Couv.

Atmosphres LCIE
Potentia lly Explosive
Atmospheres
N ew europ ea n Di recti ve 9 4 / 9 / EC
of March 23, 1994, on the approximation of the laws of the Member States
concerning equipment and protective systems intended
for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.
What you need to
know about the
new regulations
LC IE is an European
notified body,
accredited C O FRAC -
laboratory section
(test sector) for tests
on equipm ent for
potentially explosive
atm ospheres
(accreditation no.1-0311)
Maq. Atmosp. Explos. GB 18/01/01 17:38 Page 3
Page 2 Atmosphres LCIE
FRAMEWORK OF THE DIRECTIVE
The main principles of the new directive
can be summarized as follows:
G It applies to electrical and non-electrical
equipment.
G It defines essential health and safety
requirements.
G It takes into consideration all potential
hazards equipment may cause, in parti-
cular at design and production level.
G The one directive applies to both
mines susceptible to fire damp, and
surface industries.
G It stresses the importance of equipment
being used in accordance with its
intended purpose.
G It recognizes the European Standards
Committee CEN and the European
Committee for Electrotechnical
Standardization CENELEC as competent
bodies to fix the required harmonized
standards.
G It provides for the contribution of
labour and management.
G It defines procedures for assessment
of conformity to essential requirements,
on the basis of modules which qualify
equipment to carry marking of
conformity.
urrent European regulations
concerning electrical equipment
for potentially explosive
atmospheres are based on optional
and partial European directives
which require regular modification,
in the form of application or adaptation
directives, in order to keep pace with
technical developments.
The basic European text in this field,
directive 76/117/EEC, provides
the general framework for the present
regulations which allow the free circu-
lation of goods within the European
Union.
Electrical equipment for use in
potentially explosive atmospheres
is certified by a State-approved
body - such as LCIE - when it meets
the relevant European standards
(EN 50014 and
upwards) covering
each type of
protection
(d, i,e,p, etc.).
Such equip-
ment may then
be issued with a
European certificate
of conformity and control, entitling it
to carry the distinctive mark.
This mark opens the way to
trading within the European Union
and even on occasion outside it.
This system has now been in
operation for more than 20 years.
Although largely beneficial, it has
revealed certain drawbacks, notably
a lack of flexibility and the absence
of a global concept for safety.
It has been profoundly modified by
the new european directive
94/9/EC of March 23 1994, which
french Ministry in charge of
Industry has enacted by decree
no. 96-1010 dated November 19 1996.
Certificates of conformity to
harmonized standards obtained in
compliance with previous directives
will remain valid until June 30, 2003,
but their validity will only cover
conformity to the harmonized stand-
ards specified in these directives.
In keeping with the new approach,
the new directive lays down the frame-
work for a total harmonization
of regulations covering this field.
It makes no direct references to
standards but sets out the essential
health and safety requirements to be
met and introduces the marking.
Our aim here is to analyze the
content and obvious consequences
of the new directive, for all those
concerned by it - in particular the
many who consult LCIE in this field.
SCOPE OF THE DIRECTIVE
The directive applies to the industrial
field and concerns the following
equipment:
G Equipment (machines, apparatus, etc.)
G Protective systems (discharge devices,
explosion suppression devices, etc.)
G Components (parts with no autonomous
function, terminals, etc.)
G Safety devices, controlling devices and
regulating devices intended for use outsi-
de potentially explosive atmospheres but
required for safety with respect
to explosions (relays, barriers, pressure
switches, thermostats, etc.).
C
Potentia lly Explosive Atmospheres
New european Directive 94/ 9/ EC (March 23 1994)
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Page 5 Atmosphres LCIE
POTENTIAL IGNITION SOURCES
AND OTHER HAZARDS TO BE
CONTROLLED
The following all represent potential
hazards:
G Various sources of ignition, such as
sparks, flames, electric arcs, high
surface temperatures, acoustic energy,
optical radiation or electromagnetic
waves
G Static electricity
G Pressure compensation operations
G Disturbance from external sources,
such as changing environmental
conditions, extraneous voltage, humidity,
vibrations or contamination.
Provision is also made for specific
requirements governing devices used to
provide additional equipment safety.
These requirements necessitate detailed
analysis to assess the operational reliability
of such devices and their interaction with
other components connected with the
equipment.
Marking
he requirements described in
the directive and annex II
necessitate the adoption of a
specific marking system for equipment
in order to facilitate its use.
This marking system is set out in
the table below.
Equipment
category
(hazardous
areas)
Equipment
group
Markingunder
new directive
(G=gas, etc.
D=dust)
Examples of additional
markingcodes currently
usedfor equipment
certification
2
(Zone1:
gas, etc.)
(Zone21:
dust)
3
(Zone2:
gas, etc.)
(Zone22:
dust)
1
(Zone0:
gas, etc.)
(Zone20:
dust)
M2
M1
I (mines) IM 1 EEx Iia . . .
I (mines) IM 2 EEx dI . . .
II (surface) II 1 G or D EEx ia IIC T6 . . .
II (surface) II 2 G or D . . .
II (surface) II 3 G or D
EEx d IIC T6
or
EEx e IIC T3
or
EEx nII T3
EEx d IIC T6
or
EEx e IIC T3
. . .
Equipment will carry all essential
marking for safe operation, along
with the usual information indicating
its specific nature.
T
Potentia lly Explosive Atmospheres
New european Directive 94/ 9/ EC (March 23 1994)
Maq. Atmosp. Explos. GB 18/01/01 17:38 Page 1
Page 3 Atmosphres LCIE
Conformity assessment
proc edures
The procedures may be summarized
as follows :
here are various conformity
assessment procedures which
enable equipment to carry
marking.
As a notified body, LCIE assists
with the conformity assessment
procedures as specified for each case.
As a general rule, for electrical
equipment, if each product cannot be
individually inspected the Laboratory
performs a EC type examination then
periodically ensures the conformity
of equipment manufactured by
means of a production or product
quality assurance audit.
The manufacturer or his authorized
representative draws up a EC
declaration of conformity for
the equipment, providing detailed
specifications and referring to the
relevant documents (certification
and qualification documents,
technical report and description,
instructions for use, circuit and
assembly diagrams, etc.).
T
EXCLUDED FROM THE
SCOPE OF THE DIRECTIVE
The following equipment falls outside
the scope of the new directive:
G Medical devices intended for use in
a medical environment
G Equipment and protective systems
relating only to the risk of explosion
of unstable chemical substances
(explosives, etc.)
G Equipment intended for use in domestic
and non-commercial environments
G Personal protective equipment
covered by directive 89/686/EEC
G Seagoing vessels and mobile
offshore units
G Means of transport, except for vehicles
intended for use in a potentially explo-
sive atmosphere.
Potentia lly Explosive Atmospheres
New european Directive 94/ 9/ EC (March 23 1994)
Assessment procedures
for ma rking
N B: noti fi ed b od y
o
r
o
r
o
r
o
r
a
n
d
a
n
d
o
r
For
electrical equipment
or internal
combustion engines
For
non-electrical
equipment
ECtypeexamination
by NB
Annex III
Production quality
assuranceby NB
Annex IV
Product inspection
by NB
Annex V
ECunit inspection
by NB
Annex IX
ECtypeexamination
by NB
Annex III
Product quality
assuranceby NB
Annex VII
Conformity to type
Testsunder
responsibility of NB
Annex VI
Internal production
inspection
Filesent to NB
Annex VIII
ECunit inspection
by NB
Annex IX
Internal production
inspection
Annex VIII
ECunit inspection
by NB
Annex IX
I / II
M2 (mines)
2 (surface)
I / II
M1 (mines)
1 (surface)
II
3 (surface)
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Groups and c ategories
of equipment
RULES OF THE DIRECTIVE
G Any equipment or protective system
accompanied by the EC declaration
of conformity and bearing marking
as specified by the directive is consid-
ered by Member States to be in
conformity.
G Components do not carry marking
but must be covered by a written
declaration of conformity.
G Where harmonized standards do not
exist, Member States may adopt national
technical standards and specifications
considered to be important or useful.
G Equipment bearing the conformity
marking which presents a safety risk
is withdrawn from the market and
prohibited by the Member State under
a specified procedure.
G If equipment bearing the marking
is found not to be in conformity, action
is taken against those responsible for
applying the marking.
he directive provides a classifi-
cation covering the equipments
intended purpose, the nature
of inflammable substances and the
degrees of presence or duration of
the explosive atmosphere.
This classification is summarized
below, with required safety conditions
and their correlation with the code
of hazardous areas commonly used
worldwide.
T
Potentia lly Explosive Atmospheres
New european Directive 94/ 9/ EC (march 23 1994)
Purpose Category of
equipment
Presenceor
durationof
explosive
atmosphere
Inflammable
substances
Level of
protection
Faults to
allow for
Correlation
with
hazardous
areas
Equipment
group
I
(mines)
M1
Methane,
dust
Presence
Very high level
of protection
2 typesof protection
or 2 independent
faults
Rar e f aul t s
al l owed f or
M2
Methane,
dust
Risk of
presence
High level
of protection
1 type
of protection
f or nor mal
oper at i on
Equipment
group
II
(surface)
1
Zone0 gas
etc.
Zone20
dust
Gas,
vapours,
mist,
dust
Continuouspresence
Longperiods
Frequent
Very high level
of protection
2 typesof protection
or 2 independent
faults
Rar e f aul t s
al l owed f or
2
Zone1 gas
etc.
Zone21
dust
Gas,
vapours,
mist,
dust
Likely to occur
High level
of protection
1 type
of protection
Habi t ual
mal f unct i ons
al l owed f or
3
Zone2 gas
etc.
Zone22
dust
Gas,
vapours,
mist,
dust
Unlikely to occur
Present for
a short
period
Normal protection
Required
protection
f or nor mal
oper at i on
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Our servic es
he new directive affects a field
you are directly involved in,
a field in which LCIE has
applied its expertise ever since French
regulations were first introduced.
As a body approved by the French
Ministry of Industry, notified by
the Commission of the European
Communities and accredited
COFRAC, LCIE is fully able to
meet your requirements throughout
its many sectors of activity.
While providing its clients with all
the assistance they need, LCIE also
develops competences, methodolo-
gies and specifications which will
be helpful for application of the new
regulations.
The new directive places particular
emphasis on the human factor as an
essential component of operational
safety, and on the steps to be taken
to encourage labour and management
participation in the standardization
process.
It also stresses the importance of
using equipment correctly, according
to its intended purpose, in order to
ensure safety.
These objectives can be attained by
means of appropriate and thorough
training, which LCIE already provides.
Courses are offered several times a
year at LCIE or on company premises.
The training sessions are open to all
branches of the profession (manu-
facturers, engineers, inspectors,
consultants, etc.).
LCIE offers its clients a full range
of services in the field of equipment
for potentially explosive atmospheres:
- Certification of electrical equipment
- Partnership with:
CSA (Canada)
UL - FM (USA)
TIIS (Japan)
QAS - Test Safe - Simtars (Autralia)
UCIEE (Brazil)
BVA (Argentina)
- Special tests
- Tests to IEC standards
- Studies relating to standards
- Site inspection
- Technical assistance
- Zoning and simulation
- Training
- Surveys
For further information,
please contact:
Sales Department
Tel: +33 1 40 95 55 55
Fax: +33 1 40 95 86 89
Environment Department -
Potentially Explosive Atmospheres
Tel: +33 1 40 95 63 12
Fax: +33 1 40 95 89 37
T
Potentia lly Explosive Atmospheres
New european Directive 94/ 9/ EC (March 23 1994)
L A B O R AT O I R E C E N T R A L
D E S I N D U S T R I E S E L E C T R I Q U E S
33, avenue du Gnral Leclerc
92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses
France
Tel : +33 1 40 95 60 60
Fax : +33 1 40 95 86 56
http:/ / www.lcie.com
Your partner in the world of electricity since 1882
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