It is with sadness that we must report the death in August 2024 of J D Griffiths, aka ‘Dave Griff’. Dave was a coating inspection and quality management expert who contributed hugely to the Institute of Corrosion coating inspector training and certification scheme.
He worked with R J P (Ran) Nicklin, who led one of the larger coating inspection specialists in the 1970’s.
In the early 1980s, Dave formed J D Griffiths and Associates Ltd, an independent firm of specialist engineers providing quality control, advisory and inspection services within the corrosion control and structural and piping steelwork protective treatment industries. Dave and his colleagues provided specialist expertise in respect of coatings and linings within the marine, oil, gas, petrochemical, product storage, transportation, pipeline and power generation sectors. They provided these services internationally, throughout the United Kingdom, Norway, Italy, Holland, France, Spain, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Mexico.
Dave also provided independent expert witness and opinion services in cases of technical and commercial disputes, typically between asset owners and contractors.
In later years, much of Dave’s time was working with Argyll Ruane Ltd (ARL) who were the delegated body operating the Institute of Corrosion coating inspector training and certification scheme and later also the cathodic protection technician and engineer training and certification scheme. Dave was the Scheme Manager, reporting to the ICorr Governing Board (later formed into the Professional Development and Training Committee, recently deleted) and was often treading a very difficult line of ‘working for 2 masters’, both ICorr and ARL. He dealt with these challenges with professionalism and honesty.
ARL’s key competences related to non-destructive testing (ultrasonic, radiographic etc) and for many years Dave was the prime source of coating expertise as required within the ICorr Scheme. He also worked closely alongside John Thirkettle and 
Chris Lynch who wrote the early CP courses, along with the other CP tutors, to assist in the delivery of the ICorr CP Scheme.
The Institute owes a considerable debt to the professionalism and dedication that Dave brought to his role as Scheme Manager. He was a significant contributor to the foundation of our scheme.
He will be missed by his wife Jacqui.
A personal note from Brian Wyatt:
Dave was a long-term friend and respected colleague. He was 
also a man of integrity and of considerable fun. He was the first person I knew with a ‘radio phone’ in his car (yes, a radio phone, 
pre mobile phones); great for calling the operator to book a 
decent restaurant……
We travelled together to Libya to work on one of his projects; 
I blame him for choosing the route via Malta on what I termed a ‘cattle ship’; it was most definitely a dual service vessel. It took 
me 6 months to recover from the chest infection; I took advice 
from both our excellent Vet and GP…
The negotiation, that took the time of single escalator ride, of the long-term arrangement whereby ICorr and ARL (who at that time were managing the delivery of the CP courses for us) agreed a commercial arrangement with the CPA for them to promote our courses into their industry. The CPA are the steel in concrete Corrosion Prevention Association, who remain to this day an important 
partner for our ICorr CP Training and Certification work in concrete. 
I remember his kindness and courtesy to all, even when vexed. 
He will be missed by me and many others in ICorr and beyond.
Photo: J D Griffiths, Aka ‘Dave Griff’.
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