Gas and Vapours (Ex01 – Ex04)
Installation, inspection and maintenance of Ex electrical equipment where gas and vapours are present
The Ex01–Ex04 qualification is designed for technicians and engineers who install, inspect, and maintain Ex-certified electrical equipment in areas where explosive atmospheres may form due to gases or vapours.
By completing this course, participants will gain critical knowledge and practical skills required to work safely and competently in these hazardous environments.
Who Should Attend?
This course is intended for:
- Practicing electricians and instrumentation technicians
- Individuals involved in the installation, inspection, and maintenance of Ex equipment in dust hazard areas
- Electrical/instrument engineers with prior hands-on experience in hazardous areas
Eligibility Criteria
To enrol in this course, you should be:
- A competent, practicing electrician, instrumentation technician or similar technical role.
- An engineer with relevant field experience in hazardous area installations
Course Details
Duration:
Typically 5 days
Optional Extension:
Some international centres offer a 6-day version for candidates whose first language is not English
Learning Format
The course consists of:
- 3 days of guided learning:
- Theoretical instruction: 15–20 hours
- Practical training: 4–6 hours
- 2 days of formal assessment
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, candidates will be able to:
- Identify relevant IEC standards, directives, national regulations and guidance relating to hazardous areas involving explosive gas atmospheres.
- Identify how explosive gas atmospheres are classified, including how the properties of gases and vapours influence the zones and their extent.
- Demonstrate knowledge of non-intrinsically safe and intrinsically safe types of protection, Ex certification and marking suitable for explosive gas atmospheres, including: Ex ‘d’ equipment, Ex ‘i’ and other relevant methods.
- Perform selection and installation of non-intrinsically safe and intrinsically safe equipment in accordance with IEC standards.
- Perform inspection and maintenance of non-intrinsically safe and intrinsically safe equipment using inspection tables in accordance with IEC standards.
- Accurately interpret documentation and test values for non-intrinsically safe and intrinsically safe equipment, ensuring compliance with safety requirements throughout installation, inspection, maintenance activities, including fault reporting.
Assessment Process
Candidates are assessed through a combination of online theory and practical assessments, covering four core units.
Online Examination:
- Format: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
- Questions: 60
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Practical Assessments:
Candidates complete one practical assessment per unit:
- Ex01 Preparation and installation of Ex (non-IS) equipment: 3 hours 45 minutes
- Ex02 Inspection and maintenance of Ex (non-IS) equipment: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Ex03 Preparation and installation of Ex (IS) equipment: 3 hours
- Ex04 Inspection and maintenance of Ex (IS) equipment: 1 hour 15 minutes
Certification
Successful candidates will receive the internationally recognised CompEx Certificate in Core Competence, valid for 5 years.
This CompEx qualification is UKAS accredited.