What is an ITP in construction? Inspection and test plans

In construction, ITP stands for inspection and test plan. An ITP is a document that lists every inspection and test a piece of work needs, the standard it has to meet, who checks it and when, and the record that proves it was done.

If you searched "itp meaning construction", "what does ITP stand for in construction" or "what is an ITP", that's the short answer. The rest of this page explains what goes in an ITP, how hold and witness points work, an example for a concrete slab, and how to write one.

What does ITP stand for in construction?

ITP stands for inspection and test plan. You'll also hear it called an inspection and testing plan, a QA ITP or an ITP sheet. They all mean the same document.

An ITP is a quality document. It answers the question "has this work been built to the drawings and specification?" That makes it different from a safe work method statement (SWMS), which answers "how will this work be done safely?" Most building and civil projects need both.

What is an ITP used for?

An ITP plans the quality checks before work starts, then proves they happened. It's used at three stages:

• Before work: the contractor and the client agree what will be checked, against what criteria, and where work has to stop for an inspection.
• During work: the crew and supervisor sign off each check as it's done, and the client's representative inspects at the agreed points.
• At handover: the completed ITPs, with their test results and checklists, become part of the quality records handed to the client.

ITPs are usually asked for by the contract or the client's specification, or by a builder's own quality management system. Our guide to why quality management systems matter in Australia explains how ITPs fit into a wider system.

What goes in an ITP?

An ITP is usually a table, with one row for each activity or check. The columns vary between companies, but most ITPs include:

1. Activity or stage: the step being checked, such as set-out, formwork or reinforcement.
2. Reference: the drawing, specification clause or standard the work must meet.
3. Acceptance criteria: what "right" looks like, such as a dimension, tolerance or test result.
4. Inspection or test method: how it's checked, such as a visual check, a measurement or a lab test.
5. Frequency: how often, such as once per pour, per floor or per delivery.
6. Responsibility: who does the check, and who signs it off.
7. Inspection point: whether it's a hold point, a witness point or a review of records.
8. Record: the evidence kept, such as a checklist, test certificate, photo or survey.
9. Sign-off: the name, signature and date for each check.

The header names the project, the scope of work, the ITP number and revision, and who prepared and approved it.

What are hold points and witness points?

These are the most important columns in an ITP, because they decide when work has to stop.

• Hold point: work can't go past this point until the nominated person has inspected the work and released it. A reinforcement inspection before a concrete pour is the classic example: once the concrete is in, nobody can check the steel.
• Witness point: the nominated person gets notice and can attend the inspection or test. If they don't attend in the agreed time, work can carry on.
• Review point: someone checks records rather than the work itself, such as reviewing delivery dockets or test certificates.

Exactly how much notice is needed, and who can release a hold point, is set by the contract or specification. Agree it before work starts and write it into the ITP.

ITP example: a concrete slab

This shortened example shows how the columns work together. A real ITP takes its criteria from the project's drawings and specification.

When a check fails, the ITP doesn't fix it. Raise a nonconformance report, agree the fix, re-inspect, and record the outcome against the ITP row. Our guide to writing a nonconformance report covers that process.

ITP vs inspection checklist vs SWMS

These three documents often sit in the same folder, and people mix them up.

A checklist is often attached to an ITP row as its record. A site safety checklist, such as a daily construction site inspection checklist, is a different thing again: it checks site conditions, not the quality of the work.

A SWMS is a legal requirement for high-risk construction work. Under regulation 299 of the model WHS Regulations, a PCBU carrying out high-risk construction work must make sure a SWMS has been prepared before that work starts. An ITP doesn't replace it, and a SWMS doesn't replace an ITP. Our guide to what a SWMS is explains when you need one.

How to write an ITP

1. Break the work into activities. Use the drawings, the specification and the construction sequence. One ITP per trade or element, such as one for slabs and one for blockwork, is easier to manage than one for the whole job.
2. List what has to be checked for each activity, and when in the sequence.
3. Set the acceptance criteria from the specification, the drawings and the standards they call up. Quote the clause rather than writing "as required".
4. Choose the method and frequency for each check.
5. Name who's responsible, and mark the hold and witness points. Agree these with the client or superintendent before work starts.
6. Decide the record for each check, so nobody has to guess what evidence to keep.
7. Get it approved before the work starts, and issue it to the supervisor and crew.
8. Use it on site. Sign each row as the check is done, not at the end of the job.
9. Close it out at completion and file it with the handover records.

ITP template

You don't need to design the table from scratch. The inspection test plan template gives you the register for each activity, test method, acceptance criteria, record and inspector, with blocks for who was consulted, who's responsible, who approved it and when it was reviewed. Fill in the rows for your scope and agree the hold points with the client.

Common questions

Is an ITP a legal requirement? An ITP is a quality document, and the work health and safety laws don't call for one. Where you need one, it's usually because the contract, the client's specification or your own quality system asks for it.

Who prepares an ITP? Usually the contractor or subcontractor doing the work, because they know the sequence and the checks. The principal contractor or the client's representative reviews and approves it.

What is the difference between an ITP and QA? QA (quality assurance) is the whole system for making sure work meets requirements. An ITP is one of the main documents in that system for a specific scope of work.

Can I reuse an ITP on the next job? Reuse the structure, not the content. Keep a standard ITP for each type of work, then update the references, criteria and hold points for each project's drawings and specification.

This is general information, not legal advice. Check your contract and specification for the ITP requirements on your project.