ATEX Inspections – Hazardous Area Ex Inspections

We provide ATEX Inspections on a worldwide basis to organisations, operators, manufacturers and distributors, upstream and downstream and across many industries within the oil, gas, petrochemical, chemical, offshore, power generation, steel and heavy engineering industries.

What is ATEX?

ATEX is an abbreviation for “ATmosphere EXplosible”. At the same time, ATEX is the abbreviated name of the European Directive 94/9/EC concerning the placing on the market of explosion-proof electrical and mechanical equipment, components and protective systems. It came into force on 1 July 2003, and all new equipment and protective systems have been subject to it since that date. The transitional period allowed for the conversion of existing equipment that was manufactured and put into operation prior to 1 July 2003 expired with effect from 1 July 2006. This means that such equipment must also be fully compliant with ATEX 94/9/EC from 1 July 2006 onwards.

The ATEX directive places responsibility on employers’ control or eliminate the risks arising from operations that may contain potentially explosive atmospheres and to ensure they that the employees have a safe place of work. Employers must also be able to demonstrate that they have taken a consideration of risk for the overall protection safety measures and must provide evidence for any explosion protection measure that is implemented. In order to verify compliance and the integrity of electrical explosion protection safety equipment and measures, the international standard IEC 60079-17 provides guidance in order to inspect and maintain all electrical equipment within a hazardous ATEX area.

ATEX Inspections – Our Services

We specialise in providing ATEX inspections, installation, maintenance and consultancy services and are able to offer the following services

• ATEX Inspections – Electrical and Instrumentation
• ATEX Inspections – Mechanical
• ATEX Inspections – Strategy Development and Implementation
• Verification and Compliance
• ATEX Installation
• Ex Register Development and Updates
• PDA and Software Options
• Modifications and Repair Services
• Gap Analysis
• ATEX Inspections – Trade Awareness Training
• Explosion Certified Documentation
• Equipment Manuals

Our ATEX inspections will assist your organisation demonstrate that all installed ATEX electrical and mechanical equipment is certified, has the right protection concept for the potentially explosive atmosphere and is safe to use and fit for purpose.

ATEX Inspection Documentation

• Certified ATEX Inspections Report (Visual, Close or Detailed Inspections)
• Certified ATEX Installation Certificate (For Installations by C&P Engineering Services)
• Ex Register
• Summary Report – Recommendations, Corrective Actions and Advisory Notes
• Signed Inspection Check-Sheets in line with BS EN or IEC 60079-17: 2014
• Explosion Protection Certificates/Documents
• Equipment Manuals

Call +44(0)1792 897002 or email info@nullcpengineering.co.uk for more information and technical assistance

We have been Assessed and Certified by the NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contractors) as a Hazardous Area Electrical and Instrumentation Services contractor and we have the technical capability to carry out Electrical and Instrumentation Services work in areas where potentially explosive atmospheres may be expected to occur in the form of explosive gases, vapours or combustible dusts.

Offshore Ex Inspectors and E&I Equipment Inspection

With our highly qualified and experienced teams of offshore Ex Inspectors, Project Managers,  Technicians and Electricians, C&P Engineering Services provides clients with a comprehensive range of services for the inspection and maintenance of Ex E&I equipment within hazardous areas.

Our offshore Ex inspectors, project engineers, technicians and electricians are fully CompEx certified or IECEx Certified, with considerable hands on experience on Ex equipment. We have experience in the offshore Oil & Gas industry, chemical, steel, power generation, chemical, pharmaceutical and other heavy engineering industries.

We understand that the world of potentially explosive atmospheres is becoming even more challenging and can assist you to provide assurance that you are in compliance with the requirements of IEC 60079-17 , ATEX and all relevant international standards, directives and regulations.

We have been providing the following offshore services to our clients:

•     Inspection of Existing and new ‘Ex’ equipment
•     Ex Inspection Strategy Development & Implementation
•     Compiling Ex Registers and Client Databases
•     Ensuring Verification of all Installed ‘Ex’ Equipment Databases
•     Ensuring Compliance with all Standards and Regulations
•     Gap Analysis and Reporting of Current Inspection Procedures
•     Explosion Protection Documents
•     Ex Installation & Maintenance Project management
•     Ex Remedial Repairs

C&P Engineering Services can manage, inspect, verify, install, maintain, modify and replace all Ex E&I equipment within an asset with comprehensive reports.  We area able to provide offshore Ex inspectors, technicians, project engineers and electricians for assignments and projects for both offshore rigs, platforms and FPSOs and onshore facilities all over the world. As a minimum our personnel are certified to CompEx 01 – 04, posses AME Medical Certificates, are BOSIET / HUET Certified and hold MIST certification. C&P Engineering Services is FPAL registered.

Offshore Ex Inspections

Offshore Ex Inspections & E&I Services

C&P provides Offshore Ex Inspections and assists clients to ensure that contract specifications, asset integrity, safety, international codes and regulatory compliance requirements are met through providing scheduled and un-scheduled inspection services. We are able to supply specialised Electrical and Instrumentation services to the Offshore and Onshore Oil & Gas, Renewables, Marine and Onshore Petrochemical industry sectors.

We provide hazardous area Offshore Ex inspections through our highly qualified E&I engineers, electricians and technicians who have extensive experience in the field of hazardous area Ex, ATEX, DSEAR, IEC 60079-17 & NEC compliance. All our employees are fully CompEx certified or IECEx Certified, with considerable hands on experience on E&I Ex equipment.

We have extensive E&I experience in all of the business sectors in which we operate, from full turnkey projects, project management, inspection, verification, installation, modification, repair and maintenance services.

Clients can be provided with a wide range of services delivered by an experienced and proactive team of Project Managers, Engineers, Technicians and Inspectors with many years’ experience within our industry sectors.

As a minimum our personnel are certified to CompEx 01 – 04, posses AME Medical Certificates, are BOSIET / HUET Certified and hold MIST certification. C&P Engineering Services is FPAL registered.

Offshore Ex Inspections:

•     Electrical surveys (visual, close and detailed inspection of EX Equipment)
•     Ex Hazardous Area Inspection Strategy Development & Implementation
•     Compiling Ex Registers and Client Databases
•     Ensuring Verification of all Installed ‘Ex’ Equipment Databases
•     Ensuring Compliance with all Standards and Regulations
•     Gap Analysis and Reporting of Current Ex Inspection Procedures
•     Explosion Protection Documents
•     Ex Installation & Maintenance Project Management
•     Ex Remedial Repairs
•     Solutions for PDA, Software Data Capture and Management (including RFID)

Offshore E&I Services:

•     Full E&I Installation
•     Maintenance & Support Services
•     E&I Personnel Supply
•     Process Instrument Calibration
•     Commissioning and decommissioning of all electrical appliances
•     Instruments (installation and maintenance
•     New electrical installations and upgrades together with support systems.
•     ATEX inspection
•     Electrical maintenance programmes.
•     EX audits and/or EX registers to conform with international compliance

Hazardous Area Inspection Procedure

ATEX/DSEAR Inspection Procedure:

Once the site has been classified we conduct the following ATEX / DSEAR hazardous area inspection procedure to ensure that the ‘Ex’ equipment within the hazardous zone area has been designed, constructed, installed, maintained and is operated correctly to assure the integrity of the equipment and enable its use in potentially explosive atmospheres:

• Inspect and collate a list all ‘Ex’ equipment
• Conduct a review of the maintenance records to highlight any issues
• Carry out assessments of electrical equipment with respect to its certification
• Record findings in a report and highlight any recommendations
• Implement any corrective action arising if required

C&P Engineering Services are an award winning international Electrical and Instrumentation contracting company. We offer high-quality Electrical and Instrumentation services.

Read more about our range of specialist Electrical and Instrumentation Services

Hazardous Area ATEX Inspections – ATEX 137 & DSEAR

C&P Engineering Services delivers hazardous area ATEX inspections and hazardous area maintenance services internationally for clients requiring support with their hazardous area ATEX inspections, procedures and ATEX/DSEAR compliance.

We work with companies to provide a path towards compliance with the HSE requirements, international standards and the mandatory Requirements of BS EN 60079-17/14, DSEAR (Dangerous Substances in Explosive Atmospheres Regulations), The Equipment Directive ATEX 94/9/EC and the workers Directive ATEX 99/92/EC.

Our inspectors who are highly trained in vapour, gas and dust environments and deliver comprehensive inspection schedules and reports, advising on corrective action where necessary. We also provide assistance with carrying out any necessary corrective action through our teams of engineers, electricians, pipe fitters and craftsmen.

Our ATEX Inspection Services include:

• Inspections of Existing and New ATEX equipment
• Ensuring Verification of all Installed ATEX Equipment Databases
• Ensuring Compliance with all Standards and Regulations
• Explosion Protection Documents
• ATEX Installation & Maintenance Project management
• Compiling ATEX Registers and Client Database
• ATEX Remedial Repairs
• Gap Analysis and Report of Current Ex Inspections Procedure
• Implementation of Ex Inspection Strategies

Inspections Procedure:

Once the site has been classified we conduct the following hazardous area ATEX inspections procedure to ensure that the ‘Ex’ equipment within the hazardous area zoned areas has been designed, constructed, installed and maintained and operated in such a way as to minimise the risk of an explosion:

• Carry out inspections and collate a list all ‘Ex’ equipment
• Carry out a review of the maintenance records to highlight any issues
• Conduct ignition hazard assessments of non-electrical equipment
• Carry out assessments of electrical equipment with respect to its certification
• Record the findings in a report and highlight any recommendations
• Implement any corrective action arising if required

We are also continually Assessed and Certified by the NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contractors) as having the technical capability to carry out CompEx electrical work in:
(a) Accordance with BS 7671: 2008 IEE Wiring Regulations for Electrical Installations.
(b) Areas where potentially explosive atmospheres may be expected to occur in the form of explosive gases, vapours or combustible dusts.

Customer Profile

C&P Engineering Services were asked to provide ATEX Hazardous Area Inspection Services for a client that is ranked among the top upstream engineering centres worldwide and who provide support services for all types of onshore and offshore oil and gas projects. (more…)

What do DSEAR and ATEX stand for?

DSEAR

DSEAR is an abbreviation for the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002. Dangerous substances can put peoples’ safety at risk from fire and explosion. DSEAR puts duties on employers and the self-employed to protect people from risks to their safety from fires, explosions and similar events in the workplace, this includes members of the public who may be put at risk by work activity.

ATEX

There are two EU Directives ATEX 95 (94/9/EC) and ATEX 137 (1999/92/EC) concerning, respectively, the supply and the use of equipment in potentially explosive atmospheres. The term ‘ATEX’ is an acronym, derived from the French title of the 94/9/EC Directive.

ATEX is also the name commonly given to the legal requirements for controlling explosive atmospheres and the suitability of equipment and protective systems used in them.  The user Directive, ATEX 137, is implemented by HSE under The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR). ATEX 137 concerns worker health and safety in those workplaces where potentially explosive atmospheres may be present.

Who does ATEX & DSEAR affect?

The ATEX directives and DSEAR regulations are most applicable to industries where potentially explosive atmospheres can form. These include chemical manufacturing, petrochemical industry, pharmaceutical industry, manufacture and the storage of bulk powders and flammable liquids or gas.

Mining industries that hold high risk rates in relation to danger from fire, explosive atmospheres and exothermic reactions etc will also need to comply with these directives and regulations.