Impact of the IECEx system on the North American hazardous locations industry

The IECEx Conformity Assessment (CA) System is operated under the direction of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). It comprises four separate schemes that provide international services to industries involved with explosive atmospheres (Ex) applications. These services include the certification of Ex equipment, the certification of Ex service facilities, and the certification of Ex personnel competencies, along with the licensing of an IECEx mark. Since starting in 1999 as an Ex equipment certification scheme, the IECEx System has doubled the number of participating countries and increased the number of approved certification bodies by an order of magnitude (with six from North America). The 2016 IEEE/PCIC conference marks 17 years since the IECEx System first commenced operation in September of 1999, and over 15 years since the USA joined IECEx as a participating country in April 2001. This paper will provide an overview of the System and its four Schemes by the Chairman of the IECEx System, along with an examination of the impact that the IECEx System has had on the North American hazardous locations industry, both locally and globally, from the perspective of a manufacturer and of a testing and certification body.