ATEX Cleaning And Explosive Dust Removal

A specialist process for safely removing hazardous explosive dust and debris in industrial or commercial environments.

Certain commercial and industrial environments can see a build-up of hazardous dust particles. But specialist ATEX cleaning can prevent the risk of explosions, securing the safety of your staff.

ATEX cleaning can remove the fine dust particles and debris caused by processes used in industrial and other hazardous environments. Left to accumulate, this dust can create an explosive atmosphere if not managed effectively. By using specialist, non-sparking industrial vacuum cleaning systems and other tools, ATEX cleaning will prevent the risk of explosions and ensure the safety of employees.

What is ATEX Cleaning?

ATEX cleaning suits potentially hazardous environments, such as chemical processing, manufacturing, food processing and other industries. Any fine particles of residual and combustible products created during production, such as coal dust, sugar, starch, flour, wood, plastics, or light metals, can accumulate, leading to a risk of explosion if any ignition is triggered.

Alongside any ventilation systems already in place on-site, the ATEX cleaning process uses specialist spark-free and anti-static equipment and tools that minimises the risk of creating heat or sparks. Designed to effectively and safely remove any settled build-up of hazardous, combustible material across a range of different ATEX Zones, including dust and gas risk zones, ATEX cleaning helps to ensure a safe working environment.

What does ATEX mean?

ATEX is an abbreviation for the French term ‘ATmosphères EXplosibles’ meaning ‘explosive atmosphere’ and ‘ATEX Cleaning’ originates from two EU-created directives:

• 94/9/EC (ATEX 95) to regulate the equipment and protective systems used in potentially explosive environments
• 99/92/EC (ATEX 137) for the minimum requirement needed to improve the health and safety protection of workers in potentially explosive environments.

In the UK, these ATEX directives became law under the Equipment and Protective Systems for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 1996 (EPS Regulations) (ATEX 95) and the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) 2002 (ATEX 137).

Both laws aim to prevent explosions in hazardous workplaces where flammable gases, vapours, liquids, or combustible dust may be present. They require employers to comply with safety regulations by identifying and assessing the risks associated with explosive atmospheres and taking appropriate measures to eliminate or control them.

The directives also set requirements for designing, manufacturing, and using equipment and protective systems in these environments.

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