Selection, Installation, and

Maintenance
of Electrical Apparatus for
use in Hazardous
Locations
 General Principles
Nature of flammable materials

Fire triangle

The fire triangle represents the three elements which must be

present before combustion can take place. Each side of the
triangle represents one of the essential elements which are :

• Fuel This can be in the form of gas,

vapour, mist or dust
• Oxygen Plentiful supply since there is
approximately 21% by volume in air.
• Source of Ignition This can be an arc, spark, naked
flame or hot surface
 Gas or Vapour

Oxygen Source of
Ignition
(21% in air)
 Area Classification
A hazardous area is defined as:
an area in which an explosive gas atmosphere is present, or may
be expected to be present, in quantities such as to require special
precautions for the construction, installation and use of apparatus.

A non-hazardous area is defined as:

an area in which an explosive gas atmosphere is not expected to
be present in quantities such as to require special precautions for
the construction, installation and use of apparatus.
The three Zones, as defined in BS EN60079-10: Electrical
apparatus for explosive gas atmospheres, Part 10. Classification
of hazardous areas, are as follows:

Zone 0 In this Zone, an explosive gas atmosphere is

continuously present, or present for long periods.

Zone 1 In this Zone, an explosive gas atmosphere is likely

to occur in normal operation.

Zone 2 In this Zone, an explosive gas atmosphere is not

likely to occur in normal operation and, if it does
occur, is likely to do so only infrequently and will
exist for a short period only.
Area Classification (continued)

Fixed roof storage tank

 Temperature Classification
Approved electrical equipment must be selected with due regard to the ignition
temperature of the flammable gas or vapour which may be present in the
hazardous location. Apparatus will usually be marked with one of the
temperature codes shown in the table below.

Temperature Codes

Temperature Code Maximum surface

Temperature
T1 4500C
T2 3000C
T3 2000C
T4 1350C
T5 1000C
T6 850C
Ingress Protection

Enclosures of electrical equipment are classified according to their

ability to resist the ingress of solid objects and water by means of
a system of numbers known as the „International Protection (IP)
Code‟. This Code, which is not always marked on apparatus,
consists of the letters IP followed by two numbers, e.g. IP56.
 Solid Objects
First Level of Protection
Numeral
0 No protection
1 Protection against objects
greater than 50mm
2 Protection against objects
greater than 12mm
3 Protection against objects
greater than 2.5mm
4 Protection Against objects
greater than 1.0mm
5 Dust-protected
6 Dust-tight
Water
Second Level of Protection
Numeral
0 No protection
1 Protection against drops
of water falling vertically
2 Protection against drops
of water when tilted up to
150
3 Protection against
sprayed water up to 600
4 Protection against
splashed water from any
direction
5 Protection against jets of
water from any direction
6 Protection against heavy
seas - deck watertight
7 Protection against jets of
water from any direction
8 Protection against
indefinite immersion in
water at a specified depth
Standards, certification and marking
Reasons for Product Certification

• To demonstrate product quality with regard to the ability of the

apparatus to function safely in an hazardous environment.

• To enhance market acceptability by inspiring confidence in

those involved in the selection, purchase, installation,
operation and maintenance of approved/certified products.

• To improve quality and safety control procedures in

manufacturing and construction.
European test authorities
 Standards for Selection,
Installation and Maintenance
CENELEC BRITISH STANDARD REVISED
EURONORM (EN) INTERNATIONAL (BS) STANDARD TYPE OF
NUMBER STANDARDS NUMBER (BS EN) NUMBER PROTECTION

General
EN 50 014 IEC 79-0: Pt. 0 BS 5501: Pt. 1 BS EN50 014
Requirements
EN 50 015 IEC 79-6: Pt. 6 BS 5501: Pt. 2 BS EN50 015 Oil Immersion “o”
Pressurized
EN 50 016 IEC 79-2: Pt. 2 BS 5501: Pt. 3 BS EN50 016
Apparatus “p”
EN 50 017 IEC 79-2: Pt. 5 BS 5501: Pt. 4 BS EN50 017 Powder Filling “q”
Flameproof
EN 50 018 IEC 79-1: Pt. 1 BS 5501: Pt. 5 BS EN50 018
Enclosure “d”
Increased Safety
EN 50 019 IEC 79-7: Pt. 7 BS 5501: Pt. 6 BS EN50 019
“e”
EN 50 020 IEC 79-11: Pt. 11 BS 5501: Pt. 7 BS EN50 020 Increased Safety “i”

EN 50 028 IEC 79-18: Pt. 18 BS 5501: Pt. 8 BS EN50 028 Encapsulated “m”
Intrinsic Safety
EN 50 039 BS 5501: Pt. 9 BS EN50 039
Systems “i”
Type of Protection
EN 50 021 IEC 79-15: Pt. 15 BS EN50 021
“n”
Type of Protection
BS 6941
“n”
The standards which compliment the previous table are illustrated
in the table below:

BS EN/IEC Nos. Electrical Apparatus for Explosive Gas

Atmospheres:
BS EN60079-10: 1996 Part 10: Classification of hazardous areas
(IEC 60079-10: 1995)
BS EN60079-14: 1997 Part 14: Electrical installations in hazardous
(IEC 60079-14: 1996) areas (other than mines)
BS EN60079-17: 1997 Part 17: Inspection and maintenance of
(IEC 60079-17: 1996) electrical installations in hazardous areas
(other than mines)
BS EN60079-19: 1997 Part 19: Repair and overhaul for apparatus
(IEC 60079-19: 1996 used in explosive atmospheres (other than
mines or explosives)
BS EN60079-20: (IEC Data for flammable gases
60079-20:)
 Certification symbols
The following symbols are used to identify apparatus approved/certified by
recognised European authorities.

Equipment marked with this symbol may only be used for underground (mining)
applications in the UK.

This is the EECS (BASEEFA) symbol and used to identify equipment for surface
industry use only.

Equipment marked with this symbol, the European Community mark, in addition
to the above symbol (2), indicates that the apparatus has been constructed and
tested in accordance with the CENELEC/EURONORM standards.

The symbol used by the German certification authority PTB

 Apparatus marking
Apparatus approved/certified as providing a method of protection
for use in hazardous locations are required to display the following
markings.

• The symbols Ex or EEx; and

• The type of protection used, e.g. „d‟, „e‟, „n‟, and
• The gas group, e.g. IIA, IIB or IIC, and
• The T-rating, e.g. T1, T2 etc.

Examples : i) Ex d IIB T3
ii) EEx d IIC T4
iii) EEx e II T6
Certification marking
 ATEX
ATEX represents the European Union‟s Directive 94/9/EC which
specifies the new requirements which manufacturers of, for
example, explosion protected equipment must comply with.
These requirements are wide ranging and beyond the scope of
this section but, what is important is the influence the directive will
have on the marking of explosion protected apparatus. This will
be the most obvious difference to those involved in the selection,
installation and maintenance of explosion protected apparatus.

The marking required by the EU Directive 94/9/EC is illustrated

below and is additional to the marking requirements already
discussed.
 Category definitions
Group II Category 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.

Category 2: High level of protection.

Equipment with this category of protection may be
used where an explosive atmosphere is likely to
occur in normal operation. i.e. Zone I or Zone 21.

Category 3: Normal level of protection.

Equipment with this category of protection may be
used where an explosive atmosphere is unlikely to
occur or be of short duration, i.e. Zone 2 or Zone 22.

Group I Category M1: Very high level of protection.

Equipment can be operated in the presence of an
explosive atmosphere.

Category M2: High level of protection.

Equipment to be de-energised in the presence of an
explosive atmosphere.
 Flameproof EEx d or Ex d

Definition

The construction standard BS EN50 018 defines flameproof as:

„A type of protection in which the parts which can ignite an explosive
atmosphere are placed in an enclosure which can withstand the pressure
developed during an internal explosion of an explosive mixture and which
prevents the transmission of the explosion to the explosive surrounding the
enclosure.‟
Zone of Use: 1 and 2
 Increased Safety Ex e or EEx e
Definition

„A protection method in which increased measures are taken to prevent

the possibility of excessive HEAT, ARCS or SPARKS occurring on
internal or external parts of the apparatus in normal operation.‟

Zones of use: 1 and 2

Sparking Equipment
not permitted

Heat Dissipation
Controlled
 Non-incendive Ex n or EEx n
Definition

The definition for Electrical apparatus with type of protection “n” as

given in the CENELEC Standard EN50 021 and also BS 6941
states:

„A type of protection applied to electrical apparatus such

that, in normal operation, it is not capable of igniting a
surrounding explosive atmosphere and a fault capable of
causing ignition is not likely to occur‟.

Zone of Use: Zone 2

 Pressurisation Ex p or EEx p
Definition

Pressurisation is defined as:

„The technique of guarding against the ingress of the external

atmosphere, which may be explosive, into an enclosure by
maintaining a protective gas therein at a pressure above that of
the external atmosphere.‟

Zones of Use: 1&2

 Intrinsic safety Ex i or EEx i
Definition

BS EN50 020 defines an intrinsically safe circuit as:

„A circuit in which no spark or any thermal effect produced

in the test conditions prescribed in this standard (which
include normal operation and specified fault conditions) is
capable of causing ignition of a given explosive
atmosphere.‟

Zones of use: 0,1 & 2 (Ex I „a‟ & EEx I „a‟)

1 & 2 (Ex I „b‟ & EEx I „b‟)
Basic principles of IS

Intrinsically Safe circuits achieve safety by maintaining

very low energy levels such that hot surfaces will not be
produced, and electrical sparks, if they occur, will have
insufficient energy to ignite the most easily ignitable
concentration of a flammable mixture.
 Combined (hybrid) methods of
protection
Combined (hybrid) methods of protection

Electrical equipment may be manufactured with more than

one method of explosion protection. Equipment of this type
has combined methods of protection but may also be known
as a hybrid. Such an approach combines the best features of
each type of protection into one piece of equipment for both
economic and practical purposes.
Cable gland selection for flameproof apparatus

Cable glands may be selected by following the procedure

recommended in BS EN60079-14 and replicated in the
following flowchart.