As of July 2003, organizations in EU must follow the directives to protect employees from explosion risk in areas with an explosive atmosphere. ATEX is the name commonly given to the two European Directives for controlling explosive atmospheres:
- The ATEX 114 equipment directive 2014/34/EU, Equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres; on the approximation of the laws of Members States concerning equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. The text of the Directive and EU produced supporting guidelines are available on the EU website. For more information on how the requirements of the Directive have been put into effect in Great Britain see the section on Selection of equipment and protective systems.
- The ATEX 137 workplace directive 99/92/EC, Minimum requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers potentially at risk from explosive atmospheres; on minimum requirements for improving the health and safety protection of workers potentially at risk from explosive atmospheres. The text of the Directive and the supporting EU produced guidelines are available on the EU-website. For more information on how the requirements of the Directive have been put into effect in Great Britain see the information in the section on Equipment and protective systems intended for use in explosive atmospheres.
Equipment intended to be used in potentially explosive atmospheres and Protective Systems is the general name.
Flammable chemicals and petroleum products (eg, methane, alcohol, acetylene, gas ...) production, operation, transport and storage that may arise in gas and steam leakage of the atmosphere with oxygen from the merger an explosive concentrations creation is inevitable. In such a situation might arise from electric energy, electric arc, static electricity or excessive surface temperature, will endanger the safety of life and property can lead to an explosion. Comes to the construction of electrical equipment used in hazardous environments and usage vary greatly from normal practice in the field. Such materials, professional circles interested in the subject Ex-proof (flameproof) is called electrical supplies.
There are special codes over the equipment used in explosive, combustible and easily used in flammable atmospheres. The aim is to use the right equipment in the right area for personnel working in hazardous environments. Each exproof equipment is not used in each region. Most of the explosion is caused by the wrong tool choice at the wrong region.
Instruments used in the top category can use also in the sub-categories. But instruments used in the sub-categories never are not used in the top category. Instruments used in the Category 1 can use ZONE 0-ZONE 1-ZONE 2. But instruments used in the Category 2 never is not used ZONE 0.
