EASA Ex Atmosphere Repair and Overhaul Training

The purpose of this Training is to ensure that all personnel repairing and overhauling Explosive Atmosphere Equipment are competent. It is a requirement for an Authorised Person to take responsibility for repair processes on Explosive Atmosphere Equipment and a requirement of Demonstrated Competencies.

EASAs Ex training includes, in addition to the requirements of IEC 60079-19, the specific requirements for maintaining the efficiency of motors during overhaul and repair detailed in the Good Practice guidance in the EASA’s rewind study on Effect of Repair/Rewinding on Motors Efficiency as is now required by IEC 60079-19

EASA in association with the recognised body sets the standards of knowledge and experience for craftsmen and authorised persons though a Technical Sub-Committee, which acts as the industry steering group.

More than 100 participants have already been trained and assessed by EASA in UK, Germany, Norway, …

EASA Ex Training Program includes the following Training:
• 1 day EASA Ex Fundamentals (Awareness) Training
• 3 day Ex Full Training
• 2 day Ex 3 years Refresher (After the Ex Full Training)

1) General Introduction:

The purpose of this Training is to ensure that all personnel repairing and overhauling Explosive Atmosphere Equipment are competent. It is a requirement for an Authorised Person to take responsibility for repair processes on Explosive Atmosphere Equipment and a requirement of Demonstrated Competencies.

How do we ensure all personnel maintaining and repairing hazardous area equipment are competent? What do we mean by competent? Competence is a mixture of skill, knowledge, attitude, training and experience there is no definitive definition of competence. ISO 17024 defines competence as “demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and/or skills, and where relevant, demonstrated personal attributes”.

Training is to the requirements of IEC 60079-19 Explosive Atmospheres Part 19 Equipment repair, overhaul and reclamation and IECEx OD 504 to a syllabus developed and owned by EASA. Training is provided by a specialist training organisation under contract to EASA.

The scheme is owned by EASA and development and maintenance of the scheme is provided by a Scheme Committee managed by EASA.

The scheme is defined in this document ‘Training and Assessment Scheme for the repair and overhaul of explosive atmosphere equipment to IEC 60079-19 for Operatives and Responsible Persons - Scheme Rules'.

Applicants for Training and Assessment are required to have had not less than three years, relevant experience (e.g. in non Ex work)

Three grades are recognised:

• Operator (overhaul and repair with supervision)
• Operator (overhaul and repair)
• Responsible Person

All applicants are assessed by EASA, normally at the training centre, through written examination and practical assessment. Candidates applying for Responsible Person certification have a more demanding experience requirements and must achieving a higher pass mark in the basic scheme examination.

2) Program Description:

The 1 day Fundamentals (Awareness) training day: available to anybody who wanted awareness training in Ex Equipment and Overhaul, this is to enable Ex Equipment Users and Commercial & Sales Management & personnel to attend. There will be no pre-requirement of experience in equipment repair.

2 day refresher course every three years: will assess knowledge and understanding, practical skills will be verified by demonstration of practical skills. The certificate will be renewed on satisfactory completion of the three-yearly Training and assessment.

The full 3 day training and assessment program will be available to personnel with experience in equipment repair, with the number attending limited to 9. Certificates of Assessed Training will be awarded by EASA for personnel who have demonstrated the skill, knowledge and understanding to the standard defined for Operatives and
Responsible Person.

3) General Scheme Details

The Scheme is applicable to operators, craftsmen, technicians, engineers and senior management. It provides the route for the formal assessment of competence and registration of personnel via the IEC Scheme for the Certification of Personal Competence. Job disciplines are defined covering the range of appropriate knowledge and skill requirements, which provide the basis for both training and assessment. These requirements are detailed in the knowledge syllabus. Industry experts have created these.

The assessment and registration is carried out by EASA European & World Chapter Ltd which has a long history of training and assessing candidates involved in the repair of equipment used in explosive atmospheres. This scheme augments the IECEx competence schemes, which assesses the competence of a wide range of Ex personal.

Assessment is by written examination of candidates’ knowledge and by practical demonstration of skills in, repair and overhaul of Ex equipment The scope of skills to
be shown on the individual certificate will comprise the following: The capability for Ex repair and overhaul at the current place of work. If a persons place of work changes certification will have to be reassessed. EASA will maintain a list of registered personnel and the scope of their registered Skills and Experience. Personnel wishing to become registered apply to EASA, details of the process being described in this document. Personnel can apply for certification and registration as Operators (Craftsmen) for Overhaul only, Operators (Craftsman) Overhaul and Repair, Responsible Person, and when applying for refresher training and reassessment.

NB 1: Ex equipment, within the EASA Assessment Scheme, includes any equipment for use in a hazardous atmosphere manufactured to a National or International Protection Concept Standard i.e. Flameproof, Ex, EEx, etc. Usually this will be high capital items like electric motors, MV transformers and switchgear.

NB 2: IEC 60079-19 refers to Operatives and Responsible Persons, however within the UK craftsmen are used to carry out work on Ex equipment and operatives are
generally associated with a lower level of competence, to be in alignment with IEC 60079-19 Competent Operatives (craftsmen) are not considered to be Ex Experts but are competent when working under the supervision of a competent Responsible Person.

NB 3: Persons working on site will need to have additional competencies with
regards to health and safety and safe working practices with potentially explosive
atmospheres.

4) Why it is so important to attend an EASA IEC Ex Repair training?

There are lots of reasons why somebody needs to attend EASA Ex Repair training:

1. As a company management objective to prevent any Ex equipment overhauled and/or repaired from causing an explosion and any subsequent financial or legal consequences and as evidence of personnel training.
2. As an employee to learn about how to repair Ex equipment and increase his/her skills which also increases his/her value as an employee
3. As a skilled employee to refresh their knowledge and demonstrate on-going competency to re-enforce their ongoing value as an employee
4. As a skilled employees wanting to take on more responsibility as a Responsible Person to increase their value as an employee
5. As a Responsible Person to refresh their knowledge and demonstrate their competency to re-enforce their ongoing value as an employee and as evidence which will have credibility if it is ever required in a law court.
6. As a user of Ex Equipment responsible for selection or control of sub-contract service facilities for Ex Equipment repair and overhaul to become competent in overhaul and repair requirements under IEC 60079-19 and to be competent to take on the User requirements of IEC 60079-19 and be able to assess service facilities
7. As an Ex expert responsible for assessing service facilities or as a regulator assessing organisations assessing service facilities who need to gain knowledge in overhaul and repair of Ex equipment to IEC 60079-19

5) What makes EASA Ex Training different from other Ex Repair Trainings?

Under Health and safety legislation all personnel doing work need to be competent or working under supervision EASA’s Ex training details the responsibilities of users, employers and employees overhauling & repairing Ex Equipment. Ex motors are the largest proportion of all Ex Equipment overhauled and repaired and any change in efficiency during overhaul and repair will affect the temperature rise of motors and could compromise the temperature classification of the motor (T1 - T6). EASA’s Ex Training, addresses this risk and prepares candidate for assessment by IECEx Certification Bodies (IECEx CB). EASA’s training includes.

1. The need to comply with IEC 60079-19 requirements under national H&S legislation is detailed together with the requirements of IEC 60079 series of standards and other relevant standards as well as details of International & National assessment of Ex equipment, service facilities and personnel competency
2. EASAs Ex training includes, in addition to the requirements of IEC 60079-19, the specific requirements for maintaining the efficiency of motors during overhaul and repair detailed in the Good Practice guidance in the EASA’s rewind study on Effect of Repair/Rewinding on Motors Efficiency as is now required by IEC 60079-19
3. The amendment of IEC 60079-19 Iss. 3 published in 2015, where copy rewinding for Ex e motors was permitted, introduced a new requirement for Service Facilities overhauling and repairing Ex motors to follow the Best Practice Guidance as detailed in the EASA/AEMT Rewind Study to prevent any significant reduction in efficiency
4. The course content has been designed to prepare applicant Ex Operators and Ex Responsible Persons for assessment by an IECEx CB assessing competency of personnel within the IECEx Certification of Personnel Competency (CoPC) Scheme
5. Assessment of knowledge of applicable standards alone is not a measure of competence. There needs to be assessment of the individual’s demonstration of that knowledge maintaining and repairing Ex equipment to the relevant IEC standards
6. EASA is of the opinion that training without assessment has no real value and will have little credibility in a law court and EASA’s pre-assessment following training is invaluable preparation for candidates before an IECEx CB assessment identifying weak areas which can be reinforced before the IECEx assessment

6) To whom this training is dedicated:

EASA’s Ex training is primarily aimed at the Ex Operatives and Ex Responsible Persons overhauling and repairing Ex Equipment

However EASA’s training has flexibility to meet the needs of other persons who need
knowledge and understanding of Ex Equipment repair these will include

1. Managers of Service Facilities who have no prior knowledge and experience in overhaul and repair of Ex equipment but need to learn more about IEC60079-19
2. Sales personnel who have to sell the Ex overhaul and repair services of service facilities to Ex equipment users
3. Purchasing specialists procuring parts and materials for Ex equipment overhaul and repair within the service facility
4. Management specialists from Ex equipment users purchasing or managing the overhaul and repair services for their Ex equipment from Service Facilities
5. Auditors of Service Facilities, whether from an Ex equipment user, or independent service facility auditing organisation, to acquire the relevant competency to audit or to maintain competency to audit overhaul and repair to IEC 60079-19

Candidates such as service facility managers, sales personnel and Ex user purchasing specialists can attend the 1st day of the full 4 day training, as an overview of the requirements of Ex Repair and the responsibilities of all parties.

Ex user specialists managing overhaul and repair can attend the first 3 days of the full 4 day training but omit the 2 days of assessment, unless they want to include
assessment, this will assist them in their day to day working relationships with their service facilities. Auditors should complete the assessment days.

Only those who have attended the full 5 day (now 4 day) training can attend the 2 day refresher training.

7) Does the trainer have the necessary experience and job competence?

EASA’s Ex training committee chairman and now trainer John Allen, after graduating from UMIST with a BSC in Electrical Engineering & Electronics, started his working life in 1970 as an electrical design engineer later Chief Engineer for a rotating machine manufacturer, these were predominantly for industrial applications but some for GROUP II applications.

From 1988 – 2014 he had been in service facility management repairing Ex equipment from Group I – III. Now he is working as an independent engineer.

From 1995 he was a service facility representative on the EECS Scheme Advisory Board for assessment of service facilities and is currently EASA representative on SGS BASEEFA’s Advisory Board. He was an expert on the BSI MRE/3/2 committee for the production of BS 7924 for Group I repair and as a UK expert on IEC TC31. Maintenance Team for Issue 2 & 3 of IEC 60079-19. He was convenor of IEC TC31 MT80079-19 and prepared Amendment 1 to IEC 60079-19 Iss. 3 and currently is an expert on that committee preparing issue 4.

Since 2003 he has been EASA’s representative at IECEx and was on IECEx WG10 committee for Ex Service Facility Scheme since 2004 and has been chairman of the
IECEx Scheme for competency of persons.

8) Is EASA Training more difficult?

EASA’s training is no more difficult than any other equivalent training but it does include practice in demonstration of skills, however it’s assessment of knowledge and skills is definitely more comprehensive than other training assessment. The training and assessment is the same for Operatives and Responsible Persons however the assessment criteria are different for the Responsible Persons. EASA’s assessment is an indication of the level of competency the candidates are ready to be assessed for. This assessment is very necessary preparation for assessment of competence by an IECEx CB.

9) Disclaimer:

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy EASA does not and cannot guarantee how its material/documentation is used and therefore expressly disclaims any liability or responsibility for damage or loss resulting from its use.

10) You want to know more:

Please contact EASA European & World Chapter: fbeghain@easa9.org

And don’t forget to look also on other important EASA Trainings, like Motor Root Cause Failure Analysis, Fundamentals of Pump Repair, Fundamentals of
DC Operations and Repair Tips, … : easa.com/education/private/seminars and next training to come in our region: https://easa9.org/training