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General, guidance and enforcement issues

There are two EU Directives ATEX 95 (94/9/EC) and ATEX 137 (1999/92/EC) concerning, respectively, the supply and the use of equipment in potentially explosive atmospheres. The term 'ATEX' is an acronym, derived from the French title of the 94/9/EC Directive above. HSE has produced a Quick guide to DSEAR[72] and the ATEX Directives.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) implemented ATEX 95 under The Equipment and Protective Systems for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 1996 (EPS Regulations). ATEX 95 concerns the supply of equipment, protective systems, components etc, where these are for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. BIS are responsible for policy issues, resolution of supply issues at EU level, appointing notified bodies in the UK, etc. The BIS website provides information on their responsibilities [75] and guidance on the EPS Regulations. (PDF) [76]

The user Directive, ATEX 137, is implemented by HSE under The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR). ATEX 137 concerns worker health and safety in those workplaces where potentially explosive atmospheres may be present.

The DSEAR and EPS Regulations are enforced in Britain by HSE and, in some circumstances, DSEAR is enforced by others (eg local authorities and petroleum licensing authorities).

They are complementary. DSEAR is concerned with the safe use of dangerous substances and requires employers to zone workplaces and select equipment and protective systems that meet the EPS Regulations. The EPS Regulations put the duty on manufacturers to supply suitable equipment for such purposes.

The Health and Safety Executive has published two sets of guidance and Approved Codes of Practice on DSEAR:

Link URLs in this page

  1. Electrical safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/index.htm
  2. Overview - HSE electrical safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/hse.htm
  3. How we work https://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/how.htm
  4. Who we are https://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/who.htm
  5. Contactshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/contacts.htm
  6. Electrical injurieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/injuries.htm
  7. Overview - Simple precautionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/precautions.htm
  8. Work near electricityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/nearelectric.htm
  9. Excavation and underground serviceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/excavations.htm
  10. Overhead power lineshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/overhead.htm
  11. Work using electrically powered equipmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/electricequip.htm
  12. Work on electrical equipment, machinery or installationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/withequip.htm
  13. Maintaining electrical equipmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/safety.htm
  14. Electricity in potentially explosive atmosphereshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/explosive.htm
  15. Standards and codes of practicehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/standards.htm
  16. Electrical safety FAQshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/faq.htm
  17. Overview - Electricity in potentially explosive atmospheres FAQshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/atex/index.htm
  18. General, guidance and enforcement issueshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/atex/general.htm
  19. Definitionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/atex/definitions.htm
  20. Interpretationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/atex/interpretation.htm
  21. Technical standardshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/atex/standards.htm
  22. Existing equipment issueshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/atex/existing.htm
  23. Imported productshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/atex/imported.htm
  24. General issues and informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/atex/issues.htm
  25. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) issueshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/atex/lpg.htm
  26. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/index.htm
  27. General health and safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/general.htm
  28. Inspection & testinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/testing.htm
  29. Maintenancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/maintenance.htm
  30. Constructionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/construction.htm
  31. Farming/forestryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/agriculture.htm
  32. Public placeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/public.htm
  33. Potentially explosive atmosphereshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/explosive.htm
  34. The lawhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/law.htm
  35. Other workplaceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/other.htm
  36. Linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/links.htm
  37. Overview - Accident case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/experience.htm
  38. Overview - Overhead power lineshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/overhead/index.htm
  39. Lorry driver suffers burnshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/overhead/lorry.htm
  40. Failing to warn driver of overhead lineshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/overhead/farmer.htm
  41. Failure to isolate power supplyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/overhead/isolate.htm
  42. Erecting a lighting towerhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/overhead/under.htm
  43. Scaffolding contacting overhead linehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/overhead/scaffold.htm
  44. Moving tower scaffoldhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/overhead/painters.htm
  45. Overview - Electrical maintenancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/index.htm
  46. Changing an electrodehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/electrode.htm
  47. Touching live equipmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/touch.htm
  48. Incorrectly wired appliancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/appliance.htm
  49. Insulating live wireshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/insulate.htm
  50. Faulty air conditioning unithttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/aircondition.htm
  51. Live electrical panelhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/panel.htm
  52. Supply not been properly isolatedhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/isolate.htm
  53. Injuries result in amputationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/amputation.htm
  54. Switchgear not isolatedhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/switchgear.htm
  55. Induction heat treatment machinehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/heart.htm
  56. Poorly constructed equipmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/testing.htm
  57. Pressure water washing machinehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/washingmachine.htm
  58. Metal fencehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/fence.htm
  59. Incorrectly wiring a machinehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/wiring.htm
  60. Mail wrapping machinehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/mail.htm
  61. Overview - Excavationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/excavations/index.htm
  62. Cable locatorhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/excavations/locator.htm
  63. Road breakerhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/excavations/roadbreaker.htm
  64. Pneumatic impact molehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/excavations/mole.htm
  65. Pneumatic breakerhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/excavations/breaker.htm
  66. Jackhammerhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/excavations/jackhammer.htm
  67. Breaking concretehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/excavations/concrete.htm
  68. Gas pipes and electrical cableshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/excavations/digger.htm
  69. Overview - Ignition of potentially explosive atmosphereshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/explosive/index.htm
  70. Removing paint in a yachthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/explosive/paint.htm
  71. Cleaning electric stirrerhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/explosive/clean.htm
  72. Quick guide to DSEARhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/dsear.htm
  73. Guidelines on the application of ATEX 95 https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/mechanical-engineering/atex_en
  74. guide on ATEX 137. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2003:0515:FIN:EN:PDF
  75. information on their responsibilities http://www.bis.gov.uk/atex
  76. guidance on the EPS Regulations. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20070603164510/http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file11278.pdf
  77. Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002. Approved Code of Practice and guidance L138 (Second edition)https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l138.htm
  78. Unloading petrol from road tankers. Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002. Approved Code of Practice and guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l133.htm
  79. Memorandum of guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsr25.htm
  80. Electricity at work: Safe working practiceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg85.htm
  81. Controlling fire and explosion risks in the workplacehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg370.htm
  82. Dangerous substances and explosive atmosphereshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l138.htm
  83. ESQCRhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/esqcr/index.htm
  84. incidentshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/esqcr/index.htm
  85. Construction industryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/index.htm
  86. Agriculturehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/index.htm
  87. Offshore divisionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/index.htm
  88. Chemical industrieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/chemicals/index.htm
  89. Quarrieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/quarries/index.htm
  90. RIDDORhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/index.htm
  91. Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/index.htm

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

ESQCR[83]
Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations

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Updated 2023-02-15