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The ATEX Directive 94/9/EC
The ATEX Directive 94/9/EC is an EU New & Global Approach Product Directive. Its full title is “Equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres”. There is a companion directive 1999/92/EC made under Article 137 of the EC Treaty relating to the protection of workers endangered by potentially explosive atmospheres. The ATEX Directive 94/9/EC lays down requirements for the design and manufacture of equipment, protective systems and safety devices intended for use in areas where explosive atmospheres may occur. Such areas may be found in places where flammable substances in the form of gases, vapours, volatile liquids or dusts may mix with air to form an explosive mixture. The term “Equipment” is used to cover products which contain potential ignition sources which, if not properly protected, could be capable of initiating an explosion. “Protective systems” are used to control incipient explosions if ignition control is not possible or if a further layer of safety is required. “Safety devices” may be installed outside the potentially explosive atmosphere but exercise an explosion safety function in relation to equipment and/or protective systems. There are some types of products which are excluded from the Directive. Products within the scope of the Directive must comply at the first "putting on the market" or "putting into service" in EEA. Thereafter the “Worker protection” Directive 1999/92/EC covers the selection, installation, operation and maintenance of the products. (The “Worker protection” Directive sets minimum standards. Individual national regulations may apply more onerous requirements for the operation and maintenance phases). Prior to ATEX, there was a voluntary conformity regime which applied only to electrical equipment used in potentially explosive gas and vapour atmospheres. For all other products used in these areas, each EU member state had its own regime for regulating what could be placed on the market and put into service. Each was based upon a national perception of safety hazards. ATEX creates a single legal structure within which all products with an explosion safety function can be sold on the entire EU market without having to submit to a multitude of national approval regimes. A product that complies with ATEX in one EU member state must be accepted in all member states. When does ATEX come into force? The “Product” Directive has been mandatory since 1 July 2003. The “Worker Protection” Directive has been mandatory for new installations since 1 July 2003 and becomes mandatory for existing installations from 1 July 2006. Firstly the Directive assigns "risk" categories to products. Equipment may be designated as Category M1 or M2 for equipment used in mines and Category 1, 2 or 3 for equipment used elsewhere. Categories M1 and 1 are for the highest risk applications and Category 3 for the lowest. The risk is defined in terms of the level of protection of potential ignition sources against the possibility of their becoming active. Protective systems, as the last barrier to the development of a full explosion, are treated in the same way as Category 1 equipment. Safety devices are required to provide the level of protection applicable to the equipment and/or protective system with which they are intended to be used. For each risk category, ATEX defines a choice of conformity assessment route maps, called Modules. The 7 modules range from self-certification (module A) to type examination (module B) and production quality assurance (module D) by a third party (called a Notified Body). Quality assurance is always an option but never mandatory .While the Directive sets out the essential health and safety requirements which ATEX products must meet, the detailed technical characteristics of the design, materials, production and testing are not laid down in the Directive but in standards. Standards have been especially written to put flesh on the Directive's bones. These standards, which must be adopted by all member states, are known as harmonised standards. Conformity with harmonised standards "guarantees" conformity with the Directive. Their application, however, is not mandatory. If harmonised standards are not suited to a specific product, any alternative standard or solution may be applied if it can be shown to carry equivalent safety. It is, however, difficult to demonstrate equivalent safety. One solution to this problem is CEproof’s HAZproof service. Think your product(s) must comply? More information can be found from the following links:
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marking equipment for potentially explosive atmoshperes.