American infrastructure is crumbling. The IUPAT is dedicated to modernizing and repairing our roads, bridges, buildings, airports, water systems and the energy grid, all while providing good, high-paying union jobs to get the job done. We provide cutting edge skills and training to ensure our projects meet 21st century standards and beyond.
America’s infrastructure grade via 2017 Infrastructure Report Card
$2.5 TRILLION
Global cost of corrosion
(3.4% of global GDP)
$375-$875 BILLION
Potential savings realized through corrosion control
One common natural threat to our nation’s infrastructure, regardless of geographic location, is corrosion. Corrosion threatens the continuous operation of essential infrastructure, which in turn affects not only public safety but also local and regional economies receiving resources such as energy production and food supplies. Regardless of whether corrosion causes a major disaster to occur, such as a bridge collapse, the cost of doing nothing is too great.
ENERGY
Over $23 billion per year in electric power industry
285% Increase in U.S. Power Grid Outages since 1984
BRIDGES AND ROADS
Decaying bridges and roads cost the US economy $500 billion a year!
"Structurally deficient" bridges are an average age of 65 years
WATER
Nearly 240,000 water main breaks per year. That's roughly 27 per hour.
It would cost $1 trillion to repair & replace the water/wastewater infrastructure
The primary causes of this astronomically high cost are rooted in delaying corrosion prevention projects and careless errors made on the ones that actually are carried out. Inadequate corrosion prevention inevitably increases the life-cycle operation and maintenance costs on bridge infrastructure.
PROACTIVE MANAGEMENT
New Builds:
Ensure the project budgets for corrosion prevention and maintenance throughout the lifecycle of the asset.
Existing Builds: Ensure corrosion prevention is a standard part of all existing asset maintenance contracts.
ADOPTION OF STANDARDS
Ensure building codes require, and master specifications recommend, the highest quality of coating & protective material.
Ensure that all infrastructure work funded whole or in part by government require a corrosion prevention management system.
ENSURING QUALITY WORK
Mandate the use of qualified, certified corrosion management specialists on Government projects. Workers should be CAS-trained or equivalent.
Certification: Get the Job Done Right the First Time
A poorly executed a corrosion prevention project is as good as not doing anything because it leaves the structure unprotected from its damaging effects, increases costs to repair or replace all or parts of it, and specifically is an irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars to fund operation and maintenance.
A Certification Case Study
The US Navy’s Naval Facilities department (NAVFAC) did a cost-benefit analysis regarding the use of certified or non-certified contractors on coatings projects for the US Navy in 2004. Two contracts were awarded in different locations. The primary difference between the two (contractors) was in the training and experience of the onsite personnel. San Diego, CA contractor personnel were trained and had experience with many different types of coating systems. The Pensacola non-certified contractor personnel had to receive extensive training on-site on the use of the equipment and coating application. The initial bid for Pensacola was actually lower, but the final project cost was more than twice as much and took more than twice as long to complete.
Currently, 38 State DOTs recognize and use corrosion prevention and control standards on their bridges, while (10) branches of the federal government, including the Army Corp, Navy, and the Departments of Defense and Transportation, also recognize or use them.
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