Description

Organizations in the EU must follow Directives to protect employees from explosion risk in areas with an explosive atmosphere.

There are two ATEX Directives (one for the manufacturer and one for the user of the equipment):

• The ATEX 114 “equipment” Directive 2014/34/EU – Equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres
• The ATEX 153 “workplace” Directive 1999/92/EC – Minimum requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers potentially at risk from explosive atmospheres.

Note: The ATEX 95 “equipment” Directive 94/9/EC, was withdrawn on 20 April 2016 when it was replaced by ATEX 114 Directive 2014/34/EU. ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU is mandatory for manufacturers as of 20 April 2016 as stated in article 44 of the Directive.

ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU was published on 29 March 2014, by the European Parliament. It refers to the harmonization of the laws of the Member States relating to equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.

Regarding ATEX 99/92/EC Directive, the requirement is that Employers must classify areas where potentially explosive atmospheres may occur, into zones. The classification given to a particular zone, and its size and location, depends on the likelihood of an explosive atmosphere occurring and its persistence if it does.

Equipment in use before July 2003 is allowed to be used indefinitely provided a risk assessment shows it is safe to do so.

The aim of Directive 2014/34/EU is to allow the free trade of ‘ATEX’ equipment and protective systems within the EU by removing the need for separate testing and documentation for each member state.

The regulations apply to all equipment intended for use in explosive atmospheres, whether electrical or mechanical, including protective systems. There are two categories of equipment: ‘I’ for mining and ‘II’ for surface industries. Manufacturers who apply its provisions and affix the CE marking and the Ex marking are able to sell their equipment anywhere within the European Union without any further requirements with respect to the risks covered being applied. The directive covers a large range of equipment, potentially including equipment used on fixed offshore platforms, in petrochemical plants, mines, flour mills, and other areas where a potentially explosive atmosphere may be present.

In very broad terms, there are three preconditions for the directive to apply: the equipment must (a) have its own effective source of ignition, (b) be intended for use in a potentially explosive atmosphere (air mixtures), and (c) be under normal atmospheric conditions.

The directive also covers components essential for the safe use and safety devices directly contributing to the safe use of the equipment in scope. These latter devices may be outside the potentially explosive environment.

Manufacturers/suppliers (or importers, if the manufacturers are outside the EU) must ensure that their products meet essential health and safety requirements and undergo appropriate conformity procedures. This usually involves testing and certification by a ‘third-party’ certification body (known as a Notified Body e.g. DCS  but manufacturers/suppliers can ‘self-certify’ Category 3 equipment (technical dossier including drawings, hazard analysis and users manual in the local language) and Category 2 non-electrical equipment. Still, for Category 2 the technical dossier must be lodged with a notified body. Once certified, the equipment is marked by the ‘CE’ (meaning it complies with ATEX and all other relevant directives) and the ‘Ex’ symbol to identify it as approved under the ATEX directive. The technical dossier must be kept for a period of 10 years.