An Overview of CCOE PESO Certification

The CCOE PESO Certification describe the compulsory approval program for the gas & oil industry or machine that works with gases, is used in the oil industry or has to withstand a corrosive environment. The CCOE PESO Certification is based on the Explosives Act, the Petroleum Act, and all related legislation thereafter, especially the Petroleum Rules, 2002 and Explosives Rules, 2008.

Products that require a CCOE PESO Certification in India include explosion proof products, pressure vessels and products for the oil, coal, mining and gas industries.

Mandatory Licensee covered under the CCOE PESO Certification

Following are Licensee or Stakeholders covered under the CCOE PESO Certification who is in the business of:

• Explosives or Ammonium Nitrate;
• Fabrication Shops;
• Petroleum or Gas Cylinders or SMPV(U);
• Gas Cylinder Testing Stations;
• Degassing & Purging under SMPV(U).

Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation of India

Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO) is a regulatory or governing body with an independent status headed by the Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade and the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

PESO controls administer and look after the safety necessity and guarantee safety related to the import, export, relocation, production, marketing, purchasing, application and handling of compressed gases, petroleum-based products, and flammable products. It also administers or manages the petrol stations in India.

It was formerly known as the Department of Explosive. It serves the nation as a nodal agency and regulates the safety of hazardous substances such as explosives, petroleum and compressed gases. Its main function is to administer the responsibilities provided under the Explosives Act 1884 and Petroleum Act 1934 and the Rules made thereunder. The motto of this department or organisation is Safety First.

Chief Controller of Explosives (CCOE)

The Chief Controller of Explosives (CCOE) is the name of the office that issues the certification. The PESO is a subordinate state organisation that implements laws, but the individual offices are divided into the Chief Controller of Explosives (CCOE), Joint Chief Controller of Explosives, and Deputy Chief Controller of Explosives, etc. It is headed by the Chief Inspector of Explosives, who issues the certificates.

Products covered under CCOE PESO Certification

The list of products that are affected by this certification is as follows:

• Gas cylinders/regulators/valves
• Gas cylinder filling plants
• Pressure vessels and their fittings
• Factories for the manufacture of the gas cylinder valves, LPG Regulators, pressure vessels and their fittings and petroleum tankers and their fittings
• Storage facilities for filling gas cylinders and compressed gases in pressure vessels
• CNG filling station
• LPG filling station
• Car LPG dispensers
• Flameproof equipment
• Flame proof, intrinsically safe and special electrical equipment suitable for use in hazardous areas with flammable gases/vapours
• Mechanical components installed in any hazardous area
• Petroleum pipelines
• Long-distance petroleum pipelines
• Petroleum refineries, calcium carbide factories, petrochemical plants and acetylene gas generating plants
• Petroleum tankers
• Petroleum filling stations
• Petroleum tanks in any sea-going vessels for issuance of the gas-free certificate for the authorisation of hot work
• Calcium carbide storage rooms
• Explosive
• Storage room for explosive
• Factories for the production of explosive
• On-site manufacture of the explosives in bulk mixing and delivery vehicles
• Explosive trucks, portable explosive magazines, mixing and delivery vehicles for on-site manufacture of explosives and vehicles for transporting the compressed gases in pressure vessels and petroleum tankers
• Factories manufacturing fireworks
• Warehouse and shops of fireworks

Apart from the products mentioned above, the electrical equipment that needs to withstand highly corrosive saltwater or a very hot environment requires a CCOE PESO Certification. Purely mechanical parts are also subject to this certification if they are used in hazardous areas in India. Usually, one can follow a simple standard for explosion-proof products. All products that need either IECEx or ATEX Certification also need CCOE PESO.

Documents Required for CCOE PESO Certification

Following are some vital documents required for CCOE PESO Certification:

• Documents like application form, contract with AIR for minimum of five years, technical competence proof of AIR, etc.);
• Global Organisation Chart;
• Manufacturer profile;
• Business License of the manufacturer, AIR, and Plant;
• Video of the production facility;
• ISO Certificate;
• Product ATEX or IECEx Certificates;
• QAR/QAN, Test Reports;
• List of product equipment & test instruments;
• Commercial information like a list of Indian customers, three years sales figures, hazardous area installation information such as installation location, the intended use of equipment etc.

Process of CCOE PESO Certification

As with some of the other Indian Certifications, a foreign or overseas company that wants to import its products to India needs a local agent in India (AIR Or Authorised Indian Representative) to apply for and maintain the CCOE PESO approval. Moreover, one can only submit such an application for COE PESO Certification once he has a confirmed order from an Indian client.

Following is the process of CCOE PESO Certification in India:

• Filing of application with documents:

Prepare the application with the required documents, especially ATEX or IECEx certificates & test reports. Test reports must be two years old. ATEX Certificate is granted to the equipment which has been fully tested and approved to be safe to use in a hazardous or explosive environment. IECEx is a certification to standards concerning the equipment for use in a hazardous or explosive atmosphere.

• Submit the Application Form:

After preparing all the documents, submit the application to the PESO authority with the commercial data comprising sales numbers, clients' lists & reviews.

• Examination of Application:

The PESO examiners examine the application and documents submitted by the applicant.

• Factory Audit:

Factory Audit is done only for certain products or items like pressure vessels.

• PESO Certification:

If PESO officials are satisfied with the documents and tests, they issue the CCOE PESO Certificate.

• License to AIR:

License is also issued to the AIR (Authorised Indian Representative).

Ideally, certification can be attained within a quarter year, but hardly any project matches the ideal case because both the newness of the submitted test reports & the completeness of the documents are points where mistakes can easily occur. Therefore, it is important to make sure that all the documents are correct and up-to-date in order to limit queries or doubts from the authorities, which can be very prolonged. Please also remember that the authority sometimes has less time to rectify documents, so the process or procedure will have to be restarted in those cases.

Validity of CCOE PESO Certification

A CCOE PESO Certification is valid for two years and should be renewed after the expiration. PESO Licences for static pressure vessels can be applied for a maximum of three years and should be renewed. Any modification or changes to a pressure vessel or machine must be submitted for inspection.

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