OSHA

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND

HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Wagdi Fouad Seffain – Authorized OSHA Trainer

HAZARDOUS (CLASSIFIED) LOCATIONS

Introduction:
A hazardous location is any location where a potential hazard, either a
fire or an explosion can exist due to the presence of flammable,
combustible, or ignitable materials. These materials can consist of gases,
vapors, liquids, dust, fibres, etc.
Hazardous locations are classified according to the properties and
quantities of the hazardous material which can be present. Hazardous
locations are divided into three classes, two divisions, and seven
classified groups as follows: Class I, II, III; Division 1 and 2; and Groups
A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.

Hazardous Location Types:

Class I Locations:
An area where flammable gases or vapors are or can be present in the air
in quantities sufficient to produce explosive or ignitable mixtures.
Some typical Class I locations are:
1- Petroleum refineries, and Gasoline storage and dispensing areas
2- Dry cleaning plants where vapors from cleaning fluids can be
present.
3- Spray finishing areas.
4- Aircraft hangers and fuel servicing areas; and
5- Utility gas plants, and operations involving storage and
handling of liquified petroleum gas or natural gas.

Class II Locations:
An area where presence of combustible dust present a fire or explosion
hazard.
Some typical Class II locations are:
1- Grain elevators.
2- Flour and feed mills.
3- Plants that manufacture, use or store magnesium or aluminum
powders.
4- Producers of plastics, medicines and fireworks.
5- Producers of starch or candies.

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 OSHA
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Wagdi Fouad Seffain – Authorized OSHA Trainer

Class III Locations

An area made hazardous due to the presence of easily ignitable fibers or
flyings, but in which such fibers or flyings are not likely to be in
suspension in the air in quantities sufficient to produce ignitable mixtures.
Some typical Class III locations are:
1- Textile mills, cotton gins.
2- Cotton seed mills, flax processing plants.
3- Plants that shape, pulverize or cut wood and create sawdust or
flyings.

Hazardous Location Conditions

In addition to the types of hazardous locations, the National Electrical
Code also concerns itself with the kinds of conditions under which these
hazards are present. Conditions, first, normal conditions, and, second,
abnormal conditions.
The Code writers have designated these two kinds of conditions very
simply, as Division 1 – normal and Division 2 – abnormal. Class I, Class
II and Class III hazardous locations can be either Division 1 or Division
2.
Good examples of Class I, Division 1 locations would be the areas near
open dome loading facilities or adjacent to relief valves in a petroleum
refinery, because the hazardous material would be present during normal
plant operations.
Closed storage drums containing flammable liquids in an inside storage
room would not normally allow hazardous vapors to escape into the
atmosphere but, what happens if one of the containers is leaking? You
have got a Division 2 - abnormal- condition …. A Class I, Division 2
hazardous location.

Nature of Hazardous Substances

* The gases and vapors of Class I locations are broken into four
groups by the Code: A, B, C and D. These materials are
grouped according to the ignition temperature of the
substance, its explosion pressure, and other flammable
characteristics.

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OSHA
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Wagdi Fouad Seffain – Authorized OSHA Trainer

Group A:
Group A is an atmosphere containing acetylene. Equipment with a rating
up to 536º F (280º C) can be utilized.

Group B:
Group B is an atmosphere containing hydrogen, or gases or vapors with a
hazard equal to hydrogen. Butadiene, and ethylene and propyleneoxides
are included in this group. Equipment with a rating to 536º F (280º C) can
be utilized.

Group C:
Group C is an atmosphere containing cyclopropane, ethyl ether, or
ethylene or gases or vapors with a hazard equal to these gases. Equipment
with a rating to 356º F (180º C) can be utilized.

Group D:
Group D is an atmosphere containing acetone, alcohol, benzine, butane,
gasoline, propane, natural gases or gases with vapors with a hazard equal
to these gases. Equipment with a rating to 536º F (280º C) can be utilized.

* In Class II – dust locations – we find the hazardous materials in

Groups E, F, and G. These groups are classified according to the
ignition temperature and the conductivity of the hazardous
substance. Conductivity is an important consideration in Class II
locations, especially with metal dusts.

Group E:
Group E is an atmosphere containing combustible metalic dust or other
dust with a similar hazard that is equivalent., such as Aluminium and
Magnesium dusts.

Group F:
Group F is an atmosphere containing Carbon Black, charcoal coal, or
coke dusts with 8% or less total volatile material.

Group G:
Group G is an atmosphere containing grain dusts, flour, starch, cocoa,
and similar types of materials.

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 OSHA
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Wagdi Fouad Seffain – Authorized OSHA Trainer

Hazardous Location Equipment

Sources of Ignition
The ways in which electrical equipment can become a source of
ignition. There are three of them.

1- Arcs and sparks produced by the normal operation equipment, like

motor starters, contactors, and switches, can ignite a hazardous
location atmosphere.
2- The high temperatures of some heat-producing equipment, such as
lamps and lighting fixtures, can ignite flammable atmospheres if
they exceed the ignition temperature of the hazardous material.
3- Electrical equipment failure a burn out of a lamp socket or shorting
of a terminal could spark a real disaster in a hazardous location.

REQUIREMENTS FOR EQUIPMENT

USED IN HAZARDOUS LOCATIONS

Equipment for Class I Locations

The primary concern of Class I locations is the presence of an arc,
spark or high temperature that could ignite the hazardous liquid or
vapor present. When possible, electrical systems that produce an
arc or spark should not be installed in a Class I location to prevent
a fire or explosion. But if this is not feasible, there are acceptable
procedures and systems for protecting against fire or explosion
under the conditions of both divisions.
The equipment used in Class I locations are housed in enclosures
designed to contain any explosion that might occur if hazardous
vapors were to enter the enclosure and ignite.
These closures are also designed to cool and vent the products of
this explosion as to prevent the surrounding environment from
exploding. The lighting fixtures used in Class I locations must be
able to contain an explosion as well as maintain a surface
temperature lower than the ignition temperature of the surrounding
hazardous atmosphere.

1- Intrinsically safe or nonincendiary systems hold energy

available in a circuit exposed to flammable vapors or gases so

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OSHA
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Wagdi Fouad Seffain – Authorized OSHA Trainer

low that it is incapable of ignite the specific hazardous

atmosphere in which it is present.

2- Explosionproof apparatus are instruments enclosed in a case

capable of withstanding an explosion inside without igniting
flammable material outside, they also operate at an external
temperature too low to ignite combustible material surrounding
them. They are neither gas-tight nor vapor-tight, but are flame-
tight to prevent an inner explosion from reaching the
atmosphere. Explosionproof housings are especially useful in
all Division 1 areas.

3- Purging is the use of nonflammable gases to flush flammable

gases or vapors from an enclosed space so that the vessel or
space involved can be opened or used for fuels without danger
of an explosion. The nonflammable gas displaces the flammable
substance toward the vents. Carbon Dioxide is commonly used
for this purpose and amount used varies with molecular weight
of the substance being purged.

4- Inerting consists of mixing a chemically, nonflammable gas

with flammable substance, thereby displacing oxygen until the
percentage of oxygen in the mixture is too low to allow
combustion. As in purging, inerting requires the safe disposal of
vented flammable gases.

5- Encapsulation encloses a component or assembly in a solid or

semi-solid medium, such as tar, wax or epoxy. It can be
considered safe if the medium effectively seals the ignition
source from the atmosphere.

6- The techneque of oil immersion is not likely be used on a

complete instrument, as sealing and encapsulation might.

Equipment for Class II Locations

Class II locations make use of equipment designed to seal out dust.
The enclosures are not intended to contain an internal explosion,
but rather to eliminate the source of ignition so no explosion can
occur within the enclosure. These enclosures are also tested to

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 OSHA
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Wagdi Fouad Seffain – Authorized OSHA Trainer

make sure they do not overheat when totally covered with dust,
lint, or flyings.
Only electrical equipment in enclosures that are both ignition
resistant and impervious to dust are suitable for locations
containing a combustible dust hazard.
Apparatus and equipment for Class II hazardous locations are
subjected to specific dust-air mixtures in the joints in the enclosure,
clearances at shafts, etc., to make sure they are dust-tight.
1- To prevent combustible dust from entering an enclosure,
pressurization can be used. Pressurization is similar to purging,
where an inert gas or clean air is supplied to an enclosure at a
sufficient pressure, to keep dust from entering. Unlike purging,
however, pressurization cannot bring an enclosure to a safe
level once dust is inside. When this occurs, the enclosure must
be opened and the dust removed.
2- Purging uses positive pressure to exclude dust and prevent
build-up of insulating dust layers on contacts.
3- Oil immersion is suitable against dust hazards, but the process
must also be dust-tight.

C. Equipment for Class III Locations:

Equipment used in Class III locations needs to be designed to
prevent fibers and flying s from entering the housing. It also needs
to be constructed in such a way as to prevent the escape of sparks
or burning materials. It must also operate below the point of
combustion.
High temperatures are the primary concern of electrical equipment
installed in Class III locations. Surface temperatures of equipment
shouls not be high enough to cause excessive dehydration in the
hazardous location so as to cause accumulated fibers or flyings to
ignite spontaneously.

International Comparison
HAZARDOUS NEC U.S. IEC STANDARDS
MATERIALS STANDARDS
Gas or Vapor Class I Division 1 Zone 0
Class I Division 2 Zone 1
Dust Class II Division 2 Zone 10
Class II Division 2 Zone 11
Fibers or Flyings Class III Division 1 Zone 10

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OSHA
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Wagdi Fouad Seffain – Authorized OSHA Trainer

Class III Division 2 Zone 11

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OSHA
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Wagdi Fouad Seffain – Authorized OSHA Trainer