Case study: CompEx ExF Foundation Qualification
For the last seven years, Melissa Williams has worked for Dron & Dickson – a company that specialises in the supply, installation, and maintenance of hazardous area electrical equipment, operating five wholesale branches in the UK and one in the UAE. The company has a broad range of clients – sites, businesses, and contractors – that it supplies hazardous area equipment to. As a Sales Coordinator, Melissa’s role is to ensure that all clients receive information and products that are suitable for their requirements, as well as being supporting them with an in-depth technical understanding.
The CompEx qualification
As Dron & Dickson employ many offshore Maintenance Technicians who must be CompEx trained, the company took the stance that it was just as important that onshore staff selling the electrical equipment have at least foundation level CompEx knowledge too.
Having worked for a number of companies over the last decade that deal with offshore, ATEX and hazardous areas, Melissa had already acquired a lot of the knowledge needed to work in this sector. However, as someone who always wants to do more to improve her knowledge and better herself both professionally and personally, Melissa undertook CompEx’s ExF Foundation Qualification.
Melissa comments: “At Dron & Dickson, we pride ourselves as being the most technically competent Sales Team in our industry, so I was excited to be one of the first to be sent on the CompEx course when it was rolled out as a company-wide standard.”
The CompEx Foundation qualification, which lasts for five years, has been designed to provide an introduction into potentially explosive environments where gases, vapours and dust are present. The theory-only course, which takes between one and two days to complete, is suitable for technical and non-technical personnel who require a basic understanding of hazardous work areas, or who wish to develop their knowledge before undertaking more in-depth CompEx qualifications.
The experience
Speaking about how she found the course experience, Melissa comments: “It was extremely informative and was set out in an easy-to-follow plan. For those newer to the hazardous area environment, the course allowed you to handle items so you could see exactly what was meant at different stages of the course.
“All information provided was clear and concise, which allowed all the candidates to easily follow what was being taught. During the course, we covered everything on the syllabus, in addition to the tutor taking questions which opened up conversations about scenarios they had encountered.
“The tutor, John, was very experienced having worked in the industry before he moved into teaching at CompEx. All information was given with a relevant example of how it would be applied to the individual’s circumstance, which was extremely useful. John made it a very enjoyable and informative course with extra detail given to those who had a more extended base knowledge of hazardous areas, which ensured that everyone was fully engaged at all levels.
“For me, I was already very aware of a lot of the content on the course from the many years I’ve worked in my field, but there were still lots of minute details that have given me a more in-depth and broader understanding. By passing the qualification, I think it also instils a higher level of trust from my clients. Holding a qualification proves my knowledge and gives me the ability to assist them effectively and with confidence.”
When asked if she would consider undertaking any other CompEx courses, Melissa said: “It would be something I would be very interested in doing in the future to allow me to enhance, expand and continue my involvement in the ATEX and hazardous area industry.”
So, if like Melissa, you would like to find out more about the ExF Foundation qualification or any other of CompEx’s qualifications, follow this link here for more information and to find your nearest centre.