Hydrogen Handling Safety Course
Online course of 300 hours in hydrogen handling safety. 6 modules covering hydrogen hazards, the legal safety framework, hazardous area classification to IEC 60079-10-1, risk analysis to ISO/TR 15916 and NFPA 2, and operating and emergency procedures, with an assigned technical tutor.
Hydrogen Handling Safety Course — studying from South Africa
South Africa's transition to electromobility is gaining momentum, with automotive manufacturers evaluating electric and hybrid models and local battery and hydrogen research under way. The country has significant mineral resources, including platinum group metals relevant to fuel cells, and universities and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research support work on energy storage and hydrogen technologies. Government policy on the energy transition shapes investment in charging infrastructure and related industries. Engineers in this field work across vehicle systems, power electronics and energy storage.
Fees for South Africa: R 12 000 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Is this qualification recognised by South African bodies in electromobility, batteries or hydrogen?
ECSA is the statutory registration body for engineers in South Africa, and there is no separate national register for electromobility or hydrogen specialists. SEIUM's qualifications are private, not state degrees, and are not accredited by a national body. Whether employers or the relevant professional body recognise them is their decision, so confirm this with them before you enrol.
Are there South African employers in batteries or hydrogen who might value this training?
South Africa has growing interest in electric mobility, battery storage and green hydrogen, with activity in automotive, energy and research organisations. Employers generally look for experience, technical competence and recognised qualifications. A private online programme may help you show specialist knowledge, but it does not guarantee a job. Discuss the programme with target employers and use it alongside practical experience.
Can I manage this with work, and does employer funding exist?
The programme is 100% online and taught in English, so you need strong English. Study is remote, so no student visa is needed to study from home. Master's programmes are 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, with an assigned technical tutor. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible, which many employers offer for professional development in general terms.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Identify the specific hazards of hydrogen compared with other fuels.
Apply the legal framework for explosive atmospheres and risk prevention.
Classify hazardous areas according to IEC 60079-10-1.
Carry out HAZOP and quantitative risk analyses in hydrogen facilities.
Define safe purging, inerting and leak-detection procedures.
Prepare emergency plans and staff training.
Develop a complete safety study for a hydrogen facility.
Who it's for
- Industrial safety technicians.
- Occupational risk prevention engineers.
- Hydrogen facility managers.
- Risk analysis engineers.
- Hydrogen station operators.
- Emergency coordinators.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter hydrogen production.
What you'll work with
- ISO/TR 15916 (basic considerations for the safety of hydrogen systems)
- Directive 2014/34/EU, ATEX (equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres)
- Directive 1999/92/EC, ATEX (worker safety in explosive atmospheres)
- IEC 60079-10-1 (classification of areas: explosive gas atmospheres)
- Royal Decree 681/2003 (worker protection in explosive atmospheres, Spain)
- NFPA 2 (Hydrogen Technologies Code)
- IEC 60079-14 (electrical installations design, selection and erection)
- ISO 26142 (hydrogen detection apparatus)
- DNV Phast
- FLACS-CFD
- HyRAM+ (Sandia)
- ALOHA
- Gexcon Effects
6 modules
1.1Flammability limits from 4% to 75%1.2Minimum ignition energy and ignition sources1.3Invisible flame and detection methods1.4Deflagration and deflagration-to-detonation transition1.5Buoyancy and leak dispersion1.6High-pressure jets and spontaneous ignition1.7Embrittlement and material failures1.8Cryogenic and asphyxiation risks1.9Comparison with natural gas, propane and petrol1.10Workshop: extent of a flammable cloud after a leak
2.1ATEX Directives 2014/34/EU and 1999/92/EC2.2Royal Decree 681/2003 on explosive atmospheres2.3Regulations on the storage of chemical products2.4Seveso III Directive and thresholds for hydrogen2.5Pressure Equipment Directive2.6Spanish Occupational Risk Prevention Act2.7Explosion protection document2.8Coordination of business activities2.9Responsibilities of the owner and the operator2.10Case study: preparing an explosion protection document
3.1IEC 60079-10-1 methodology3.2Grades of release and ventilation effectiveness3.3Zones 0, 1 and 2 and their extent3.4Group IIC and temperature class3.5Ex d, Ex e and Ex i protection methods3.6Selection and installation according to IEC 60079-143.7Inspection and maintenance according to IEC 60079-173.8Natural and forced ventilation of enclosures3.9Positioning hydrogen detectors3.10Practical exercise: hazardous area drawing of a compressor room
4.1HAZID and HAZOP in hydrogen facilities4.2Consequences of jets, fires and explosions4.3Dispersion models and CFD simulation4.4Quantitative risk analysis4.5Layers of protection and SIL level4.6Safety distances according to ISO/TR 15916 and NFPA 24.7HIAD and H2Tools incident databases4.8Human factors in operation4.9Management of change in facilities4.10Case study: HAZOP of a transfer line
5.1Purging and inerting with nitrogen5.2Leak detection with foam, sensors and ultrasound5.3Hot work permits5.4Personal protective equipment5.5Handling cylinders and cylinder bundles5.6Responding to hydrogen vehicles involved in accidents5.7Self-protection and emergency plans5.8Training and periodic drills5.9Incident investigation and lessons learned5.10Practical exercise: purging procedure for a 350 bar line
6.1Describing the facility and its inventories6.2Identifying hazards and scenarios6.3ATEX hazardous area classification6.4Consequence analysis of critical scenarios6.5Defining barriers and preventive measures6.6Operating and emergency procedures6.7Staff training plan6.8Assessing residual risk6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so you can combine it with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is DNV Phast, FLACS-CFD, HyRAM+ (Sandia), ALOHA and Gexcon Effects, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied through real procedures: hazardous area classification of compressor rooms, HAZOP analysis of hydrogen facilities and purging and inerting procedures. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: ISO/TR 15916, Directive 2014/34/EU, Directive 1999/92/EC, IEC 60079-10-1, Royal Decree 681/2003, NFPA 2, IEC 60079-14, ISO 26142.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with DNV Phast, FLACS-CFD, HyRAM+ (Sandia), ALOHA and Gexcon Effects, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, a computer that can run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
Related programmes
Course in V2X for Electromobility
Online course of 300 hours in V2X for electromobility. 6 modules covering vehicle-grid integration concepts, bidirectional hardware, communication protocols, energy services and markets, regulation and deployment,…
EV basic architecture course
Online course of 300 hours in basic EV architecture. 6 modules covering vehicle platforms and architecture, the high-voltage network, propulsion and energy subsystems, electronics, communications and…
Course on autonomy and consumption in electric vehicles
Online course of 300 hours in range and consumption in electric vehicles. 6 modules covering key range and consumption concepts, range type-approval procedures, range modelling and…
More in Electromobility, Batteries & Hydrogen
All Electromobility, Batteries & Hydrogen programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships