Hazardous Area Classification - November 2025

Training Course

4/11/2025 - 6/11/2025

61 New Cavendish StreetLondonW1G 7AR

Member: £1650.00 (excl. VAT)
Non-Member: £2070.00 (excl. VAT)

This 3-day training course will provide delegates with training on the Energy Institute Model Safe Code of Practice 15, Area Classification for Installations Handing Flammable Fluids. This internationally recognised publication provides methodologies for carrying out Hazardous Area Classification studies on installations where flammable fluids are processed, stored or handled.

Steve Sherwen

A Chartered Mechanical Engineer, specialising in process fire and explosion issues, with many years of operational experience in the high hazard industry and high level of technical understanding. He is a member of the EI15 Working Group and contributed to large portions of the 4th Edition of the guidance and has extensive experience in HAC and the Oil and Gas industry.

Skilled in:

  • DSEAR and ATEX risk assessments and Hazardous Area Classification (HAC)
  • Conducting process fire and explosion risk assessments
  • Leading Hazard Studies
  • Mechanical Integrity and Asset condition

Experienced in:

  • DSEAR (Mechanical Source Ignition Risk assessment, Compliance Audits and HAC), completing a number of complex studies.
  • Fire risk assessments on hydrocarbon liquid and gas systems, solid and dust systems in many industry sectors (offshore, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, energy, metals).
  • Fire design of high hazard systems including inherent prevention, detector selection and poisoning and the appropriate use of extinguishing media.
  • Leading hazard study 2 (HAZID) and 3 (HAZOP) risk assessments.
  • Broad understanding of piping, vessels, rotating machinery and structures. Also understands instrumentation and electrical issues and is highly experienced in process safety.

About Hazardous Area Classification:

Hazardous Area Classification (HAC) is the assessed division of a facility where releases of flammable liquids and gases can occur, either intentionally or accidentally, into hazardous areas and non-hazardous areas. The Energy Institute Model Safe Code of Practice 15, Area Classification for Installations Handing Flammable Fluids (EI15) guidance is relevant to all industry sectors where the classification of potential flammable zones is a requirement.

In this course, delegates will develop the key knowledge they need to identify how flammable atmospheres can form and methods for classifying them into zones. The classification of zones then highlights where ignition sources must be controlled and is a key requirement of demonstrating a basis of safety.

This course will follow the new edition of The Energy Institute Model Safe Code of Practice 15, Area Classification for Installations Handing Flammable Fluids (EI15) guidance.

Key benefits:

Learning outcomes:

The EI15 is one of the Energy Institute’s most popular publications, being downloaded over 2000 times. It is recognised as de-facto guidance worldwide and recommended as industry guidance in IEC 60079-10-1:2021 and in the DSEAR Approved Code of Practice, L138. The course will train delegates in all aspects of EI15 and reinforce the learning through the use of practical exercises and examples. The session will be delivered by an engineer who is experienced in hazardous area classification and who is an active member of the Energy Institute working group who authors and edits the guidance.

Who should take this course?

Course overview:

Introduction to legislation and standards

 Properties of flammable materials

 Key area classification concepts

Techniques of area classification

Ventilation

Impact of external variables to area classification­­

Throughout the course, there will be the opportunity for the delegates to practice the techniques on a real world example. A detailed practical exercise will be completed to reinforce the learning from each section of the training. This practical element will help translate the learning into a real world scenario.

Contact details

Training Team: webtraining@energyinst.org, 2074677178