REGULATIONS ATEX

Areas with potentially explosive atmospheres are considered those places where you have the presence of flammable substances in the form of gases, vapours, mists or dusts and of potential ignition sources which may become effective in the presence of workers.
Work environments that can be characterized by the presence of potentially explosive atmospheres are for example:
• underground mines
• rigs
• drilling rigs for Oil & Gas
• petrochemical plants
• fuel depots
• production plants • energy plants for food processing • sewage treatment
• distilleries
• windmills
• Bakery equipment
• pharmaceutical plants
Electrical products and electrical-not intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres must ensure a level of security appropriate to the area and installation shall be subjected to specific tests and obtain a certification depending on the country in which they are used:
• the European Union must comply with Directive ATEX (French ATmosphere EXplosible) 94/9/EC is obligatory in all Member States from July 1, 2003 and be CE marked and Ex;
• for the North American territory, the products must be evaluated by a NRTL (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory) according to the requirements of the NEC (National Electrical Code) which defines the potentially explosive areas as Hazardous Locations (HazLoc). These products will carry the brand owner of certification, such as Intertek ETL mark;
• for countries outside North America and the European Union and joining the IECEx scheme, a manufacturer may obtain certification based on the applicable IEC standard. Once the Assessment and Report tests the IECEx, the manufacturer must submit to the competent authorities of the countries in which it wants to export its products and, if required, apply the national deviations to obtain the local certificate.