What Is ATEX Certification – And Why Does It Matter?

For any business working in an environment with potentially explosive atmospheres, having full ATEX certification is a legal requirement for health and safety. Compliance with ATEX directives is a vital commitment to safety management for industries that operate with hazardous areas that include flammable gases, vapours, or dust. As specialists in ATEX cleaning, we take a look at the key parts of ATEX certification – what it is, why you need it, and how it compares to other certifications like IECEx.

What is ATEX certification?

ATEX certification is an EU directive that confirms equipment and protective systems meet strict safety requirements when used in potentially explosive atmospheres. Certification is carried out by an ATEX Notified Body regulated by the ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU. This directive outlines the level of health and safety needed for equipment, machinery, and systems used in explosive environments.

Set up in 1996, the ATEX directive became mandatory in 2003 and applies to businesses with equipment designed to prevent explosions or minimise their effects in hazardous areas or ATEX Zones. These zones can contain flammable gases, vapours, dust, or fibres, which, when coming into contact with air, could ignite and cause an explosion.

Why is ATEX certification needed?

The importance of this certification shouldn’t be overlooked – it isn’t just another round of pesky red tape or futile box-ticking. Certification is mandatory and ensures any equipment – electrical, mechanical, or otherwise – you use in explosive atmospheres is designed and manufactured to the highest safety standards, minimising the risk of explosion via any ignition source. 

Beyond this, ATEX approval will boost the reputation of your business while reducing your liability and making for a safer working environment. ATEX certification is crucial for businesses with hazardous areas as it protects against the disastrous effects of explosions, including loss of life, property damage, and environmental damage.

What equipment requires ATEX certification?

Covering a wide range of equipment and components, this certification includes any ignition, valve, or actuator parts and any electrical or mechanical equipment or other protective systems subject to the ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU. If any of these are for use in potentially explosive atmospheres, ATEX certification is needed, including:

• Electrical: Motors, pumps, lighting, solenoids, and control panels
• Mechanical: Valves, fans, conveyors, and non-electrical equipment
• Protective systems: To stop impending explosions or limit explosion flames and pressures
• Components: Parts essential to the overall safety of certified equipment

And it’s not only equipment that your business might use. ATEX approval also applies if you manufacture equipment or machinery you intend to sell for the EU market, so meeting the requirements for every product is essential.

How to get ATEX certification

Similar to other international standards, achieving full ATEX certification is quite a process. It means complying with strict safety, design, manufacturing, and documentation rules in compliance with ATEX certification requirements. These requirements make sure that any equipment and machinery can operate safely in any ATEX Zones, with key focus areas including:

• Equipment group: The two main equipment groups are Group I for below-ground operation and Group II for above-ground operation. Equipment is then categorised on its level of risk.
• ATEX Zones: Having classified areas creates ATEX zones (0, 1, or 2 or 20, 21, or 22) depending on the level of permanent, occasional, or potential flammable gases or dusts.
• Sources of ignition: Whether any components are present that can act as ignition sources.

Once your equipment has approval for ATEX certification, you remain certified until it no longer meets the necessary requirements. But if any equipment changes or is modified, the equipment may need to be reassessed.

How much does ATEX certification cost?

The cost of ATEX certification will vary depending on each piece of equipment or machinery in your business and the complexity of the testing requirements – each piece is certain to be different. However, the smaller or simpler the equipment is, the lower the testing cost should be. Likewise, the more intricate or complex the equipment, the higher the testing cost.

Pricing can also vary depending on equipment grouping and your current ATEX zoning. For example, testing zone 0 or 20 equipment will cost more due to the complexity and being in an area where an explosive or flammable gas atmosphere or combustible dust is continuously present.

UK ATEX certification

Although the UK isn’t currently a member of the EU, ATEX certification and standards are still accepted for equipment in the UK, but the UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking now supersedes ATEX. Any businesses that export into the EU must also maintain ATEX approval to comply with strict European standards.

ATEX Certification markings and what they mean

All equipment, machinery, or protective systems in any ATEX Zone should have clear labelling with up-to-date ATEX certification markings. The information included on each label can include the following:

• CE or UKCA logo: Showing compliance with EU and UK directives
• Notified body number: The 4-digit ID of the assessment organisation
• ‘Ex’ Marking: To show compliance with explosion protection
• Equipment group: Group I or II for below or above-ground operation
• Equipment category: Showing the relevant ATEX zone category
• Environment: D or G for dust or gas environments
• Temperature Class: Showing maximum surface temperature of the equipment.

These markings will tell you everything you need to know about the equipment or machinery and what hazardous areas it can be used in. Understanding these markings and what they mean will ensure the right equipment is always used in the right area.

What’s the difference between ATEX and IECEx certification?

The only difference between ATEX and IECEx certification is where you’re based or intend to sell your equipment. While both are mandatory certifications, ATEX only applies to businesses within the EU (including the UK with the UKCA mark), and IECEx is a globally recognised standard. 

The priority of both ATEX and IECEx is to ensure equipment is safe and compliant when used in explosive atmospheres and only differ in regional acceptance and processes. You’ll often see equipment or machinery with additional information alongside the ATEX certification markings that relate to IEC standards and are featured to ensure conformity worldwide.

ATEX cleaning and dust removal from Prestige Professional

When your equipment and machinery are fully ATEX-certified, the next step is to keep your ATEX Zones as clean and free from dust buildup as possible. Combustible dusts that are allowed to accumulate are a genuine safety risk. But you can protect your employees and your business with specialist ATEX cleaning and hazardous dust removal services from Prestige Professional. 

For your safety, compliance, and peace of mind, our ATEX cleaning team is IPAF-trained to work at height and efficiently remove hazardous dust and debris from your premises. Using fully insulated, spark-free cleaning systems, we can clean even the hardest-to-reach areas for a range of industries from aerospace, automotive, and pharmaceutical to food, waste, and manufacturing. 

For more information on our ATEX cleaning services and how we can keep your business compliant, contact the Prestige Professional team today, call 01752 424873 or email info@prestigeprofessional.co.uk.