<\/p>\n
IECEx - CERTIFICATION AND QUALIFICATIONS OF PERSONNEL (CoPC and ISO IEC 17024) Emre Metin - Electrical Engineer emre.metin@emo.org.tr \u2022 Woodworking areas. \u2022 Sugar refineries. \u2022 Metal surface grinding, especially aluminum powders and particles. IECEx International Certification System The IECEx system includes: \u2022 IECEx Approved Equipment Scheme. \u2022 IECEx Certified Service Programme. \u2022 IECEx Conformity Mark Licensing System. \u2022 IECEx Certification of Personnel Qualifications (CoPC). The IECEx system is based on the use of international standards such as IEC standards. These standards are divided according to the areas related to the use of equipment called \u201cEx equipment\u201d and areas where there is a potential for fire or explosion. As of the date of writing, the current IECEx standards can be accessed at www.iecex.com\/standards.htm. The Need for Certification: The need for technical knowledge in explosive environments is increasing due to industrialization and technological advancements. Rising costs in oil and gas exploration are making new resources and extraction methods increasingly complex. While the extraction and processing of products must comply with standards, safety is paramount. Preventing harm to personnel working in these areas, minimizing damage to facilities, and ensuring the evacuation of people from the environment are primary objectives. IECEx certification of personnel qualifications offers the first internationally valid conformity assessment scheme. Personnel qualifications cover the design, selection, installation, maintenance, inspection, auditing, revision, and repair of Ex equipment. IECEx certification demonstrates that the certificate holder is competent in the following areas: \u2022 Working safely in Ex areas. \u2022 Performing work on Ex equipment. \u2022 Ensuring that Ex equipment operates in a manner consistent with its protection. Currently, there are two international certification schemes for areas with explosion hazards. The first is the ATEX directives, which are approved and accepted throughout Europe, and the second is the more internationally recognized IECEx standards, which include product, service, and personnel certification. In the long term, it is anticipated that organizations will switch to IECEx standards to reduce their certification costs and to be able to market their products outside of countries where European Union (EU) standards are applied. This will allow for the centralized tracking of products and the certification of the qualifications of personnel in product\/service providers. Many Turkish-language resources exist regarding ATEX. In addition to the articles published in this journal, there is also a comprehensive book published by EMO.<sup>1<\/sup> However, confusion may arise regarding IECEx due to demands from the industry, imported products, demands from international certification bodies, and standard transitions. The Goal of the IECEx System: The goals of the IECEx system, implemented to facilitate international trade in equipment and services for use in explosive environments while maintaining the necessary safety level, can be listed as follows: \u2022 To reduce the manufacturer's testing and certification costs. \u2022 To reduce the time to market for the product. \u2022 To establish international trust in the product evaluation process. \u2022 To create an international database list for products. \u2022 To provide international assurance for equipment and services covered by IECEx certification. What is an Ex Zone? Explosive zones are areas where flammable liquids, vapors, gases, or combustible dusts that could cause a fire or explosion may be present. These areas are also known by various names such as "Hazardous Places," "Hazardous Areas," and "Explosive Atmospheres." Where is Explosive Equipment Found? \u2022 Automobile refueling stations or gas stations. \u2022 Oil refineries, rigs, and processing plants. \u2022 Chemical processing plants. \u2022 Printing industry, paper and textiles. \u2022 Hospital operating rooms. \u2022 Aircraft refueling and hangars. \u2022 Surface coating industries. \u2022 Underground coal mines. \u2022 Sewage treatment plants. \u2022 Gas pipelines and distribution centers. \u2022 Grain transportation and storage. 1 M. Kemal Sar\u0131, Exproof - Information on Explosive Atmospheres and Electrical Devices Used in Explosive Atmospheres 78 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING October 2017 \u2022 Issue-462 file Competency CoPC or Ex Facility Orientation Certificate (EFOC) certification requires a full assessment of a person's abilities. This can be done through training, a written exam, or a practical exam. The person's academic and work history, as well as their training records, can be determined as pre-certification criteria. This competency scheme applies the requirements of the ISO IEC 17024 Personnel Certification standards. As required by the standard, whether individuals maintain their competencies for a certain period \u2013 usually 5 years \u2013 is checked through established procedures. Competency Units Competency units have been determined for the individuals to be certified. It is important to note on the documents that individuals have been given a CoPC or EFOC according to ISO\/IEC standards. Individuals may also be evaluated according to other relevant standards. For example, the qualification units such as the IEC 60079 Standard (Electrical Equipment Used in Explosive Gas Atmospheres) currently include the following: Unit Ex 000: Basic information and awareness for entering a site classified as a hazardous area. Unit Ex 001: Basic protection principles in explosive atmospheres. Unit Ex 002: Classification of hazardous areas. Unit Ex 003: Installation of explosion-proof equipment and cabling. Unit Ex 004: Possession of equipment in an explosive atmosphere. Unit Ex 005: Revision and repair of explosion-proof equipment. Unit Ex 006: Testing of electrical installations in or associated with explosive atmospheres. Unit Ex 007: Visual and physical inspection of electrical installations associated with explosive atmospheres. Unit Ex 008: Detailed inspection of electrical installations. Unit Ex 009: Design of electrical installations in or associated with explosive atmospheres. Unit Ex 010: Inspection of electrical installations in explosive atmospheres. The IEC 60079-44 Explosive Atmospheres-Part 44-Personal Competence Standard is expected to be published in March 2020. Therefore, it is understood that EMO has a 3-year period to conduct training and to be able to carry out certification in accordance with the IEC 17024 Standard. To prevent individuals in our country from having to rely on the high-cost certification processes of international certification bodies, such a certification program needs to be implemented. Preliminary studies were conducted by EMO in March 2017, and draft programs were prepared. In conclusion, considering the development of industrial facilities in our country, it is important to inform individuals who will design, install, maintain, revise, and inspect explosive atmospheres about IECEx certification. This issue is expected to be discussed at the 4th ATEX Symposium to be held in Zonguldak on December 7-8, 2017. Sources: 1. Frequently Asked Questions about IECEX. 1. IEC System for Certification to Standards relating to Equipment for use in Explosive Atmospheres (IECEx System) http:\/\/www.iecex.com\/docs\/IECEx_Guide_01D_Ed1.0.pdf 2. IEC System for Certification to Standards relating to Equipment for use in Explosive Atmospheres (IECEx System) http:\/\/www.iecex.com\/docs\/IECEx_05A_Ed2.1.pdf 3. M\u0130SEM Unpublished Training Contents, Mustafa Kemal Sar\u0131 EXPROOF TRAINING AT EMO The training topics prepared as a draft for EMO by Mustafa Kemal Sar\u0131 are listed below: A) Hazardous area classification (IC 60079-10) B) Exproof installation design (IEC 60079-14) C) Exproof installation installation (IEC 60079-14) D) Exproof installation conformity assessment (IEC 60079-17) E) Exproof installation maintenance \/Maintenance (IEC 60079-19) F) Explosion-proof installation repair\/Overhaul Training Contents A) Hazardous Area Classification (Principles of hazardous area classification according to ATEX Regulation and IEC 60079-10 Standard): 1) ATEX regulations and the innovations they bring. 2) General information about explosive atmospheres. 3) General information about the types of protection for electrical equipment used in explosive atmospheres. 4) General information about mechanical equipment and protective systems used in explosive atmospheres. 5) Explanation of terms such as hazardous area definitions and descriptions, area categories, equipment group, and temperature class. 6) Hazardous area calculation method for gases and vapors, risk assessment and classification according to IEC 60079-10-1 Standard (discharge sources, discharge degrees). 7) Ventilation calculations, key points of ventilation and discharge amount calculations. 8) Sample solution according to IEC 60079-10-1 Standard. 9) Evaluation of dusty environments and dust samples. 10) Design of protective systems, provision of protective systems in dusty environments. 11) Information on British EI 15, American NFPA and German DGUV (BGR 104) recommendations. Australian and Italian norms and practices. 12) Article-by-article analysis and answering of ATEX 137 Regulation. 13) Reading, interpreting and evaluating Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). 79 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING October 2017 \u2022 Issue-462 B) Design of Exproof Installation and Equipment Selection (Principles of designing explosion-proof electrical and mechanical installations in accordance with ATEX regulations and IEC 60079 series standard principles): 1) General overview of ATEX regulations and the innovations brought by ATEX regulations. 2) General introduction to the types of protection for electrical equipment used in explosive environments. 3) General introduction to the types of protection for mechanical equipment used in explosive environments. 4) What is a protective system, where and how is it designed? 5) Risk analysis of materials covered by ATEX and general information about the Explosion Protection Document (EPD) prepared according to ATEX 137 Regulation on "Occupational health and safety of workers in explosive environments", what the designer needs to know. 6) Equipment selection. Categories, inter-zone connection, equipment groups, temperature groups. 7) Prohibited metals, restricted magnetic fields, and ignition sources like ultrasonic sound \u2013 what the designer needs to know. 8) General definition of static electricity and the difference between exproof (classified explosive) environments and other industrial environments. What needs to be known about static electricity in electrical installation projects. 9) What the designer needs to know about lightning protection and cathodic protection. 10) Grounding and equipotential bonding \u2013 how it differs from industrial applications. 11) Fundamentals of electrical installation design and differences from industrial types, electrical network selection: TN, TT, IT, SELV, PELV. 12) Design in dusty environments. 13) Ventilation projects for explosive environments. 14) Cables. Selection of cables used in explosive environments. 15) Cable or conduit system? What the designer needs to know about conduit systems. 16) Selection of cable glands, splice boxes, and terminals. 17) Design of intrinsically safe (IHS) circuits. 18) Selection of explosive\/explosive equipment and cables. 19) Separation of explosive\/explosive equipment and normal network. 20) Grounding equipotential bonding in explosive\/explosive equipment installations. 21) Labeling and label reading of explosion-proof equipment used in explosive environments. 22) Examples of showing cross-sectional views from the area map in assembly detail drawings in the project. C) Explosion-Proof Installation (Electrical and mechanical installation in accordance with ATEX regulations and IEC 60079-14 Standard): 1) Overview of ATEX regulations and the innovations brought by ATEX regulations. 2) General introduction to the types of protection for electrical equipment used in explosive environments. 3) General introduction to the types of protection for mechanical equipment used in explosive environments. 4) Equipment selection. Categories, inter-zone connection, equipment groups, temperature groups. 5) What the installer needs to know about prohibited metals, restricted magnetic fields, ultrasonic sound, sunlight, ignition sources such as mobile phones. 6) Lightning protection, cathodic protection, and static electricity: What the installer needs to know. 7) Grounding and equipotential bonding applications. 8) Cable or conduit? Characteristics of cables and conduits used in explosive environments. 9) Cable glands and their application, splice boxes, terminals. 10) Installing glands on armored and unarmored cables and the practical application of gland installation by participants. The importance of gland installation. 11) KE circuit connections. Light blue cable. 12) Differentiation between KE and normal network. 13) Grounding and equipotential bonding in KE installations. 14) Labels on explosion-proof equipment used in explosive environments and reading the labels. 15) Circuit breakers and neutral disconnection requirements, protective devices. 16) Motors with frequency converters, soft starters, and vacuum contactors. 17) Differences according to protection types. 18) Differences, separation, and differentiation between explosive atmosphere electrical networks and installations and industrial type systems. Transitions from explosive to normal environments. 19) Can industrial type tools be used in explosive atmospheres? What happens if I make the fittings myself? 20) Can I produce explosion-proof paint booths, fume hoods, fans, pumps, etc., by purchasing suitable materials from the market? D) Explosion-Proof Installation Conformity Assessment (inspection) (Inspection of electrical and mechanical installations and protective systems in explosive atmospheres according to IEC 60079-17 standard and ATEX Regulation): 1) Overview of ATEX regulations and the innovations brought by ATEX regulations. 2) General introduction to the types of protection for electrical tools used in explosive atmospheres. 3) General introduction to the types of protection for mechanical tools used in explosive atmospheres. 4) Equipment selection. Categories, inter-zone connection, tool groups, temperature groups. 5) Information the inspector needs to know about prohibited metals, magnetic fields, ultrasonic sound, sunlight, and ignition sources such as mobile phones. 6) Information the inspector needs to know about the risk analysis of materials covered by ATEX and the Explosion Protection Document (EPD) prepared according to ATEX 137 Regulation on "Occupational health and safety of workers in explosive atmospheres". 7) Label reading and identification of ATEX-compliant equipment. 8) Certificates and certificate verification. Project review. Compliance check of selections in the EPD. Compliance with the area map and selections. Methods of identifying counterfeit equipment. 9) Types of inspections (visual inspection, close inspection, detailed inspection). 10) Different inspections according to protection types. Winding temperature control of Ex-e type motors (thermistor connections). 11) KE circuit and equipment inspection. 12) Cable, gland, terminal splice inspections. 13) Inspection in dusty environments. ATEX-compliant control of protective systems. 14) Inspection tables. 80 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING 2017 October \u2022 Issue-462<\/pre>\n
\n