First successes for IECEx service and repair

MARC (Thailand) Co. Ltd., the first IECEx
Certified Repair Workshop worldwide receives
certificate during IECEx 2008 Symposium
in Brunei.

The IEC's Scheme for certification to standards for equipment for explosive atmospheres (IECEx) has recorded a number of recent successes in its Certified Service Facility Programme for Organisations providing Repair and Overhaul Service of Ex Equipment.

Launched in 2007, the Certified Service Facility Programme has issued the first four certificates to companies in Asia and Europe:

• First IECEx Certified Repair Workshop Worldwide – MARC Thailand Co Ltd (Certificate: IECEx SIR S0001);
• First Malaysian Workshop to gain IECEx Certification – Wehaya Sdn. Bhd (Certificate: IECEx SIM S0001);
• First Workshop in the Netherlands for IECEx Certification – Vos Gérard Rotating (Certificate: IECEx KEM S0001); and
• First I.S. Workshop Worldwide to gain IECEx Certification – Fluke Nederland B.V. (Certificate: IECEx KEM S0002).

The IECEx Certified Service Facility Programme is the latest International Certification system dedicated to the highly specialized 'Ex' industries – where potentially explosive environments require more stringent equipment standards. These include the oil and gas, coal mining, and grain and dust industries. The new Programme builds on the highly successful IECEx Certification Scheme covering 'Ex' products.

The huge capital cost of Ex equipment means that, in most cases, it is much more economical to repair than replace. Of course, ensuring that any repair work does not affect the integrity of the equipment from a product conformity viewpoint is essential to the process. The environmental benefits of re-use rather than scrap and replace, are an additional bonus.

For certification bodies to issue certificates under the Certified Service Facility Programme, 'Ex' Repair and Overhaul Workshops must be successfully assessed to meet the following requirements:

• Necessary equipment for repairs and test/measuring equipment must be available;
• The company's management system and operational procedures must comply with IEC 60079-19, Explosive atmospheres - Part 19: Equipment repair, overhaul and reclamation, and IECEx requirements; and
• Sufficient skilled persons, competent to undertake this work must be on hand and pass the IECEx assessment process.

As the international Ex industries have come to recognize the IECEx Certification of Equipment as providing reliable confidence that IEC Standards are met, the industries are now seeking to build on that confidence with the new Certified Service Facility Programme filling an essential gap in the compliance chain.

The first of the firsts

The first IECEx Certified Repair Workshop worldwide was for MARC (Thailand) Co. Limited, a maintenance and electrical equipment repair centre, whose activities include electrical workshop repair, electrical engineering services, mechanical and prime mover services and coating services. Commenting on this achievement, MARC's Managing Director Wirote Wannasiwaporn told e-tech: "We are very proud of getting a certificate from Sira under IECEx Certified Service Facility Programme.  I always tell my people how important it is to meet IECEx requirements to reflect our responsibility to our customers. MARC will keep on working hard as per the IECEx requirements and maintain our technical skills and competence to comply with the IEC Standard."

The Certificate (IECEx SIR S001) was issued in November 2007 by UK-based SIRA, a leading company in the conformity assessment solutions field, specializing in explosion protection safety of equipment used in potentially explosive atmospheres. SIRA's General Manager Mike Shearman told e-tech: "This is a great achievement for SIRA and the IECEx scheme in general. It clearly demonstrates the dedication, responsiveness and competence of SIRA's employees. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate MARC (Thailand) Co. Limited on their achievement and clear commitment to high standards."

First European certificates

The certificate the facility in Thailand was followed by two European certificates issued by KEMA, a leading Dutch service company specializing in high-grade business and technical inspections and measurements, testing and certification.

Vos Gérard Rotating became the first Workshop in the Netherlands to be granted IECEx Certification for three of the group's major servicing centres for the oil and gas industries. The company's activities include repair and overhaul of pumps, seals, engines, turbines and motor controls. Gerard van Nimwegen, Manager of the Vos Gérard repair facility in Zevenhuizen, Netherlands, told e-tech: "The advantage of being a certified workshop is that we are taking a leading role regarding new developments in the field of repair and overhaul of both motors and pumps. Our clients in the chemical industry feel more and more pressure to prove that maintenance is done in a proper way. With this certificate we expect to extend our customer base in this area."

Fluke Nederland B.V. became the first Intrinsically Safe (IS) Workshop worldwide to gain IECEx certification. Fluke offers a wide range of test packages and measuring devices for services, overhaul and installation in the electrotechnical, petrochemical and process industry.  Peter de Jonge, Managing Director of the Service Department of Fluke Nederland B.V. explained the advantages of being a certified workshop: "We, as a service organization, now better know what is going on in the Ex world and we can use this knowledge for advice, repair and calibration of equipment in hazardous areas without being a danger for that area because we know how to act in a responsible way."  For de Jonge, receiving the certificate was a very positive move. He told e-tech: "We announced the issuance of the certificate internally. Within a day, we received the first new customer orders. In the meantime, the number of repairs is increased which is of course an additional advantage. All repairs in Europe are now routed through us, and this gives us again more and better information about our product performance."

First Malaysian workshop to gain IECEx 03 certificate

Wehaya Sdn Bhd, a manufacturer providing specialty valves, electrical and instrumentation products, services and technical support to the oil and gas and petrochemical industries, became Malaysia's first repair and overhaul workshop to gain IECEx certification.  The assessment was carried out by Simtars of Australia.

For more information on the full range of IECEx certification, please contact Chris Agius, the Scheme's Executive Secretary at the IEC offices in Sydney, Australia.