Ensuring Accuracy

NASSCO releases guidelines for quality control of PACP, LACP and MACP surveys.

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Pipeline condition assessment has become of paramount importance for the worldwide underground infrastructure rehabilitation industry to ascertain critical condition states of a utility’s assets. NASSCO’s Pipeline Assessment Certification Program, Lateral Assessment Certification Program and Manhole Assessment Certification Program have enabled various industry groups and stakeholders to provide for standardization and consistency in the way a pipeline or chamber’s condition is evaluated, and how visual inspection data is managed.

Qualified individuals, such as engineers, make renewal decisions based on the data collected are subject to the accuracy and quality of this data. Therefore, the need for quality control of PACP/LACP/MACP data is essential, and procedures for it should be easily applied and audited.

In April 2022, after several years of development, NASSCO’s Infrastructure Condition Assessment Committee published Guidelines for Quality 



Control (QC) of NASSCO PACP, LACP and MACP Surveys. Available for free download at www.nassco.org (under “resources”), the document is meant to provide QC guidelines for two primary use cases: evaluation of an individual PACP-certified individual, such as a camera operator; or the evaluation of a project submission, such as from a sewer services contractor to a utility or engineer.

The document details the general method and suggested process for NASSCO quality control, randomized sample population and QC procedures for PACP survey headers and details as well as procedures for MACP headers, component observation form and details.

In utilizing the guidelines, it is important to note that thresholds for “pass” and “fail,” or those for selecting the size of a QC sample population, are NASSCO suggestions only. The asset owner or client should determine, based on their unique project goals or circumstances, specific QC thresholds, or, in the event of QC fail, next steps or remedies. The thresholds and 

resolutions should be included and outlined within contract specifications. Who is eligible to perform the QC should also be noted within the contract (i.e. a certified PACP/LACP/MACP user within the contractor’s organization, within the client’s organization, a third-party organization, etc.).

To download the guideline document, visit www.nassco.org and click the “resources” tab. 



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