First UK Company specialising in Flammable Hazardous Areas to obtain IECEx Certificate of Personnel Competence for all key staff
13 January 2012
Technical Services Ltd is a company which was founded in August 1990 to provide Flammable Hazardous Area Safety Support to companies which require a specialist level of engineering assistance in Flammable Hazardous Areas.
Mark Bell receiving his certificate from Baseefa’s Ron Sinclair
The directors Adrian Hughes and Mark Bell are the first UK consultants to be granted an international IECEx CoPC in the (3) main specialist areas:
Ex 001 Basic Principles based on the various parts of IEC 60079 series
Ex 002 Hazardous Area Classification IEC 60079-10-1/2
Ex 009 Design of Electrical Installations based on IEC 60079-14
Wide Ex area of experience
To obtain IECEx CoPC, Adrian and Mark, have both worked in the Ex field since the company began in 1990 and they have had to undergo a series of knowledge tests and an assessment of qualifications and experience by BASEEFA. The IECEx Personnel Competence Scheme uses several criteria to establish a person’s level of competence when working in the Ex industries and that persons under assessment must be able to perform a number of tasks safely in or near explosive areas.
apply basic principles of protection
perform classification of hazardous areas
design electrical installations
install explosion-protected equipment and wiring systems
perform audit inspection of electrical installations
Good working practice is essential for Safety in Ex areas
Adrian and Mark have now passed all assessments and tests essential to be able to demonstrate competency in the Flammable Hazardous Area of the Process and Storage industry. They also consider that their engineering abilities, as recognised in the competency certificate, are essential to demonstrate a clearly high level of competence to enable them to meet their clients’ needs.
Asked what their motivation was in seeking the IECEx certification, Adrian and Mark confirmed that: “Being able to prove you can work safely in accordance with good safe working practices (IEC Standards)”in Flammable Hazardous Areas is essential to demonstrate to the clients that we are able to prove our competency in this particular area of the Industry. When the area is not classified correctly, equipment is not installed correctly or strictly maintained in accordance to the Ex standards, the outcome can be devastating and very costly to the client. What may be tolerable in non-explosive atmospheres can directly lead to an explosion/fire that not only destroys property but cost human lives or can cause severe injuries? One always assumes that danger lurks only in obvious places, such as the chemical, mining and oil and gas industries. But this assumption is incorrect. Industries with some of the highest flammable Dust explosive risks include sugar refineries, grain handling and storage silos or wood and metal saw mills.
IECEx Assessors (BASEEFA)
In summer 2010, Baseefa became the first provider in the world with permission to certify all 10 Units of Competence under the new IECEx CoPC scheme. (For further information go to)
http://iecex.iec.ch/iecex/iecexcertpersons.nsf
“As the first IECEx CB approved to provide Certificates of Personnel Competence in all 10 units, they can offer a complete one-stop shop for the certification of personnel competence for owners, plant operators and individuals – a service which cannot be matched by any other UK organisation,” said Ron Sinclair BASEEFA. For further information go to www.competency.baseefa.com
A passport to the world
The international IECEx certificate is personal, non-transferrable and valid across international borders. Along with the certificate, IECEx also provides a wallet-sized identification card with photo for instant proof of certification. The IECEx CoPC gives independent proof that the person has demonstrated competence, has the required qualifications and experience to carry out Hazardous Area Classification assessments, inspect Hazardous Area installations and assess electrical equipment located in hazardous areas.
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