United States Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Grain Inspection Service

Program Notice FGIS-PN-19-05 August 08, 2019 

Distribution: FGIS, OSP Disposal Date: 8/08/2020 Originating Office: FMD PPMAB

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, 

national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited 

bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternate means for communication of program 

information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and 

TDD).

To file a complaint, write to the USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 

Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal employment opportunity 

employer.

VIDEO STOWAGE EXAM FOR RIVER BARGES

Contents

VIDEO STOWAGE EXAM FOR RIVER BARGES �����������������������������������������������������������������1

1.PURPOSE �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

2.BACKGROUND �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

3.POLICY ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

4.SYSTEM ASSESSMENT �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

5. EXAMINATION PROCEDURE �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

6.QUESTIONS �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

APPENDIX (The appendix may be saved locally for use.) ������������������������������������������������
FGIS Notice PN-19-05 

Page 2

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this notice is to provide guidance for performing stowage examinations 

on river barges using a camera as an alternative to physically performing the 

examination. This is a new Program Notic

2. BACKGROUND

Safety when performing official duties is of paramount importance to FGIS. This applies 

equally to official agency personnel as well as federal personnel. Among the more 

dangerous official duties is performing stowage examinations on river barges. Adverse 

weather makes for hazardous conditions when getting to and working on top of a barge

Understandably, some grain companies are enacting policies that prevent those not 

employed by the elevator from being on top of a barge, due to safety concerns and 

insurance liabilities

FGIS permitted the use of closed circuit television (CCTV) for hopper railcar stowage 

examinations in 2009. In 2018, FGIS approved a pilot program to study the use of

video camera systems to perform stowage examinations on river barges. This notice

provides minimum requirements and other considerations for CCTV equipment used in 

performing stowage examinations of river barges

This program notice will be merged into Program Directive 9180.48 Stowage

Examination Services and the Grain Inspection Handbook when they are updated.

FGIS does not recommend or endorse any particular model or manufacturer of video 

camera equipment nor is it the intent of this program notice to dictate system design

3. POLICY

The Field Office must examine and approve the proposed video system on-site before 

the system can be used to provide official stowage examination services. In addition, 

the Field Office must re-examine and re-approve any system after any material changes 

or major repairs have been made to the system or as a response to system failures.

The Field Office is responsible for determining whether the video system (as a whole) 

has the capability of providing images sufficient to determine whether a barge is fit to 

receive grain

4. SYSTEM ASSESSMENT

When examining the video system, the Field Office must confirm the following, using the 

Video System Authorization and Approval (Appendix) to document observations

(1) The video system meets the following technical requirements:
FGIS Notice PN-19-05 

Page 3

(a) Camera must be capable of hands-free operation, tilt, and 360 degree 

rotation such that it allows for the full examination of all parts of the barge 

stowage area(s), including hatch covers and tracks 

(b) Minimum 20x zoom factor

(c) Focal length range: minimum</10 mm; maximum>/100 mm

(d) IP 66 minimum rating for relevant outdoor components

(e) Camera securely mounts to bracket for stable positioning on barge

(f) Wired or wireless operation 

(g) Must produce images in real-time

(2) The video system must be able to produce high-resolution color images of 

acceptable quality sufficient to identify any material deficiency, including any 

materials (grain or non-grain) remaining in the carrier. Image quality must be 

verified under various lighting and weather conditions by using qualitative tests as 

deemed appropriate by the Field Office. 

(a) Eye Charts – Three (3) Snellen Plastic Eye Charts, 20 feet version (22x11

inches): one chart positioned on each interior barge wall farthest and nearest 

to the camera and one chart in the control room

(b) Green and red color bars visible on Snellen chart 

(c) Green and red colors as seen on monitor must be equivalent to colors on 

Snellen chart as seen in person in the control room

(3) The video system must be capable of being controlled remotely by official 

personnel. Preset patterns may be used to assist the Official Service Provider 

(OSP) in achieving an effective and standardized stowage examination, but 

manual control and zoom capability is mandatory

(4) The portable parts of the video system must be of a size and weight that facility

personnel can safely move and set the camera as needed on and about the 

carrier(s)

(5) A Video System Authorization and Approval must be agreed upon and signed by 

the OSP, supervisory FGIS Field Office, and facility management authorizing the 

use of the video examination system in lieu of, or in conjunction with, physical 

stowage examinations. Only one authorization and approval form is required. I

must be kept on file at the analysis location.
FGIS Notice PN-19-05 

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(6) Approval may be revoked if the video system fails to perform adequately. If the

system encounters repeated failures (as determined by the OSP or FGIS), the 

OSP is required to conduct physical examinations until such time that the systemic 

issues can be remedied and the field office can perform an assessment to validate 

that the system meets FGIS requirements

(7) If the electronic components of the video system are materially modified, approval 

must be re-issued before the system is used for official purposes.

(8) Official personnel must verify that the video system is performing adequately prior

to conducting an official stowage examination.

5. EXAMINATION PROCEDURE

Official personnel will perform either a physical or video (using an approved video 

system) examination of the stowage area to check for all conditions listed in the 

Program Directive 9180.48, Section 7 - Standards of Fitness. Before determining the 

method of examination, official personnel are required to talk with the applicant or the 

applicant’s representative and inquire as to whether the barge has been chemically 

treated, transported toxic or hazardous materials in the previous shipment. If these

conditions exist, refer to section 6(f) of Directive 9180.48 before proceeding with any

physical examination of the stowage area

Verify the video system is performing adequately prior to conducting an official stowage 

examination. Document observations on the Video System Authorization and Approval

(Appendix)

(1) Barge lids or hatch covers must be opened for video examination. The stowag

area, including hatch covers and other openings, must not have holes, cracks or 

any other conditions that could cause a change in the weight or condition of the 

commodity. A supplemental camera system may facilitate this examinatio

(2) Verify that lighting is adequate to keep the camera from going grey-scale. 

(a) Artificial lighting may be used to adequately light the inspection area(s) during

low-light conditions, sufficient to keep the primary camera from going greyscale

(b) Care should be taken to ensure that artificial lighting does not create glare or

otherwise obstruct the inspection view

(3) Verify that image quality is sufficient to perform an accurate stowage examination.

(4) Verify that manual control of the primary camera system is established. Facility

personnel may move the primary camera and/or other components between 

stowage examinations, but at no point during an official stowage examination may 

the system be controlled or manipulated by anyone other than official personnel.
FGIS Notice PN-19-05 

Page 5

(5) If the system fails to produce a suitable view of the stowage area, or if full control 

of the system cannot be established, official personnel must physically examine 

the barge

(6) Include procedures for system operation, testing, malfunction, and repair in the 

OSP’s Quality Management Plan. In the event that official personnel must 

physically examine the barge stowage due to system failure, notify the field office 

for further evaluation of the system

(7) Maintain a log of system malfunctions and failures. The log must be made

available to FGIS upon request

6. QUESTIONS

Direct any questions regarding this program notice to AMS-FGIS Policies Procedures 

and Market Analysis Branch. File a copy of this program notice with Program Directive

9180.48-Stowage Examination Services.

APPENDIX (The appendix may be saved locally for use.)