HazardEx - Standards

Some thoughts on IEC 60079-28 (prevention of ignition from optical radiation) 14 January 2019

After the September IECEx meetings in France, October saw us arrive in Busan, South Korea, for the General Meeting of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Technical Committee TC31 is one of the bigger IEC committees and we held meetings on 11 days over the two week period. ...

IECEx Certification Program of service facilities gets up to speed 15 December 2018

Compared with the success of the IECEx Certified Equipment Program and the Personal Competency Certification program, the IECEx Service Facility Certification (SFC) has seen modest development over the last few years. That situation is now changing! ...

On the French Riviera 25 October 2018

IECEx met at Mandelieu, just outside Cannes, in September, for the annual meetings of ExTAG and ExMC. I will restrict my notes to the ExTAG meeting, where the various Certification Bodies and Testing Laboratories in the system get together to agree technical policy....

The Proficiency Test Program for ExTLs - a key trust-builder within the IECEx system 28 September 2018

One of the most frequently asked question at IECEx conferences and similar events is for the difference between ATEX and IECEx. No worries – I don`t want to give a lecture about this topic now. It is not so obviously but there are many differences. For interested readers I can recommend the IECEx 01A – Guide: “An Informative Guide comparing various elements of both IECEx and ATEX” which can be downloaded from the IECEx website under Publications....

Ex Assemblies 23 August 2018

For ATEX, we have had guidance on how to handle documentation for assemblies for many years. The latest incarnation of that guidance can be found in the “ATEX 2014/34/EU” Guidelines document at section 44. This confirms that assemblies “placed on the market as a combined unit” are to be treated as if each assembly is a new equipment. ...

Electrical and non-electrical equipment 02 August 2018

Last week I attended an international conference in Barcelona. The event was about safety solutions and, among other topics, it also dealt with hazardous areas. For me, as the IECEx Chair, there were many interesting conversations with end users, solution providers and certification bodies. It was very positive to see that the international acceptance and reputation of our system is continuously growing. ...

EN vs IEC – A conflict in the making? 10 July 2018

Being active in both the European and the International standards making forums, I have recently started to wonder if there is a conflict created by “going global”. I have always been a supporter of the “One World – One Standard” philosophy; as an aid to trade and world prosperity, and as means of making safe equipment and safe practices universally accessible....

Spring in Split, summer in Jakarta 06 June 2018

After a long hard winter, Europeans are welcoming the spring and a perfect location to be at this time is definitely Croatia! The organisers of the 2018 spring meeting of IEC Committee TC31 came to the same conclusion and our colleagues from that country have been so kind to organise a two week series of meetings for the different Maintenance Teams, Working Groups and Sub Committees in the beautiful city of Split. ...

The Role of IECEx ExTAG Decision Sheets 10 May 2018

In my previous article (Hazardex March 2018) I highlighted the role of European Notified Bodies in providing common interpretations of procedures relating to ATEX certification by issuing “Clarification Sheets”. I also alluded to the IECEx having a similar system of issuing “Decision Sheets”. ...

The IECEx Recognized Training Provider Program 10 April 2018

As regards the industrial internet of things and Industry 4.0, concerns have been raised about the impact of these new technologies on the situation of the working population. What will happen if intelligent machines replace their human counterparts by carrying out work at less cost and more reliably? The only reasonable answer I have found to this question is to continuously improve the competence levels of the workforce. ...