Source: https://r-stahl.com/en/uk/services-and-seminars/explosion-protection-knowledge/statutory-mandates-and-standards/
Timestamp: 2020-08-15 19:53:03
Document Index: 791374326

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1', 'art 1', 'art 3', 'art 5', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 4']

Mandates and Standards | Explosion Protection Training | R. STAHL
Basis for personnel and plant protection
In order to ensure effective protection of persons and property, as well as the environment, statutory mandates and standards are a vital prerequisite alongside technical competence.
The requirements for electrical equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres is highly complex. As a result, there are a number of national and international regulations, guidelines and standards. It is very important that manufacturers of equipment and protection systems and plant operators are aware of these statutory mandates in the area of explosion protection.
R. STAHL provides you with an overview of the most important legal specifications in Europe, North America and worldwide on the following pages. These include ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU (manufacturers) and Directive 1999/92/EC (plant operators) with risk assessment as the main element.
Explosion protection worldwide
In most countries, there are legal or other similar regulations for potentially explosive atmospheres that can harm people, plant, machinery or the environment. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is responsible for global standards in the area of electrotechnology.
IEC publications, which define the explosion protection for electrical equipment and systems, are prepared by the Technical Committee TC31 that are equated to recommendations. The regulations for potentially explosive gas atmospheres and combustible dust are set out in the IEC 60079 series of standards. National specifications may, however, deviate from these standards. For this reason, the extent to which the IEC standards can be applied in the individual countries must be checked.
Overview of applicable standards for electrical equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres
Equipment – General requirements IEC 60079-0 EN 60079-0
Equipment protection by flameproof enclosure "d" IEC 60079-1 EN 60079-1
Classification of areas – Potentially explosive gas atmospheres
Classification of areas – Potentially explosive dust atmospheres
Equipment protection by intrinsic safety "i"
Equipment protection by pressurised rooms
Electrical installations design, selection and erection
Equipment protection by type of protection "n"
Artificial ventilation for the protection of analyser(s) houses
Testing and maintenance of electrical installations
Equipment protection by encapsulation "m"
Equipment protection by pressurised enclosure "p"
Material characteristics for gas and vapour classification – Test methods and data
Gas detectors – Selection, installation, use and maintenance of detectors for flammable gases and oxygen
Gas detectors – Guidance on functional safety of fixed gas detection systems
Gas detectors – Open path detectors: General requirements and test methods for flammable gases
Electrical resistance heat tracing – General and testing requirements
Electrical resistance heat tracing – Application guide for, design, installation and maintenance
Equipment dust ignition protection by enclosure "t"
Electrostatics hazards – Tests
Risk of ignition from electrostatic discharge
Equipment protection by special type of protection "s"
Intrinsically safe systems with electronically controlled spark duration limitation
Equipment protection by powder filling "q"
Equipment protection by oil immersion "o"
Equipment protection by increased safety "e"
Material characteristics – Test methods for combustible dusts SO/IEC 80079-
EN ISO/ICE
80079-20-2
Safety equipment for safe operation of equipment with respect to explosion hazards
The laws of physics and chemistry relating to the development of explosions are valid worldwide, with some minor deviations. It is therefore worth subjecting the approval conditions for electrical equipment to a global regulation and allowing the free international movement of goods by means of non-country or non-region-specific certificates. The IEC has designed a procedure with this standardisation in mind – the IECEx scheme.
The IECEx scheme currently comprises of three components for the international testing and certification of the following:
1. Equipment used for explosion protection
2. Services, maintenance and repair of explosion-protected equipment
3. Skills of the people working in potentially explosive atmospheres
Our "Essential Explosion Protection" brochure contains further information about the relevant applicable statutory mandates and standards in explosion protection, on zone classifications and types of protection, on physical and technical bases and on operating and maintenance of systems in potentially explosive atmospheres.
1. Explosion protection worldwide
2. Table: Overview of applicable standards for electrical equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres
3. The IECEx Scheme
Statutory mandates and standards relating to explosion protection first existed at national level. Later on, these were replaced by European directives and standards. ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU (manufacturers) and Directive 1999/92/EC (plant operators) with risk assessment as the key element are thus also decisive for Germany.
This directive sets out the requirements for the quality of explosion-protected equipment and protection systems (e.g. by determining the construction type, certification, manufacturing and quality assurance, marking, operating instructions and the declaration of conformity), wherein the important health and safety requirements are specified that are to be complied with by the manufacturer and/or the importer.
These "Minimum requirements for improving the health and safety protection of the worker at risk from explosive atmospheres" refer to the operation of potentially explosive plants, and is therefore intended for the operator (employer).
In accordance with this Directive 1999/92/EC, the operator must assess the explosion hazard of the plant, classify the plant into hazard zones, and document all measures for the protection of workers in the explosion protection document.
Overview: Technical Rules for Hazardous Substances (TRGS) and Technical Rules for Operating Safety (TRBS) (explosion hazard) *
TRBS 1111 Risk assessment and safety evaluation
TRBS 1112 Maintenance
TRBS 1112 Part 1 Explosion hazards related to and caused by maintenance work – Assessment and protective measures
TRBS 1123 Modifications and important changes to plants in accordance with Section 1 (2), Sentence 2 No. 3 BetrSichV (German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health) – Determination of test requirement in accordance with Section 14 (1 and 2) BetrSichV
TRBS 1201 Testing of operating means and plant requiring monitoring
TRBS 1201 Part 1 Testing of plant in potentially explosive atmospheres and checking of workplaces in potentially explosive atmospheres
TRBS 1201 Part 3 Repair of equipment, protective systems, safety/monitoring and control equipment in the meaning of Directive 94/9/EC – Determination of test requirement in accordance with Section 14 (6) BetrSichV
TRBS 1201 Part 5 Testing of storage systems, filling stations, service stations and airfield refuelling systems and, where ignitable, readily ignitable or highly ignitable liquids are being stored or filled, with regards to hazards caused by fire and explosion
TRBS 1203 Competent persons
TRBS 2152, TRGS 720 Hazardous explosive atmospheres – General information
TRBS 2152 Part 1, TRGS 721 Hazardous explosive atmospheres – Assessment of explosion hazard
TRBS 2152 Part 2, TRGS 722 Avoidance or limitation of hazardous explosive atmospheres
TRBS 2152 Part 3 Hazardous explosive atmospheres – Avoidance of the ignition of hazardous explosive atmospheres
TRBS 2152 Part 4 Hazardous explosive atmospheres – Measures for design-related explosion protection which reduces the effects of explosions to the extent that they are considered harmless
TRBS 2153 Avoidance of ignition hazards as a result of electrostatic charges
TRBS 2210 Hazards caused by interactions
TRBS 3151, TRGS 751 Avoidance of fire, explosion and pressure hazards at service stations and filling systems for filling land-based vehicles
*(official versions available in German only)
1. Explosion protection in Europe
2. ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU
3. Directive 1999/92/EC
4. Overview: Technical Rules
Explosion protection in North America
In North America, explosion protection for electrical equipment and systems vary slightly from the IEC technology. The differences can be found, for example, in the classification of potentially explosive atmospheres, the equipment design and the installation of electrical systems.
The National Electrical Code (NEC) in the USA and the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC) in Canada apply to electrical equipment and systems used in potentially explosive operating facilities. These are similar to installation regulations for electrical systems in all areas and refer to a range of other standards of other institutions which contain regulations for the installation and construction of suitable equipment.
In the USA, these are mainly the standards issued by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) and the International Society of Automation (ISA). In Canada, it is the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).