The ATEX directive consists of two EU directives describing what equipment and workspaces are allowed in environments with explosive atmospheres. ATEX gets its name from the French directive directive 94/9/EC: Appareils destinÃÆ' Â © s ÃÆ' ÃÆ'ªtre utilisÃÆ' Â © s en AT mosphÃÆ'¨res EX plosibles
Video ATEX directive
Instructions
In July 2003, organizations in the EU must follow directions to protect employees from the risk of explosions in areas with explosive atmospheres.
There are two ATEX directives (one for manufacturers and one for equipment users):
- ATEX 95 equipment directive 94/9/EC, Protective equipment and systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres;
- ATEX 137 workplace directive 99/92/EC, Minimum requirements to improve the safety and health protection of workers are potentially at risk from explosive atmospheres.
ATEX 94/9/EU dedicated to the manufacturer has changed. Still valid until April 19, 2016, ATEX 94/9/EC will be removed and replaced with a new directive.
The new ATEX directive was published on Saturday 29 March 2014, under a new reference: Directive 2014/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on harmonization of laws of Member States relating to equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres Text with EEA relevance - EU Official Journal L 96 of 29/03/2014.
This new directive ATEX 2014/34/EU will be mandatory for producers on April 20, 2016 as stated in article 44 of the directive.
Promised for a long time, this new ATEX directive has been published along with 8 other directives in the frame of the NEW LEGISLATIVE DISCOUNTING PACK (NLF) (Implementation Package of Goods). This is the subject of "COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL" to the Alignment of ten technical harmonization directives for Decision No. 768/2008/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 9 July 2008 on a common framework for product marketing, in Brussels, 21.11. 2011 under COM reference (2011) 763 final.
These texts aim to align on 10 original directives that:
- Civil Explosive Instructions: Directive 93/15/EEC on harmonization of provisions relating to market placements and explosive controls for civilian use;
- Instructions on equipment for use in explosive atmospheres (ATEX): Directive 94/9/EC on legal estimates of Member States on equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres;
- Appointment Instructions: 95/16/EC Directive on legal estimates of Member States related to elevators;
- Pressure Equipment Directive: Directive 97/23/EC concerning Member State legal estimates of pressure apparatus;
- Measurement Instrument Guideline: Directive 2004/22/EC on gauges;
- Elect Compatibility Compatibility Directive (EMC): Directive 2004/108/EC on legal estimates of Member States relating to electromagnetic compatibility;
- Low Voltage Directive (LVD): Directive 2006/95/EC on harmonization of Member States laws relating to electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits;
- Article Pyrotechnic Directive: Directive 2007/23/EC on placement in the market of pyrotechnic articles;
- Non-Automatic Weighing Instrument Instructions: Directive 2009/23/EC on non-automatic weighing instruments;
- Simple Pressure Vessels Directive: Directive 2009/105/EC related to simple pressure vessels
The new text of ATEX 2014/34/EU is available on the following website:
- ATEX new directive from EUR-LEX
Regarding ATEX 99/92/EC directives, the requirement is that Employers should classify areas where dangerous explosive atmospheres may occur into zones. Classifications are assigned to specific zones, and their size and location, depending on the likelihood of atmospheric explosions and persistence if they occur.
Areas classified into zones (0, 1, 2 for steam-gas fog and 20, 21, 22 for dust) should be protected from an effective ignition source. Equipment and protective systems intended for use in the zonated area shall meet the requirements of the directive. Zones 0 and 20 require marked Category 1 equipment, zones 1 and 21 require marked Category 2 equipment and zones 2 and 22 require marked Category 3 equipment. Zones 0 and 20 are the zones with the highest risk of explosive atmosphere present.
Equipment used before July 2003 is allowed to be used indefinitely by providing a risk assessment indicating it is safe to do.
The purpose of the 94/9/EC directive is to enable free trade of ATEX equipment and protection systems in the EU by removing the need for separate testing and documentation for each member country.
Regulations apply to all equipment intended for use in explosive atmospheres, whether electrical or mechanical, including a protective system. There are two categories of 'I' equipment for mining and 'II' for the surface industry. Manufacturers applying the provisions and affixing CE marks and Ex tokens may sell their equipment anywhere within the European union without further requirements with respect to the risks applied. These directives cover a wide range of equipment, including equipment used on fixed offshore platforms, in petrochemical plants, mines, milling plants and other areas where potentially explosive atmospheres may be present.
In very broad terms, there are three preconditions for the directive to apply: equipment a) must have its own effective source of ignition; b) intended for use in potentially explosive atmosphere (air mixture); and c) under normal atmospheric conditions.
This directive also includes those components that are essential for safe use and security equipment that directly contribute to the safe use of the equipment within the scope. This latter device may be outside a potentially explosive environment.
Manufacturers/suppliers (or importers, if producers are outside the EU) should ensure that their products meet essential health and safety requirements and undergo appropriate compliance procedures. This usually involves testing and certification by 'third party' certification bodies (known as Notification Agencies such as Intertek, Sira, Baseefa, Lloyd's, TUV ICQC) but producers/suppliers may 'certify themselves' Category 3 equipment (technical documents including drawings, and user manuals in the local language) and Category 2 non-electrical equipment but for Category 2 technical documents must be filed with the notified body. Once certified, the equipment is marked 'CE' (meaning it corresponds to ATEX and all other relevant directives) and the 'Ex' symbol to identify it as approved under the ATEX directive. Technical documents should be kept for a period of 10 years.
The certification ensures that the equipment or protective systems are in accordance with the intended purpose and that sufficient information is provided with it to ensure that it can be used safely. There are four ATEX classifications to ensure that certain protective equipment or systems are appropriate and can be used safely in certain applications: 1. Industrial or Mining Applications; 2. Equipment Category; 3. Atmosphere; and 4. Temperature.
ATEX as an EU directive discovers US equivalents below HAZLOC standards. This standard is provided by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration defining and classifying dangerous locations such as explosive atmosphere.
Maps ATEX directive
Technical definition
In DSEAR, the explosive atmosphere is defined as a mixture of harmful substances with air, under atmospheric conditions, in the form of gases, vapors, fog or dust where, after combustion occurs, combustion spreads throughout the unburned mixture.
The atmospheric conditions are usually referred to as ambient temperature and pressure. Mean temperature of -20 Â ° C to 40 Â ° C and pressure of 0.8 to 1.1 bars.
Zone classification
ATEX instructions include explosives from gas but also solid dust (which, contrary to general perceptions, can cause harmful explosions)
Hazards - Gas/steam/fog
Zone 0 - Places where an explosive atmosphere composed of mixtures with air from harmful substances in the form of gases, vapors or fogs is present continuously or for extended periods of time or often
Zone 1 - A place where an explosive atmosphere composed of a mixture with air of harmful substances in the form of gases, vapors or fogs may occur in normal operations occasionally.
Zone 2 - Places where an explosive atmosphere composed of mixtures with air from harmful substances in the form of gases, vapors or fogs is unlikely to occur in normal operation but, if that happens, will last for a short time only.
Hazard - Powder/dust
Zone 20 - A place where the explosive atmosphere in the form of a combustible cloud of dust in the air is present continuously, or for a long time or often.
Zone 21 - A place where an explosive atmosphere in the form of a combustible cloud of dust in the air may occur in the normal operation occasionally.
Zone 22 - A place where an explosive atmosphere in the form of a combustible cloud of dust in the air is unlikely to occur in normal operation but, if it does, it will last for a short time only.
- Effective ignition source
Effective ignition source is a term defined in the European ATEX directive as an event that, in combination with sufficient oxygen and fuel in the form of gas, fog, steam or dust, can cause an explosion. Methane, hydrogen, or coal dust are examples of possible fuel.
Effective sources of ignition are:
- Lightning strikes .
- Open fires . This varies from cigarette burning to welding activity.
- The impact fire generated mechanically. For example, the hammer blows on a rusted steel surface compared to a hammer blow on a flint stone. The angle of speed and impact (between surface and hammer) is important; The 90 degree blow on the surface is relatively harmless.
- Friction friction generated mechanically. The combination of material and speed determines the effectiveness of ignition sources. For example, 4.5 m/s friction of the steel with a force greater than 2 kN is an effective source of ignition. The combination of aluminum and rust is also very dangerous. More than one spark of red heat is often necessary to have an effective source of ignition.
- electric sparks . For example, poor electrical connections or wrong pressure transmitters. The electrical energy content of the spark determines the effectiveness of the ignition source.
- High surface temperature . This may be the result of grinding, milling, friction, mechanical friction in boxes or pads, or hot liquids pumped into vessels. For example, the end of the lathe can easily be 600 Celsius (1100 ° F); High pressure steam pipes may be above the autosuisi temperature of some fuel/air mixtures.
- Electrostatic discharge . Static electricity can be generated by air sliding over the wing, or non-conductive fluid that flows through the filter screen.
- Radiation .
- Adiabatic compression . The air is pumped into the vessel and the surface of the vessel heats up.
See also
- Electrical equipment in hazardous area
- DSEAR (UK implementation of ATEX 137)
References
External links
- Directive 1999/92/EC
- ATEX Guide (First edition - April 2016)
- Intrinsic Safety Rules
- ATEX new directive from EUROPA
- The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (English)
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments