With the growing demands for competence in Hazardous Areas, this course links in with the AEMT Module 1 Theory, and Module 2 Practical courses. The course leads on to the Inspection and Maintenance of Hazardous Area Equipment, to be incorporated into the management of motors, pumps, fans, and gearboxes in hazardous areas.

The course is essential for maintenance engineers in hazardous areas or for technicians, engineers, and their supervisors and managers, who are involved in the inspection and maintenance of equipment in hazardous areas, as well as the removal and installation of equipment for repair. It is also essential for companies offering motor management schemes in hazardous areas.

The latest BS EN 60079 14: 2007, and IEC 60079 14: 2007 place similar demands for competence in the hazardous area. This course also takes one through the systems that are required to ensure that equipment is properly maintained to comply with its original certificate, and that periodic inspections ensure that the equipment is correct for the zone it is being used in, and that its safety has not been compromised.

It will go into the common causes of concern during inspection and maintenance including the effects of moisture ingress, corrosion, thick paint, labels illegible or missing, missing nuts and bolts, incorrect lids, cable glands etc.

It is a two-day course with hands on experience of the inspection and maintenance procedures for various pieces of apparatus and equipment. The current syllabus for the two day course to meet IEC60079 17 incorporates:

IEC 60079 17 General requirements:

• Documentation
• Personnel.
• Inspections.
  • Type of inspections
  • Grades of inspection
  • Regular periodic inspections.
• Supervision and Responsibilities.
• Frequency of Inspections and Documentation.
• Maintenance requirements:
  • Remedial measures and maintenance of flexible cables
  • Withdrawal from service
  • Fastenings and tools
  • Environmental conditions.
• Isolation of apparatus
  • Installations other than intrinsically safe.
  • Intrinsically safe installations
  • Earthing and equipotential bonding.
  • Conditions of use.
• Moveable apparatus and its connections.
• Apparatus circuit identification
• Cable entry devices.
• Fault loop impedance and insulation resistance
• Overloads.
• Additional Inspection requirements for Ex d, Ex e, Ex I, Ex p, Ex m, o, & q.
• Assessment.