INMETRO – Certification for Explosive Atmospheres in Brazil
In Brazil, equipment intended for use in explosive atmospheres requires mandatory third-party certification to confirm compliance with the relevant INMETRO administrative rule Portaria INMETRO No. 179/2010.
Legislation and technical requirements
The Portaria are the implementing regulations within Brazilian law and INMETRO (Brazilian National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology) is the government department responsible for standardization and authorization of certification bodies. Certification of equipment destined for the Brazilian market is commonly referred to as ‘INMETRO certification.’
The relevant legislation for explosive atmospheres equipment is Portaria INMETRO / MDIC number 179 from 2010/05/18. It covers:
- All electrical equipment or components intended for use in Explosive Atmospheres in Brazil;
- Manufacturing facilities for the above products;
- Repair facilities for the above products (voluntary certification).
The technical requirements for equipment intended for use in explosive atmospheres closely follow the international IEC requirements combined with the application of relevant Brazilian national requirements. See also IECEx Scheme.
There are some specific requirements in the INMETRO scheme regarding testing. Test reports for relevant international standards by laboratories outside of Brazil can usually be accepted if it issued by an ILAC accredited test facility.
Certification of equipment to INMETRO 179 is a requirement to supply goods and services to Brazil-based customers.
Related standards
In most cases, a presumption of conformity can be based on IECEx certification to the current editions of the relevant IEC standards for the protection methods used. In cases of certification to EN standards (ATEX) or older editions of the IEC standards, a gap assessment of the requirements can be made.
The conformity assessment module structure is also similar to IECEx and ATEX certification in that a prototype design approval is required in addition to control of production of the manufacturer. A local representative, who is the legal importer of equipment to Brazil is also required to be identified as part of the certification process.
Our offering
DNV is an accredited certification body under the INMETRO scheme and is able to certify all types of equipment for use in explosive atmospheres.
- INMETRO Product/Prototype Certification according to Rule 5 (for continuous production);
- INMETRO Batch Certification according to Model 7 (for unit verification of single shipments);
- Special Situation Certification (small quantities or custom equipment);
- Production Quality Assurance for Manufacturers of INMETRO Products;
- Degree of Protection Certification (Ingress Protection) (voluntary certification);
- Certification of Repair Facilities for INMETRO Products.
Our team of INMETRO experts will be happy to discuss your certification requirements and current product compliance status to help determine the most appropriate route to certification.