ASTM E329-13
(Specification)Standard Specification for Agencies Engaged in Construction Inspection, Testing, or Special Inspection
Standard Specification for Agencies Engaged in Construction Inspection, Testing, or Special Inspection
ABSTRACT
This specification defines the minimum requirements for inspection agency personnel or testing agency laboratory personnel, or both, and the minimum technical requirements for equipment and procedures utilized in the testing and inspection of construction and materials used in construction. Criteria provided herein shall be used for evaluating the capability of the agency to properly perform designated tests on construction materials, as well as establishing essential characteristics pertaining to the organization, personnel, facilities, and quality systems of the agency.
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 The inspection and testing of construction activities and the materials used in construction are important elements in obtaining quality construction in general compliance with the contract documents. An agency providing construction inspection, testing, or Special Inspection, must be selected with care after a comprehensive evaluation of their competency to perform the services properly and in compliance with the applicable building code.
4.2 This specification provides minimum criteria for use in assessing the qualifications of construction inspection, testing, and Special Inspection agencies. The criteria may be supplemented by more specific criteria and requirements for particular classes of testing or types of inspection agencies. An individual user can also use it to judge the competency of an agency.
4.3 The intent of this specification is to provide a standardized basis for requirements for a technically oriented construction inspection, testing, or Special Inspection agency, with respect to the agency's capability to objectively and competently provide the specific services without prejudice.
4.4 Typically, assessing an agency involves the following three essential sequential phases:
4.4.1 Submittal of basic information in accordance with the criteria of this specification to the accreditation body by an agency desiring to be accredited to this specification,
4.4.2 Assessment of the agency-submitted information by the accreditation body, and
4.4.3 On-site assessment of the agency by the accreditation body.
SCOPE
1.1 This specification defines the minimum requirements for agencies engaged in:
a. Inspection of construction activities and materials used in construction,
b. Testing of construction activities and materials used in construction, and
c. Special Inspection.
1.2 Criteria are provided for assessing the competence of an agency to properly perform designated inspections, tests, or Special Inspection services. This specification establishes essential characteristics pertaining to the organization, management, personnel, facilities, quality systems, responsibilities, duties, inspection and testing methods, records, and reports of the agency. This specification may be supplemented by more specific criteria and requirements, if required.
1.2.1 This specification specifically addresses factors relevant to an agency’s ability to produce precise, accurate test data or determine the conformity of construction activities and materials used in construction with regulations, codes, standards, or specifications containing the requirements against which the inspection or test, or both, will be performed. Specific or general requirements include:
1.2.1.1 Facilities and management of the agency,
1.2.1.2 Sufficiency and technical competency of personnel,
1.2.1.3 Suitability, calibration, and maintenance of equipment,
1.2.1.4 Quality system, audit, and review,
1.2.1.5 Responsibilities, duties, and authority of agencies,
1.2.1.6 Validity and appropriateness of sampling, testing, and inspection methods and procedures,
1.2.1.7 Management of records,
1.2.1.8 Reporting, review, and transmission of test and inspection data or findings, and
1.2.1.9 Specific requirements for identified fields (concrete, soil, etc.).
1.3 This specification can be used as a basis...
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Designation: E329 −13 AnAmerican National Standard
Standard Specification for
Agencies Engaged in Construction Inspection, Testing, or
1
Special Inspection
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E329; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope* 1.2.1.8 Reporting, review, and transmission of test and
inspection data or findings, and
1.1 Thisspecificationdefinestheminimumrequirementsfor
1.2.1.9 Specific requirements for identified fields (concrete,
agencies engaged in:
soil, etc.).
a. Inspection of construction activities and materials used in
construction, 1.3 This specification can be used as a basis to assess an
b. Testing of construction activities and materials used in agency and is intended for use in accrediting agencies, public
construction, and or private, engaged in inspection, testing, and Special Inspec-
c. Special Inspection. tion of construction activities and materials used in construc-
tion. These services include but are not limited to reinforced
1.2 Criteria are provided for assessing the competence of an
concrete, precast concrete, structural steel erection, welding,
agency to properly perform designated inspections, tests, or
bolting, soil and rock, foundations, masonry, sprayed fire-
Special Inspection services. This specification establishes es-
resistive materials, fire stops, exterior insulation and finish
sential characteristics pertaining to the organization,
system (EIFS), and Special Cases. Building officials can use
management, personnel, facilities, quality systems,
Specification E329 to assess the competency of agencies in the
responsibilities, duties, inspection and testing methods,
fields covered by Specification E329.
records, and reports of the agency. This specification may be
supplemented by more specific criteria and requirements, if 1.4 A certificate of accreditation, including the scope of
required. accreditation, is required to comply with this specification.
1.2.1 This specification specifically addresses factors rel-
1.5 The users of an accredited agency must review the
evant to an agency’s ability to produce precise, accurate test
agency’s scope of accreditation to ensure the agency has been
data or determine the conformity of construction activities and
accredited for its technical competence to perform the specific
materials used in construction with regulations, codes,
inspections or tests requested by the user.
standards,orspecificationscontainingtherequirementsagainst
which the inspection or test, or both, will be performed.
2. Referenced Documents
Specific or general requirements include:
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2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.2.1.1 Facilities and management of the agency,
A880 Practice for Criteria for Use in Evaluation of Testing
1.2.1.2 Sufficiency and technical competency of personnel,
Laboratories and Organizations for Examination and In-
1.2.1.3 Suitability, calibration, and maintenance of
spection of Steel, Stainless Steel, and Related Alloys
equipment,
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(Withdrawn 2004)
1.2.1.4 Quality system, audit, and review,
C1077 Practice forAgencies Testing Concrete and Concrete
1.2.1.5 Responsibilities, duties, and authority of agencies,
Aggregates for Use in Construction and Criteria for
1.2.1.6 Validity and appropriateness of sampling, testing,
Testing Agency Evaluation
and inspection methods and procedures,
C1093 Practice for Accreditation of Testing Agencies for
1.2.1.7 Management of records,
Masonry
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This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E36 on
2
Accreditation & Certification and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
E36.70 on Agencies Performing Construction Inspection, Testing and Special contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Inspection. Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Current edition approved June 15, 2013. Published August 2013. Originally the ASTM website.
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approved in 1967. Last previous edition approved in 2011 as E329–11c. DOI: The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on
10.1520/E0329-13. www.astm.org.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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E329 − 13
D3666 Specification for Minimum Requirements for Agen- specific inspections, tests, or both, for which the agency
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This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: E329 − 11c E329 − 13 An American National Standard
Standard Specification for
Agencies Engaged in Construction Inspection, Testing, or
1
Special Inspection
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E329; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope*
1.1 This specification defines the minimum requirements for inspection agency personnel or testing agencies engaged in:
a. Construction inspection a. Inspection of construction activities and materials used in construction,
b. Special Inspection, and b. Testing
c. Testing of construction activities and materials used in construction.construction, and
c. Special Inspection.
1.2 Criteria are provided for evaluatingassessing the competence of an agency to properly perform designated tests, inspections,
tests, or Special Inspection services. This specification establishes essential characteristics pertaining to the organization,
management, personnel, facilities, quality systems, responsibilities, duties, testinspection and inspectiontesting methods, records,
and reports of the agency. This specification may be supplemented by more specific criteria and requirements, if required.
1.2.1 This specification specifically addresses factors relevant to an agency’s ability to produce precise, accurate test data or
determine the conformity of construction activities and materials used in construction with regulations, codes, standards, or
specifications containing the requirements against which the test or inspection will be performed, or both. inspection or test, or
both, will be performed. Specific or general requirements include:
1.2.1.1 Facilities and management of the agency,
1.2.1.2 Technical Sufficiency and technical competency of personnel,
1.2.1.3 Suitability, calibration, and maintenance of equipment,
1.2.1.4 Quality system, audit, and review,
1.2.1.5 Responsibilities, duties, and authority of agencies,
1.2.1.6 Validity and appropriateness of test sampling, testing, and inspection methods and procedures,
1.2.1.7 Traceability of measurements and calibrations to national standards,Management of records,
1.2.1.4 Suitability, calibration, and maintenance of test equipment,
1.2.1.5 Sampling, handling, and transportation of test items,
1.2.1.6 Quality assurance of test and inspection data,
1.2.1.8 Reporting Reporting, review, and transmission of test and inspection data or findings, and
1.2.1.9 Non Conformance Report (NCR) management and records.Specific requirements for identified fields (concrete, soil,
etc.).
1.3 This specification can be used as a basis to assess an agency and is intended for use in accrediting agencies, public or private,
engaged in construction inspection. inspection, testing, and Special Inspection or testing of construction activities and materials
used in construction. These inspection services include but are not limited to reinforced concrete, precast concrete, structural steel
erection, welding, bolting, soil and rock, foundations, masonry, sprayed fire-resistive materials, fire stops, exterior insulation and
finish system (EIFS), and Special Cases. Building officials can use Specification E329 as a tool in the qualification and
establishment of competency of construction inspection, Special Inspection, and testing to assess the competency of agencies in
the fields covered by Specification E329.
1.4 A certificate of accreditation, including the scope of accreditation, is required to comply with this specification.
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This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E36 on Accreditation & Certification and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E36.70 on Agencies
Performing Construction Inspection, Testing and Special Inspection.
Current edition approved Dec. 15, 2011June 15, 2013. Published January 2012August 2013. Originally approved in 1967. Last previous edition approved in 2011 as
E329–11b.–11c. DOI: 10.1520/E0329-11c.10.1520/E0329-13.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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E329 − 13
1.5 The users of an accredited agency must review the agency’s sc
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