IEC Technical Specification 60079-44

IEC TS 60079-44:2023, which is a Technical Specification, is to provide guidance to establish recommended minimum criteria to determine roles, establish expectations of the necessary skills and evidence of competence to assess and manage the competence of personnel conducting work in or associated with hazardous areas. The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to establish:
• recommended minimum criteria to determine roles,
• expectations of the necessary skills, and
• evidence of competence
in order to assess and manage the competence of personnel who are conducting work in or associated with hazardous areas.
This document provides examples and recommendations of minimum levels of competence for typical roles associated with hazardous areas by addressing the knowledge, skills, or abilities that is expected of personnel. Additionally, examples of the evidence of competence expected for each role are provided.
The aim of tThis document is to assist in defining, assessing, and managing unique requirements for the competence of individuals working in or associated with installations where an explosive atmosphere could be present. Such a programme could be specific to a facility or used in conjunction with other regulatory requirements where they exist. The competencies for conducting work in a hazardous area are in addition to any competencies which may apply for the general type of work being undertaken (for example, professional credentials, electrical, non-electrical, operations, design).
This document applies to both electrical and non-electrical applications.
This document identifies the minimum level of knowledge and skills required to work in hazardous areas and the specific competence required for work associated with equipment for explosive atmospheres (commonly termed ‘Ex Equipment’) and the standards to which competence is to be assessed and attributed.
The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to establish:
• recommended minimum criteria to determine roles,
• expectations of the necessary skills, and
• evidence of competence
The principal application of this specification document is for personnel dealing with explosion-protected and associated equipment for use in explosive atmospheres, including the following work functions:
• Classification of areas;
• Producing, processing or servicing functions in a hazardous area and not directly involved in installing, maintaining or repairing explosion-protected equipment and systems;
• Designing, commissioning and maintaining explosion-protection strategies and equipment;
• Selecting, installing, testing and maintaining explosion-protected equipment and systems in hazardous areas;
• Inspecting hazardous area equipment, systems and installations;
• Overhauling, repairing and modifying explosion-protected equipment;
• Management of the Ex aspects of the facility.