Foreword This joint standard covers the use of blast cleaning abrasives to achieve a defined degree of cleaning of steel surfaces prior to the application of a protective coating or lining system. This standard is intended for use by coating or lining specifiers@ applicators@ inspectors@ or others who may be responsible for defining a standard degree of surface cleanliness. The focus of this standard is near-white metal blast cleaning. White metal blast cleaning@ commercial blast cleaning@ industrial blast cleaning@ and brush-off blast cleaning are addressed in separate standards. Near-white metal blast cleaning provides a greater degree of cleaning than commercial blast cleaning (SSPC-SP 6/NACE No. 3) but less than white metal blast cleaning (SSPC-SP 5/NACE No. 1). Near-white metal blast cleaning is used when the objective is to remove all rust@ coating@ and mill scale@ but when the extra effort required to remove all stains of these materials is determined to be unwarranted. Staining shall be limited to no more than 5 percent of each unit area of surface. Near-white metal blast cleaning allows staining on only 5 percent of each unit area of surface@ while commercial blast cleaning allows staining on 33 percent of each unit area of surface. White metal blast cleaning does not permit any staining to remain on the surface. This joint standard was originally prepared in 1994 and reaffirmed in 2000 by the SSPC/NACE Task Group A on Surface Preparation by Abrasive Blast Cleaning@ and NACE Unit Committee T-6G on Surface Preparation. This joint task group includes members of both the SSPC Surface Preparation Committee and the NACE Unit Committee T-6G on Surface Preparation. It was reaffirmed in 2006 by the SSPC Surface Preparation Committee and NACE Specific Technology Group (STG) 04@ Protective Coatings and Linings: Surface Preparation. In SSPC/NACE standards@ shall and must are used to state mandatory requirements. Should is used to state that which is considered good and is recommended but is not absolutely mandatory. May is used to state that which is considered optional.