This Ex learning certificate is designed for professionals in industries such as oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, chemical, hydrogen, aviation, logistics & transportation, mining, and other sectors where explosive atmospheres may be present. This course covers essential topics including:
• Identifying explosion risks and area classification
• Understanding protective technologies and methods
• Complying with international safety standards and regulations
With safety at the core of its mission, the ExPP Awareness Certificate aims to enhance operational safety, reduce risks, and strengthen compliance with global standards like ATEX, ISO/IEC, NEC, UKCA, UKEX, and INMETRO. Upon successful completion, participants receive a digital certificate that recognizes their commitment to safety in potentially explosive environments.
This program is ideal for engineers, technicians, HSE professionals, and managers who are responsible for ensuring safe operations in hazardous areas. It is designed as an introduction for new professionals working in hazardous areas as well as a refresher for seasoned and experienced engineers and technicians.
The ExPP Awareness Certificate provides:
Welcome to BARTEC Academy – by Dean Fernando Sanchez-Arias
How to use BARTEC Academy learning platform
Before we begin...
0 | Why ExPP Awareness? - Welcome by Stefan Schaffer
0 | Quiz
00 | Awareness in Explosive Atmospheres - Introduction by Bob Johnson & Fernando Sanchez-Arias
00 | Quiz
01 | Explosion Prevention
01 | Quiz
02 | The Fire Triangle
02 | Quiz
03 | Hazardous Locations and Explosive Atmospheres
03 | Quiz
• Introduction to Explosion Protection Fundamentals
• Area Classification and Standards (IEC 60079, ISO/IEC 80079, ATEX, NEC)
• Fire Triangle and Sources of Ignition
• Equipment Protection Concepts
• Marking Strings, Gas Groups, and Temperature Codes
• Competency Roles and Responsibilities
1. What inspired you to conduct explosion protection training, and how have they evolved?
My extensive experience in explosion protection and safety inspired me to conduct explosion protection training. Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand the critical need for professionals to understand the risks and protective technologies in hazardous environments deeply. When I began in this industry, training was often inconsistent, and there was a noticeable gap in foundational knowledge.
As safety standards evolved, so did the need for more structured and accessible training programs. Over time, I’ve focused on developing comprehensive, practical training that not only educates but empowers professionals to apply their knowledge in real-world situations. With the work Fernando Sanchez-Arias and I did to launch the ExPP Awareness Certificate, I’m proud and fortunate to offer a worldwide program that is digitally accessible, informative, practical, and aligned with the latest industry standards.
2. Can you describe the key topics you cover in the ExPP training and how they align with current industry standards?
The ExPP Awareness Certificate covers key areas essential to explosion protection:
These topics are all aligned with the latest international safety regulations and practices.
3. How does the ExPP Awareness Certificate address real-world challenges in hazardous environments?
The course integrates real-world scenarios with theoretical principles to help professionals navigate evolving regulations, complex equipment selection, and risk mitigation strategies. We use practical examples and case studies to show how these concepts are applied in everyday industrial settings.
4. What sets the ExPP Awareness course apart from other explosion protection programs?
The difference lies in the blend of deep technical knowledge and instructional design. Fernando brings expert learning design, while I contribute my field expertise. This course goes beyond video content—it includes learning guides, assessments, and real-world applications.
The program is globally accessible and leads to a recognized certificate, making it ideal for professionals worldwide. It’s built to equip leaders and team members alike with immediately actionable knowledge.
And we’re not stopping here—Fernando and I are working on the next step: the ExPP Competence Certificate. This learning program will thoroughly prepare those who design and install equipment and systems in hazardous areas, as well as those who work in or inspect environments with potential explosive atmospheres, to take the IECEx Certificate of Personnel Competence (CoPC) exam and obtain this prestigious certification.
5. Can you mention some of the companies and organizations you've worked with?
I’ve had the honor of working with top-tier companies in the oil and gas, maritime, manufacturing, and safety sectors, including Transocean, Tote Maritime, NOV, Halliburton, Siemens, Braeden, Noble, Baker Hughes, Matson Maritime, Zeeco, M&I Electric Brazil, Haskell, Focal Technologies, ABS, USCG, BSEE, Cameron LNG, SLB, Oxy, Ocean Edge Services, Kent, and Modec.
Each engagement helped tailor the training to meet the unique safety challenges of that organization.
A global digital training certificate offering foundational knowledge of explosion protection. Participants receive a BARTEC Academy certificate after completing the micro-learning videos, reading the learning guides, and doing the quizzes of each module.
Anyone interested in explosion protection basics, including engineers, technicians, safety professionals, and managers.
Because it’s built by global experts with proven track record of experience (Bob Johnson in Explosion Protection and Fernando Sanchez-Arias in digital learning), grounded in international Ex standards, and accessible online worldwide.
The course has 20 micro-learning videos that can be completed in between 5 and 7 hours, depending on the time dedication invested by each learner. Each video includes a video transcription, a downloadable PDF Learning Guide, and a quiz to assess and reinforce the technical knowledge required to work safely in hazardous areas with potentially explosive atmospheres.
The registration fee is USD 297. It covers access to twenty micro-learning videos, learning guides, quizzes, and a certificate of completion.
The ExPP Awareness Certificate is an educational program developed by BARTEC Academy, leveraging over 50 years of experience in explosion protection, in partnership with SOURCE IEx, and featuring subject matter expert Robert “Bob” Johnson. While the program is used to train BARTEC colleagues, partners, customers, and end-users, it is not an endorsed certification by IECEx or any formal certification body. Rather, it serves as a certificate of completion designed to raise awareness, build foundational knowledge of the IEC 60079 and ISO/IEC 80079 standards, and support professionals in preparing for the IECEx Certificate of Personnel Competence (CoPC)—a path we strongly encourage learners to pursue.
Bob Johnson, recognized explosion protection expert, ExPP Awareness Certificate co-author, senior member of BARTEC Academy academic advisory council, and president of SOURCE IEx, delivers the certificate and interacts with learners in the different lessons. You can contact Bob at [email protected].
Fernando Sanchez-Arias, dean of BARTEC Academy, manages the ExPP Awareness Certificate, ensuring the academic quality and the excellence of the learner/user experience. You can contact Fernando at [email protected].
Developed by BARTEC Academy —leveraging BARTEC’s over 50 years of explosion protection expertise— and in partnership with SOURCE IEx and Robert Johnson, who bring more than 30 years of Ex training experience, the ExPP Awareness Certificate is an educational program that, while not endorsed by IECEx, prepares learners in the fundamentals of explosion protection and encourages them to study the IEC 60079 and ISO/IEC 80079 to take the IECEx CoPC exam and, if approved, obtain this highly respected and widely recognized international certification.
