ATEX and IECEx Certification Body, Sira Certification Service, has recently been granted a full scope extension to certify competence of
persons working in, or associated with hazardous areas. The training provider explains the developments to Industrial Compliance magazine
Back in 2010 Sira issued the world’s first IECEx Certificate of Personnel Competence, and since then, it has issued over 70 IECEx certificates to competent persons working in or associated with hazardous areas.
Sira has now announced that its scope of accreditation has been extended by IECEx to offer certification of persons in all ten units of competence under the scheme.
It is a requirement of the EU and the IEC that personnel working in potentially explosive atmospheres are competent. One of the most rigorous ways to demonstrate this is through a thorough training and assessment programme.
Meeting demand
There have been calls from the oil and gas industries for a global competence standard, and as such, the IEC has developed the IECEx Certificate of Personnel Competence (CoPC) to provide companies with globally recognised certification that a person has the knowledge and skills necessary to implement international standards relating to equipment, services and personnel operating in potentially explosive atmospheres.
The IECEx CoPC initiative introduces an internationally accepted scheme to certify competence of personnel working in potentially explosive atmospheres. Candidates are required to complete a rigorous application process, where work experience is assessed to demonstrate practical application of IEC standards in hazardous area applications, as well as complete knowledge examinations and practical demonstration of skills. The scheme comprises ten units of competence to meet the varied needs of different functions in this highly specialised area. The units are shown in the table (left).
Sira Consulting has launched a suite of training courses tailored to meet the learning objectives of the IECEx CoPC scheme, practical skills and best practice necessary for people working in or associated with hazardous areas.
Ex001: Apply basic principles of protection in explosive atmospheres
Ex002: Perform classification of hazardous areas
Ex003: Install explosion protected equipment and wiring systems
Ex004: Maintain equipment in explosive atmospheres
Ex005: Overhaul and repair of explosion protected equipment
Ex006: Test electrical installations in or associated with explosive atmospheres
Ex007: Perform visual and close inspection of electrical installations in or associated with explosive atmospheres
Ex008: Perform detailed inspection of electrical installations in or associated with explosive atmospheres
Ex009: Design electrical installations in or associated with explosive atmospheres
Ex010: Perform audit inspection of electrical installations in or associated with explosive atmospheres
Sira Certification Service
T: 01244 670 900
