Explosion protection: directives and standards

  • Explosion protection

    Explosion-proof products

    Our gear units, motors and gearmotors are ready to face any danger.

  • Explosion protection in accordance with ATEX

    Directive EU Directive 2014/34/EU

    governs explosion protection for all types of devices on the European market.

  • Explosion protection in accordance with IECEx

    The IECEx certification agreement

    ensures mutual recognition of testing for explosion-proof equipment.

  • Explosion protection in accordance with HazLoc-NA®

    Hazardous Location - North America

    certifies products for the North American market with the CSA C/US mark.

Explosion-proof products available worldwide

You need to install explosion-proof products or your system is in a potentially explosive atmosphere? Our products comply with the most important directives and standards worldwide.

Special measures are required for use of systems and machinery in areas with potentially explosive air/gas or air/dust mixtures. Applicable standards and regulations govern the use of equipment within existing hazard zones. The complex, internationally applicable requirements for use of gearmotors, motors or drive electronics in applications in potentially explosive atmospheres are defined for the global market in the most important directives and standards:

  • 2014/34/EU
  • IECEx
  • HazLoc-NA® (NEC500 and C22.2)

Our gearmotors meet the defined requirements for equipment used in potentially explosive atmospheres. Unlike the internationally recognized IECEx regulations or the North American regulations (HazLoc-NA®), the EU directive 2014/34/EU (ATEX) also includes non-electrical equipment in explosion protection. We will gladly support you in selecting the appropriate device features – a checklist and inquiry form are available for download:

But which standards and directives do you need to comply with for worldwide use of your system? All the details, the precise worldwide assignment, and an overview of the zones and assignment to equipment categories or EPL (Equipment Protection Levels) are shown here.

Your benefits

  • Safe use

    Due to compliance with worldwide directives and standards for explosion-proof products.
  • Outstanding versatility

    Because our modular system offers numerous explosion-proof motors, gear units and gearmotors.
  • Worldwide availability

    Because our explosion-proof products comply with 94/9/EC (ATEX), IECEx and/or HazLoc-NA®.
  • Certified quality

    Thanks to involvement in the creation of standards, continuous quality control, and innovative research and development.

The directives and standards in detail:

Directive for the European market

In the European Union, directive 2014/34/EU (on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres) describes equipment and protective systems. The ATEX product directive is primarily geared towards manufacturers and/or distributors of products that will be used in potentially explosive atmospheres.

This directive applies to gearmotors and motors, and has been in effect without limitations since April 20, 2016. Other European countries, such as Switzerland, have now fallen in with this regulation.

Since April 20, 2016, it replaces the 94/9EG directive. The EU Parliament passed the directive 2014/34/EU on February 26, 2014, and published it in late March 2014. There are no fundamental changes or new requirements for design-based explosion protection. The major changes are in the terminology. The EC type examination is now known as the EU type examination, and the EC declaration of conformity has become the EU declaration of conformity. Existing EC type examination certificates will remain valid.

We were one of the first manufacturers to offer appropriate gear units and motors when this directive was introduced, and our products meet the necessary requirements:

The 1999/92/EC directive primarily targets employers and system operators. It stipulates minimum regulations for safety requirements intended to prevent explosion-related accidents. In Germany, for example, this directive was converted to national law with the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (BetrSichV).

Identification of the products:

  • Manufacturer's name and address
  • CE marking
  • Designation of the series and type
  • The serial number, if applicable
  • The year of manufacture
  • The special "Ex" marking for preventing explosions in connection with the identification that indicates the category
  • For equipment group II, the letter "G" (for areas with potentially explosive gas, vapor or mist mixtures)
  • and/or the letter "D" (for areas in which dust could produce potentially explosive atmospheres)

Eurasian Customs Union Russia/Belarus/Kazakhstan/Armenia

The Eurasian Customs Union has adopted a number of European directives, with some modifications. In the field of explosion protection, TR ZU 012/2011, which is based on EU Directive 94/9/EC, has replaced the GOST regulations.

For products in areas at risk of explosion, the EAC label alone, as found on standard motors for example, is not sufficient. These products must be certified to the technical regulation "On safety of equipment for work in explosive environments" (ТR СU 012/2011) and receive an Ex label in addition to the EAC label. The EAC Ex certification was created on the basis of the ATEX certification.

SEW asynchronous motors and asynchronous gearmotors are to be shipped with both labels.

The ATEX labels are unchanged and the motor or gearmotor gets a second nameplate with the EAC Ex specifications. The second nameplate is always attached to the motor.

Stand-alone gear units are not to be shipped with both labels. The main nameplate is to be modified to fulfill all requirements of technical regulation ТR СU 012/2011.

  • EAC label
  • EAC Ex label
  • Certification authority
  • Certificate number
  • EAC Ex label for gas
  • EAC Ex label for dust
  • Safety note

Specifications are written in Cyrillic.

Ukraine

The Ukraine has also adopted some of the European directives, with modifications.

In the field of explosion protection, Regulation no. 1055 from December 2016 laid down technical standards for equipment and protective systems to be used in potentially explosive atmospheres

EDR.. motors will be available shortly that are in line with these standards.

Fundamental information about explosion protection

The relationship between equipment groups, equipment categories and zones

Directive 2014/34/EU only defines the basic requirements. The product-specific requirements are defined in the various applicable standards. At the international level, IEC 60079-0 ("Explosive atmospheres - Equipment - General requirements") introduced the EPL (Equipment Protection Level). These Equipment Protection Levels identify suitability of equipment for potentially explosive areas according to the zone classifications.

With the new version of EN 60079-0, issued in 2010, EPLs were also incorporated into European standards. The equipment must be designed with explosion protection measures of different levels depending on the category or EPL.

Close table
Gas (G) Dust (D)
EPL
IEC/EN 60079-0
Category
2014/34/EU
Use in zone
1999/92/EC
EPL
IEC/EN 60079-0
Category
2014/34/EU
Use in zone
1999/92/EC
Ga 1G 0 Da 1D 20
Gb 2G 1 Db 2D 21
Gc 3G 2 Dc 3D 22
We have stored a table for you here.
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