This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to determine the explosion-protection requirements to meet a specified classified hazardous area. It includes determining the type of explosion-protected equipment for a given explosive atmosphere. It also includes reading and interpreting the explosion-protection fundamentals in explosive atmosphere technical standards; understanding the information given in certification documents, verification dossiers and equipment marking; identifying the design features of each type of explosion-protected equipment; understanding actions and conditions that would void the explosion-protection afforded by each equipment type; and understanding where each equipment type may be used.

This unit applies to design, installation, maintenance, inspection, auditing, and repair and overhaul 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 (EWPs) 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 2.4 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 2.4 of AS/NZS 4761.1:2018 includes the following precondition for assessment:

• “A candidate seeking assessment in this unit shall have been deemed competent to install, maintain, inspect and/or engineer electrotechnology equipment and installations from AQF level 3 or NZQF level 4 or higher.”