There are two important inspection action codes in the Inspection and Test Plan they are called witness point and hold point. Few or many had been a little confused about these inspection action codes.
The Witness point and Hold point are always found and indicated in the Inspection and Test Plan. They are the construction stages that may need supplementary inspection or verification.
The purpose is to make sure construction specification requirements have complied accordingly and to proceed for the following activities. So the Verification process is outlined and documented in the Inspection and Test Plan as Witness Point and Hold Point.
Here is the best definition of Witness Point and Hold Point:
Hold Point is a mandatory verification point beyond which work cannot proceed without approval by the Engineer or Consultant or Municipality Inspector. The work cannot proceed until the Engineer or Consultant is able to verify the quality of the completed work and releases the Hold by means of Inspection Request approval.
Witness Point is an identified point in the process where the Engineer or Consultant may review, witness, inspect method, or process of work. The activities, however, may proceed.
Here is a sample of Hold Point:
Example no. 1
Hold Point: The first floor of our project is to be cast but it must be inspected by the Municipality Inspector before it will be poured with concrete. The Hold Point there is the inspection or verification of the Municipality Inspector; once the Inspection is approved it will release the Hold.
So in the short statement “The activity of pouring the concrete cannot start without the approval of the Engineer or Municipality Inspector.”
Example no. 2
Waterproofing membrane to be applied on foundations. The material must be approved first by the engineer before the construction team can use the material.
So, the waterproofing works cannot proceed without prior approval of the material submittal for waterproofing. The hold here is the approval of the consultant for the waterproofing Material Submittal.
Example no. 3
The municipality approval for the submitted structural drawing for the slab. If there is no approval from the municipality you cannot start the work meaning the hold is from the municipality building official.
Example no. 4
The floor tile color and dimensions, you cannot start installing or procuring without the client approval. The color and dimension must be approved by the client, so once the color and dimension of tile are approved then the material submittal will then be in status A or B. So, the hold there is the approval of the client.
Here is a sample of Witness Point:
Example no. 1
Witness Point: We were on painting activities for a second coat, the Inspector just witnessed the applications of coatings.
“There is a chance to attend an activity but does not involve obligation, the activity can proceed without approval.”
Example no. 2
The blockwork or block wall installation inspection. The consultant may not attend the inspection but the work on site can proceed and continue.
Example no. 3
The surface preparation prior to the application of waterproofing on wet areas. Let say in one floor there are 30 wet areas. So the consultant may either go to the site to see to it if the floors are cleaned or just ask from the quality engineer to check and provide documentary photos for the consultant.
Example no. 4
The inspection for plastering. The engineer or consultant sometimes will just conduct the surveillance or rely on a qaqc engineer to check and provide documentary photos.
We can visualize now the difference between Witness Point and Hold Point.
These two inspection action codes are the most important items in the inspection and test plan. The inability to distinguish the two codes might create a huge impact in the procedure of your inspection.
If you have clarification or you would like to supplement the above explanations you may write it down in the comment box below.
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Did you use the above samples of witness point and hold point in your project?