We work with Client’s across Ireland who work in environments where Part 8 Explosive Atmospheres at Places of Work (Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007) or the DSEAR Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 apply.
We help our customers assess and manage the risks with our expert ATEX Assessment service.
To book your free ATEX Preliminary Assessment, use the button below or get in touch via our Live Chat tool (bottom right).
Hazardous Area Classification
The primary legislation applying to ‘ATEX Assessment’ in Ireland and the control of substances that can cause fires and explosions in the workplace is the Part 8 ‘Explosive Atmospheres at Places of Work’ of the General Application Regulations 2007.
We help our customers to determine if their operations requires ATEX hazard classification and the extent of these zones.
If an explosive atmosphere requires special precautions to protect the safety of workers it is referred to as a hazardous area. Hazardous areas are classified based on the frequency of occurrence and duration of an explosive atmosphere. The classification is further split between flammable gases and combustible dusts. For gases the following classification is made:
Zone 0: An area in which an explosive gas atmosphere is present continuously or for long periods;
Zone 1: An area in which an explosive gas atmosphere is likely to occur in normal operation;
Zone 2: An area in which an explosive gas atmosphere is not likely to occur in normal operation and, if it occurs, will only exist for a short time.
How do we carry out ATEX Assessment?
To aid in the classification and calculation of the extent of hazardous zones, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has provided an international standard – IEC 60079. Part 10-1 of the standard deals with the classification of areas for gas atmospheres.
The type of zone can be estimated with the help of Table D.1 provided in the standard.
To classify your ATEX Zone, the table requires inputs in the form of three parameters:
Grade of release (i.e., how often leaks/releases of flammable liquids or gases are expected to occur)
Availability of ventilation (i.e., how often discontinuities in the ventilation are expected)
Effectiveness of ventilation (i.e., how well the ventilation can dilute the release)
The effectiveness of ventilation, i.e., the degree of dilution, will depend on the ventilation velocity and the release flow.
IEC 60079-10-1:2020 provides guidance on how to assess the degree of dilution. Note that specific exceptions and rules to apply for certain situations.
From here, we calculate the Release Characteristic of the material using the formula below.
Once we have established the answer, we can identify the required Zone & the Hazardous Distance for the specific Source of Release.
Need help with your ATEX Assessment?
If you don’t have the in-house capability to perform your ATEX Assessment, book a free Safeti consultation below to see if we can assist!
