FEATURE HAZARDOUS AREAS


UKAS ACCREDITED EX ‘INSPECTION BODY’


ExVeritas has become the world’s first fully UKAS Accredited Inspection Body for all types of electrical and mechanical Ex inspections


E


xVeritas has achieved UKAS accreditation against the requirements of ISO/IEC


17020:2012 as a Type A inspection body in the field of Ex Inspections, as identified in International, European and UK legislation. This accreditation ensures that Ex inspections undertaken by ExVeritas, as part of the Explosion Protection Document (EPD) requirements of ATEX “User” Directive 1999/92/EC (DSEAR in the UK), satisfies the stated competence requirements of the Directive. The company issues fully UKAS accredited


internationally recognised certificates for hazardous area Ex Electrical Inspection, Ex Non- Electrical Inspection and Ex Repair Verification. Paul Hague, site operations manager,


comments: “Companies cannot afford to take chances with explosion safety, more than ever we are seeing enforcement and claims for non- compliant inspections with entire inspection teams being replaced on sites for not being competent. This is a perfect example of where companies should always be using a recognised accredited organisation for Inspection work as it would be extremely difficult to justify using an unaccredited body for such safety critical work.’’ Peter Roberts, site services manager of ExVeritas,


also comments: “Personnel core competence verification schemes only partially address the requirements for undertaking Ex Inspections, it may validate core competency skills, but would not for example determine if the ‘team’ had suitable experience, technical support, impartiality or recording and analysis methods’’. The safest and most compliant way to


determine if an ‘Inspection Company’ has the people, tools and relevant expertise necessary is


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to verify that they have an accredited scope as an ‘inspection body’ in the same way you would require an ISO9001 scope to be accredited by a suitable registrar. UKAS is the national accreditation body


responsible for determining the technical competence and integrity of organisations and their compliance as an Inspection Body to ISO17020. UKAS assesses and accredits the competence of inspection bodies to operate in specified fields and perform various types of inspections. This ensures that the required standards are maintained. ExVeritas has more internationally recognised


accreditation in the field of ‘Explosive Atmosphere Safety’ than any other company worldwide, it is an ATEX Notified Body, IECEx Certification Body, CompEx Certification Provider and holds UKAS Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025, ISO/IEC 17065, ISO/IEC 17021:2005 and ISO/IEC 17020:2012. UKAS ‘Type A’ accreditation provides evidence


that the ‘Ex Inspection’ supplier has demonstrated their dedication to meeting the highest level of service, with the ability to deliver inspection and testing services, uninfluenced by commercial interests and/or operational influences. The standard that ExVeritas are accredited to are: BS EN 60079-14:2014 Explosive


atmospheres. Electrical installations design, selection and erection BS EN 60079-17:2014 Explosive atmospheres.


Electrical installations inspection and maintenance BS EN 60079-19:2011+A1:2015 Explosive


atmospheres. Equipment repair, overhaul and reclamation The company is accredited to conduct and issue UKAS Certificates for Initial, Periodic Inspections of


types Detailed, Close and Visual. ExVeritas is also accredited to verify repairs to BS EN 60079-19. For International Customers the UKAS Certication


is internationally recognised (ILAC) and our accreditation covers: IEC 60079-14:2013 Explosive atmospheres –


Part 14: Electrical installations design, selection and erection IEC 60079-17:2013 Explosive atmospheres –


Part 17: Electrical installations inspection and maintenance IEC 60079-19:2010+AMD1:2015 CSV Explosive


atmospheres – Part 19: Equipment repair, overhaul and reclamation Assessment of the competence of an inspection


body is carried out using document reviews, visits to the inspection body’s central administrative office/other relevant locations and on-site assessment of inspections. The purpose of the assessment is to determine whether an inspection body complies with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17020:2012 and Guidance documents such as RG101 (Ex Inspection). UKAS uses technical assessors with the relevant knowledge and experience to assess the competence of the inspection body to perform the inspections for which accreditation is sought. Following accreditation, UKAS will check for continued compliance with UKAS requirements by carrying out surveillance visits to inspection bodies ensuring the high standards are maintained and monitored.


ExVeritas www.exveritas.com


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