We partner with sovereign states and transnational enterprises to architect resilient safety and sustainability frameworks across legacy industrial sectors, emerging hydrogen economies, and clean-tech supply chains. Our global footprint spans the development of national industrial safety doctrines, elite capacity building, and the seamless integration of advanced compliance tracking aligned with Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 mandates.

I. Strategic Partnership & National Entry

National Entry Operator & Infrastructure Representation

For nations seeking to align with the IECEx framework but lacking localized institutional infrastructure or certified technical experts, HydITEx offers a comprehensive B2G partnership model. We act as your specialized National Entry Operator to facilitate systemic integration.

• Turnkey Representation: We assist in establishing a regional entity or Joint Venture designed for the formal representation of your country within international electrotechnical frameworks.

• Elite Personnel Provision: HydITEx deploys its own world-class, highly qualified technical specialists to represent your nation’s interests. Our experts actively participate in international technical committees, giving your country an immediate, authoritative, and technically competent voice on the global stage.

Establishment of National Certification and Training Centers

HydITEx guides the physical and organizational development of national compliance centers. This macro-level service, tailored for state institutions or major national industrial conglomerates, enables nations to build sovereign IECEx/IECQ infrastructure. Our specialists oversee every milestone: from regulatory engagement and legislative drafting support to personnel selection, testing laboratory outfitting, and validation of test methodologies.

Strategic Roadmap for Nations

Regulatory Gap Analysis & Policy Audit: standard

Legislative Drafting & Institutional Support: standard

Elite Capacity Building & Competence Development: standard

Infrastructure Development & Accreditation: standard

Global Representation & Technical Leadership: standard

II. Global Mandates & Systems Alignment

United Nations (UNECE) Endorsement

The United Nations, through the UNECE, officially endorses IECEx as the world’s premier, internationally recognized certification system and the recommended model for "global best practice." The formal publication of the UN Common Regulatory Framework (CRA/CRO) in 2011 and 2019 serves as official recognition. Any UN Member State lacking a robust explosion-protection regulatory framework can adopt this model as the foundation for domestic legislation, establishing a unified, harmonized regulatory space across participating countries.

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Alignment

In close collaboration with IRENA, the IECEx system contributes to shaping the quality infrastructure roadmap for green hydrogen production. The IEC acts as a key knowledge-sharing partner to IRENA within the global Alliance for Industry Decarbonization (AFID), driving deep-tech compliance in zero-emission industrial sectors.

The IECEx System has been formally endorsed by the United Nations as the "world's best practice and recommended model" for regulators overseeing the use of Ex equipment and services.

UN endorsement  —  the United Nations, via UNECE, has endorsed  IECEx as the internationally-recognized  certification system for promoting the  safety of equipment, services and personnel  associated with devices, systems and  installations used in explosive areas.

Any United Nations Member State that has no regulatory framework in the explosive equipment sector can use the model as a blueprint for legislation. If countries already have such a framework, they could consider gradually converging towards this international model. Once the model has been adopted as national legislation, the sector will operate under a single common regulatory framework in all participating countries. Official publication of the CRA (CRO) by UN 2011 and 2019 signifies the formal endorsement of the IECEx System and its Conformity Assessment Schemes covering.

Consortia and WTO Compliance

Industrial consortia scale technical specifications to a global level by integrating them into the IEC system, which strictly adheres to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) rules. The IEC maintains over 750 cooperation agreements with more than 200 global organizations.

IECEx vs. ATEX: Global Applicability

Scope and Jurisdiction

• ATEX: European Union Directive (2014/34/EU). Mandatory exclusively within the EU single market.

• IECEx System: Global international system developed by the IEC for comprehensive worldwide standardization and harmonization.

Manufacturer Self-Declaration

• ATEX: Permitted for lower-risk environments (Zone 2 / Category 3), which can introduce hidden compliance vulnerabilities into the market.

• IECEx System: Strictly prohibited. Mandates independent, third-party certification across all hazardous zones without exception.

Global Enterprise Strategy

• ATEX (Dual Certification Imperative): For global market access, relying on a single regional framework is insufficient. Maintaining dual certification (IECEx + ATEX/local mandates) remains a strategic necessity to eliminate regulatory barriers.

• IECEx System (Unified Global Baseline): Serves as the ultimate technical foundation that drastically streamlines and accelerates conversion into local national certificates worldwide.

III. Technical Frameworks & Lifecycle Schemes

Understanding the Ecosystem

IEC: The International Electrotechnical Commission (founded in 1906; Lord Kelvin served as its first president).

IECEx: The IEC System for Certification to Standards Relating to Equipment for Use in Explosive Atmospheres.

IECQ: The IEC Quality Assessment System for Electronic Components (covering hazardous substance process management, carbon footprinting, and nuclear supply chains).

Core IECEx Certification Schemes

1. IECEx Certified Equipment Scheme: Full hardware compliance based on an Ex Test Report (ExTR), a Quality Assessment Report (QAR), and a Certificate of Conformity (CoC). Requires a rigid quality management system compliant with ISO/IEC 80079-34.

2. IECEx Certified Service Facilities Scheme (IECEx 03): Evaluates and licenses organizations providing specialized design, installation, inspection, and repair services (compliant with IEC 60079-14, 17, and 19), yielding a Facility Assessment Report (FAR).

3. IECEx Certificate of Personnel Competence (CoPC) Scheme (IECEx 05): An international "passport" for hazardous area professionals. Covers twelve distinct modules of competence (Modules Ex 000 to Ex 011) with a mandatory 5-year recertification cycle.

4. IECEx Recognized Training Provider (RTP) Program: Validates and monitors educational organizations providing Ex training in accordance with Operational Document OD 521.

Hydrogen Infrastructure & Full-Lifecycle Safety

IECEx certifies hardware and systems across the entire hydrogen value chain: production, storage, and utilization. This includes the application of IECEx OD 290 (industrial systems using hydrogen as an energy source). Seamless technical collaboration with ISO TC 197 and IEC TC 105 ensures a comprehensive approach. Just as the API revolutionized oil and gas safety benchmarks in 1919, IECEx serves as the universal platform for the green hydrogen era.

Transparency via the Online Certificate System (OCS)

The IECEx Online Certificate System (OCS) is the ultimate tool for market transparency and anti-fraud surveillance. If an active certificate is not registered within the live OCS database, the equipment or service is not recognized as IECEx certified.

Unlocking Global Markets via IEC TS 60079-46: Equipment Assemblies

Traditional standards isolate individual components, but IEC TS 60079-46 specifically governs the safety, integration, and certification of combined Equipment Assemblies (such as skid-mounted systems, modular processing units, IIoT architectures, and robotics).

• Bridging the Compliance Gap: Provides a clear framework to evaluate multiple pre-certified components operating within a single, interconnected system.

• Structured Hazard Assessment: Mandates rigorous ignition hazard assessments for the complete integrated assembly, not just isolated parts.

• Global Harmonization: Compliance with this standard drastically accelerates entry into international jurisdictions (ATEX, UKEX, UL/CSA).

IV. STANDARDS & GLOBAL REGULATION (Reference Data)

Standards Operated by the IECEx:

• IEC 60079-0 (General requirements)

• IEC 60079-1 (Flameproof 'd')

• IEC 60079-2 (Pressurized 'p')

• IEC 60079-5 (Powder filling 'q')

• IEC 60079-6 (Oil immersion 'o')

• IEC 60079-7 (Increased safety 'e')

• IEC 60079-10-1/2 (Area classification)

• IEC 60079-11 (Intrinsic safety 'i')

• IEC 60079-13 (Pressurized rooms)

• IEC 60079-14 (Design & selection)

• IEC 60079-15 (Type 'n')

• IEC 60079-16 (Analyser houses)

• IEC 60079-17 (Inspection & maintenance)

• IEC 60079-18 (Encapsulation 'm')

• IEC 60079-19 (Repair & overhaul)

• IEC 60079-25 (I.S. systems)

• IEC 60079-26 (EPL Ga)

• IEC 60079-28 (Optical radiation)

• IEC 60079-29-1/2/4 (Gas detectors)

• IEC 60079-30-1 (Trace heating)

• IEC 60079-31 (Dust ignition protection 't')

• IEC/TS 60079-32-1/2 (Electrostatics)

• IEC 60079-33 (Special protection 's')

• IEC 60079-35-1/2 (Caplights)

• IEC TS 60079-39 (Controlled spark duration)

• IEC TS 60079-40 (Process sealing)

• IEC TS 60079-42 (Safety devices)

• IEC TS 60079-44 (Personnel competence)

• IEC TS 60079-46 (Equipment assemblies)

• IEC TS 60079-47 (2-WISE Ethernet)

• IEC TS 60079-48 (Portable/Personal equipment guide)

• IEC 60079-101 (Principles of explosion protection)

• IEC 62784 (Vacuum cleaners)

• IEC 62990-1 (Toxic gas detectors)

• ISO/IEC 80079-34 (Quality systems)

• ISO/IEC 80079-49 (Flame arresters)

• ISO 19880-1, 3, 5 (Hydrogen fuelling)

• ISO 80079-36/37 (Non-electrical equipment)

• ISO/TR 15916 (Hydrogen safety)

• ISO 17268 (Refuelling devices)

Core Standards Applied within the IECQ System (Carbon Footprint, Nuclear, & RoHS):

• ISO 14067:2018 (Greenhouse gases — Carbon footprint of products)

• ISO/TS 19870:2023 (Hydrogen technologies — Methodology for determining greenhouse gas emissions)

• ISO/DIS 19870-1 to 19870-4 (Supply chain emissions tracking for hydrogen)

• ISO 19443:2018 (Quality management systems for the nuclear energy supply chain)

• IECQ HSPM (QC 080000) (Hazardous Substance Process Management — Heavy metals/RoHS compliance verification)

Emerging Technologies:

• IEC TC 31 ahG 61 (Robotics & Drones): Addressing unique explosion-protection mandates for autonomous robotics deployed in hazardous locations.

• IEC SC 61J (IEC 60335-2-123): Particular safety requirements for commercial and industrial automated robots.

The "Global vs. Local" Context Paradox

While IECEx provides the ultimate technical foundation, it does not automatically override sovereign technical regulations. National regulatory frameworks must adapt to unique climatic, geological, and legal environments. Key sovereign systems include:

• United States: ANSI, ASTM, API, NFPA, NEMA, NIST

• Canada: SCC

• United Kingdom: BSI / UKCA

• European Union: CE / ATEX

• Germany: DIN

• France: AFNOR

• Japan: JIS

• South Korea: KOSHA, KERI

• China: NEPSI, CQST

• Eurasian Customs Union: TR CU 012/2011 (EAC)

• India: BIS

• Brazil: INMETRO

Strategic Roadmap for National Integration

HydITEx provides a structured, multi-phase roadmap to transform national safety infrastructure, eliminate operational vulnerabilities across the entire industrial lifecycle, and secure a leading position within the global IECEx/IECQ ecosystem:

Phase 1: Regulatory Gap Analysis & Policy Audit

Comprehensive assessment of current national explosion protection legislation, technical regulations, and enforcement mechanisms across the entire industrial asset lifecycle. We identify misalignments with global standards and develop a high-level roadmap for a seamless transition to the comprehensive IECEx/IECQ frameworks. This phase establishes optimal legal and technical protocols for market surveillance—designing advanced Desk Audit systems to intercept substandard equipment at the border, while evaluating policies regarding domestic "screwdriver" assembly, skid packaging, carbon footprint tracking, hydrogen integration, and hazardous substance restrictions (including heavy metals).

Phase 2: Legislative Drafting & Institutional Support

Assistance in adapting the UNECE Model and international environmental mandates into national legal frameworks. We provide legal and technical expertise to draft new regulations that harmonize national safety mandates with international requirements, ensuring World Trade Organization (WTO) compliance. Crucially, this phase establishes mandatory legal frameworks for the statutory certification of Ex Service Facilities (IEC 60079-19), defines rigid quality management compliance baselines for local manufacturing and assembly lines (ISO/IEC 80079-34), and introduces regulatory mandates for carbon accounting, green hydrogen safety, nuclear supply chain quality, and heavy metals restriction via the IECQ system.

Phase 3: Elite Capacity Building & Competence Development

Development of a highly competent local expert ecosystem to eliminate human-factor and compliance risks. In coordination with our global network of accredited educational partners, we facilitate tailored training programs that scale from fundamental industrial Ex and ESG competencies to advanced qualification frameworks, offering a clear path toward the IECEx Certificate of Personnel Competence (CoPC) scheme. State inspectors and local technical specialists gain the vital verification skills needed to validate international certificates, cross-check component data, and deploy analytical models to detect market non-compliance, simulated testing, substandard local assembly, and environmental data falsification.

Phase 4: Infrastructure Development & Accreditation

Consulting on the physical and organizational establishment of national certification bodies (ExCB/CB) and testing laboratories (ExTL/TL) recognized within the IECEx and IECQ systems. We oversee the design, equipping, and accreditation processes to meet rigid international quality mandates. This phase empowers national entities to operate with full technical sovereignty—granting them the institutional capability to evaluate and certify physical equipment, audit domestic manufacturing plants and Ex service workshops, verify carbon footprints, assess nuclear-grade supply chain compliance, and test for hazardous heavy metals.

Phase 5: Global Representation & Technical Leadership

Establishing the Joint Venture or regional entity to act as the National Entry Operator. HydITEx provides elite specialists to represent the country in international technical committees, ensuring immediate national sovereignty, total asset protection, and direct influence in the development of future global standards spanning equipment, domestic assembly, lifecycle services, sustainable hydrogen infrastructure, and clean-tech supply chains.

Strategic Macro-Consulting

The ongoing evolution of industrial infrastructure demands full-lifecycle governance and absolute environmental alignment. True national safety is no longer just about importing certified hardware; it requires continuous compliance across the entire operational chain—from the origin of manufacture and local "screwdriver" assembly to green transition mandates.

This total-lifecycle framework is vital as disruptive technologies like Robotics, Drones (IEC TC 31 ahG 61), and AI-driven Automation merge with the global push for decarbonization. Through the IECEx and IECQ systems, HydITEx addresses the critical intersection of heavy industrial safety, carbon footprint verification, hydrogen energy infrastructure, nuclear supply chain quality management, and the strict control of hazardous materials and heavy metals. For manufacturers and local assemblers, the strategy is prioritizing global certification baselines; for regulators, it is about establishing sovereign control over imported hardware, domestic assembly plants, services, human capital, and environmental compliance to eliminate catastrophic operational risks and attract high-tier, sustainability-driven institutional capital.

HydITEx has a team of highly qualified specialists who provide the essential bridge between visionary concepts and scalable, certified industrial realities. We empower you to gain the necessary competence and institutional structure to fully organize work in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IECEx and IECQ for carbon footprint, hydrogen, nuclear supply chains, and hazardous substance process management) systems.

Partner with HydITEx to transform profound technological complexity into a secure, bankable, and nationally sovereign industrial future.