ATEX Certification – Safety in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres

ATEX Consulting – Safety in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres

The European Directives 2014/34/EU and 1999/92/EC establish strict requirements for companies operating in environments where explosive atmospheres may occur. Ensuring compliance is essential to protect workers, safeguard assets, and guarantee the safe operation of equipment.

Explanation

What is ATEX? An explosive atmosphere is a mixture of flammable substances in the form of gases, vapors, mists, or combustibles in a powdery state with air (oxidizing agent), under specific atmospheric conditions in which, upon ignition, combustion spreads to the flammable mixture. For a potentially explosive atmosphere to form, the flammable and/or combustible substance must be present in a specific concentration; in fact, the mixture can be rich or lean. Therefore, an explosion can only occur in the presence of an ignition source and when the concentration is within the explosive range of the substances by mass or volume, defined by a minimum limit (LFI) and a maximum limit (LF1). The limits depend on the pressure, temperature, and percentage of oxidizing agent present in the atmosphere.

Regulations

Directive 2014/34/EU (“ATEX Directive”) came into force on 20 April 2016 and was implemented in Italy with Legislative Decree 19/05/2016 n. 85.

The ATEX Directive applies to equipment (machines, semi-machines, fixed and mobile devices, control devices, etc. which, alone or in combination, are intended for the generation, transport, storage, measurement, regulation and conversion of energy and the treatment of materials and which, due to their inherent potential ignition sources, risk causing an explosion), protective systems and components.

Download the full ATEX document HERE