Free checklist
Special inspectionStructural welding special inspection checklist
A weld tells its story once. The independent inspector confirms the procedure and the welder are qualified for the joint, watches the work while it can still be corrected, and records the completed weld and any testing before it is coated over.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo evidence it needs
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.
Qualification and preparation
Welding procedure specifications available for the joints being welded
A qualified procedure exists and matches the material, position and process.
Welder qualification current for the position and process
Continuity and qualification records cover the welder and the work in front of you.
Welding scope and observation level set from the statement
Joints that need continuous observation and those checked periodically identified from the statement of special inspections and the drawings.
No photoBase metal and filler metal match the approved submittals
Heat numbers on the steel and the filler metal on the machine trace to the mill test reports and consumable records on file.
Fit-up, joint preparation and pre-heat verified before welding
Root openings, bevels and cleanliness as detailed; pre-heat confirmed where required.
In-process inspection
Consumables and settings match the qualified procedure
Electrode type and storage, gas and parameters consistent with the procedure in use.
Interpass condition and technique observed on critical joints
Interpass cleaning and temperature control witnessed on representative welds.
Root pass observed before the fill passes go in
Root fused and sound on the first pass; on joints welded from both sides, back-gouged to sound metal where the procedure calls for it before the second side.
Completed welds and testing
Completed welds visually inspected against acceptance criteria
Size, length and profile correct; no undercut, porosity, cracks or missed returns.
Backing and weld tabs left or removed as the drawings detail
On groove welds with backing or tabs, backing fused continuously where it stays; tabs removed and ends ground smooth where the details require it.
No photoNondestructive testing witnessed where required
The specified method performed at the specified joints; results recorded with locations.
Repairs re-inspected and accepted before coating
Any rejected weld reworked, re-tested and signed off; nothing coated before acceptance.
Discrepancies and reporting
Inspected welds marked with their accept or reject status
Each inspected joint paint-marked accepted or rejected with the defect type and logged by gridline and member, so the repair and any repeat NDT trace to it.
Unrepaired welds and missing NDT reported to the EOR and AHJ
Welds not repaired, or testing not performed, before coating or fireproofing listed by joint and method on the report to the engineer of record and the building official.
No photo
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Welder qualification expired or not current for the position and process actually used.
- Completed welds coated before the visual inspection and any required NDT were recorded.
- Fit-up gaps and pre-heat left unverified on joints that called for them.
Verified against
Common questions
6 answers
- What does this structural welding checklist cover?
- 14 items across 4 sections, covering qualification and preparation, in-process inspection, completed welds and testing, discrepancies and reporting. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- A third-party or owner's-rep welding inspector, coordinating with the fabricator or erector's welding crew.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Before welding starts (qualifications and fit-up), during welding for critical joints, and at completion before coatings or fireproofing.
- Why do these items ask for a photo?
- 11 of the 14 items call for photo evidence, 17 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a structural welding inspection?
- Welder qualification expired or not current for the position and process actually used. Completed welds coated before the visual inspection and any required NDT were recorded. Fit-up gaps and pre-heat left unverified on joints that called for them.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.
Related checklists
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 17 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.
See all 508 checklists · 6741 items and 5984 photo requirements in total.