Repair, replace - and risk. Motors for hazardhous areas.

This means that customers who require an experienced, qualified and certified repairer and supplier to deal with their hazardous area equipment can rely on ERIKS.

The requirements for motors which operate in hazardous areas are specific, demanding, and absolutely essential for the safety of the workforce and the plant.

When choosing a new motor, the comprehensive ATEX labelling scheme - which indicates the level of protection and the equipment category (identifying the zones in which the motor is suitable for use) - makes this relatively easy even for the untrained. However, few end-users have the knowledge, experience or on-site expertise to judge whether a repaired motor meets the appropriate standards and is safe to use in a hazardous environment. Deciding whether a motor can be repaired and remain ATEX-compliant, or should be replaced, is also a judgement most customers would find difficult to make - which often leads to an unnecessary replacement and associated extra cost.

So, to make an informed decision on whether to repair or replace an ATEX-compliant motor, and which motor to choose, the best option is to call on a specialist.

ERIKS not only provides the full range of Brook Crompton electric motors suitable for hazardous locations, but also offers motor repairs by trained staff assessed and certified by SIRA Certification: the UK's notified body for ATEX product certification. ERIKS was one of the first companies to have a motor repair workshop approved to undertake ATEX repairs, and has staff who have undergone a five-day training course which includes practical skills and a written examination covering electrical and mechanical standards, and principles behind the techniques used to ensure safe operation of equipment in hazardous areas.

As a service facility certified by IECEx (an International Certification Scheme that covers the assessment and on-site audit of organisations providing repair and overhaul services to the Ex industry), ERIKS ensures that the unique Ex safety features included in the design and manufacture of Ex equipment are not compromised in any way during the repair process.

Repairs and overhaul are certified as being undertaken according to the strict requirements of the IECEx Scheme, to the International Standard IEC 60079-19. For extra reassurance, ERIKS has a Local Appointed Person on-site, authorised to examine and sign-off machines to be reinstalled in hazardous environments. This gives customers complete peace of mind that a repaired motor is as safe as a new one if used in its approved application and operating zone.

Of course there are other repairers who will offer to repair motors for hazardous environments. However, they often lack the training and experience, fail to carry out the necessary rigorous checks, and do not have the motor's original specifications to hand, to enable them to carry out repairs to the required standard and šgood-as-new' quality.

ERIKS' expertise has been acquired over many years of working with motors in hazardous areas across a wide variety of industries and applications - from coal mines to quarries, utility companies to steelworks, and pharmaceutical companies to petrochemical companies. In fact, ERIKS has motor repair relationships going back two decades with one major petrochemical company, and over sixty years with a UK steelworks. This kind of long-term relationship is valuable when both customer and repairer are required to keep full records of the repair for at least seven years.

If a motor is assessed as being economically repairable, ERIKS can remove it for overhaul, then reinstall, or alternatively send engineers to work on the machinery on-site. If, on the other hand, the motor is deemed beyond economic repair, ERIKS can provide a suitable replacement from a leading manufacturer of electric motors for the global industrial market, which has motors operating in hostile environments throughout the world.

This means that customers who require an experienced, qualified and certified repairer and supplier to deal with their hazardous area equipment can rely on ERIKS for a comprehensive and unbiased service, whether they are looking for a new motor
or want an existing motor repaired.