Technical standards
What are the standards for the methods of protection for electrical equipment?
The following, although not exhaustive, is a list of the standards applicable to the selection, installation, maintenance and repair of electrical equipment:
- BS EN 60079 Explosive atmospheres. Equipment. General Requirements Part 0
- BS EN 60079 Explosive atmospheres. Equipment protected by flameproof enclosures "d". Part 1
- BS EN 60079 Explosive atmospheres. Equipment protected by pressurised enclosures "p". Part 2
- BS EN 60079 Explosive atmospheres. Equipment protection by increased safety "e". Part 7
- BS EN 60079 Explosive atmospheres. Classification of areas. Explosive gas atmospheres. Part 10-1
- BS EN 60079 Explosive atmospheres. Classification of areas. Combustible dust atmospheres. Part 10-2
- BS EN 600797 Explosive atmospheres. Equipment protection by intrinsic safety "i". Part 11
- BS EN 60079 Explosive atmospheres. Electrical installations design, selection and erection. Part 14
- BS EN 60079 Electrical apparatus for explosive gas atmospheres Part 15: Type of protection 'n'
- BS EN 60079 Explosive atmospheres. Electrical installations inspection and maintenance. Part 17
- BS EN 60079 Electrical apparatus for explosive gas atmospheres Part 18: Construction, test and marking of type of protection encapsulation 'm' electrical apparatus
- BS EN 60079 Explosive atmospheres. Equipment repair, overhaul and reclamation. Part 19
- BS EN 60079 Electrical apparatus for explosive gas atmospheres Part 28: Protection of equipment and transmission systems using optical radiation
What are the standards for mechanical protection concepts?
The following standards have been published to date or, where indicated, are due for publication shortly:
- BS EN 13463 Non-electrical equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. Basic method and requirements. Part 1
- BS EN 13463 Non-electrical equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. Protection by flow restricting enclosure 'fr'. Part 2
- BS EN 13463 Non-electrical equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. Protection by flameproof enclosure 'd'. Part 3
- BS EN 13463 Non-electrical equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. Protection by constructional safety 'c'. Part 5
- BS EN 13463 Non-electrical equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres. Protection by control of ignition source 'b'. Part 6
- BS EN 13463Non-electrical equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres Part 7: Protection by pressurization 'p' (standard in preparation)
- BS EN 13463 Non-electrical equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres Part 8: Protection by liquid immersion 'k'
Other parts of this standard (EN 13463) are currently under development.
Where can I get a list of standards which have been harmonised under ATEX?
A list of standards is available from European Commission Enterprise and Industry - Harmonised ATEX standards.
Products complying with any of these standards carry the presumption of conformity with the Directive. In the absence of an appropriate EU harmonised standard, products compliant with the EPS Regulations are conformity assessed against the essential health and safety requirements (EHSRs) utilising, (in order of preference) existing European, national or other technical standards. The CENELEC website contains more information on the numerical series IEC 60079. (Note that all of these lists are subject to regular change.)