arpadveress 
Ex personnel competency training (EPCT) is a type of further education. You shall already be an experienced technician, supervisor, even designer to come to EPCT.
That simple.
With years of experience you may understand the framework by now: hazardous area compliance.
All shall receive this type of education who ever in touch with the integrity of explosion protection (opening closing a housing (installation, inspection, maintenance and repair), hazardous area classification, design and management of hazardous area compliance / operation).
There is one point we cannot forget: the site personnel, who does operation (on/off). They have to be educated as well. Under ATEX the sbj of education shall be the EPD (explosion protection documentation), elsewhere: site Ex policy (SEP), verification dossier or similar. They have to have understanding what the site is about and how to deal with.
Proof of evidence shall be there on all these matters.
This is not spending money on useless, this is a life saving methodology.
Let us be careful with it. Few weeks back we received an inquiry to set up a training camp on one site for more than 2000 people. Huge nr. We scheduled a meeting where main question was the 2000. Are you sure? It has turned out they only need around 140 to be educated on high level (technician, supervisor), others only as per EPD including the 140 (that is mandatory step). So we do.
Background story: they contracted one expert(?!), who simply defined the high level training for all 2000. No risk assessment on positions related to site, and was willing to make them pay for it.
Let us be careful with it. It is so easy to loose trust, and feel cheated.
Keep up good work!
Arpad
