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The IECEx system aims to facilitate international trade in equipment and services for use in explosive atmospheres while maintaining the required level of safety.
What is an Ex area?
Ex areas can be known by different names such as “Hazardous Locations”, “Hazardous Areas” “Explosive Atmospheres”, and the like and relate to areas where flammable liquids, vapours, gases or combustible dusts and fibres are likely to occur in quantities sufficient to cause a fire or explosion.
Where do you commonly find Ex equipment?
Automotive refueling stations or petrol stations
Oil refineries, rigs and processing plants
MODU (Mobile and fixed offshore drilling units) Reference IEC 61892 Series
Chemical processing plants
Renewable energy sources / fuels (Hydrogen, Ammonia etc)
Marine ships / vessels using gases or other low-flashpoint fuels (H2 (Hydrogen), LH2, LNG, LPG, NH3 (Ammonia), Methane). Reference IEC 60092 Series
Printing industries, paper and textiles
Hospital operating theatres
Aircraft refuelling and hangars
Pharmaceutical manufacturers
Underground coalmines
Sewerage treatment plants
Gas pipelines and distribution centres
Grain handling and storage
Woodworking areas
Sugar refineries
Metal surface grinding, especially aluminium dusts and particles
IECEx system
Key principles:
It is important to remember the IECEx:
- is non-profit
- is neutral and transparent
- is market driven
- does not do any conformity assessment itself (not testing, not certification, etc)
- creates an international framework in which IECEx approved commercial conformity assessment organizations - Ex certification bodies (ExCBs) operate.
- Applications for IECEx Certificates of Conformity are made directly to the IECEx Certification Bodies.
System purpose:
The IECEx system provides global consistency in certification through a unified set of standardised rules, procedures and Certificate formats adhered to by all IECEx appointed Certification Bodies (ExCBs). These IECEx bodies are responsible for conducting tests and issuing IECEx Certificates of Conformity (CoCs), Ex Test Reports (ExTRs), and Quality Assessment Reports (QARs).
The purpose of the IECEx system is to provide a framework to facilitate international trade in equipment and services related to explosive atmospheres, while maintaining the required level of safety and system integrity. The aim is to:
- reduce testing and certification costs to manufacturers
- reduce time to market
- international confidence assessment process of products, equipment, personnel, and facilities
- maintaining International Confidence in equipment, personnel, and services covered by IECEx Certification
- one international database listing for certified Ex equipment & Ex components, personnel, and facilities
About the IECEx Schemes
Certified Equipment Scheme
IECEx provides a means for manufacturers, regulators and users of equipment used in hazardous areas to address the risk of fires or explosions from flammable gases or dusts. Testing and certification of equipment, components and assemblies to international standards facilitates the sale of safer products internationally at a lower cost.
Approved Ex Test Laboratories (ExTLs), are required to participate in the IECEx Proficiency Testing Scheme (follow link to learn more about the proficiency testing scheme).
Do you want IECEx certification for equipment, components, or assemblies?
Manufacturers that are interested in obtaining certification in the IECEx certified equipment scheme should contact an approved Ex certification body (ExCB) of their choice and review requirements by reading IECEx 02A guide and instructions for applicants to obtain certification.
Certified service facility scheme
The safety of commercial facilities with hazardous locations strongly depends on the correct execution of all safety-relevant activities during the whole life cycle of the facility. Due to the trend in the industry to outsource tasks that don't belong to the core competence more and more external service providers become responsible for the safety of the facilities.
The IECEx certified service facilities scheme assesses and certifies that organizations and workshops that provide Ex equipment installation, inspection, repairs, maintenance, overhaul and reclamation services to the Ex industry work following the requirements of IEC International Standards IEC 60079-14 and IEC 60079-17 and IEC 60079-19. The system includes on-site audits of the facility ensuring processes comply with requirements, the evaluation of the technical equipment, the competence of the staff, and the quality management system of the service provider.
It helps the industry select the right partners and is an excellent tool for Service providers to present their competence.
Certification of personnel competencies (CoPC)
The safety of commercial facilities with hazardous locations depends strongly on the competence of all people dealing with safety management, planning, installation, operation; inspection, maintenance, repair, and many other activities.
The IECEx CoPC Scheme offers the evaluation and certification of competencies of individuals working within the hazardous location industry.
Based on a modular competence structure taylor-made competence profiles can be certified which perfectly fit the actual obligation and tasks of the candidates in their jobs. See list of available units.
Certificates of competence provide independent evidence of individual knowledge and skills (theoretical and practical) and support both the employers and employees in selecting the right people and getting the right jobs.
