GUIDELINES FOR IDENTIFYING HAZARDOUS AREAS

Check Lists for Typical Hazardous Areas

The following is a list of some of the typical Hazardous areas and some unsuspecting hazardous areas.  The list is not exhaustive.  Other areas that are suspected of giving rise to flammable gases, vapours, liquids or combustible dusts need to be assessed.

– Flammable liquid cabinets (normally do need appropriate signage and exclusion markings but not a Verification Dossier if there is no electrical installation in the associated Hazardous Area). – Explosives Areas. – Vehicle workshops. – Vehicle parking and standing areas (mainly underground or otherwise enclosed such that ventilation is restricted). – Fuel dispensing stations. – Fuel storage tanks and ventilation pipes from storage tanks. – Pollution control equipment. – vessel ullage area- Waste collection storage vessels, drains, sumps or pits. – Aircraft hangars and refuelling areas. – Above ground fuel storage tanks. – Underground fuel storage tanks. – Packaged fuel storage. – Fuel loading. – Waste liquids collection and drainage. – Gas equipment. – Fume cupboards and laboratories. – Flammable medical agents. – Anaesthetising areas. – Sewage treatment. – Surface coatings and adhesives. – Finishing processes (paint and lacquer). – Vessels containing flammable liquid. – Degreasing, cleaning processes. – Ammonia systems. – Refineries. – Grain silos, dust hoppers, bag emptying station, cyclone and filter as part of a suction extraction system. -LPG vessels, -LNG vessels- aerosol manufacturing- sugar mills- distilleries – organic waste depots.

What is Electrical equipment for hazardous areas (EEHA) maintenance ?

Common environments that require hazardous area electrical maintenance are ones where potentially explosive atmospheres may be present in the form of gases, vapours or combustible dusts. In this case, all electrical installations and maintenance work needs to be carried out in accordance with some additional technical standards other than AS3000.

This supplements the requirements for normal electrical work and ensures that the work is fit for purpose and safe.

These areas include, but not limited to:

Ex d equipment maintenance, such as flame path lubrication, checking that all bolts are the same.

Periodic static earth testing of all static control and equipotential bonding equipment, making sure there is a high integrity earthing system with low resistive connections.

Replace failed or unsafe electrical parts as per the equipment certification

Ex rated Lighting maintenance

Ventilation power and control systems forming part of an Ex v installation

Hazardous Area Verification Dossiers updates and amendments

Intrinsically safe circuit and apparatus auditing

Hazardous Area Electrical installation auditing

Electrical Installations in hazardous areas in Australia are controlled and legislated under the various state electricity acts as part of legislation controlling the installation of electrical equipment. The main technical reference for electrical installation in Australia is the Australian and New Zealand standard AS/NZS3000, commonly known as ‘the wiring rules’, which encompasses the hazardous area electrical installation requirements for explosive environments. Some electricity suppliers will not connect mains power to the site if there is no current, complete Hazardous Area Verification Dossier available.

Ex Certification, Which one?

The approvals that require the most work but gives a manufacturer the most global coverage are

UL or FM: United States National Electric Code Also accepted in some countries in the Middle East

CSA: Canadian Electric Code

ATEX: International Electric Code within the European Union

IECEx: International Electric Code outside of the European Union. Accepted by Multiple Countries outside of the European Union such as Australia and some countries in the Middle East.

The answer is, IECEx. Besides AUSEx and ANZEx, IECEx is now regarded the most common acceptable type of certification for Ex rated electrical equipment for use in Australia.

Australian permitted certification types are AUSEx which has now been superseded by ANZEx based on, and in many cases identical to the IECEx standards.  IECEx is a legally accepted form of compliance in Australia. ATEX (European), USNEC certification and other foreign certification types, unless also tested to IECEx, is NOT permitted for use in Australia without professional conformity assessment, commonly referred to as a ‘CAD’. If you are considering importing machinery and equipment from overseas for your business, it is highly recommended that you consult BSE Australia in order to prevent any unforeseen costs that could be associated with noncompliance and, safety issues. BSE Australia (Ex division Sydney) have helped many clients over the years when it comes to full compliance and have saved our clients thousands of dollars for mistakes that could have been made if not for the services of BSE Australia.

By identifying the areas susceptible to fire or explosion, hazardous area classification (HAC) assists industries in reducing their chances of experiencing an incident resulting in damage to property and potential injury or loss of life. Originally HAC was used to enable process companies to make the correct choice of electrical equipment to prevent electrical ignition of flammable atmospheres.

Now HAC is being applied in wider risk assessment work and to counter a range of ignition sources, such as electrostatic sparks, and flammable substances, such as solvent vapors, gases or mists and dust clouds. For this reason, HAC is needed not only in chemical plants but in a variety of other industries from food processors to power generation. Both AS3000 and AS60079 reference HAC in their safety regulations, as do the ATEX/DSEAR directives in Europe.

Conducting a hazardous area classification can be challenging, as it requires a thorough understanding of the processes used and the equipment associated with them.

We are experts in both the terms of reference for HAC and your obligations and responsibilities under new and existing regulations, identifying those areas in a plant where flammable atmospheres can be found and their frequency. With an international orientation and disciplined approach, we are uniquely suited to provide HAC support and our experts have the know-how and experience to guide you through the complexities of the classification process.

The most effective way to establish the status of any equipment (electrical and non electrical) within hazardous areas is to carry out inspections for electrical assets in accordance with AS/NZS 60079.17:2017 Explosive atmospheres Electrical installations inspection and maintenance. BSE Australia (Ex division Sydney) can provide these inspection services using our team of competent personnel working with hand held terminals. This experienced team can even carry out ‘hands on’ rectification of non-conformance issues as inspections take place, to ensure a cost effective and efficient inspection & maintenance regime is conducted. Although AS/NZS 60079.17:2017 suggests periods in which the cycle of inspection should be carried out, there are no two plants the same and these periods should be site specific and based on the outcome of a Risk Assessment which must be justified and recorded.

A Hazardous area verification dossier is a set of living documents showing the compliance of electrical equipment and installations. It is necessary to ensure that any installation complies with the appropriate certificates as well as with AS/NZS 60079 series of standards and any other requirements specific to the plant on which the installation takes place. To achieve this result, it is a legal requirement that a verification dossier be prepared for every installation and shall be either kept on the premises or stored in another location. In the latter case, a document shall be left on the premises indicating who the owner or owners are and where that information is kept, so that when required, copies may be obtained. In order to correctly install or extend an existing installation, Certain technical information and special conditions can be found in the verification dossier, such as, Electrical drawings, Electrical loop diagrams, intrinsically safe system concepts and calculations, P&ID’s, classification documents Ect.

AS/NZS 3000: Cl, 7.7.2.4.2 Refers to competency requirements in AS/NZS 60079.14. The relevant clause in that standard is 4.4, reproduced below:

AS/NZS 60079.14 – 4.4 The design of the installation, the selection of equipment and the erection covered by this standard shall be carried out only by persons whose training has included instruction on the various types of protection and installation practices, relevant rules and regulations and on the general principles of area classification. The competency of the person shall be relevant to the type of work to be undertaken. Appropriate continuing education or training shall be undertaken by the personnel on a regular basis. Competency may be demonstrated in accordance with AS/NZS 4761, Competencies for working with electrical equipment for hazardous areas (EEHA), or equivalent training and assessment framework.

Without exception, persons who intend to work with EEHA are to be appropriately competent to a level that is relevant to the particular works that are being undertaken – regardless of its position in the project cycle. In essence, whether a person is involved in the design, installation or maintenance stage, they must be able to demonstrate competency to ensure utmost safety measures are ensured. It is also important to note that as standards and regulations change and the various technologies involved advance, it is expected that persons continue to educate themselves to maintain their competency levels.

At BSE Australia, we have an ongoing commitment to the development and up-skilling of our employees. Our commitment to developing our workforce offers a variety of learning opportunities, and we are dedicated to keeping our workforce above and beyond industry standards. As a result of a Sydney based hazardous area electrical engineering high performance company, we place significant emphasis on specialised training and ongoing learning and development in the workplace.

• Appraising new or existing buildings and developing an estimate as to the cost of installing or upgrading the current electrical system.
• Researching and communicating with local utilities companies, policy makers and building/electrical inspectors regarding changes to the  electrical code.
• Submitting bids or offers to complete projects. Staying in touch with various contractors and company’s on major projects.
• Obtaining permits, scheduling work and establishing timelines for completion of projects.
• Troubleshooting problems with upgrades or installation if required.
• Consultation on new and improved eco technologies for energy efficiency
• Design and full drafting of electrical services

Professional Commercial Electricians in Sydney

Do you need a professional commercial electrician in Sydney to carry our services at your premises?

Here at BSE Australia we have a team of fully qualified and certified electrical contractors who can offer a full range of services.

Whether you are looking to get a commercial grade emergency break down service installed in your office building, or you are looking to have powerful lights repaired in your car park – our Sydney based commercial electricians can complete the job.

Employing an expert commercial electrician is crucial for ensuring both the safety of other people and your property. Electrical installation, maintenance and repairs are dangerous and if not properly carried out can create faults and cause major issues in the future. All our staff are aware of and understand the local, state and national regulations around commercial Sydney electrical services and always strictly adhere to them.

Our services include but are not limited to

• Car park and street lighting
• Computer and data cabling
• Emergency breakdown service
• Electrical testing and tagging
• Emergency and exit lighting
• Energy conservation systems
• Fluorescent lighting
• General power
• Installation, maintenance and repairs
• Intercoms
• Office, display and architectural lighting
• Office and shop fit-outs
• Power protection
• Switchboards
• Security systems
• Security lighting
• Security access control
• Telephone cabling and repairs

If you would like to discuss your particular requirements, or you would like to request a quote – please call today on 02 9606 5206.

One of our friendly staff will be more than happy to help you out.