The term
ATEX stands for the French abbreviation of "Atmosphère explosible" and is used as a synonym for the two European Community Directives concerning explosion protection, namely the ATEX Product Directive 94/9/EC and the ATEX Worker Protection Directive 1999/92/EC.
ATEX Product Directive 94/9/EC: The ATEX Product Directive 94/9/EC (also unofficially called "ATEX 95" due to the relevant Art. 95 of the EC Treaty on the free movement of goods) of the European Parliament and the Council on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres, defines rules for the placing on the market of products used in potentially explosive atmospheres.
With this Directive, non-electrical equipment was also included for the first time. For example, rotating couplings can result in ignition risks due to impermissibly high heating.
The purpose of the Directive is to protect people who work in potentially explosive atmospheres. Annex II of the Directive contains essential health and safety requirements which must be complied with by the manufacturer and verified in the form of corresponding conformity assessment procedures. After 30 June 2003, only equipment, components and protection systems in compliance with the ATEX Product Directive 94/9/EC may be placed on the market.
In Germany this European Directive was implemented in national law by the "Explosionsschutzverordnung" (11. GPSGV) - or explosion protection regulations.
ATEX Worker 1999/92/EG:Die ATEX Worker Protection Directive 1999/92/EC (also unofficially called "ATEX 137", due to the relevant Art. 137 of the EC treaty) on minimum requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers potentially at risk from explosive atmospheres.
This Directive was implemented in in 2002 within the scope of the "Betriebssicherheitsverordnung" in Germany and through the "Verordnung explosionsfähiger Atmosphären" (VEXAT) in Austrian law.
This Directive contains fundamental safety requirements which the owner/employer must implement.
These include:
- Prevention or limitation of the formation of potentially explosive atmospheres (primary explosion protection)
- Prevention of effective ignition sources (secondary explosion protection)
- Limitation of the effect of any explosion to a safe extent (tertiary or constructive explosion protection)
Within the scope of their hazard assessment the employer must draw up an explosion protection document and classify areas with dangerous potentially explosive atmospheres into zones.