Bridge Safety Inspector Training Course

Bridge Safety
Inspector Training Course
By JOHN W. McCREE
Bureau of Local Roads and Streets, IDOT

McCree

bridge
(Right) Class Director, Raymond Hartle, P.E., Baker
Engineering and (left) Bridge Technician, Brian Conover, Ill.
Dept. of Transportation, Bureau of Local Roads and Streets.

Increasing awareness and concern about the condition and safety of our Nation's bridges prompted the Congress to establish the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) in 1968. The NBIS requires the systematic inspection of all bridges greater than 20 feet in length and located on all public roads. The inspections must be performed by qualified inspectors at intervals not to exceed two years to identify and report damage, deterioration or other changes in condition before they become dangerous enough to endanger the public. The findings and results of these inspections must be recorded on standard forms and submitted to the State to be included in the inventory of all bridges subject to the Standards.

The Federal Highway Administration utilizes the inspection data in the State's structure inventory as a basis for establishing eligibility and priority of funding for the replacement and

rehabilitation of bridges. The fair and equitable apportionment of bridge funding is greatly dependent upon the consistency andaccuracy of the findings of each individual bridge inspector. In addition, the bridge inspector is relied upon to disclose problems relating to public safety and to protect public investment with respect to bridges.

In any undertaking of this magnitude, there is concern with the qualifications of personnel available to do the necessary work. The NBIS requires that the individual in charge of a bridge inspection team in the field must be a registered professional engineer or be qualified for registration as a professional engineer or have a minimum of five years experience in bridge inspection assignments in a responsible capacity and have completed a comprehensive training course based on the "Bridge Inspectors Training Manual 70," which was developed by a joint Federal-State task force.

In 1986 the State of Illinois entered into an agreement with the Pennsylvania based firm of Baker Engineering, Inc., to present an 80-hour "Bridge Safety Inspector Training Course." Baker's engineers developed this course and have presented it numerous times in various states since its inception in 1980. This 2-week training course fulfills the NBIS requirement for bridge inspectors to complete a comprehensive training course. The specific objective of the course is to present a curriculum that imparts the basic knowledge and skills necessary to accurately and uniformly assess bridge conditions.

Topics covered during the course include bridge types and components, materials of construction and fundamentals of bridge inspection. Also covered in depth are the inspection and rating of roadway and waterway, substructures, decks and wearing surfaces. One of the highlights of the course is the actual field inspection of two bridges which provides students the opportunity to apply what they have learned. They develop field notes, sketches and measurements and complete the proper forms. Through discussion and guidance from the instructor, the students are given the opportunity to evaluate their results against established standards. At the conclusion of the course a 4-hour exam is given.

This course was presented for the first time in Illinois in January of 1987 and was attended primarily by State personnel, many of whom inspect county, municipal and township bridges. In January of 1988, the course was again presented in Illinois to 46 State and local agency personnel. Tentative plans are to present the next class exclusively to local agency personnel.

We believe that training skillful and accurate bridge inspectors is another positive step in the continuing efforts of cooperation between all levels of government to assure the safety and confidence of motorists in Illinois. •

Credits to: Brian Conover, Bridge Liaison Technician.

Page 16 / Illinois Municipal Review / February 1988

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