The IECEx standards are dedicated to the industry fields associated with the use of equipment installed and operated in potentially hazardous areas

The explosion at the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 killed 11 workers and caused major environmental damage that required a huge clean-up operation costing billions of dollars.

This incident, together with the many that occurred all over the world over the decades, is unfortunate and the tragedy could have been avoided if the oil and gas industry had ensured that their personnel were competent and strictly adhered to safety guidelines and norms such as the IECEx standards, says Harman Alang Kasim, Head International Business, SIRIM QAS International.

The IECEx (International Electrotechnical Commission System for Certification to Standards Relating to Equipment for Use in Explosive Atmospheres) standards are dedicated to the industry fields associated with the use of equipment installed and operated in potentially hazardous areas at risk of fire or explosion. It can also be applied in non-oil and gas sectors such as timber sawmills, sewerage treatment plants and flour mills where the humidity is low and have a high possibility of electrical sparks occurring, he notes.

Determined to enhance the industry safety level, SIRIM QAS International (SIRIM QAS), Malaysia’s leading testing, inspection and certification body, is aggressively promoting the IECEx Certification of Personnel Competence (IECEx CoPC) for explosive atmospheres in the Gulf region.

SIRIM QAS was accepted as one of the Ex Certification Bodies (ExCB) in 2013 and one of the certification bodies outside Europe and North America that has been granted such a prestigious recognition by IECEx. Individuals meeting the prerequisites can apply for the certification of personnel competence for the following scopes:

• Ex 000: Basic knowledge and awareness;

• Ex 001: Apply basic principles of protection in explosive atmospheres;

• Ex 003: Install explosion-protected equipment and wiring systems;

• Ex 004: Maintain equipment in explosive atmospheres;

• Ex 005: Overhaul and repair of explosion-protected equipment;

• Ex 006: Test electrical installations in or associated with explosive atmospheres;

• Ex 007: Perform visual and close inspection of electrical installations in or associated with explosive atmospheres;

• Ex 008: Perform detailed inspection of electrical installations in or associated with explosive atmospheres;

• Ex 009: Design electrical installations in or associated with explosive atmospheres; and

• Ex 010: Perform audit inspection of electrical installations in or associated with explosive atmospheres.

SIRIM QAS was established as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Sirim Berhad in March 1997. SIRIM Berhad is a premier industrial research and technology organisation in Malaysia, wholly-owned by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated. With over forty years of experience and expertise, SIRIM Berhad is mandated as the machinery for research and technology development, and the national champion of quality.

Today, local and international customers from a wide cross-section of the economy have made Sirim QAS the preferred choice for their certification, inspection and testing needs. Companies that wish to demonstrate their compliance with internationally recognised requirements have found their ideal solution in Sirim QAS International’s certification scheme.

As a partner of the International Certification Network (IQNet), Sirim QAS’s management system certificates are widely recognised across the globe, adding value to products and services while giving businesses access to world markets. Customers can also rely on its one-stop solutions and quality services to safeguard its customers’ interests and the environment. SIRIM QAS is ready to assist any interested parties in the Gulf region through SIRIM QAS International Sdn. Bhd Foreign Branch (1022659-1) in Bahrain, he adds.