Dr Jim Munro:

Dr Jim Munro is Managing Director of Jim Munro International Compliance Pty Ltd. He is a professional engineer with over 50 years of professional engineering experience. Major areas of expertise include: equipment for use in hazardous areas (also called hazardous locations or explosive atmospheres), and occupational health and safety (with particular reference to plant safety).

He has been actively involved in the field of explosion-protected equipment (Ex equipment) since 1979 at the national and international level.  From 1999 to July 2014 (15 years) he chaired the international committee responsible for the development of standards in this field (TC 31).  He has also been involved with the development of certification systems for Ex equipment in Australia (AUS Ex and ANZEx Schemes) and for the international IECEx System.  He holds a number of key positions at the international level (see details below).

In the past nineteen years in his current role, he has travelled and worked extensively overseas, carrying out work in over 30 countries.  He has signed memorandums of understanding with the Supervision & Test Center of Ex-Products of China Chemical & Petroleum Industry (PCEC) in Tianjin, China, and the China National Quality Supervision and Test Center for Explosion Protected Electrical Products (CQST) in Nanyang, China.  He has been closely associated with the development, acceptance and operation of CNEX-Global B.V., based in the Netherlands, as an IECEx certification body and ATEX notified body (http://www.cnex-global.com/).

In July 2014 he enrolled as a PhD student at Sydney University, with his research focused on the safety of flameproof motors at extremely low temperatures.  In 2016 he presented papers at three international conferences on his research.  Two of these papers were subsequently published in academic journals.  He subsequently presented his thesis.  The degree was conferred on 1 June 2018.

Current international roles include:

  • Member of IECEx Executive
  • Contract Certification Officer to CNEX-Global B.V. in the Netherlands
  • Chairman of the IECEx Scheme Panel of Assessors
  • Lead assessor with the IECEx Scheme
  • Convenor of IECEx Assessment Group (ExAG)
  • Convenor of IECEx ExMC Working Group 15, Integration of non-electrical Standards
  • Convenor of IECEx ExMC Working Group 18, Technical Revision of IECEx OD 233 – Equipment Protection by special protection “s”
  • Member of IECEx ExMC Working Group 1, Revision of IECEx Scheme Rules and Procedures (IECEx 02)
  • Member of IECEx ExMC Working Group 2, Technical Capability Documents
  • Member of IECEx ExMC Working Group 5 Assessment and Audit of Manufacturer’s Quality systems
  • Member of IECEx ExMC Working Group 8, Regulatory Acceptance
  • Member of IECEx ExMC Working Group 13, IECEx Scheme Business Development
  • Member of IECEx ExMC Working Group 17, IECEx Marketing
  • Member of IECEx ExMC Working Group 19, Application of IECEx to the Hydrogen Economy
  • Member of IECEx ExTAG Working Group 1, Preparation of assessment and test report forms ExTRs
  • Member of IECEx ExTAG Working Group 6, Rules of procedure for testing at other locations
  • Member of IECEx ExTAG Working Group 10, Proficiency testing
  • Member of IECEx ExTAG Working Group 12, Retention of records
  • Member of JWG IECEx/OIML Joint Working Group IECEx/OIML
  • Member IEC TC31 Chair’s Advisory Group
  • Member of IEC TC 31 Maintenance Team, IEC 60079-1 Maintenance of IEC 60079-1
  • Member of IEC TC 31 Maintenance Team, IEC 60079-29 series (gas detectors)
  • Member of IEC TC 31 Joint Working Group JWG 45, Toxic gas detection for workplace atmospheres
  • Member of IEC IEC TC 31 Working Group Adverse service conditions
  • Member of IEC TC 31 Editing Group
  • Member of IEC TC 31 Good Working Practice Group
  • Member of IEC TC 31 Joint Working Group JWG 50 standards coordination with IECEx
  • Member of IEC TC 31 Working Group SC 31G WG 4, Spark Test Apparatus
  • Co-convenor IEC TC 31 Maintenance Team SC 31M MT80079-38 Equipment and components in explosive atmospheres in underground mines

Qualifications, recognitions and other key roles include:

  • PhD degree from Sydney University
  • Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) degree from Sydney University
  • Graduate Diploma of Data Processing from the University of Technology, Sydney
  • Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia
  • Senior Member IEEE
  • IEC Thomas A Edison Award
  • Standards Australia Meritorious Contribution Award – International
  • Chartered professional engineer (CPEng)
  • On the Australian National Engineers Register (NER)
  • International Professional Engineer (Australia)
  • Registered as an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Engineer
  • Assessor with the National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia (NATA)
  • Assessor with the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS)
  • Qualified Quality Management System auditor, with particular emphasis on product certification

Other roles have included:

  • Chairman of International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Committee TC 31, Equipment for Explosive Atmospheres (for 15 years)
  • Director of TestSafe Australia for six years up to early 2004
  • Chairman of Standards Australia Committee EL/14, Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas, for 12 years
  • Headed up hazardous area testing operations at the Londonderry Occupational Safety Centre (TestSafe Australia’s former name) for 11 years
  • Chaired the National Occupational Safety and Health Commission’s working group developing and implementing the Australian National Standard for Plant, which formed the basis of OHS plant legislation throughout Australia
  • Manager Engineering Services at WorkCover NSW for eight years
  • Acting Director of Standards at Worksafe Australia
  • Chairman of Engineers Australia, Sydney Division, Excellence Awards Panel for Welfare, Health and Safety

Biographies

Jim Munro’s biography appears in Marquis Who’s Who in the World, and Marquis Who’s Who in Science and Engineering