The Importance of Current Standards
Standards and specifications that govern hot-dip galvanizing evolve continuously to reflect technological advances, improved understanding of coating performance, changes in steel manufacturing practices, and updates to inspection methodologies. Using current standard revisions ensures that design, fabrication, galvanizing, and inspection practices align with the latest technical guidance and industry consensus.
The hot-dip galvanizing industry relies primarily on standards published by ASTM International, AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials), and AMPP (Association for Materials Protection and Performance, formerly NACE). Understanding how to access these standards, maintain current revisions, and use them properly—including respecting copyright protections—represents an essential aspect of professional practice for galvanizers, specifiers, and inspectors.
Copyright Considerations for Standards
Standards developed by organizations like ASTM, AASHTO, ISO, and AMPP represent copyrighted intellectual property protected by U.S. and international law. These organizations invest substantial resources in standards development through volunteer committee work, technical research, consensus processes, and publication. Copyright protection enables them to fund these activities through standards sales while maintaining quality and technical rigor.
Permitted and Prohibited Uses
When purchasing a standard—whether physical copy or digital file—users acquire specific usage rights that typically include viewing the document for personal or professional use, referencing it while performing job functions, and sharing it temporarily with coworkers, subcontractors, or customers for collaborative work purposes. These rights allow practical application of standards in daily operations.
However, certain uses violate copyright and are prohibited without explicit permission from the standards organization. These restricted activities generally include placing the standard in publicly accessible shared file systems, making copies for distribution to employees or clients, reproducing standard content in other documents, making documents downloadable to others outside authorized users, emailing standards to external parties, and giving away purchased copies. Violating these restrictions can result in legal action and damages.
Digital standards often include purchaser identification (name, organization, IP address) embedded in the file to enable traceability and copyright enforcement. This tracking helps standards organizations identify unauthorized distribution.
Copyright Notices and User Agreements
Each standards organization publishes copyright policies and user agreements that define permitted uses. ASTM provides detailed guidance at astm.org under \Copyright & Permissions.\" ISO maintains copyright information at iso.org/copyright. AASHTO includes copyright notices on its website at transportation.org. Users should review these policies to understand their rights and obligations when purchasing and using standards.
Some organizations offer individual-user licenses where each person requires their own copy, while others provide company licenses allowing multiple users within an organization. Evaluating license options helps organizations balance compliance requirements with cost-effectiveness.
ASTM Standards for Hot-Dip Galvanizing
ASTM International publishes the primary standards used throughout North America for hot-dip galvanizing specification, inspection, and quality assurance. Key standards include ASTM A123 for general fabricated products, A153 for hardware and fasteners, A767 for reinforcing steel, A780 for coating repair materials, D6386 for surface preparation before painting, and D7803 for preparation before powder coating.
Obtaining ASTM Standards
ASTM no longer produces comprehensive printed volumes for specific industries. The last industry-specific collection for hot-dip galvanizing, published by AGA in 2015, contained the then-current standard revisions. All subsequent standard revisions must be obtained directly from ASTM through their website at astm.org.
Individual ASTM standards cost approximately $55 to $65 for non-members when purchased as PDF downloads. Standards are typically reviewed and potentially revised every five years, meaning periodic updates are necessary to maintain current versions. For organizations using multiple ASTM standards, this individual purchase approach can become expensive over time.
Cost-Effective ASTM Access Options
ASTM offers membership programs that provide more economical access to standards. An Informational Member subscription costs $115 annually and includes one free specification volume per year plus discounts on individual standard purchases from other volumes. Members can change their annual volume selection, allowing them to maintain current standards across different areas of interest within a few years.
For hot-dip galvanizing professionals, relevant volume selections include Volume 01.06 (containing A123, A143, A153, A384, A385, A780), Volume 01.04 (A767, A1094), Volume 06.02 (D6386, D7803), and Volume 01.09 (F2329). Rotating annual volume selections keeps multiple standard categories current while minimizing expense.
Participating in Standards Development
ASTM also offers Participating Member status at the same $115 annual price. This membership level includes all Informational Member benefits while adding the ability to influence standards development through committee participation. Members can vote on proposed revisions, suggest technical changes, and help shape the standards that govern their industry.
Galvanizing professionals interested in participating in ASTM A123 development and related standards should join Committee A05 on Metallic-Coated Iron and Steel Products, specifically Subcommittee A05.13 on Structural Shapes and Hardware Specifications. This involvement provides opportunities to share practical experience, address technical issues, and ensure standards reflect real-world galvanizing operations.
Enterprise Solutions
Large organizations with many employees requiring standards access may benefit from ASTM Compass, a subscription service providing online access to collections of standards. This platform allows multiple users to view standards through a web portal, simplifying compliance with copyright while providing convenient access. Pricing scales with organization size and number of standards required. Copyright restrictions still apply—subscribers cannot download and distribute standards outside the authorized user group.
AASHTO and AASHTO/NSBA Standards
AASHTO develops standards specifically for transportation infrastructure including bridges and highway structures. The AASHTO/National Steel Bridge Alliance collaboration publishes standards freely available for download, including the important AASHTO/NSBA S8.3 standard for hot-dip galvanizing of bridge components.
Other AASHTO standards not developed through the NSBA collaboration must be purchased individually from the AASHTO Store at store.transportation.org. These standards follow similar copyright protections as ASTM publications.
AMPP Standards
The Association for Materials Protection and Performance (formed through merger of NACE International and SSPC) publishes standards relevant to coating inspection, surface preparation, and corrosion control. AMPP standards are available through the AMPP store at store.ampp.org for both members and non-members.
AMPP Member Benefits
AMPP individual membership provides significant value for coating professionals. Members can view and print current AMPP standard revisions at no additional cost through the VIEWER option on the AMPP website (requires member login). This viewing system displays standards in a web browser and allows printing, though standards cannot be downloaded as PDFs through the viewer.
Members who need downloadable PDF copies or require access to historical standard revisions can still purchase standards individually from the AMPP store, but the viewer access significantly reduces costs for staying current with active standards. In the future, AMPP plans to expand viewer access to include historical revisions.
Joint Standards Limitations
Standards published jointly by AMPP and other organizations—such as NACE/IEEE, AMPP/IEEE, AMPP/ISO, or AMPP/AWS standards—cannot be viewed through the AMPP member viewer due to copyright agreements with partner organizations. These joint standards must be purchased individually regardless of membership status.
Tracking Standard Revisions
Standards organizations typically review standards every five years, though revision cycles vary. Some standards remain unchanged through multiple review cycles, while others undergo frequent updates to address emerging issues or incorporate new technical knowledge. Tracking when standards are revised and obtaining updated versions ensures ongoing compliance with current requirements.
Standards organization websites provide revision history and current status for each standard. ASTM's website lists historical revisions and indicates the most recent version for any standard number. Users can check periodically to identify when updates occur and obtain new revisions as needed.
Specification Reference Practices
When specifying hot-dip galvanizing or referencing standards in project documents, always include the current year designation (e.g., \"ASTM A123/A123M-24\") to clearly identify which revision applies. If an older revision must be referenced for specific reasons, explicitly state this requirement and provide justification for not using the current version.
Simply specifying \"ASTM A123\" without year designation creates ambiguity about which revision applies—particularly problematic when standards undergo significant revision between project specification and execution. Clear standard identification prevents disputes and ensures all parties work from the same technical requirements.
Industry Resources and Support
The American Galvanizers Association provides technical support for interpreting and applying galvanizing standards. While AGA cannot distribute copyrighted standards, the organization offers guidance on standard requirements, answers technical questions about galvanizing specifications, and helps resolve interpretation disputes. AGA members receive priority access to this technical support as part of their membership benefits.
For questions about getting involved with standards development or obtaining guidance on standard selection and application, contact AGA's Technical Department. They can direct inquiries to appropriate resources and provide information about participating in ASTM or other standards committees.
Maintaining Compliance and Currency
Professional galvanizing operations should establish systems for tracking standard revisions and ensuring that all relevant personnel work from current versions. This might include designating a standards coordinator responsible for monitoring revisions, maintaining a central standards library with current versions, and implementing document control procedures that remove obsolete revisions from circulation.
When standards are revised, reviewing the changes and communicating relevant updates to affected personnel ensures that processing, inspection, and quality assurance practices remain aligned with current requirements. Some revisions involve minor editorial changes with no practical impact, while others introduce significant technical modifications requiring process adjustments or training updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I photocopy standards for my employees?
Generally no, unless your organization has a company license permitting internal distribution. Individual purchase typically allows personal use only. Check the specific copyright notice on your purchased standard.
How often are galvanizing standards revised?
Review cycles typically occur every five years, but actual revisions vary. Some standards remain unchanged for many years, while others are revised more frequently based on technical developments or identified issues.
What's the most cost-effective way to maintain current ASTM standards?
For individuals or small organizations, ASTM membership ($115/year) with annual free volume selection provides excellent value. Large organizations may benefit from ASTM Compass subscriptions.
Are there free alternatives to purchasing standards?
Some standards are freely available (AASHTO/NSBA collaboration documents). AMPP members can view current AMPP standards at no additional cost. However, most standards require purchase to access complete current versions.
Supporting Standards Compliance
V&S Galvanizing maintains current versions of all relevant galvanizing standards and specifications at each facility location. Our quality assurance programs incorporate the latest standard requirements, and our technical staff participate actively in standards development committees to help shape future revisions. We work with customers to clarify standard requirements, resolve specification questions, and ensure that project specifications align with current industry standards and best practices. Our commitment to standards compliance ensures that every galvanized product meets or exceeds applicable specification requirements.
For additional guidance on obtaining and using galvanizing standards, refer to the original AGA resource on standards access and copyright.
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