ATEX Directive
ATEX Directive
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The ATEX Directive The directive on 'Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres' is 94/9/EC, and is commonly known as the ATEX Directive.
This is actually a replacement for a series of directives on this subject, going back many years, so the subject matter is not new, but the requirements have been updated. The Directive was adopted on 23rd March 1994, and has a transition period up to 1st July 2003. In the UK this Directive will be enforced by the Health & Safety Executive.
Guidelines
Perhaps the best explanation was made by the CEN Consultant for ATEX.
As usual, DTI have prepared another of their excellent 'Blue' guides dated February 2002, which explains the coverage, conformity procedures, etc. NOTE: To ensure sourcing of the very latest version, see the DTI site.
There is also a European Commission guide consisting of 120 pages dated May 2000. We believe that this is the latest version but receipt of such documents can be hit-and-miss since there are no formal mailing lists. The European Commission do make the guide available on-line.
UK Statutory Instrument (Regulations)
There are two items required:-
The Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 1996 (SI 1996/192)
plus
The Equipment and Protective Systems (Amendment) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/3766).
Industry Guides
At the UK's request, this topic was discussed in CETOP as far back as 1997 but no guide was developed since the Directive was deemed to affect only a small minority of applications. This topic was debated again at the June 2003 CETOP meeting of the 'European Directives WG'. A statement on ATEX was prepared and reads as follows:-
"ATEX Directive & Fluid Power Products The vast majority of fluid power products will not need to be ATEX compliant because of the wide diversity of applications for such equipment which are for non-ATEX environments. If hydraulic or pneumatic products will be used in potentially explosive atmospheres, the manufacturer has to ask mainly for the following criteria to carry out the ATEX analysis:- Group I or II Category/Zone Gas or Dust Temperature Class Plus particular criteria for fluid power, e.g. pressure, volume, temperature cycle times, material. Based on the result of this analysis, the applicability of the ATEX Directive can be determined and appropriate actions taken."
How does it affect fluid power?
Unfortunately, unlike some other 'New Approach' Directives, it appears that fluid power does not enjoy very many exclusions and full compliance will almost always be necessary. This is hinted at in the CETOP statement.
The Directive does not, as usual, specifically mention fluid power, and a great deal of 'interpretation' is required. Also close attention must be paid to any relevant standards produced to support the directive. There are many concerned with electrical devices, but one other worthy of note is BS EN 13463-1: 2001 'Non-electrical equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres - Part 1: Basic method and requirements'. Several more parts of BS EN 13463 on methods of protection are also available.
A reading of the EHSRs does reveal many instances where fluid power equipment might be present in an ATEX situation. It is also important to note that the Directive is not restricted to electrical equipment and covers 'equipment', 'components', 'materials', etc. Even if these latter items are outside the ATEX area but contribute to the equipment's safe function, they may also have to be ATEX-compliant.
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