence Photographs are intended to supplement SSPC-SP
12/NACE No. 5. Due to the time required for consensus
review, and the industry demand for immediate assistance
in evaluating surfaces cleaned by water jetting, SSPC and
NACE have issued this document as an interim status
guide, using preexisting photographs which could not be
adjusted or replaced. Therefore, these photographs and
their descriptions do not exactly match the descriptions in
SSPC-SP 12/NACE No. 5. The pictures and descriptions of
flash rusting are included for information only and have not
been established as standards. A new series of photo-
graphs is currently undergoing consensus review, which
will result in the development of a set of photographs and
text which will replace this interim guide. As the written
standards are the primary means to determine conform-
ance with cleaning requirements, the photographs should
not be used as a substitute for these standards.
The guide is applicable to surfaces produced by a
range of water jetting pressures. This guide can be used to
clarify the acceptable level of flash rusting allowed prior to
the application of protective coatings.
1. General
1.1 DESCRIPTION: The Visual Reference Photo-
graphs consist of a series of color photographs which
represent various conditions of unpainted steel surfaces
prior to and after surface preparation by high pressure or
ultrahigh pressure water jetting as defined in SSPC-SP 121
NACE No. 5 (see Section 2.3).
1.2 DEFINITIONS
1.2.1 High Pressure Water Jetting (HP WJ): clean-
ing performed at pressures from 70 to 170 MPa (10,000 to
25,000 psi).
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July 1, 1998
Editorial Changes September 1, 2000

1.2.2 Ultrahigh Pressure Water Jetting (UHP WJ): Pressure Water Jetting Prior to
Cleaning performed at pressures above 170 MPa (25,000 Recoating
psi).
2.4 SSPC VISUAL STANDARD:
1.2.3 Low and High Pressure Water Cleaning: In
addition to high pressure and ultrahigh pressure water VIS 1-89 Visual Standard for Abrasive
jetting, SSPC-SP 12/NACE No. 5 defines two additional Blast Cleaned Steel
cleaning methods using water at lower pressure.
2.5 INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ORGANIZA-
Low Pressure Water Cleaning (LP WC) is clean- TION ( S O ) STANDARD:
ing performed at pressures less than 34 MPa
(5,000 psi) 8501-1 :1988 (E) Color photographic standard
for visual assessment of steel
High Pressure Water Cleaning (HP WC) is clean- substrates
ing performed at pressures from 34 to 70 MPa
(5,000 to 10,000 psi). 2.6 ASTM STANDARD:

1.2.4 Generic Terms: The terms hydroblasting,
hydrojetting, and water jetting describe the process in
which pressurized water is directed through a nozzle to
impact a surface. For purposes of this guide, hydroblasting,
hydrojetting, and water jetting essentially mean the same
thing. However, it is noted that the term hydroblasting is
used generically to describe cleaning methods that range
from low pressure water cleaning to ultrahigh pressure
water jetting.
1.3 Use of Guide: This guide describes a procedure
for determining the degree of surface cleanliness by water
jetting. The guide further describes a procedure for deter-
mining the degree of flash rusting.
1.3.1 The user of this guide must designate the degree
of cleaning as WJ-3 (“Thorough Cleaning”) or WJ-2 (“Very
Thorough Cleaning”). (See Section 3.2.)
1.3.2 The user of this guide must designate the
maximum degree of flash rusting permissible as None
(original condition), Light (L), Moderate (M), or Heavy (H)
rusting. (See Section 3.3.)
2. Reference Standards
2.1 The standards referenced in this guide are listed in
Section 2.3 through 2.6 and form a part of this guide.
2.2 The latest issue, revision, or amendment of the
reference standards in effect on the date of invitation to bid
shall govern unless otherwise specified.
D 5367 Standard Practice for Evaluating
Coatings Applied Over Surfaces
Treated With Inhibitors Used to
Prevent Flash Rusting of Steel
When Water or Water/Abrasive
Blasted
3. Procedures For Using Visual Reference
Photographs
3.1 Determine Initial Condition (Rust Grade C or
Rust Grade D): Select the photograph of rust grade that
most closely resembles the condition of the steel to be
cleaned. Previously painted steel can be classified as
either C or D grade, depending on the degree of pitting.
3.2 Select the photograph that most closely resembles
the degree of cleaning that has been specified. For ex-
ample, if the initial rust grade is D and thorough water jet
cleaning is specified (WJ-3, Vis WJ-3), use photograph D
Vis WJ 3. (Refer to Section 4.)
3.3 Immediately after water jetting but before the
surface has flash rusted, compare the prepared surface
with the photograph selected to evaluate the degree of
cleaning (see Appendix A.3).
3.4 Prior to painting, compare the flash rusted surface
with the flash rusting photographs. For example, use D Vis
WJ-2 L, D Vis WJ-2 M, or D Vis WJ-2 H to evaluate the
degree of flash rusting that has occurred.

2.3 SSPC/NACE INTERNATIONAL JOINT STAN-

DARD: I S 0 standards are available from the American National
Standards Institute, 11 West 42nd Street, New York, NY
SSPC-SP 12/ Surface Preparation and Clean- 10036, (212) 642-4900.
NACE NO. 5 ing of Steel and Other Hard ASTM, 100 Bar Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA
Materials by High- and Ultrahigh 19428-2959, (61O) 832-9500.
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3.5 Degree of Flash Rusting: The degree of flash
rusting specified shall be in accordance with Section 4.3. If
no flash rusting is acceptable, the surface must conform to
Section 4.2 immediately prior to topcoating. Note: The
coating manufacturer may be contacted to verify that the
coating material selected is suitable for application over the
degree of flash rusting that has occurred. (See Appendix
A.3, A.4, A.5 and A.7.)
4. Conditions Depicted
4.1 Initial Condition: The reference photographs
illustrate two initial conditions (rust grades) of mill scale-
free, previously unpainted, rusted carbon steel before sur-
face preparation. Each of the photographs showing the
initial conditions was selected to show the variations which
can be found within the rust grade C and D definitions. The
initial condition surfaces are not necessarily the same
areas which are depicted in the cleaned condition photo-
graphs.
4.1.1 Rust Grade C: Steel surface completely covered
with rust, little or no pitting visible (definition taken from
SSPC-VIS 1-89).
4.1.2 Rust Grade D: Steel surface completely cov-
ered with rust, pitting visible (definition taken from SSPC-
VIS 1-89).
4.2 Condition Immediately After Water Jet Clean-
ing: The row of visual reference photographs (C WJ-2, C
WJ-3, D WJ-2 and D WJ-3) depicts the appearance imme-
diately after water jetting. Steel surfaces show variation in
texture, shade, color, tone, pitting, flaking, etc., which
should be considered when making comparison with the
reference photographs. A brown-black discoloration of fer-
ric oxide may remain as a tightly adherent thin film on
corroded and pitted steel and is not considered as part of
the percentage staining as described in Sections 4.2.1 and
4.2.2.
4.2.1 Very Thorough Cleaning (Vis WJ-2): A v i s WJ-
2 surface, when viewed without magnification, shall be
cleaned by water jetting to a matte (dull, speckled) finish
which is free of all visible oil, grease, paint and rust except
for randomly dispersed stains of rust, paint, and other
foreign matter. The staining is limited to a maximum of 5%
of the surface.
Note: The Vis WJ-2 reference photographs are com-
parable in degree of staining permitted to C Sa 2-112 and D
Sa 2-112 of I S 0 8501 :1, and C-SP 1O and D-SP 1O of SSPC-
VIS 1-89.
4.2.2 Thorough Cleaning (Vis WJ-3): A Vis WJ-3
surface,whenviewed without magnification, shall be cleaned
by water jetting to a matte (dull, speckled) finish which is
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SSPC-Guide to VIS 4(1)
July 1, 1998
Editorial Changes September 1, 2000
free of all visible oil, grease, paint, and rust except for
randomly dispersed stains of very thin residues of rust,
paint or foreign matter. These stains and residues are
limited to a maximum of 33% of the surface and shall be
firmly adherent.
Note: The Vis WJ-3 photographs depict a surface
cleanliness which has less staining than the allowed maxi-
mum of 33% staining. The Vis WJ-3 reference photographs
are comparable to C Sa 2 and D Sa 2 of I S 0 8501 :1 and C-
SP 10 and D-SP 10 of SSPC-VIS 1-89.
4.3 Flash Rusting: The visual reference photographs
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also illustrate three degrees of flash rusting. “Flash rusting”
or “rust bloom” is a light oxidation of the steel, which occurs
as water jet cleaned steel dries off and will quickly change
the initial appearance. (See Appendix A.4.)
4.3.1 Light Flash Rusting (L): When viewed without
magnification, small quantities of light tan-brown rust will
partially discolor the original metallic surface. This layer
may be evenly distributed or in patches, but it will be tightly
adherent and will not be heavy enough to easily mark
objects brushed against it.
4.3.2 Moderate Flash Rusting (M): When viewed
without magnification, a layer of dark tan-brown rust will
obscure the original metallic surface. This layer may be
evenly distributed, or in patches, but it will be heavy enough
to mark objects brushed against it.
4.3.3 Heavy Flash Rusting (H): When viewed without
magnification, a heavy layer of dark tan-brown rust will
completely obscure the original metallic surface. This layer
of rust will be loosely adherent and will easily mark objects
brushed against it. (See Appendix A.5.)
4.4 Appearance: The photographs are illustrative of
some variations in color, texture, and general appearance
that can result from water jet cleaning. In water jet cleaning,
a brown-black discoloration of ferric oxide may remain as a
tightly adherent thin film on corroded and pitted steel (see
Appendix A.2). The steel surfaces produced by water jet-
ting do NOT look the same as those produced by dry
abrasive blasting, or air/water/abrasive (slurry) blasting.
This is because water on its own cannot cut or deform steel
like abrasives.
4.4.1 Water jetting will not produce an etch or profile of
the magnitude currently recognized by the surface prepara-
tion industry; rather, it exposesthe original abrasive-blasted
surface profile.
4.4.2 Surfaces cleaned by water jetting tend to look
dull, even before they “flash out,” or flash rust. In addition,
Grade D steel, with active corrosion pitting, showsa mottled
appearance after water jetting. Mottling occurs when the
 SSPC-Guide to VIS 4(1)
July 1, 1998
Editorial Changes September 1, 2000
corrosion products are washed out of the pits leaving a
bright patch, and the surrounding areas are left a dull gray,
brown to black color. This pattern is the reverse of that left
by abrasive blasting, where anodic pits are often dark, due
to corrosion products not being entirely removed, and the
surrounding areas are bright.
Appendix A. Notes*
A.l Removal of Oil and Grease: The water jetting
process can emulsify and remove oil and grease from a
surface as it is cleaned. However, this does not preclude
the need for proper degreasing procedures as specified in
SSPC-SP 1, “Solvent Cleaning,” prior to water jetting.
A.2 Discoloration of Corroded and Pitted Steel:
The gray, brown to black discoloration seen on corroded
and pitted steel after water jetting cannot be removed by
further water jetting. Analysis shows that this thin film
consists mainly of ferric oxide, which is an inert material. As
it is tightly adherent, it does not present a serious contami-
nation problem.
A.3 Inspecting Water Jet Cleaned Surfaces Prior to
Flash Rusting: When large areas are water jetted, flash
rusting obscuring the level of visual cleanliness may occur
before an inspection can be carried out. Establishing the
required visual cleanliness by cleaning (hydroblasting) a
small test area prior to production may help, providing the
rest of the job is cleaned to the same degree. Methods for
ensuring the rest of the job is cleaned to the same degree
will vary from project to project.
A.4 The temperature of steel substrates can rise
during the water jetting process. Compression of the water
to reach jetting pressure will create a temperature rise in the
water itself, and the velocity of the water striking the steel
will impart energy to it as heat. This temperature rise can
be substantial, and may help water jetted surfaces dry off
more quickly, with a corresponding reduction in the severity
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of flash rusting. (See Appendix A.3.) Drying with hot air
blowers is also a method to reduce the severity of flash
rusting.
A.5 Removal of Flash Rusting: When flash rusting
is too heavy for coating application, some coating manufac-
turers permit its reduction or removal by clean, hand-held
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wire brushes or by pressure washing with fresh water.
Pressure washing at pressures above 7 MPa (1,000 psi),
using either the rotational nozzles, or fan jet lances of the
water jetting equipment itself, is a preferred method. It will
cause the area to re-rust, but it is possible to reduce the
degree of flash rusting from heavy to light using this method.
Hand wire or bristle brushing to remove heavy flash rusting
may be acceptable for small areas. For large surfaces,
mechanical cleaning with power tools can produce accept-
able results when the cleaning head does not produce a
peened surface or remove the anchor profile needed for
coating adhesion.
A.6 Inspecting Areas of Difficult Access: Special
attention must be given to areas which are difficult to
access, such as the backs of stiffening bars. Water cannot
be ricocheted into these areas in the same manner as
abrasives. Instead, specially designed angled nozzles
should be used. These areas should be inspected care-
fully.
A.7 Chemical Corrosion Inhibitors: Flash rusting
can be prevented by the use of water soluble chemical
corrosion inhibitors. These inhibitors may leave a crystal-
line layer on the steel surface as the water evaporates,
which can then lead to a loss of adhesion and osmotic
blistering, if coatings are applied over this type of surface.
If inhibitors are used, they should be thoroughly washed off
with fresh water. The coating manufacturer should be
contacted for compatibility.
See Section 4.3 and Appendix D.1.5 of SSPC-SP 121
NACE No. 5. ASTM D 5367-94 “Standard Practice for
Evaluating Coatings Applied Over Surfaces Treated with
Inhibitors Used to Prevent Flash Rusting of Steel When
Water or Water/Abrasive Blasted” provides a means for
evaluation.
A.8 Soluble Contaminants Removal: This visual ref-
erence photograph series makes no attempt to define
levels of soluble contaminants (salts) remaining on sur-
faces cleaned by water jetting, or to relate degrees of flash
rusting to remaining soluble contaminants. However, the
ability to remove chemical contaminants (salts), particu-
larly from badly pitted and corroded steel, is a major
advantage of the water jetting process.
*Notes are not requirements of this guide.