Many electrical professionals often work in hazardous areas, also known as Ex areas. In such environments, electrical safety is of utmost importance. Therefore, you must be certain the equipment you use is certified or approved for use in the designated area. Here’s how you can check this.
Everything you need to know is to be found on the marking plate. However, the standard of Ex marking is revised frequently, last time in 2018.
In most countries (through national regulations) and on ships which follow IMO (International Maritime Organization) and SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standards apply. The standard IEC 60079-0 is the general requirement standard for Ex equipment. EU has “harmonized” this standard, which means it has been adapted as an EN standard and been listed in the “EU - Official Journal” (OJ), as EN IEC 60079-0, some additional requirements for marking applies in EU/ EEA.
- It is legally required for suppliers in the EU/EEA to write compliance with relevant harmonized EU standards in the ATEX product directive “Directive 2014/34/EU”. This directive applies for all EU/EEA countries, in Norway implemented in Regulation FOR-2017-11-29-1849 (FUSEX), explains Sverre Isaksen, Senior Instructor in the training company Trainor.
- It is the responsibility of the supplier and the manufacturer to implement the changes, which they have 3 years to do. Many have not yet done this, which means that the last deadline is now in 2021," says Sverre.
Although the marking plate provides all the information, the marking itself can be difficult to understand. This is the basis for the new course launched by Trainor.
-Ex-marking is hugely important but can also be complicated to keep track of. We can't do anything about the markings itself, but what we can do is to improve how you learn about them," says production manager Amanda Westrum van Til about the new course. And this is really an amazing improvement.
The course is digital and can be completed anywhere, and it’s specially designed for the target group. This makes learning more efficient and engaging.
-By dramatizing and visualizing familiar work settings, and presenting familiar challenges electricians face where they work, it becomes easier to acquire knowledge. Not least to remember what you've learned," Amanda continues.
Trainor is Norway's leading provider of electrical safety training. In January alone more than 20,000 professionals took one of the company's many popular e-learning courses. And now, Trainor has launched the course on Ex equipment-marking - a topic that many find difficult, but one that is vitally important.
-This is precisely the basis for our new course. We offer a completely new experience of something that many have so far found complicated," says Amanda.
Wherever you work in the world, you'll experience different directives and standards applying. The course is therefore made in two variants - one for people working in Norway/Europe/EEA; IECEx/ATEX marking of electrical equipment, and one for people working outside Norway/Europe/EEA: IECEx marking of electrical equipment. Both variants are available in both Norwegian and English languages.
Electricians are also not the only ones who need to stay up to date in Ex-marking. "For example, there are many mechanics working with Ex equipment, and thus need knowledge of marking," says Sverre Isaksen. In a few weeks, the Ex-marking course for non-electrical equipment will be launched.
