Since July 1st, 2003, ATEX directives (Explosive Atmospheres) 1999/92/EC and 94/9/EC are on mandatory application on the whole of the European Community. The first, the 1999/92/EC directive gives the minimal requirements for the safety of the workers brought to work in explosive atmospheres. The second, the 94/9/EC directive relates to the putting on the market of the equipment and protective systems intended to be used in explosive atmospheres. It’s a directive known as new approach which aims to define essential requirements to allow the marketing of equipment.
To put an equipment intended to be used in explosive atmosphere on the market of the European Community, the manufacturer or those which make act of manufacture by assembling between them equipment of various sources, has to conform to the 94/9/EC directive requirements.
In order to facilitate the international trade of electrical equipment intended to be used in explosive atmospheres, and to avoid the multiplicity of national certifications while guaranteeing an adapted safety level, a system of international certification of standard conformance was founded at the international level under the aegis of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), including 4 parts:
- The IECEx electrical equipment certification scheme IECEx 02
- The IECEx Certified Service Facilities Scheme IECEx 03
- The IECEx Conformity Mark System IECEx 04
- The IECEx Certification of Personnel Competencies (CoPC) IECEx 05
The 1999/92/EC directive aims at the improvement of the health and the safety of the workers exposed to the risks of the explosive atmospheres.
It must be applied by any company owners which exploits a process or an installation where is implemented a combustible product, under conditions such as a ATEX is suitable for be formed.
>> Implementation of the ATEX 1999/92/EC Directive (French)
In order to make it possible to the company heads to fulfill the requirements of the 1999/92/EC directive when they sub-contract one or more repair activities, of installation or maintenance, INERIS set up two certifications in voluntary matter in order to make sure of the competence of the various individuals:
>> voluntary Saqr-ATEX Certification, the certification of the ATEX equipment repairers (French)
The certification of the companies involved in the design, realization and/or maintenance of installation in ATEX
>> voluntary Ism-ATEX Certification (French)