This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to apply explosion-protection aspects in designing electrical power, control and instrumentation systems and installations for hazardous areas.

It includes: understanding of the explosion-protection required for electrical installation for hazardous areas; determining the scope of the required electrical installation from hazardous area classification drawings, process specifications and plant design; documenting detailed specifications of compliant explosion-protected equipment and wiring systems, equipment locations, cable routes; and obtaining and interpreting the standards to which the installations need to comply.

This unit applies to electrical, instrumentation and control engineering design job functions.

Site-specific work permits may be required to work in the hazardous environment. In addition, other permits may be required, such as confined space and to operate specific pieces of equipment such as elevated work platforms in various jurisdictions.

Additional and/or other conditions may apply in some jurisdictions subject to regulations related to electrical work. Practice in the workplace and during training is also subject to work health and safety (WHS)/occupational health and safety (OHS) regulations.

This unit of competency and associated assessment requirements is adopted from clause 2.13 of AS/NZS 4761.1:2018 Competencies for working with electrical equipment for hazardous areas (EEHA). There may be differences between the content of this unit and AS/NZS 4761.1:2018, so the Standard must be checked to ensure compliance with it. Clause 2.13 of AS/NZS 4761.1:2018 also includes the following precondition for assessment:

• “A candidate seeking assessment in this unit shall have been deemed competent to design general electrical and control systems and installations at AQF level 6 or NZQF level 7 or equivalent.”