Unit 1 – Risk Analysis in facilities containing explosive atmospheres

• Brief history;
•  Concept of hazardous areas;
• Perception of existing dangers in facilities containing explosive atmospheres;
• Importance of risk analysis to avoid accidents in facilities containing explosive atmospheres.

Unit 2 – Introduction to Safety Procedures in Hazardous Areas

• Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) procedures in facilities containing hazardous areas, including the risks of explosion;
• Knowledge of safety procedures for job permission, including typical safety procedures to enter hazardous areas;
• Knowledge of Work Permit (WP) procedures related to the performance of activities in hazardous areas;
• Knowledge of contingency and evacuation procedures in the event of emergency situations.

Unit 3 – Examples of Application of Procedures and Equipment Checklist

• Safe work procedure for carrying out activities in classified areas free of flammable gases or combustible dust;
• Examples of basic checks for portable, manual or transportable equipment, including electrical, electronic, telecommunications, mechanical and welding equipment intended to enter hazardous areas.

MODULE 2 – APPLICATION OF BASIC PROTECTION PRINCIPLES IN EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERES – EX001

Module objective: Apply the basic principles of protection in explosive atmospheres of the installation and equipment.

Unit 1 – Classification of Areas, SMS and Application of Work Permit (WP)

• Basic concepts of area classification, including Release sources, Ventilation, Zones, Groups, Temperature Classes, ignition temperature of flammable gases and combustible dust;
• Safety, occupational health and environmental procedures in industrial facilities containing hazardous areas, including the risks of explosion;
• Procedures for work permission, risk analysis and Work Permit (WP) issuance, including typical safety procedures to enter hazardous areas.

Unit 2 – Protection and Marking of Explosive Atmosphere Equipment

Basic concepts of equipment protection types for explosive atmospheres, including Ex “d” (explosion-proof), Ex “e” (increased safety), Ex “i” (intrinsic safety) and Ex “p” (pressurized enclosures), including combustion, ignition, explosion and propagation mechanisms, and basic knowledge of explosion protection: dilution, segregation, confinement, energy limitation;

• “Ex” equipment marking.

Unit 3 – Fundaments of Flammable Substances and Safety in Explosive Gas Atmospheres

• Flammable substance properties: flash point, ignition temperature, Upper Flammability Limit (UFL), Lower Flammability Limit (LFL) and ignition temperature of combustible dust;
• Flammability measurement procedures in industrial environments;
• Guidance for safe working procedure for explosive gas atmospheres.

Unit 4 – Preventive Measures in an Environment with Risk of Flammable Materials Explosion

• Preventive measures to reduce the risk of explosion of flammable materials, based on the principles of substitution/replacement, control and mitigation;
• The substitution/replacement principle, involving the exchange of a flammable material for another that is non-flammable or less flammable;
• The principle of control involving the reduction of the amount of flammables, the minimization of releases, the control of releases to avoid the formation of an explosive atmosphere, the collection and containment of emissions and avoid sources of ignition;
• The mitigation principle involving reducing the number of people exposed, providing measures to prevent the spread of an explosion, providing relief from the pressure of the explosion or providing personal protective equipment (PPE) or collective protective equipment (CPE).

Unit 5 – Work in Confined Spaces and Applicable Legislation

• Work in confined spaces containing sources of explosive materials, including regulations on safety in explosive atmospheres.