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[72].

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[73] contains more information on the numerical series IEC 60079. (Note that all of these lists are subject to regular change.)

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. European Commission Enterprise and Industry - Harmonised ATEX standardshttps://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-market/european-standards/harmonised-standards/equipment-explosive-atmospheres-atex_en
  73. CENELEC websitehttps://www.cencenelec.eu/
  74. Memorandum of guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsr25.htm
  75. Electricity at work: Safe working practiceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg85.htm
  76. Controlling fire and explosion risks in the workplacehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg370.htm
  77. Dangerous substances and explosive atmosphereshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l138.htm
  78. HSE Bookshttps://books.hse.gov.uk/
  79. ESQCRhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/esqcr/index.htm
  80. incidentshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/esqcr/index.htm
  81. Construction industryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/index.htm
  82. Agriculturehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/index.htm
  83. Offshore divisionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/index.htm
  84. Chemical industrieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/chemicals/index.htm
  85. Quarrieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/quarries/index.htm
  86. RIDDORhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/index.htm
  87. Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/index.htm

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

ESQCR[79]
Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations

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Updated 2023-01-09