Unit 2:

Standards, Certification and

Marking
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Objectives:
On completion of this unit, ‘Standards, Certification and Marking’, you should know:

a. Current British, European and International Standards and also relevant older British
Standards and Codes of Practice.

b. The certification process for explosion protected apparatus.

c. The methods of marking explosion protected apparatus.

d. The basic requirements of the ATEX Directives.

e. The correlation between the ATEX categories and Equipment Protection Levels
(EPL’s)

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Standards, Certification and Marking

Introduction
There are many industries involved in the process of hazardous materials, and these include
chemical plants, oil refineries, gas terminals and offshore installations. These industries rely
heavily on electrical energy to power, for example, lighting, heating and rotating electrical
machines.

The safe use of electrical energy in the hazardous locations of these industries can only be
achieved if tried and tested methods of explosion protection are implemented and to this
end, the organisations involved in the writing of standards, testing and certification of
equipment have a very important role to play.

Since the early 1920’s, many standards have evolved as a result of careful research, often
prompted by incidents such as the Senghennydd colliery disaster in 1913 in which 439
miners lost their lives. The cause at that time was not fully understood but after investigation,
was thought to have been due to an electrical spark igniting methane (firedamp) present in
the atmosphere. Other disasters in the UK include Abbeystead Water Pumping Station in
which 16 people lost their lives, once again due to the electrical ignition of methane gas,
Flixborough where an explosion killed 28 people due to ignition of a massive release of
cyclohexane, and more recently Piper Alpha in the North Sea in which 167 men lost their
lives.

Construction of equipment to relevant standards coupled with testing by an independent

certification body will ensure that the equipment is suitable for its intended purpose.

Explosion protected equipment may be constructed in accordance with relevant standards,

but the integrity of such equipment will only be preserved if it is selected, installed and
maintained in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations. Guidance in this
respect has been provided for many years by the UK Code of Practice BS 5345, but this
series of documents along with equivalent documents of other EU nations, have been
superseded by a new set of standards which are now not only in alignment technically and
legally in Europe, but also globally. These standards, listed in the lower table on page 11
apply to explosion protected equipment/systems in all countries in the EU and cover, (1)
selection and installation of equipment, (2) classification of hazardous areas, (3) inspection
and maintenance, (4) repair of explosion protected equipment, and (5) data for flammable
gases. The BS EN60079 standards are identical to the IEC60079 standards. Although BS
5345 has been withdrawn, it nevertheless remains a source of information for older
installations, but applies to the UK only with regard to the EU.

In the United Kingdom standards are published by BSI (British Standards Institute), in the
EU (European Union) harmonised standards are published by CENELEC European
Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation and, with global alignment of standards
the ultimate aim, IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) publishes the
international standards.

Equipment designs are evaluated and prototypes tested by independent organisations,

typically BASEEFA, ‘British Approvals Service for Electrical Equipment in Flammable
Atmospheres, or Sira in the UK. Such organisations were previously known as certification
bodies but with the introduction of the ATEX Directives, which become mandatory after 30
June 2003, these organisations became known as Notified Bodies. A Notified Body has
been notified to the European Commission by its member state. The role of the Notified
body is to ensure compliance of explosion protected equipment with the ATEX directives
with regard to the design, quality control and production phases for equipment, which are

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audited by a Notified Body. A Notified Body is an independent organisation that has been
assessed and accredited by a national body (United Kingdom Accreditation Service, UKAS,
in the UK) as having the expertise to operate as a Notified Body in accordance with the
directives with regard to conformity assessment of products.

Notified Bodies have their own unique NB number, which will be marked on the certification
labels of ATEX compliant apparatus. Other Notified Bodies in the UK include SIRA
Certification Service, NB Number 0518, and ITS Testing and Certification Ltd., NB
Number 0359 and many others throughout the EU. Notified bodies may require the services
of other organisations for testing product prototypes.

ATEX Directives

On the 12 June 1989 a Framework Directive 89/391/EEC was adopted by the European
Commission the objective being to establish a basis for improving the safety of employees in
the workplace. Supplementary directives namely, 94/9/EC, introduced under Article 100a of
the Treaty of Rome and now known as ATEX 95, and 99/92/EC, now ATEX 137, address
equipment use and safety in hazardous areas. ATEX 95 is the product directive and
ATEX 137 is the workplace directive. Both these directives, unlike previous directives,
establish a ‘New Approach’ in that they are mandatory by law rather than advisory.

ATEX 95
This directive, the product directive, became mandatory from 01July 2003, and requires all
new equipment, which includes not only electrical equipment but also mechanical (non-
electrical) equipment, e.g. pumps, gearboxes etc, and protective systems for use in
potentially explosive atmospheres, placed on the EU market for the first time to be
manufactured in compliance with the directive. Equipment from outside the EU, whether
new or second hand, imported into the EU and placed on the market for the first time must
also be in compliance with the directive. Since this directive concerns the design of
explosion protected products, manufactures must ensure their products satisfy the ‘Essential
Health & Safety Requirements (EHSR’s)’ specified in the annexes of the Directives. Subject
to a successful ‘Conformity Assessment’ by a ‘Notified Body’, the product can display the
CE mark which indicates compliance with the ATEX Directive. The advantage,
therefore, of the CE mark is to enable free movement of products between the member
states of the EU through alignment of technical and legal requirements.

Equipment is defined as any item which is inherently ignition capable or is potentially ignition
capable and requiring the inclusion of special design and installation techniques to prevent
ignition of any surrounding flammable atmosphere which may be present. The ‘equipment’
may also be interfaces located in the non-hazardous area which are part of an explosion
protection system. Protective systems include quenching systems, flame arrestors, fast-
acting shut-off valves and pressure relief panels installed to limit damage due to an
explosion or prevent the spread of explosions.

ATEX 137
This directive, the workplace directive, became fully mandatory from 01 July 2006 and
places responsibilities on employers to provide a safe working environment for employees.
This directive is implemented in the UK via the Dangerous Substances and Explosives
Atmosphere Regulations 2002 (DSEARs). Employers are obliged to implement the
following minimum requirements in the workplace with regard to DSEARs.

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 a. Carry out a risk assessment where dangerous substances are or may be present.

b. Eliminate or reduce risk as far as is reasonably practicable.

c. Classify locations in the workplace where explosive atmospheres may be present

into hazardous or non-hazardous areas.

d. Have in place procedures/facilities to deal with accidents, incidents and emergencies

involving dangerous substances in the workplace.

e. Provide appropriate information and training of employees for their safety regarding
precautions to be taken when dangerous substances are present in the workplace,
written instruction for tasks undertaken by employees and operation of a permit-to-
work system.

f. Clear indication of the contents of containers and pipes.

g. Co-ordinate operations where two or more employees share a workplace in which a

dangerous substance may be present.

h. Posting of warning signs for locations where explosive atmospheres may occur.

i. Selection of equipment in accordance with ATEX 95 and establishment of a

maintenance programme.

Marking of Hazardous Areas

Article 7 in the Directive ATEX 137 states:

‘Where necessary, places where explosive atmospheres may occur in such

quantities as to endanger the health and safety of workers shall be marked
with signs at their points of entry in accordance with Annex III.’

Annex III of the directive specifies the exact requirements for the sign but generally it is
required to be triangular with a yellow background, black border and marked ‘Ex’.

Ex

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 European Notified Bodies

The illustration below shows some of the Notified Bodies along with their unique Notified
Body (NB) number. There are around sixty Notified bodies in the EU at the time of writing.

Finland: VTT Expert Services Oy (0537)

Sweden: SP Sveriges Tekniska Forskningsinstitut AB (402)

Norway: NEMKO AS (0470)

DNV AS (0575)

Denmark: UL Int DEMKO A/S (0539)

UK: Baseefa (1180)

SIRA (0518)

BSI (0086)
Germany: PTB (0102)
ITS Testing & Cert. Ltd (0359)

Lloyd’s Reg Ver Ltd (0038)

Netherlands: DEKRA Cert BV (0344)

Belgium: ISSeP (0492)

France: LCIE (0081)

INERIS (0080)

Spain: LOM (0163)

Italy: CESI (0722)

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 CENELEC International British Revised (BS EN) Latest (BS EN) Type of Protection
Euronorm (EN) Standards Standard Standards Standards

November 2013
Standards (BS) Number

EN 50 014 IEC 60079-0 BS 5501: Pt. 1 BS EN50 014 BS EN60079-0 General Requirements

EN 50 015 IEC 60079-6 BS 5501: Pt. 2 BS EN50 015 BS EN60079-6 Oil Immersion ‘o’
explosion protected equipment.

EN 50 016 IEC 60079-2 BS 5501: Pt. 3 BS EN50 016 BS EN60079-2 Pressurised Apparatus ‘p’

EN 50 017 IEC 60079-5 BS 5501: Pt. 4 BS EN50 17 BS EN60079-5 Power Filling ‘q’

EN 50 018 IEC 60079-1 BS 5501: Pt. 5 BS EN50 018 BS EN60079-1 Flameproof Enclosure ‘d’

EN 50 019 IEC 60079-7 BS 5501: Pt. 6 BS EN50 019 BS EN60079-7 Increased Safety ’e’

9
EN 50 020 IEC 60079-11 BS 5501: Pt. 7 BS EN50 020 BS EN60079-11 Intrinsic Safety ‘i’
IEC, European (CENELEC) and British Standards

EN 50 028 IEC 60079-18 BS 5501: Pt. 8 BS EN50 028 BS EN60079-18 Encapsulation ‘m’

EN 50 039 IEC 60079-25 BS 5501: Pt. 9 BS EN50 039 BS EN60079-25 Intrinsic Safety Systems ‘i’

EN 50 021 IEC 60079-15 BS EN50 021 BS EN60079-15 Type of Protection ‘n’

IEC 60079-26 BS EN60079-26 Equipment with Equipment

Protection Level Ga

BS EN60079-13 Equipment protection by

pressurised room

IEC 60079-27 BS EN60079-27 EFieldbus intrinsically safe

concept (FISCO)
The table below shows the various issues of construction standards for the different type’s of

©
British Standards (Withdrawn)

The standards listed below are those which preceded the harmonised European standards
listed in the previous table. These standards, with the exception of BS 889, were not entirely
obsolete, and older designs of equipment were still manufactured to these standards and
available on the market prior to 30 June 2003, the date after which implementation of the
ATEX Directives became mandatory. Apparatus manufactured to these standards, where
still in use, must be maintained in accordance with these standards. It is, therefore, important
that reference to the correct standard is made before maintenance is carried out on such
apparatus.

BS 229 Flameproof enclosure of electrical apparatus

BS 889 Flameproof electric fittings

Intrinsically safe electric apparatus and circuits for use in
BS 1259
explosive atmospheres
BS 4683: Part 1 Classification of maximum surface temperature
BS 4683: Part 2 The construction and testing of flameproof enclosures of
electrical apparatus
BS 4683: Part 3 Type of protection ‘N’

BS 4683: Part 4 Type of protection ‘e’

BS 6941 Type of Protection ‘N’

BS 5000: Part 15 Machines with type of protections ‘e’

BS 5000: Part 16 Type ‘N’ electric motors

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Standards for Selection, Installation, Inspection and Maintenance
As previously stated, the UK Code of Practice BS 5345, which had for many years provided
recommendations for the selection, installation and maintenance of explosion protected
equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres (other than mining applications or
explosives processing and manufacture), listed in the upper table below, was superseded by
the standards listed in the lower table. BS 5345, however, may be referred to for
installations previously installed in accordance with its requirements. The table below
illustrates the component parts of BS 5345.

UK Code of Practice Type of Protection

BS 5345: Part 1 General Recommendations
BS 5345: Part 2 Classification of Hazardous Areas
BS 5345: Part 3 ‘d’ Flameproof enclosure
BS 5345: Part 4 ‘i’ Intrinsically safe apparatus and systems
‘p’ Pressurisation, continuous dilution and
BS 5345: Part 5
pressurised rooms
BS 5345: Part 6 ‘e’ Increased safety
BS 5345: Part 7 ‘N’ (Non - incendive)
BS 5345: Part 8 ‘s’ Special protection
‘o’ Oil immersion
BS 5345: Part 9
‘q’ Powder filling

The standards which supersede the Code of Practice BS 5345 are illustrated in the table
below. Furthermore, the BS EN standards are identical to the IEC standards shown
within brackets in the table below apart from a few annexes.

Electrical Apparatus for Explosive Gas

BS EN / IEC Nos.
Atmospheres:
BS EN60079-10-1: 2009
Part 10: Classification of hazardous areas
(IEC 60079-10-1: 2008)
BS EN60079-14: 2008 Part 14: Electrical installations in hazardous
(IEC 60079-14: 2007) areas (other than mines)
Part 17: Inspection and maintenance of
BS EN60079-17: 2007
electrical installations in hazardous
(IEC 60079-17: 2007)
areas (other than mines)
Part 19: Repair and overhaul for apparatus used
BS EN60079-19: 2011
in explosive atmospheres (other than
(IEC 60079-19: 2010)
mines or explosives)
BS EN60079-20-1: 2010 Material characteristics for gas and vapour
(IEC 60079-20-1: 2010) classification – Test methods and data

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Certification body symbols

1) Equipment marked with this symbol may

only be used for underground (mining)
MEx applications in the UK.

Equipment marked with this symbol has

2) been constructed to the old British Standard
BS229

3) Symbol formerly used by BASEEFA to

identify equipment for surface industry use
only.

Equipment marked with this symbol, the

European Ex mark, indicates that the
4) equipment has been constructed and tested
in accordance with the CENELEC/
EURONORM standards. This mark only will
be used on ATEX compliant equipment.

Symbol formerly used by the German

5) notified body PTB

The most commonly used symbol of the

6) American certification authority Underwriters
Laboratories (UL)

The mark used by the Canadian Standards

Association
7)

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Equipment Marking
The certification labels of explosion protected equipment are required to display the following
markings. In addition, ATEX compliant equipment is required to display the marking as
illustrated on page 15.
a. The symbols Ex, and
b. The type of protection used, e.g. ‘d’, ‘e’, ‘n’, and
c. The gas group, e.g. IIA, IIB, IIC or II, and
d. The T-rating, e.g. T1, T2 etc.
e. The ambient rating, e.g. -200C to +400C (normal range for UK but may not be marked
on equipment.)

The illustration below is an example of the marking on a certification label of explosion

protected equipment. ATEX compliant equipment will, however, have additional marking as
shown overleaf. It is worth noting that equipment manufactured to the old UK standard
BS4683 will be marked Ex, and when manufactured to the BS EN500 standards the marking
is EEx, but equipment manufactured to BS EN60079 standards the marking has reverted
back to Ex.

Ex d IIC T6 Gb

Equipment
Explosion Protection Gas group Temperature protection
protected type class level

Note: Equipment Protection Levels (EPL’s) are explained on pages 14 & 15.

Ambient ratings
The normal ambient rating for equipment installed in the UK is -200C to +400C and may or
may not be marked on equipment labels. When marked on the labels, several methods may
be used as illustrated below:

a) Ta +400C, or
b) Tamb +400C, or
c) -200C < Tamb < +400C

In areas where ambient temperatures are much lower or higher, i.e. overseas, the ambient
ratings of equipment have to be marked on equipment labels, examples of which are:

d) Ta +600C, or
e) Tamb +600C, or
f) -400C < Tamb < +600C

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Certification Numbers

BAS 08 ATEX 1234 X

Notified Body Year of ATEX Serial Suffix

responsible for EC certificate Certificate number
Type Examination issue

Note: Certification number suffix’s are ‘X’, ‘U’, or for older IS equipment ‘S’
X indicates ‘Special conditions for safe use
U indicates Ex component certification
S iindicates ‘Associated apparatus’, now replaced by square brackets, e.g. [ Ex ia ]

Components typically displaying a suffix ‘U’ include Ex e terminals, Ex d stoppers for

flamepoof enclosures, and small volume plastic flameproof switches which have exposed
terminals.

Ex d blanking
element (stopper)
Ex e terminal
Suffix ‘U’

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Marking of ATEX Compliant Equipment
The marking required by the Directive 94/9/EC, (ATEX 95) is illustrated below, which is
additional to the marking illustrated on the previous page. Also, the hexagonal symbol below
will replace the individual symbols used by the different certification bodies, and the CE
mark indicates compliance with the ATEX Directive.

0000 II I G
CE Mark
EU Explosive
Atmosphere
Notified body
Symbol
ID number

Type of explosive
Equipment Equipment atmosphere
Group Zone Category
Group II Group III
M1
I n/a G D
M2
0 1 Gas,
II 1 2 Vapour,
2 3 Mist
Dust
20 1
III 21 2
22 3

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Category (Cat) Definitions
The ATEX Categories were introduced to ‘break’ the traditional link between the protection
types and zones, i.e. the selection of equipment suitable for the zone, a selection process
which never took into consideration the consequences of ignition such as loss of life. The
alternative approach involves the selection of equipment by means of a risk assessment into
the consequences of ignition, an approach that enables, for example, Cat 3 equipment,
typically Ex n, to be used in zone 1 if the risk assessment revealed that the consequences
of ignition of a flammable atmosphere was low. Conversely, if the consequences of ignition
were greater then a better Category of protection may be required. The Categories below,
however, show the traditional link with the zones.

( ATEX )
Category 2

Cat 1: Very high level of protection

Equipment with this category of protection may be used where an
explosive atmosphere is present continuously or for long periods, i.e.
zone 0 or zone 20.
Cat 2: High level of protection
Equipment with this category of protection may be used where an
Group II
explosive atmosphere is likely to occur in normal operation, i.e.
zone 1 or zone 21.
Cat 3: Normal level of protection
Equipment with this category of protection may be used where an
explosive atmosphere is unlikely to occur or be short duration, i.e.
zone 2 or zone 22.
Cat M1: Very high level of protection
Equipment can be operated in the presence of an explosive
atmosphere.
Group I Cat M2: High level of protection
Equipment to be de-energised in the presence of an explosive
atmosphere.

Note: Zones 20, 21 and 22 are the corresponding zones for combustible dusts.

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Equipment protection levels (EPL’s)
The introduction of Equipment Protection Levels (EPL’s) Ga, Gb & Gc, which are the
international equivalent of the ATEX categories, also enable a risk assessment approach to
be implemented for the selection of explosion protected equipment in hazardous areas. This
provides an alternative to the traditional method of selecting equipment to suit the zone,
which does not take into consideration the consequences of an explosion. The table below
shows the zones where both ATEX Categories and EPL’s may be used from a traditional
selection approach. The intention, however, is for area classification diagrams to be marked
with the appropriate EPL, based on a risk assessment, for the selection of equipment. Once
again, where the consequences of an explosion are likely to be greater, a higher EPL will
be specified. Alternatively, if the consequences of an explosion are lower, a lower EPL may
be specified.

ATEX
Zone EPL’s
Categories
0 1 Ga
1 2 Gb
2 3 Gc

EPL Definitions

Group II gases

Ga Equipment for explosive gas atmospheres, having a ‘very high’ level of protection,
which is not a source of ignition in normal operation, expected faults, or when subject
to rare faults.

Gb Equipment for explosive gas atmospheres, having a ‘high’ level of protection, which
is not a source of ignition in normal operation, or when subject to faults that may be
expected, though not necessarily on a regular basis.

Gc Equipment for explosive gas atmospheres, having an ‘enhanced’ level of protection,

which is not a source of ignition in normal operation and which may have some
additional protection to ensure that it remains inactive as an ignition source in the
case of regular expected occurrences, for example, failure of a lamp.

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EPL’s assigned to protection types (gases)

EPL Ga ( For use in zone 0 based on traditional selection approach )

EPL Protection type Marking

Intrinsic Safety Ex ia
Ga
Encapsulation Ex ma

EPL Gb ( For use in zone 1 based on traditional selection approach )

EPL Protection type Marking

Flameproof Ex d
Increased Safety Ex e
Intrinsic Safety Ex ib
Ex m
Encapsulation
Exmb
Gb
Oil immersion Ex o
Pressurisation Ex p, Ex px, Ex py
Powder filled Ex q
Fieldbus Intrinsic Safety Concept
**
(FISCO)

** No designated marking code at the time of writing

EPL Gc ( For use in zone 2 based on traditional selection approach )

EPL Protection type Marking

Intrinsic Safety Ex ic
Encapsulation Ex mc
Non-sparking Ex n, Ex nA
Restricted breathing Ex nR
Gc
Energy limitation Ex nL
Sparking equipment Ex nC
Pressurisation Ex pz
Fieldbus non-incendive Concept
**
(FNICO)

** No designated marking code at the time of writing

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Example of an EC – Type Examination Certificate

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Baseefa Wallchart

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