This document covers the development of specifications for corrosion protection of steel structures using protective paint systems. It relates to new work and maintenance in the workshop or on site and is also applicable to the corrosion protection of individual components. This document covers the corrosion protection of steel structures exposed to different corrosion stresses by environments such as indoors, open-air and immersion in water or burial in soil, as well as special stresses, due for example, to medium or high temperatures. The need for different durability ranges is considered.

Steel surfaces that have been hot-dip-galvanized, metal-sprayed, zinc-electroplated or sherardized, and previously painted steel surfaces, are also covered by this document.

In this document, reference areas for assessing the quality of the corrosion protection work and the performance of the protective paint systems used are dealt with. This document provides detailed flow charts for planning new work and maintenance, which are taken into account when writing a specification.

This document can also be used as a guide if extreme corrosion stresses or high temperatures occur, or if the protective paint systems are to be used on other substrates, such as non-ferrous metals or concrete, to define suitable specifications.