ATEX Product Certification Directive 2014/34/EU
Conformity with the ATEX Directive is a mandatory requirement to enable products designed for use in potentially explosive atmospheres to be CE marked for access to the European Single Market.
Conformity with the ATEX Directive is a mandatory requirement to enable products to be CE marked for access to the European Single Market. It demonstrates that all of the Essential Health & Safety Requirements of the European Union have been met though compliance with recognised harmonised standards and, depending on equipment risk category, has been independently verified by a Notified Body.
Technically, the standards and technical requirements used to demonstrate conformity are almost identical for ATEX and IECEx and a product can usually be assessed for both schemes at the same time.
For both experienced equipment manufacturers and new entrants to this sector the conformity assessment route and process can be complex. At DNV we operate a network of experts globally who are available to support you through the certification process – use the buttons to the right of the page to contact one of our experts today.
Our IECEx Certification Body and ATEX Notified Body Hazardous Area services are issued by our joint-venture entity DNV Nemko Presafe AS in Oslo, Norway.
Relevant Directives / Schemes
ATEX Directive – 2014/34/EU (which replaces the original ATEX Directive 94/9/EC).
ATEX Directive Scope and Exclusions
The ATEX Directive Applies to:
1. equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres;
2. safety devices, controlling devices and regulating devices intended for use outside potentially explosive atmospheres but required for or contributing to the safe functioning of equipment and protective systems with respect to the risks of explosion;
3. components intended to be incorporated into equipment and protective systems referred to in point (a).
Specifically excluded from the ATEX Directive (because other directives apply) are:
1. medical devices intended for use in a medical environment;
2. equipment and protective systems where the explosion hazard results exclusively from the presence of explosive substances or unstable chemical substances;
3. equipment intended for use in domestic and non- commercial environments where potentially explosive atmospheres may only rarely be created, solely as a result of the accidental leakage of fuel gas;
4. personal protective equipment covered by Council Directive 89/686/EEC;
5. seagoing vessels and mobile offshore units together with equipment on board such vessels or units;
6. means of transport, i.e. vehicles and their trailers intended solely for transporting passengers by air or by road, rail or water networks, as well as means of transport in so far as such means are designed for transporting goods by air, by public road or rail networks or by water. Vehicles intended for use in a potentially explosive atmosphere shall not be excluded from the scope of this Directive;
7. the equipment covered by point (b) of Article 346(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Basic Technical Concepts
Hazardous Areas (Potentially Explosive Atmospheres) are defined in terms of Zones and Safe Areas under relevant IEC (for IECEx) and EN (for ATEX) standards depending on the expected frequency and duration of an explosive atmosphere being present.
Zone 0 | An area in which an explosive gas atmosphere is present continuously or for long periods or frequently. |
Zone 1 | An area in which an explosive gas atmosphere is likely to occur periodically or occasionally in normal operation. |
Zone 2 | An area in which an explosive gas atmosphere is not likely to occur in normal operation, but if it does occur, it will exist for a short period only. |
Zone 20 | An area in which an explosive dust atmosphere, in the form of a cloud of dust in air, is present continuously, or for long periods or frequently. |
Zone 21 | An area in which an explosive dust atmosphere, in the form of a cloud of dust in air, is likely to occur in normal operation occasionally. |
Zone 22 | An area in which an explosive dust atmosphere, in the form of a cloud of dust in air, is not likely to occur in normal operation but, if it does occur, will persist for a short period only. |
Safe or Non-Hazardous Area | An area in which an explosive gas, or dust atmosphere is not expected to be present in quantities such as to require special precautions for the construction, installation and use of equipment. |
In addition to Zones, Hazardous Areas are further subdivided by Gas or Dust Groups depending on the explosion properties of the gas or dust and Temperature Classes depending on the auto-ignition temperature of the explosive atmosphere.
Gas or Dust Group | Representative Gas or Dust |
I (mines susceptible to firedamp) | Methane |
IIA | Propane |
IIB | Ethylene |
IIC | Acetylene & Hydrogen |
IIIA | Ignitable fibres/flyings, such as cotton lint, flax & rayon |
IIIB | Non-conductive dusts, such as flour, grain, wood & plastic |
IIIC | Conductive dusts, such as magnesium |
Surface Temperature °C | Equipment Temperature Class |
< 450°C | T1 |
< 300°C | T2 |
< 200°C | T3 |
< 135°C | T4 |
< 100°C | T5 |
< 85°C | T6 |
Equipment for use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres is specified by an Equipment Category (ATEX) or an Equipment Protection Level or EPL (IECEx) which defines the level of safety of the equipment and the zone in which it is suitable for use.
Zone of intended use | ATEX Category | IECEx EPL |
Zone 0 | 1G | Ga |
Zone 1 | 2G | Gb |
Zone 2 | 3G | Gc |
Zone 20 | 1D | Da |
Zone 21 | 2D | Db |
Zone 22 | 3D | Dc |
The Equipment Category or EPL, representative gas or dust group and temperature class (T Class) are determined by the relevant protection method which is employed.
Common Standards
The following standards define the most common protection concepts which can be used to achieve the appropriate level of protection, gas group and temperature class.
IEC/EN 60079-0 | General Requirements | ||
IEC/EN 60079-1 | Flameproof | Ex d | 2GD Gb Db |
IEC/EN 60079-2 | Pressurisation | Ex p | 2GD Gb Db |
IEC/EN 60079-5 | Quartz-filled | Ex q | 2GD Gb Db |
IEC/EN 60079-6 | Oil-filled | Ex o | 2GD Gb Db |
IEC/EN 60079-7 | Increased Safety | Ex e | 2GD Gb Db |
IEC/EN 60079-11 | Intrinsic Safety | Ex I | 1GD Ga Da |
IEC/EN 60079-15 | Non Incendive | Ex n | 3GD Gc Dc |
IEC/EN 60079-18 | Encapsulated | Ex m | 2GD Gb Db |
ISO/EN 80079-36 | General Requirements (mechanical equipment) | ||
ISO/EN 80079-37 | |||
Constructional Safety | Ex c | 2GD Gb Db | |
Control of Ignition Sources | Ex b | 2GD Gb Db | |
Liquid Immersion | Ex k | 2GD Gb Db |