ATEX DIRECTIVE

Designed to open up free trade across Europe, the ATEX Directive 94/9/EC (Atmosphere Explosive) sets out to align technical and legal requirements across member states for equipment and protective systems used in potentially explosive atmospheres.

From 1 July 2003, all electrical and mechanical equipment used in potentially explosive atmospheres to be compliant with ATEX directive 94/9/EC. The end user must also ensure the equipment once installed is compliant with ATEX Directive 1999/92/EC "The ATEX Use Directive". Any installer /user of electrical or mechanical equipment located within a potentially explosive atmospheres must be competent and fully conversant with all the relevant standards and directives.

Manufacturers of electrical and mechanical equipment used in potentially explosive atmospheres must use a quality management system for production quality assurance or product quality assurance which has been assessed and approved a Notified Body chosen by the manufacturer. In the past, manufacturers may have been selling a number of products, certified by different bodies, each body being responsible for auditing the manufacturer’s quality system. With the ATEX directive, the quality management system has been split away from certification, the manufacturer may use more than one body for certification, but elects a sole, "Notified Body" for the approval of his quality system.

ATEX directive standards

Listed below are the common electrical group standards used by the ATEX directive.

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