CompEx electrical services for gas and vapour hazardous areas
CompEx Hazardous Area Electrical Services Across Scotland
Installation, inspection, maintenance, remedials and documentation support for electrical work in gas and vapour hazardous areas.
WB Electrical plans the accepted scope around the client’s hazardous-area classification, Ex information, permits, isolations and operational constraints.
- Engineers holding relevant CompEx Ex01-Ex04 certification
- Current core hazardous-area scope covers gas and vapour
- Suitable industrial and process projects supported across Scotland
Scope before site work
We confirm the location, hazard information, equipment duty, task, records and working controls before accepting the Ex electrical scope.
Ex01-Ex04
Relevant gas and vapour practitioner certification
Defined scope
Installation, inspection, maintenance and close-out
Live sites
Permits, access and shutdowns considered
Since 1989
Established Scotland-based electrical contractor
Scope and responsibilities
Start With the Hazardous Area Information for the Actual Task
A zone label alone is not enough to plan electrical work. The accepted scope needs to reflect the dangerous substance, classification, equipment duty, existing records, site controls and the exact location of the proposed task.
Electrical work WB can support
- New installations, additions and alterations in accepted gas and vapour hazardous areas
- Ex equipment installation, replacement and associated electrical connections
- Initial, periodic and targeted electrical inspection work
- Planned maintenance, fault finding and agreed reactive support
- Remedials, defect close-out and practical Ex record updates
- Electrical design input coordinated with the wider project team
Information that may need to be in place
- Current hazardous-area classification and zone drawings
- Dangerous-substance and DSEAR information relevant to the task
- Ex register, equipment schedules, certificates and previous reports
- Equipment duty, process interface and proposed design information
- Permit, isolation, gas-testing and authorised-person arrangements
- Required client templates, inspection grades and handover outputs
Important boundary: Full DSEAR risk assessments and hazardous-area classification are separate responsibilities. WB Electrical supports the electrical scope and can coordinate with the client’s competent assessor, designer or dutyholder team where further specialist input is needed.
CompEx service routes
Choose the Hazardous Area Electrical Support You Need
Start with the route closest to the immediate requirement. Where a project combines installation, inspection, maintenance and documentation, WB Electrical can review the connected electrical scope and identify the information needed before work begins.
Installations and alterations
Hazardous Area Installations
New electrical installations, additions and alterations within classified gas or vapour hazardous areas, delivered to the issued project and hazardous-area information.
- New circuits, containment and cable routes
- Ex lighting, power and control interfaces
- Initial inspection and agreed handover records
Condition and integrity
Inspection and Testing
Visual, close or detailed Ex inspection work scoped against the site information, equipment population, deterioration risks and access or isolation requirements.
- Initial and periodic inspection support
- Asset-referenced defect reporting
- Prioritised remedial recommendations
Continuing site support
Planned and Reactive Maintenance
Planned Ex maintenance, fault investigation and controlled reactive support for agreed sites, with permits, isolation and response arrangements confirmed for the client and task.
- Planned inspection and maintenance visits
- Fault finding and safe remedial work
- Records updated after agreed changes
Suitable Ex equipment
Equipment Installation and Replacement
Installation or replacement of appropriately selected Ex electrical equipment and accessories, with the equipment duty, protection concept and certification information checked for the agreed location.
- Enclosures, isolators and junction boxes
- Glands, entries, seals and terminations
- Lighting, controls and equipment connections
Planning before site work
Electrical Design Input and Consultation
Practical electrical design input for routes, equipment, isolation, access and maintainability, coordinated with the client and the competent party responsible for classification and wider DSEAR information.
- Site walkdowns and scope development
- Equipment and routing coordination
- Installation and shutdown planning
Traceable close-out
Documentation and Compliance Reporting
Inspection records, defect logs, asset references and close-out evidence organised so the completed electrical scope can support the site Ex file and future maintenance activity.
- Inspection and defect records
- Photographs and asset references
- Remedial close-out and next actions
Not sure which route fits?
Send the location, hazard information and a short description of the task. We can identify the likely route and any information that needs confirmed before quotation.
Common project routes
Move From the Immediate Need to a Controlled Close-Out
Hazardous-area electrical requirements are often connected. A new installation needs inspection and records; an inspection finding may lead to remedials; recurring defects may justify a planned maintenance programme.
01
A New Installation or Alteration
Begin with the issued hazardous-area information and the equipment or process change. The electrical scope can then move through selection, installation, inspection and handover without treating the zone as an afterthought.
02
Inspection Findings That Need Closed Out
Use the inspection report and Ex register to identify assets, confirm the defect scope, plan access or isolation, complete agreed remedials and return clear evidence of what changed.
03
An Ongoing Ex Integrity Programme
Link periodic inspection, planned maintenance, reactive issues and record updates into one manageable programme, with responsibilities and response arrangements agreed for the site.
A more useful first conversation
Send the Information You Already Have
You do not need a perfect project pack before making contact. A short summary and the available site information allow us to identify the important gaps, establish whether the requirement fits WB’s present competence scope and recommend the next practical step.
If drawings or reports contain sensitive site information, begin with a summary and ask the team for the appropriate document-transfer route.
Useful details include
- Site address, work area and nominated technical contact
- Gas, vapour or other dangerous substance involved
- Zone drawing, classification and DSEAR information if available
- Ex register, equipment details, certificates or inspection report
- A description of the installation, defect or required outcome
- Permit, access, isolation and shutdown constraints
- Programme, quotation stage and required handover format
From enquiry to handback
How Hazardous Area Electrical Work Is Controlled
The exact method depends on the task and the client’s safe system of work. This six-stage route keeps scope, competence, access, change and close-out visible throughout the job.
01
Define the Trigger and Location
Confirm the equipment, defect, proposed change or maintenance need, and identify whether the task sits inside or interfaces with a classified area.
02
Review the Available Ex Information
Check the relevant drawings, zone information, Ex register, equipment records, previous findings and the client controls that apply to the work.
03
Confirm Scope and Responsibilities
Define what WB Electrical will deliver, what information or specialist input is still required, and the inspection, certification or reporting outputs expected.
04
Plan Access, Permits and Isolation
Coordinate permits, authorised contacts, gas testing where applicable, access equipment, isolations, shutdown windows and other site-specific controls.
05
Deliver and Communicate the Work
Complete the agreed electrical task using personnel matched to its competence requirements, and raise changed conditions or significant findings before the scope moves on.
06
Inspect, Record and Hand Back
Complete the agreed checks, identify exclusions or further actions, issue the applicable records and hand the area or equipment back through the nominated site route.
Different industrial environments
Hazardous Area Electrical Support Shaped Around the Site
The industry name does not determine the scope on its own. WB Electrical reviews the actual substance, classified location, equipment, task and operational controls, then confirms whether the hazardous-area work fits the present gas and vapour competence route.
Distilleries and Breweries
Electrical installation, inspection and maintenance around gas and vapour areas, planned around production, storage, permits and shutdown opportunities.
Fuel Storage and Distribution
Support for suitable Ex electrical work around fuel transfer, storage, dispensing and associated equipment where classification, condition and documentation all matter.
Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Process Sites
Gas and vapour hazardous-area electrical support for controlled production environments, with the accepted scope matched to current personnel competence and site information.
Waste, Recycling and Other Industrial Sites
Enquiries are reviewed against the actual dangerous substance, zone and competence needed. Gas and vapour work can be considered within the present core scope; dust-specific work is not assumed.
Project evidence from an operational distillery
Long-Term Electrical Support for North British Distillery
WB Electrical has supported North British Distillery since 2016.
The wider relationship covers planned upgrades, reactive fault finding, testing and infrastructure work. Where an individual task interfaces with a gas or vapour hazardous area, the work is planned against the client’s current hazardous-area information, equipment requirements, permits and controls rather than treating the whole estate as one uniform zone.
- Work coordinated around live operations and agreed shutdown windows
- Defined scope, access, isolation and permit requirements for each task
- Testing, records and separate follow-on actions closed out clearly
Clear terms and clear responsibilities
What CompEx, DSEAR and ATEX Mean for the Project
These terms are related, but they are not interchangeable. Understanding the difference helps buyers ask for the right competence, information, equipment and records without relying on a broad compliance label.
DSEAR
DSEAR places duties on employers and the self-employed to assess and control risks from dangerous substances. This includes identifying and classifying places where explosive atmospheres may occur and controlling ignition sources.
CompEx
CompEx is a competence-validation scheme for individuals working in explosive atmospheres. The relevant unit, current certificate, occupational competence, supervision and recent experience should match the task being allocated.
ATEX, Ex and Equipment Suitability
ATEX is widely used as a search and industry term. For an actual project, the important questions are the classified location, the dangerous substance, the required protection concept and whether the equipment is correctly assessed, marked and documented for its intended use.
For general guidance, see the HSE overview of DSEAR, the HSE guidance on explosive atmospheres and equipment, and the official CompEx scheme.
Common questions
Questions About CompEx and Hazardous Area Electrical Work
These answers clarify WB Electrical’s present scope, the information that supports a useful enquiry and the boundaries between electrical delivery, individual competence and the dutyholder’s wider responsibilities.
What does WB Electrical’s current CompEx scope cover?
The present core offer covers electrical installation, inspection and maintenance work in gas and vapour hazardous areas, using engineers with relevant CompEx Ex01-Ex04 certification. Each enquiry is still checked against the task, zone information, equipment and any additional competence or supervision requirements before the work is accepted.
Is CompEx a company accreditation or a compliance certificate for the installation?
CompEx validates the competence of individuals for defined hazardous-area work. It does not by itself certify a whole company, replace the electrical installation records or prove that every site requirement has been met. WB Electrical allocates personnel and produces records according to the accepted scope.
Can WB Electrical work in combustible-dust hazardous areas?
Dust work is not presented as part of the present core Ex01-Ex04 gas and vapour scope. Send the site details and we can identify the dangerous substance and competence needed. WB Electrical will only accept the hazardous-area element where the necessary information, personnel and delivery arrangements can be confirmed.
Do you provide a full DSEAR risk assessment or hazardous-area classification?
WB Electrical supports the electrical part of hazardous-area work and can provide practical site and installation input. The employer or dutyholder remains responsible for DSEAR arrangements, and hazardous-area classification is a separate specialist activity. We normally work to the client’s current classification, drawings and Ex information, coordinating with the competent assessor or designer where required.
What information should we send with a CompEx enquiry?
Useful information includes the site and exact work location, the dangerous substance, zone drawing or classification, DSEAR information relevant to the task, Ex register, equipment details and certificates, previous inspection findings, photographs, programme, permit requirements and shutdown constraints. Send what is available; missing items can then be identified clearly.
Can you install or replace equipment described as explosion proof?
The phrase explosion proof is often used loosely. The accepted equipment must suit the classified location, substance, temperature and required protection concept, and it must be correctly installed with appropriate entries, seals, accessories and records. We review the actual Ex marking and project information rather than relying on the description alone.
Can you inspect an existing Ex installation and complete the remedials?
Yes, within the accepted gas and vapour scope. Inspection can be followed by an asset-referenced defect list, a separate remedial proposal, controlled repairs or replacements and close-out evidence. The inspection grade, sample, isolation requirements and reporting format should be agreed before the visit.
Can hazardous-area work be planned around shutdowns and permit systems?
Yes. The programme can be coordinated around the site permit system, authorised contacts, access restrictions, safe isolation and available shutdown windows. Any reactive attendance or out-of-hours arrangement must be agreed for the relevant client or contract rather than assumed from a general service page.
What records can be included at handover?
Depending on the scope, records can include inspection sheets, defect logs, asset references, photographs, electrical certification, equipment information, as-installed notes, remedial close-out and a list of separate follow-on actions. Required formats and client templates should be agreed before work starts.
A defined route into the project
Discuss Your Hazardous Area Electrical Requirement
Send a short outline of the site, hazard and work required. WB Electrical will review whether the task fits the present gas and vapour CompEx scope, identify missing information and confirm the appropriate next step.
Call: 01698 883232 Email: info@wbelectrical.co.uk
A useful first message can include
- Where the work is and what has prompted it
- Whether the hazard is gas, vapour, dust or not yet confirmed
- The available zone, equipment or inspection information
- The required programme and operating constraints
- The nominated site or technical contact